Landing in Fog

My flight arrived in Stockholm today under weather conditions the pilot casually mentioned as a fog bank with no visibility. Assuming 'no visibility' to imply miles outward, on the scale of the plane, I was rather surprised to see nothing but whiteness outside my window and in the plane's pilot-view onscreen video right up until just a few seconds before touching ground. I believe at 7am this morning, visibility in Stockholm might have been measured at about 15'-0".

The fog was dense but bright - white instead of the gloomy gray that I've always associated with Scandinavia (thinking Hamlet and, "there's something rotten in the state of Danemark"). The atmosphere felt very fitting and more than a little illustrative of my state of mind at the time. I could only think of how little I actually know of the culture and language that I am about to immerse myself in.

It was reassuring to be on the ground in the Stockholm airport though. Seeing how well the Scandinavians contrast materials and play with diffused light to create warm spaces despite sometimes bleak overhead was incredibly comforting. Between this and the lush greenery I've already experienced between Sweden and Norway, I am quickly realizing that Scandinavia is a place that feels good - bright and optimistic - even when elements typically characterizing drear perservere. Plus, the fog had lifted completely by the time my 9am connection took off to Trondheim.