Scandinavian countries
I'm watching a video about Norway and it looks absolutely beautiful, Lofoten in particular. Finland has always fascinated me, but I've heard the Suomi language is difficult to learn if you're a native English speaker. Denmark, to me, is not talked about as much.
So, DLers, what is the best out of the Scandinavian countries?
by Anonymous | reply 65 | May 22, 2020 6:52 PM
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Denmark for me. Norway looks very nice, but both Norwegians and Swedes have a weird vibe of solitude and conformity that Denmark lacks (at least to the same extent).
by Anonymous | reply 1 | May 20, 2020 4:22 PM
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Norway because fjords.
How do the Norwegians enjoy this beauty every day? It must be nothing for them if they live in them.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 2 | May 20, 2020 4:22 PM
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R1 Joe went to Copenhagen. It seems ok there I guess. I find his/her travel videos very unmasking.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 3 | May 20, 2020 4:25 PM
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Norway is the one I want to visit most, unless you call Iceland a Scandinavian country! I desperately want to visit Norway, to take a cruise along the coast and spend some time in the city, but not quite as much as I want to drive around Iceland and see all the vulcanism.
I will take an extended trip as soon as the pandemic dies down, and I win the lottery.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | May 20, 2020 9:03 PM
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Norway sounds good except for the food, which sounds dreadful. Have you guys seen these videos: "YourWay2Norway"? Some of them are funny & tell you about Norway culture.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 5 | May 20, 2020 9:36 PM
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I've been to all of them -Some, like Denmark, multiple times through the years. None of them are what you would call "foodie" places -Especially for vegetarians and vegans. But they are all clean, friendly, comfortable places to visit, with lots of natural beauty (natural and man-made). Almost everyone you meet is educated and speaks English as well as other languages. If you manage to get across the Atlantic, don't limit yourself to one -Visit a few places! Internal flights within Europe are very cheap! My favorite city is Oslo -Truly a beautiful place.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | May 20, 2020 9:56 PM
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I like Scandinavian food, and liked it before I went vegetarian. I like dairy and fish (fresh and preserved), and bread and pastries, and even preserved fruits and vegetables. I even like Jansen's Temptation, which is sort of like scalloped potatoes with anchovies in. I wouldn't go there just for the food, I'd go for the natural wonders, but I'd look forward to taking a break from the natural wonders at mealtimes.
I've always wanted to visit Stockholm, and spend a day or a week wandering from lovely little island to lovely little island. By foot or by bike, if it's possible to walk or bike the old bridges between islands. Has anyone done that, is it doable?
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 7 | May 20, 2020 10:36 PM
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This is like asking me if I prefer Apple Pie or Apple cobbler. There isn't a whole hell of a lot difference.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | May 21, 2020 1:31 AM
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Did anyone else who’s been to Denmark notice how many of them have multiple tattoos? It really stood out.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | May 21, 2020 1:35 AM
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These are Nordic countries. Finland is not part of Scandinavia, although there is a sizeable Swedish-speaking minority in Finland.
I also have been to all of these countries.
Denmark is the scroungiest, by far.
Iceland is the strangest.
Finland is the quirkiest.
Norway is the wealthiest.
Sweden is the most normal, to me at least.
by Anonymous | reply 11 | May 21, 2020 1:47 AM
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I saw Midsommar, I’m good.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | May 21, 2020 1:52 AM
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Iceland is magical in the winter. I got to see the Northern Lights and take a swim in very warm thermal water.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | May 21, 2020 1:58 AM
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Iceland isn't part of Scandinavia either.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | May 21, 2020 1:59 AM
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I'm Icelandic, but I live in South America. I previously lived also in Denmark and Sweden.
In my experience, most food in Scandinavia, save for some desserts and dairy products, is... unfortunate. (Whale fat and fermented shark, anyone?) Although most of it is healthy, it's nasty. It's also quite expensive.
People in these countries mostly bike everywhere. They can leave their bikes outside of a building, and the bikes will still be there when they come back out.
Oddly enough, with the healthy food and biking, there are a hell of a lot of smokers.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | May 21, 2020 2:04 AM
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The proper term is “Nordic”, OP.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | May 21, 2020 2:06 AM
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Scandinavian Countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Nordic Countries: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland including the associated territories of Greenland (autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark); Faroe Islands (a self-governing archipelago, part of the Kingdom of Denmark); and Åland Islands (an autonomous region of Finland).
