maypole

When most Americans hear about Sweden, they think of Swedish fish, the Muppet chef, and IKEA—but the response from those who have actually been to Sweden is much different. “The word that came to my mind was pristine,” says Leslie Barnts of her first trip to Sweden. “I will never forget it because it was absolutely, hands down, the cleanest of all the countries I saw, and I think I saw 23 European countries that summer. Whether in the city or out in the little villages, it was like being on the earth 300 years ago. . . . Absolutely breathtaking!”