Just me looking at Nobel 2009

Sweden's yearly Nobel Award ceremony is the most prestigious event of this little kingdom. It is an occasion that stretches in significance to all corners of the world and echoes the achievements of men and women in the fields of science, economics and literature to all generations - past and future. Nobel 2009 is particularly special because there were several women awardees. Generally, the prize takers are men which raised some eyebrows if the women population in the various fields of endeavour are truly inferior to men, intellectually-speaking.

The most interesting aspect of every Nobel ceremony - aside from the names and nationalities of the prize winners, is the pomp and glamour that characterise the event. More specifically, it is the anticipation of what and how celebrities and royalties dress up for this magnificent evening. The Swedish royal family has members whose sense of style is closely monitored by the media. Queen Silvia's stunning gowns are often spectacularly beautiful and she carries them with grace and elegance. Last night's gown of light green embroidered (?) tafetta or brocade was not her best. Princess Victoria was in deep purple with matching jewelry set and Princess Madeleine was in deep green gown. Those gowns were not the best choices and they did not do justice to the wearers.

Among the women awardees, the Economy prize winner - who looks like a kindly Auntie was dressed in a very loose African-looking attire, while the Literature prize winner came out straight from the movie " The Adams family" in her black gown, white belt and red, red lips. Among the Swedish celebrity guests - politicians and who's who in arts and media - the harvest of glamour and elegance was poor, due to a draught which probably it was in the form of an economic crisis still looming in the horizon.

Sitting in my comfortable couch and watching the show move from the Kulturhuset to the Stadshuset ( Cultural center to Stockholm's City Hall ), I remembered 1985 and 1993 when I attended the Nobel ceremony and even danced in the magnificent blue room of the City Hall. Every year, the Nobel has memorable images of both the beautiful and the less beautiful, the elegant and the gaudy, the latest in fashion and the left-overs of a vintage period. But Nobel is uniquely Swedish when it comes to honouring the noble intentions of its founder, Alfred Nobel.#