Additional information: Estonia, one of the three Baltic countries along with Latvia and Lithuania, would like to be considered part of the Nordic countries but currently remains Baltic.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | May 21, 2020 2:09 AM
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I just want to hang out with ABBA and grab some pickled herring at IKEA. Is that so much to ask?
by Anonymous | reply 20 | May 21, 2020 2:13 AM
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I would say Norway, though I haven't visited Iceland. Norway is wonderful. I'd love to live there. Gorgeous nature and lovely people.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | May 21, 2020 2:15 AM
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[quote] People in these countries mostly bike everywhere. They can leave their bikes outside of a building, and the bikes will still be there when they come back out.
It sounds like you're talking more about Iceland than the bigger countries. I'd never leave my bike out unlocked in any of the bigger cities in Denmark, Finland, Norway or Sweden.
[quote] Additional information: Estonia, one of the three Baltic countries along with Latvia and Lithuania, would like to be considered part of the Nordic countries but currently remains Baltic.
Estonia most certainly would like that but mentally they are still in many ways an Eastern Bloc country, partly because around 25% of their citizens are Russian. In a recent study over 60% of Estonians opposed same sex marriage, if I remember the numbers correctly.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | May 21, 2020 2:17 AM
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The nicest Scandinavians I've know have been Norwegians. They've laughed at how Swedes think they're dumb because they like to enjoy life and live the simple pleasures.
Swedes have been charming and sometimes concrete in their thinking, but I've seen greater diversity among Swedes. (Yes, I'm speaking anecdotally and it is only my experience.) Rural Swedes were very different from urban Swedes, who were serious and enjoyed serious conversation with their serious drinking.
Danes have been very interesting, rather like extremely well-educated Germans with an impossible language. But since it seems like most Scandinavians have a fair-to-excellent command of English, it hasn't mattered. I would live in Norway if not for the high cost of living - plus I feel like I'd want to travel away from Oslo more than if I were living in Copenhagen or Stockholm or Gothenburg. Danes have been serious and seriously flirty with a sense of secrets to share (MARY!) while Norwegians and Swedes have been more direct and easy-going about sexual matters. I enjoy Danish food the most, but that's just a reflection of my own background and Denmark's closer ties to other European countries' cuisines.
Summering in north-central Norway or Sweden seems like heaven.
Finland is a place I wouldn't mind visiting and the few Finns I've met have been sweethearts. Such interesting languages.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | May 21, 2020 2:17 AM
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I've been to Denmark, Sweden & Norway and actually spent several weeks driving around in Sweden & Norway (less so Denmark).
I found Denmark plan but it looked much nicer in the photos I took. Sweden is very beautiful, Stockholm gorgeous and they have the best roads. Norway however was the most beautiful, just stunning though to be honest after spending weeks driving down the coast to Bergen we were sick of it by then. Sweden is known for being expensive but it hasn't got anything on Norway.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | May 21, 2020 2:18 AM
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Required reading: “The Almost Nearly Perfect People”, by Michael Booth.
Also: SATW.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 25 | May 21, 2020 2:27 AM
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[quote]In my experience, most food in Scandinavia, save for some desserts and dairy products, is... unfortunate. (Whale fat and fermented shark, anyone?) Although most of it is healthy, it's nasty. It's also quite expensive.
I remember their pastries being dry, stale, and practically tasteless.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | May 21, 2020 2:45 AM
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[quote] Denmark, to me, is not talked about as much.
Even in (western) Europe, Denmark isn't talked about much. They just do their thing I guess
by Anonymous | reply 27 | May 21, 2020 3:03 AM
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R22 I was in Copenhagen, Odense, and Stockholm recently, and the bicycles were being left outside and unsecured, by a quite lot of people.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | May 21, 2020 3:27 AM
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Suomi isn't impossible to learn. I learned Tagalog but asking Filipinas how to say something, and I'd write it down phonetically on a post it and attach it to my computer. I can now sort of hold a broken conversation in Tagalog.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | May 21, 2020 5:01 AM
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I've been to Sweden twice, it was... okay... I guess. Not awful, but will I ever go back? Doubtful.
I do recommend seeing the Vasa in Stockholm, I saw it twice and enjoyed it both times!
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 30 | May 21, 2020 5:07 AM
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I second the recommendation to visit the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. It is the only museum where I was so captivated that, after over an hour of looking around, I went back to the start and read every single placard and description. It was fascinating! Even if you weren't planning to go to Stockholm, this museum is worth the detour from just about anywhere in Europe.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | May 21, 2020 5:23 AM
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Iceland and Norway have the most spectacular nature, Sweden and Iceland have the most interesting culture (music, literature), Finland is...intriguing. Norway and Sweden have the hottest men. I have been to Copenhagen and Malmo and was underwhelmed. Spent a short layover in Reykjavik and would quite like to go back.
