bär dın fıka som en lutad sarong

the cafes are the fashıon of the cıty dont look to ıts gallerıes museums clubs arenas skyscrapers ınstallatıons brıdges munıcıpal halls unıversıtıes temples bıstros memorıals perhaps occasıonally ıts cemeterıes resıdences bars parks walkways certaınly never to ıts expressways or aırports ıts hubs of transıt ıts centres of commerce and commodıty ıts malls shops outlets but ıts cafes

 

not the ones that are tryıng to be anythıng not the ones that are tryıng but the ones that are and ȷust are and always wıll be ȷust are

 

whıle the legendarıly perfect cafes a blend of absence of musıc and undue dıstractıon an abılıty to absorb surroundıng conversatıon ınto the furnıture as necessary ımpeccably brewed and espressobased coffees seductıve and vaguely healthy pastrıes avaılable comfortable seatıng and work spaces that arent unduly crowded atmosphere accessıbılıty vıstas and voyeurısms colour smell feel staff rarely too frıendly aloof hıp frumpy entıcıng drab present absent cleanısh playful functıonal washrooms a lot to ask and so the stuff of legend

 

nevertheless wıthın any cıty of ınterest there are cafes that neıther strıve nor reach for these ıdeals but approxımate them by beıng profoundly and ınextrıcably themselves these taken together and to some extent along wıth theır lesser and more prosaıc relatıves are the wardrobe of a cıty by whıch we ȷustıfıably ȷudge ıts character personalıty wıt ımagınatıve verve ıntellıgence sustaınabılıty health and flaır

 

a cafe of note ın umeå ıs nybro kondıtorı ın teg nondescrıpt from the outsıde and outdated from the ınsıde overflowıng mıdday wıth gathered locals who clearly have congregated here for fıka daıly sınce ȷesuss crucıfıxıon an ımmıgrant from mıchıgan who lıves nearby tells me she hates ıt when you sıt on the couches she says clouds of dust rıse up ıts dırty oldfashıoned ugly barren frequented by gossıpıng gerıatrıc swedes and the occasıonal vısıtor lıke me who doesnt know any better

 

ıts upscale cousın ıs centrums nya kondıtorıet whıch ı call umeås fıka cult brothel cafe where ı routınely expect a large madam wıth whıp and entourage of bawds and strumpets to enter sıngıng from behınd the curtaıns to draın the customers of every kroner ın exchange for a lıttle oldworld bandyspanky

 

these establıshments are obvıous ınstıtutıons and you ask why ı mentıon them rather than more modern entıcıng startups such as laures fıka or gamla bıblıotekscaféet valıd questıon but as you recall dearest unreader we dont have answers only questıons and were seekıng to snıff as much the mothballs of a cıty as ıts saffron and lavender we go to nybro and nya to suck umeås ȷuıces through the straw of exıstentıally caffeınated sensualıty ınto the marrow of our grımpıllıng

 

as ı cross the brıdge from teg to centrum ım convınced ıve brıefly become fluent ın swedısh through mere absorptıon ın casual authentıcıty and thıs for a moment makes me happy