Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once, and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now. My words are:
I just watched an hour long live stream from two months ago. It was an interview with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson talking about their comeback.
Do these names sound familiar?
You bet! They're the guys from ABBA.
But they retired a long time go, you say.
They did.
Both couples got divorced, and things became difficult - and now they're back.
Almost 40 years, half a lifetime later, just like that.
And even though they're in their mid-70s, which makes them slightly younger than the Rolling Stones and older than when Tina Turner last performed, they sound like always.
"When we got to the studio to record our song, the girls arrived, and it was like no time at all had passed." Benny said. "Everybody just assumed their role, and because it went so well, we were like, let's do another one. That's how we ended up recording an entire album. It was beautiful."
Let me tell you: listening to the songs also feels like no time had passed.
Which is crazy. I was just a little girl when they were famous. I barely learned how to operate a tape recorder, and already they split up. I was left with a poster I got as a Christmas present and the Super Trouper album.
The good thing about music is: it doesn't go away. Generations after generations get to enjoy it. Even though (parts of) the Beatles, Elvis and others were gone, I count their music to my upbringing.
The lyrics make me smile and cry at the same time. I think there's tons of autobiographic stuff in it.
Listen for yourself:
Makes you wonder.
Both guys have remarried and are still with their new wives. Agnetha got divorced from her second husband, lost her mother to suicide and shortly after her father. Frida's second husband died from lymphoma, and she lost her then 30 year old daughter in a car accident; today she lives with her new partner Henry in - guess - Zermatt, Switzerland!
Let's interrupt this music themed post for a somewhat hilarious story taking place in Zermatt.
Remember, Zermatt is the popular mountain village at the foot of the Matterhorn. People like to visit in summer (for hiking or pack rafting, which is similar to canoeing) and winter (for skiing) alike. During the lockdowns the locals suffered greatly. Their life, well, their livelihood, depend on tourism. So when restaurants and event locations were allowed to reopen by observing Covid Certificate rules (You need to be vaccinated, tested or recovered), they were all so thrilled.
All but one rich and somewhat peculiar family that runs the Walliser Kanne, a popular restaurant that serves Fondue, Raclette (plus Pizza and Pasta to to appeal to a wider audience) and often hire Swiss folk bands so determined tourists get the full program of yodel and alphorn.
They embraced a "love all, serve all" policy and thus attracted the attention of the authorities. Local police paid several control visits to the restaurant and politely pointed out the violation of the law to the landlords. The owners laughed in their face and kept on serving meals to unvaccinated and unmasked patrons.
The establishment had been ordered to close for two weeks by the State government. The doors of the restaurant were officially sealed, and massive concrete blocks were placed in front of the entrance.
The restaurant owners continued to serve customers. They improvised a bar on the concrete barriers. I have to admit, at that point I got mildly amused. After all it's not forbidden to serve customers without certificate outdoors! This has been the case all along, and other restaurants had extended their patios for that reason.
What's the problem?
In order to run the "concrete bar" they had to break the seal of the entrance. See, they had to run back and forth to the kitchen, right?
Again, police showed up.
This time they were at the end of their patience and took action: the host couple and their son were arrested and put into custody. They have since been released, but their innkeeper's license was revoked, and the majority of Swiss people had a good laugh.
The restaurant became a site for demonstrations by those against Covid restrictions. I imagine it's quite the freak show.
It's "national vaccination week" in Switzerland. We don't observe national donuts day or go to work wearing your PJs day, but we desperately want to convince people to be cool and get the jab. There are a couple free outdoor concerts taking place in different cities (no certificate needed), and even though they're free, you need to sign up for them so the audience can be limited to 500 people.
What happened? Hundreds of anti-vaxxers secured their free ticket and didn't show up. Poor artists had to perform in front of a handful people.
In our neighbor country Austria's provinces of Oberösterreich and Salzburg, unvaccinated people will only be allowed to leave their homes to meet their daily needs, go to work or if they need help. This is going to be interesting.
So if ABBA sing "I still have faith in you" they are probably not talking about mankind...
What do you think?
Let me know below, and please don't leave before checking out my blogger friends' posts:
I appreciate that the covid mandates are actually enforced in your country, not so here.
ReplyDeleteAnd I did see Mamma Mia in Boston, loved it, and often when I'm down, put the CD on and sing at the top of my lungs.
I SO love ABBA!
ReplyDeleteThe longer this Pandemic rages, the less I feel I know people.
I was STUNNED when they made the masks optional at the school here. And by the amount of people who were totally happy with it. I've never seen Mamma Mia, live or on the big screen.
ReplyDeleteI just don't understand it at all. I wanted my shot the second I was able to get it and I've had three at this point. My grandkids just got vaccinated last week. These anti-vaxxers make me so mad! By the way you live in the most beautiful spot in the whole world! I love when you post pics.
ReplyDelete