Denmark is my least favorite, then it is a bit of a toss up. I will choose Iceland just because it is unique in so many aspects. The food really sucks, though.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | May 21, 2020 5:45 AM
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I feel that these (as well as the Netherlands) eagerness to speak English has discouraged people from trying to learn their languages. It hasn't made them and their cultures any more popular than the Latin cultures (Spaniards, French, Italians, Portuguese) further south. Or even further: learning, say, Japanese is still a thing because you need it if you want to live in Japan. They shot themselves in the foot, that way.
by Anonymous | reply 33 | May 21, 2020 6:04 AM
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R30 R31 I third the Vasa. Worthy even penny it costs. I wasn't interested in going but my partner insisted and it was the most memorable thing I saw in Sweden. Simply sensational.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | May 21, 2020 7:23 AM
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I enjoyed both Copenhagen and Stockholm.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | May 21, 2020 7:28 AM
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It was hard trying to think of Nordic/Scandinavian, compiling, etc. I guess I thought Greenland was autonomous, I know Trump had a hissy fit want to purchase it. I was thinking Faroe Islands when I did Denmark, I should've specified.
Regarding the language, I can't remember where I saw that Suomi was difficult to learn, but it's good to hear that it isn't hard to learn. If I traveled anywhere I'd want to learn the language and terminology.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | May 21, 2020 7:46 AM
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I've been to Finland, Iceland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. I really don't favor one over the others to any extent, but if I had to select only one it would be Iceland because the people there, at least for me, where more friendly. I found that each of them have their own charm. Finland is more like the Baltic countries which I have also visited.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | May 21, 2020 9:06 AM
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Which has the hottest men, the biggest dicks, the sluttiest ways? That's all I want to know
by Anonymous | reply 38 | May 21, 2020 10:33 AM
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R38 Hottest guys - Sweden. Biggest dicks - Denmark.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | May 21, 2020 10:44 AM
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Finnish is one the most difficult languages to learn, I speak it as a first language, but for other people it takes long time to learn. Sweden is nice, Copenhagen is beautiful and Norway is the richest, stunningly beautiful. All countries have clear nature and lots of open space. I would pick either Denmark or Norway.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | May 21, 2020 12:16 PM
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Whichever has the hottest guys.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | May 21, 2020 1:27 PM
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Finnish (Suomi) is indeed difficult to learn because it’s Asiatic. It is related to Hungarian (Magyar) and Estonian. They belong to the Uralic group and were all brought over to Europe by Mongol invaders from the Ural Mountains.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | May 21, 2020 2:07 PM
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[quote]They can leave their bikes outside of a building, and the bikes will still be there when they come back out.
Try doing that in the US lol!
by Anonymous | reply 44 | May 21, 2020 4:16 PM
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R39 has it right. Biggest dicks: Denmark. My god. I couldn't walk for days a few times. But that's for another thread.
I LOVE Sweden. Just loved it. The people were wonderful. I just liked the vibe.
Never made it to Finland, Norway, or Iceland. Maybe one day.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | May 21, 2020 4:20 PM
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American here who's been to Denmark, Sweden and Norway several times and I love all three countries. As an American, I am always bowled over at how CIVILIZED these countries. are. The people are wonderful, impeccable manners and very laid-back, lovely dispositions. Everywhere you go, you notice how clean and organized things are. Every time I've been to these three countries I think "oh, THIS is how civilization should be. This is what society should look look like." When you come back to the US after visiting these countries, it's shocking how trashy your fellow American seem to you, and how dirty everything is. NYC looks like a sewer compared to Scandanavian cities.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | May 21, 2020 4:31 PM
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In the next millennium there will be mass caucasian immigration to Africa and the Middle East.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | May 21, 2020 5:09 PM
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Europe doesn't want the social problems of America and South America. Remember when ASAP Rocky threw Mustafa Jafari because he wouldn't leave him alone?
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 48 | May 21, 2020 5:39 PM
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Been to S, N, D. Prefer Denmark because of Copenhagen.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | May 21, 2020 5:42 PM
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R49, Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, the Changing of the Guard (London wins), Crown Jewels (London wins), Old Port, shopping in its main pedestrian area, and the breakfast buffet in the train station were all great fun. So that's why, overall, I picked Dennark.
Norway's Stavanger Fjord (the one the dead parrot must have longer for) was and is stunning; a boat trip to an island castle in Stockholm and a walk through its Old Town were highly enjoyable; and the Vasa Viking ship museum was awe-inspiring.
But for me, THE highlight was in Oslo: the Kon-Tiki Museum. I had since childhood been fascinated and influenced by Heyerdahl's adventure/anthropological tale (and his companion book about the voyage of the Ra), so to see the Kon-Tiki right in front of me was overwhelming.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | May 21, 2020 6:00 PM
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It is true that the Scandinavian countries are highly educated, scrupulously clean, and socially progressive -They seem like paradise. But it comes at the price of almost no diversity. The are monolithic. I don't ascribe that to racism –Simply that throughout their history they were not seen as desirable places for foreigners to resettle. Not the most inviting climates... In recent years they have started taking in refugees and immigrants from other parts of Europe, and some are having trouble integrating in the cultures. The big lesson, to me, that these countries teach the world is just how valuable good education is. Higher employment and productivity, Greater social responsibility... It's not a "Nordic" trait -It's a hallmark of a well-educated populace.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | May 21, 2020 6:11 PM
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Europeans secretly love that they don't have our blacks and Latinos, though they would never admit it. They're very quietly racist.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | May 21, 2020 7:33 PM
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Scandinavia is only Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Your poll is a fail, OP.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | May 21, 2020 7:34 PM
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R47 it will be to cooler areas in higher altitudes.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | May 21, 2020 8:40 PM
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R52 At least we don't have their gypsies.
by Anonymous | reply 55 | May 21, 2020 11:23 PM
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R52, where do you get the idea that there are no blacks born and raised in Europe?
by Anonymous | reply 56 | May 21, 2020 11:34 PM
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Lovely people all. I'm especially fond of the Finns. Find them the hottest too, with their golden glow and slightly Asiatic features. And workwise, there's nothing the Finns cannot do. They rank up there with the Japanese in work efficiency and ethic.
Oh and they love the black cock.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | May 22, 2020 12:10 AM
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But they're not "American Blacks" r52. And they're certainly not as numerous. I'm just repeating what I've heard countless times from Europeans.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | May 22, 2020 12:10 AM
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I visited different cities in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Both Stockholm and Copenhagen seemed more rich and elegant than Oslo. Bergen. on the other hand, is beautiful and I was lucky it didn't snow or rain in the 3 days I stayed there. I have a soft spot for Swedes for some reason. I respect and admire them a lot. They hate Danes though. Historical rivalry despite the huge difference of theirs sizes and the fact that the Swedes living in the south consider Copenhagen their biggest closest city and prefer to travel abroad via Copenhagen because it's much closer than Stockholm. Physically I find Norwegians very plain and too pale, Danes were more elegant and Swedes relatively the most beautiful. Whenever I'm asked about these countries, I say world is divided into underdevelopped, developped and ultra-developped countries, and the latters are the nordic countries.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | May 22, 2020 2:47 AM
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Funny thing, before Internet social media etc my knowledge of US was based on article on newspapers etc. The first real reality tv from US I saw was Cops. I remember watching it and thinking is this real? People live in trailor parks? So uneducated? I know I wasn’t the only one for whom it was a rude awakening what US really was.
Today people understand better how divided country US is - in everything. I’ve been there many times, always in the most liberal areas and found people very nice. I guess three things people in Nordic Countries don’t understand are lack of public health care and education, and lack of long vacations.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | May 22, 2020 6:46 AM
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I agree with whoever said Oslo is ugly. I'm Norwegian and I'd say Oslo is the ugliest capital in Europe. It's actually embarrassing how ugly it is. Yet people pay a fortune to live there, go figure. Half of my family is from Bergen, so I have a soft spot for the city. It's not only much prettier than Oslo architecturally, the natural setting is also a lot prettier. Bergen should have been our capital, not ugly Oslo.
by Anonymous | reply 61 | May 22, 2020 7:10 AM
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This thread is useless without Scandinavian dick pics.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | May 22, 2020 7:35 AM
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[quote] This thread is useless without Scandinavian pics.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | May 22, 2020 1:24 PM
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I’ve had lots of hot action in Copenhagen. Hot guys
by Anonymous | reply 64 | May 22, 2020 1:37 PM
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[quote]Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens,
They're a very unoriginal, copycat culture.
Offsite Linkby Anonymous | reply 65 | May 22, 2020 6:52 PM
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