Ekleden

Ekleden. A new trail along Viska river and Häggån. Recommended! It takes 5 hours to walk including break. My parents funny neighbours took me on a spontaneous day hike. Sweden is wonderful!

Riksgränsen 20 years later

Riksgränsen and 20something years later. We've been there too now.

Greetings from Abisko

Och allt som låg där fruset
i dagar vintergrå
skall löst av himmelsljuset
mot blom och mognad gå.
Vi glädes åt varandra
åt sol och sommartid
att på Guds jord få vandra
och äga himlens frid

Greetings from Abisko, Arctic circle. Time is 936. Pm.

My life lately

My life lately:

1. I was lucky to be in the half Norwegian home in Eskilstuna by the time they had many reasons to celebrate.
2. I spent some time with Arvid & Elin in Stockholm. Their cat Hjördis had something important to tell me. 4 o' clock in the morning.
3. I have met my two friends, one new and one dear: Annamalin and her little Verner.
4. The most beautiful wedding couple in the whole Sjuhärad: Emelie & Andreas. If you ask me.

Back on Visingsö.

Back on Visingsö. The best way to tell your café guests that they've spent way too much time drinking coffee and it is time to go home: Cut the grass. Preferably right where the guests sit.

When I look at these pictures

When I look at these pictures I feel so thankful, so blessed, so... loved! And "my belief in humanity has gone three steps forward."

Nordic walking and bingo

When I tell people that we played bingo, went nordic-walking and baked Swedish small cookies (småkakor) people glares at me as if I were joking. But that is what ladies do!

Sofie came along.

I'm a Fi-fighter.

Sofie the amazing story-teller came along too. I love her so.

And then the others came

On Friday night the others came. The weekend program was listed in a Kitty book. Hanna got a Kitty book with a parrot on. So her.

Some of us arrived already on Thursday eve. On Friday we had lots of time for studies and relaxing.

Visingsö

Ladies' weekend on Visingsö island.

E-tuna rocks

Summary of E-tuna last weekend: Casper danced and sung to Mamma Mia. Then Adrian came over and we jammed a little bit more. Then we fell a sleep.

We love Hjo

My phD friend Daniela is currently visiting me. Yesterday we made a day trip to Hjo. What a lovely little town.

Stockholm with my dearest Tora

Last weekend: Stockholm with my dearest Tora. Here reading the menu (!) at the local restaurant in Aspudden.

Reading gossips in Eskilstuna

Last week: A worked (a bit) at Mälardalen University in Eskilstuna and Västerås. In the meantime Casper read gossips. But maybe that's the same thing?

Not my fault.

Not my fault.

In Ryd, on my way back from Torpa. Someone had been here before me.

Viva la Torpa Stenhus

Same procedure as last year, just adding another mum. Susanna and I + 2 mums went to watch Torpaspelen for the second year. We took the opportunity to overnight in Brygghuset and became friends with Count Pehr. Lovely times.

Finally

After discovering many continents in this world I never thought I would find the perfect gas station here. On Visingsö island. And never in this world I thought it was going to be a BP station. Interesting. Is this one unbeatable? I have to do some more research to figure that out.

Västgöta view

One of the many good things with Visingsö is that you always have a view over State Västergötland.

Ford?

Visingsö Tractor - Yeah! Is it a Ford?

Biking in the oak forest

What is the meaning with biking around Lake Vättern when you can bike in it? It takes three hours to see the whole island by bike and you will discover one of the best preserved oak forests in the world.

Lunch at Gränna Hill

Lunch today at Kaffestugan, Gränna Hill. They claim to have world famous shrimp sandwiches, even though I never heard of them before. Famous or not; they were... shrimpy. And the view should be world famous.

Visingsö

Friday and Visingsö, the island in lake Vättern. Easily one of top ten sights in Sweden.

Changing country, city, lake (SWE/ENG)

Jag har bytt land, stad och sjö. Ehum. Hur var det jag tänkte nu igen?

Or: I have changed country, city and lake. How was I thinking?

Fjällstugan goes 2008

Fjällstugan Church is v.e.r.y. modern; you may even pay your offering with card.

To-do list in Jönköping

To-do list in Jönköping:

1. Visit Stallqvarn Second Hand shop in Bymarken
2. Have a pizza at Evergreen
3. Get some cream buns at Lindströms coffee house
4. Terrorize in Kristin's unequipped kitchen
   
5. Change unwanted christmas gifts at A6 shopping center
   

Not-to-do list in Jönkping

1. Watch a movie with these two fellows, Kristin and Johan, on the photo above. They will most likely have you to watch something totally immoral like "Enchanted". Huuuu. The text on the photo says "A different world is possible". Just let us hope.
   

Let me introduce my friends XX

Kristin.

Heavenly sister.

Points at christ, brings me to christ. And her movie taste is horrible, by the way.

Here at Stallqvarn, the best Second Hand shop north of Saturday Market at Bürkliplatz.

Bride brothers

Two red-hat bride brothers led the wedding guests through an excellent show, including description of the bride's brain, handing over a horrible, orange lamp (a tradition among the bride's cousins), the wedding couple's story in a modern dance vintage and much more.

Wedding in Bankeryd

Bankeryd 12 January 2008.
Mrs. and Mr. Kax.

I hope they don't name their kids Max or Kex or something like that.

Let me introduce my friends XVIII

Evelina

Not too many people know that I am currently on Swedish ground but indeed I am. Spent Friday in Gothenburg with my college friends Evelina and Mattias.

I still wonder when Evelina is going to be a trumpet player.

Memories from Xmas in Sweden '07

The youth of Överlida.

Me and my flights

So what about my Christmas in Sweden? Well, well. The golden days of nice and comfortable flights where everything work out according to my plans are over.

Or no. There has never been such time in my life. If I don't miss the flight my luggage will; that is a rule rather than an exception. Lucky me who had to sort out my luggage-issue at Landvetter Airport, the most modernized Airport in the world (not). Now we know: Björn Rosengren was wrong. Norway isn't the last Soviet state. Landvetter is.

But believe it or not: my luggage found its way to the White House outside Fotskäl before Santa did. What a happy ending.

Sunday excursion: Out door theatre with Susanna + her mum at Torpa Stenhus outside Tranemo, Sweden. The fellowship performed Shakespeare's Twelfth night, which was absolutely outstanding. If you happen to be in Sjuhäradsbygden you should make sure that you don't miss this performance.

Gothenburg

Only people from Gothenburg thinks it is a beautiful city.

Quote of the day (NO/ENG)

We been playing some croquet lately. At the same time I am reading Naiv.souper in Norwegian:

Jag kunde se hva han tenkte på.
Det der er vel unødvendig, sier jeg.
Men jeg visste at han ikke kom til å ta hensyn. Han plasserte høyrefoten på sin egen kule og manipulerte retningen dit han trodde slaget ville volde mest skade. Han sto lenge og siktet mot utkanten av hagen. Enden av hagen. Der hvor gresset sluttet å være bara gress og blir mere mose. Han foretok et par forsiktige testbevegelser. For å forsikre seg om at han var i stand till å maksimere kraften i slaget, og for å unngå å treffe sin egen fot, det mest ydmykende av alt. Så klinket han kulen min inn i den store busken. Han klinket den røde kulen riktigt jævligt langt inn i busken. Inn til buskens sentrum. Dit hvor solen aldri skinner.

Hyltenäs

Yesterday: Trip to Hyltenäs Hill.

Confusing

But this sign I don't understand. Open until 24; when do they open? At 23? This is what I would call 24-hours hot water communication. As we had been backpacking in China for 3 weeks and we were dirtier than a dirt road in Mellby, we found a hotel with "24 hours hot water". And they sure had. The only small concern was that they didn't have anything else than hot and boiling water. Why ever mention that you don't have cold water?

Watch and learn

This gas station was made by dad. Watch and learn.

The photo was taken in Kinna.

Watch and repress

This gas station was not made by dad.

The photo was taken in Sjötorp.

Göta Kanal

Göta Kanal is a canal crossing Sweden from east to west coast. It was finished in 1832 and still today the biggest construction of all time in Swedish history. Every summer when Kristin and I were kids we used to plan a bike trip along the channel. Until today we have been able to perform much bigger projects; but this dream we've still have to implement.

The photo was taken in Sjötorp.

Swedish highway

Swedish highway E20 between Stockholm and Gothenburg.

Wrong again. The photo was taken in Prästön, outside Kristinehamn.

Lake Vänern

Lake Vänern is the third biggest lake in Europe, only lake Ladoga and lake Onega, both situated in Russia, are bigger. You could fit 63 lake Zurich in this little pond.

The photo was taken south of Kristinehamn.

Road trip to Kristinehamn

Today I made short road trip to Kristinehamn, only 350 kilometres from my parent's place.

OK. 350 kilometres is far even in Sweden. I did have important work to do. But isn't it fun to pretend that Sweden is the most isolated country in the world and that we always have to travel for days before we reach our closest grocery store? I think so.

Stand in midsummer pole

This is the pole we danced around. Lygnevi beach must have had the nicest stand-in midsummer pole of 2007. It was a small version of lake Lygnern around the real one and noone was keen on dancing in the rain.

Little and big frogs (ENG/SWE)

Four generations of Bauhn frogs show how to sing and dance Little frogs properly.

Det är så roligt när papporna och mammorna är med och leker. Ja, det skulle kanske inte vara så roligt om man måste leka med dem varje dag. Men när det är midsommar tycker jag dom kan få vara med.

ur Bara roligt i Bullerbyn

The most predicatble weather in the world

Not only the people in Sweden are predictable but the weather. Midsummer is not midsummer if it doesn't rain. Well, in 2005 it didn't. We had a Kenyan visitor on our Midsummer party that year and everyone kept on reminding him that it usually rains on Midsummer. When he remember his visit up in Sweden; I am sure he remembered that it rained.

The most predictable people in the world

Swedes are probably the most predictable people in the world:

• Regardless of what Swedish tradition we celebrate, the food remain the same; meatballs, potatoes, hering, salmon, meatballs, potatoes, hering, salmon all year round.
  
• Regardless of what Swedish tradition we celebrate, we have to dance around some kind of silly tree or pole.
  
• Regardless of what Swedish tradition we celebrate, we have to sing and dance to the same songs.
• Eventhough it is a public holiday, we have to sing and dance to songs about how proper we are in our daily life: On Monday we wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, on Tuesday we iron our clothes, we iron our clothes...
  
• Whenever it is a public holiday, we get so excited that we have to send postcards to our friends and greet them Happy Easter/Christmas/Midsummer/Pentecost/Weekend.
  

Hajom

The golden days of Hajomastollar* is over.

*Hajomstolle = A way of drying grass in the village of Hajom.

Photo for Cian and Ciarrah:

Photo for Cian and Ciarrah: Solfari and Stassa. Two out of nine of my dad's new friends.

Keep it simple

The one and the only gas pump. Outside Hajoms Kooperativa. Keep it simple.

Skräddargården

Today: Excursion to Skräddargården, Björketorp with Kristin. Please do not visit Skräddargården if you are afraid of ceilings falling down or floors opening under your feet; you see, this house isn't quite what it used to be. If you dare to enter you will find the most remarkable things, like this centrifuge for instance.

Cold and sunny in Lindhult

It was freaking cold in Lindhult today.

Let me introduce my friends IV

Ellen
confused and fantastic

My friend Ellen used to live in Lindhult but changed that metropole for Dublin, Malmö, Edinburgh and finally Copenhagen. Back in high school I spent nearly every weekend here and I never realized how far out she lives and how many trees you actually pass before you are at this place. I went there today to look into some of our high school albums with her and her sister Ilona. We made the conclusion that life back then used to be like a never-ending summer camp.

Who can live more Swedish?

Who can live more Swedish? Lindhult appears when you have travelled so far that you start wonder whether you'll ever see civilization again.

Meeting point

If you happen to meet someone on this busy road to Lindhult you should do it here.

Further and further

... and you travel further and further away.

I must admit; I have never deliberated on how many trees we have in Sweden. We really do have a few.

Deep Westswedish wood

You travel deeper and deeper into the woods. It is useless to bring your cell phone or to try to find any radio channel; there are too many trees in the way for having any connection with the rest of the world. Once you are in Lindhult it is only you and Lindhult.

Far far away

Far far away, deep, deep in the wood - there is a place called Lindhult. It takes forever to get there.

Heimat

Heimat.

The photo was taken at Holsjön, Holsjunga.

Parents-almost-being-on-time

And all of a sudden my parents showed up. Only 20 minutes too late this time, that must be a record.

Månsa mentality

We could spend hours analyzing this photo. In the background, Gunilla the party organizer of the day is putting the last pieces of the party on the right place. Lennart is making a phone call at the same time. Conclusions:

1. We do have men in our extended family - but only by marriage

2. The men we have in our extended family are luckily and happily oppressed

3. The female part of our extended family have all the information, power and decisions in their hands

Counting cousins

What is Anna thinking about? Maybe she is trying to figure out how many female cousins she has. We must have most female cousins in the world. Everytime I start counting them my brain gets messed up and I have to start over again. Counting cousins must be a more effective fall-asleep method than counting sheep, I am sure.

Photo on top from the left: Ebba, Beata, Lisa, Britta, Emma, me.

Månsa food

All you can eat. It cannot be healthy to attend two Månsa parties in one day.

Let me introduce my family II

Sweet sweet Emma
Social Science/Business high school graduate

She has A's in all her business classes; where is the perfect place to use all these skills? I am working on taking her down to my Swiss Månsa branch too.

The fourth and fifth components in a Swedish High School graduation: Women wear white, the party is in your garden.

Let me introduce my family I

lovely Hanna

Hanna is joining my Månsa branch in Switzerland in August.

And here she is; our graduate of the day. Or at least one of them. Here together with her happy brothers Adam and Anders; my God siblings.

The second important component of a Swedish graduation party is the signboard with an old photo, name and class of the graduate. The third component is, obviously, the white hat. The blue velvet band stands for that her high school degree is in Social Science/Culture Studies.

Graduation vehicles

One of the most important components in a Swedish graduation party is that the graduates are being picked up in a funny or fancy vehicle. Every year you see all various, creative random, kind of vehicles; The year before my own graduation a guy went by bathtub on a trailer.

High school graduation x 2

June 13th 2007 will go down in the history as the day were two Månsa parties occured at the same time and for the same reason; High school graduation.

The high school graduation day, in Swedish called Student, is a big day. Many people were waiting for the graduates outside Gymnasium of Mark.

If you are going to a Månsa party

If you are going to a Månsa* party, be sure to bring:

• Some flowers
• Something eatable
• A present (not necessary)
• Minimum 2 Cameras
• A warm jacket (for cool Swedish nights)

*Månsson were the last name of my grandmother and her sisters. Noone in my extended family today have Månsson as last name; Månsa is not so much about the last name as about the mentality.

Paradise on earth

I have written it before and I will write it again:

This.is.paradise.on.earth.

Welcome to White House

Welcome to White House. Since last time several doors have been bricked up, walls knocked out and in the basement there is a sauna, which I have never seen before. I almost get lost. At least good young dad looks the same.

Find one error

I intuitively knew that something was wrong even before I opened my suit case. One of my destinies in life seem to be dragging and delivering beer all over Europe and it was just a matter of time before an accident would occur. All my clothes are drowned in beer (Except for the dress I am wearing for the graduation party today, what a miracle) and I wish Rebecca was here now; I am sure she would have had some American miraculous invention that transform beer smelling clothes into delightful fragrant pieces.

However only one bottle was broken. What a big mess just one small beer bottle can cause.

Lesson learned:

• Do not transport beer by aviation
• If it is necessary; make sure that the are safely preserevd in towels or in a similar manner(WHAT was I thinking about? I always do that)

Sweden so far 4:

We went to our neighbours on Christmas Eve.

Sweden so far 1:

Discoveries in Sweden so far: I have visited Uppsala for the first time in my life. My mum spent a few years of her life upthere. I think.

Gulasch soup

Gulasch soup is on the menu every year. It is served in a former "laundry pot".

Vacation - day 14-17: Tour Halland part 3

On Monday afternoon I went back north to Halmstad to see Emma and her big, crazy family. We went out (what else when dealing with Emma?). I made two new friends.

Vacation - day 14-17: Tour Halland part 2

On Monday morning I drove down to Helsinborg to see Ellen. We had some Youghurt icecream on the beach with Denmark as background.

Vacation - day 14-16: Tour Halland part 1

As birthday present, I wanted something typical Swedish and easy to bring with to Switzerland. Susanna gave me a concert ticket for Winnerbäck at the fortress of Varberg. Typical Swedish? Typical Susannish and Idish and a wonderful memory to bring back to Switzerland. The concert was brilliant (Christian Kjellvander played too - AND Håkan Hellström surprisingly showed up for the final song!). I hung out with my wonderful relatives in their cabin in Varberg (which IS the most beautiful city in Sweden) from Saturday until Monday morning.

Vacation - day 9: Just another manic beach day

On Sunday we (i.e. Helena, Anna, Lovisa, Michael and I) went to Lygnevi beach. Michael and I tried to make a sand monster.

Vacation - day 5

Today I´ve been:

• baking
• baking
• and... baking

This is just a way to keep my (desperate?) house wife image up. I've actually managed to take a swim with Johanna and watch "Hotel Rwanda" AND finish a book.

Vacation - day 3:

This is what Switzerland does not have: OCEAN!

Day:

• Went to the ocean with big-time-tummy-Sofie
• Went shopping
• Went swimming in the lake and hung out with Olsson Family
• Watched "Resan till Melonia"

Vacation - day 1

Vacation day I:

• Went to Cousin Nils' confirmation (and sang "En vänlig grönskas rika dräkt" - it IS summer!)
• Said hello to our new Icelandic horses
• Run the round of Haga
• Mattias and Evelina came to see me - we went swimming in Ringsjön and made a short trip to Lygnevi (photo above)

...and I am home!

Vackert land

I love surprises. And the best surprises are the ones that you are making up yourself for others. Like travelling 4000 kilometres just to see someone who is not expecting you to come. So that is just what I did two weekends ago: took off to Sweden to meet some good old friends, lazy (surprised) parents and goofy neighbours. Just perfect.