IKEA has been misleading. So has the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show. Sweden is absolutely wonderful and I don't think we have breathed cleaner air in any major city. This might all sound silly to you, but it was one of the highlights of our trip to be able to turn on a water faucet and fill up a glass with pure, cold, water. Want to hear more?
We arrived in Stockholm last Thursday (the 24th) and were greeted by hosts Jim and Katarina and their daughter Linnea. After a quick freshening up, off we went on a walking tour of Stockholm. The sun was warm and bright, the people lovely, and we wound our way down to the ferry to take us to Old Town for dinner. We found what looked to be a lovely restaurant with inside and outside seating and decided this would be a good place. Turned out to be an Italian restaurant for our first meal! Oh, take that back-McDonald's by the airport was our first meal, which was very welcomed by the kids who have felt denied on occasion. Back to the Italian place-the kids and I drank glass after glass of water that the waiter finally gave up and put the bottle (with water from the tap) on the table. We took the long way back past the Royal Palace and along the waterfront to the apartments and all slept very well.
Friday we took in Skansa, a zoo/museum/cultural park that had buildings from throughout the years and regions that were there to explore. The kids also got to see their first moose (and only moose as it turned out) here. Swedish pancakes for lunch with strawberries and cream and we were off again. A quick rest at the apartment and then back out for dinner with Jim and Katarina's friend Martin (who is wonderfully funny) at, well, another Italian restaurant. The food was good, the company even better, and our party of 8 closed the place down. Katarina took the kids home, and the rest of us walked about two blocks and found out that Stockholm has quite the night scene! It was funny in that everything was sooo quiet and then BOOM!, people everywhere!
Saturday morning, Patrick and I took the kids to the Vasa Museum. Check out their website: www.vasamuseet.se/InEnglish/about.aspx (you need to copy and paste this). If you find yourself in Stockholm, make a point to go see this place. Even if you don't like old ships, it is impressive and well worth the time. All the kids enjoyed it, as did Patrick and I. Jim picked us all up and shortly after, we were off to Monkebo (pronounced "monkey bal", but with a silent "l" sound) to their country house.
Their home there was a masterpiece waiting for a renovating owner, and that is what Jim and Katarina are doing. It hadn't been updated since the 60's, but they have done a lot of work so far and I'm hoping Katarina will document everything they are doing. It comes complete with apple trees, rhubarb, and roses. Surrounded by trees with a creek that you can drink water directly from....ahhhh....small piece of paradise! We spent our time there walking through the woods, fishing (well everyone buy Katarina and I), cooking, talking and playing games. Just what the doctor ordered I think.
It was hard to come back home yesterday, but we're hoping we can visit them again as well as play host to the Family F some time when we get back to the States.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment