Jennie's co-worker, Ewa, decided last summer that the stockmarket was not a wise investment at this point and so plunked down 1.8 million krowns for a 22 square metre apartment in Stockholm. I don't know whether this was wise, but it certainly worked out for Richard, Jennie and me this weekend. We dropped our stuff off on Saturday afternoon in a big brown brick building apartment on the ground floor. I don't know how 4, soon to be 5, people will manage in there, but for the 3 of us, it was a great home base and dining experience -- thanks to local food stores and the abundance of lovely breads and cheeses, fish, moose salami, lingonberry icecream, etc. Can't ask for better than that.
We also wandered many kilometers from this lovely location -- opposite a park which snuggles against one of the rivers. We shopped as there were some things that Richard and Jennie could only find in the big city. We looked at buildings and parks. Rich and I visited Skansen, a swedish pioneer village complete with Viking storehouse, reindeer, and glassblowing. We revelled in the lovely autumn weather.
So, while Jennie stays in the capital to do some work, Richard and I have moved north to Uppsala to take in some cultural and natural sights tomorrow and head to Gavle tomorrow evening. Jenn comes home on Wednesday evening.
It has been a wonderful weekend, spent with 2 young people who love this country and see the good before any bad. They are doing well and happy -- what more could a Mommy want?
Monday 31 October 2011
Friday 28 October 2011
Sitting at the gate
My leaving was certainly not as exciting as a mix-mix truck or even a mighty street sweeper, but the little boy endured the driver doing the payment thing and consulting his map for the next pickup and waved goodbye from the front window. It's tradition, you know. I wonder how many more traditions we pass on -- some knowingly, others totally unwittingly.
And so I am off on another adventure -- Richard said "Mom, come for a visit" and that's more than enough invitation. It will be a short trip, just a week, but there are some interesting plans which I hope work out, and the joy of visiting with family. I am looking forward to this time in Sweden.
By the way, Pearson wants to be the #1 gateway to North America. It has quite a reputation to overcome. Let's see if they make some fundamental changes to customer service. If this evening was any indication, they are off to a good start. The check-in people were friendly and the security staff smiled and even willingly explained what the hand swabs were looking for. Hurray for people being nice!
And so I am off on another adventure -- Richard said "Mom, come for a visit" and that's more than enough invitation. It will be a short trip, just a week, but there are some interesting plans which I hope work out, and the joy of visiting with family. I am looking forward to this time in Sweden.
By the way, Pearson wants to be the #1 gateway to North America. It has quite a reputation to overcome. Let's see if they make some fundamental changes to customer service. If this evening was any indication, they are off to a good start. The check-in people were friendly and the security staff smiled and even willingly explained what the hand swabs were looking for. Hurray for people being nice!
Sunday 2 October 2011
the last hotel room
Well, tomorrow morning it's off to Newark and then Toronto. I'm sitting in my compact little hotel room one train stop from the airport. The flight is at 9 am so I will be leaving the hotel about 6 am and walking to the train station -- a few hundred meters and off I go.
Copenhagen was wonderful on some levels, the best of course being that I spent it with Richard and Jennie. We had a triple (family) room at the Maritime hotel, just a half block from one of the major canals that are such an important part of the city's history. There is a real mixture of working and pleasure boats and the wonderful weather brought out all the pleasure seekers.
On the suggestion of a friend, Jennie had made reservations at a restaurant for Friday evening. I couldn't believe how busy the city was even at 9pm, but the wait was certainly worth it. It was a different menu but featured some fabulous cuisine. I would take that friend's suggestion again.
I don't know who put Jennie onto La Glace, but it had some of the most remarkable cakes I have ever seen. We each ordered a different slice and then tested around. Wow -- so good that Richard had to go back today to sample another one.
One of the things I wanted to do on this trip was picnic by the water. We managed that on Saturday as well with cheese and fabulous dark bread. I need to find someone who bakes like that at home -- or yes, I know, learn to bake it myself. We shall see.
Then as part of my birthday gift, Jenn and Rich took me to the ballet at the National Theatre. The building was amazing, the orchestra very interesting and the ballet surprisingly much more enjoyable than I imagined, never having gone to a ballet performance before! What a wonderful treat, -- thanks Rich and Jenn!
This morning we couldn't find any city bikes (the kind like our grocery carts where you shove in a coin and go and use it and get the coin back when you return it), so we wandered around. There were many shops open today (first Sunday of the month!), so lots of people out enjoying the weather and the city center. There was a lovely park to explore and some very exclusive shops for fashion, footwear and decorating. OK, there was a cheapie store too and we found some cool little items, but some of those will show up at Christmas so no more clues.
In our last hour, we headed to the south side of the city where an unusual church spire had been beckoning and yes, we walked all the way up the spiral, right to where the steps became so small that only a child could stand on them.
Negotiating the train to the airport was no problem and I said to goodbye to Richard and Jennie, and hopped onto another train to go one more stop to this little hotel. And so all that remains is to repack and try and sleep a little before the alarm goes off at 5:30.
Copenhagen was wonderful on some levels, the best of course being that I spent it with Richard and Jennie. We had a triple (family) room at the Maritime hotel, just a half block from one of the major canals that are such an important part of the city's history. There is a real mixture of working and pleasure boats and the wonderful weather brought out all the pleasure seekers.
On the suggestion of a friend, Jennie had made reservations at a restaurant for Friday evening. I couldn't believe how busy the city was even at 9pm, but the wait was certainly worth it. It was a different menu but featured some fabulous cuisine. I would take that friend's suggestion again.
I don't know who put Jennie onto La Glace, but it had some of the most remarkable cakes I have ever seen. We each ordered a different slice and then tested around. Wow -- so good that Richard had to go back today to sample another one.
One of the things I wanted to do on this trip was picnic by the water. We managed that on Saturday as well with cheese and fabulous dark bread. I need to find someone who bakes like that at home -- or yes, I know, learn to bake it myself. We shall see.
Then as part of my birthday gift, Jenn and Rich took me to the ballet at the National Theatre. The building was amazing, the orchestra very interesting and the ballet surprisingly much more enjoyable than I imagined, never having gone to a ballet performance before! What a wonderful treat, -- thanks Rich and Jenn!
This morning we couldn't find any city bikes (the kind like our grocery carts where you shove in a coin and go and use it and get the coin back when you return it), so we wandered around. There were many shops open today (first Sunday of the month!), so lots of people out enjoying the weather and the city center. There was a lovely park to explore and some very exclusive shops for fashion, footwear and decorating. OK, there was a cheapie store too and we found some cool little items, but some of those will show up at Christmas so no more clues.
In our last hour, we headed to the south side of the city where an unusual church spire had been beckoning and yes, we walked all the way up the spiral, right to where the steps became so small that only a child could stand on them.
Negotiating the train to the airport was no problem and I said to goodbye to Richard and Jennie, and hopped onto another train to go one more stop to this little hotel. And so all that remains is to repack and try and sleep a little before the alarm goes off at 5:30.
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