Lucia ---- check

I'm not calling it a bucket list, but rather a wish list and this past weekend, I have checked off another item -- Lucia celebrations.  There was a St. Lucy in the fourth century who was martyred, but that has very little to do with the young people in white clothes carrying candles and the one Lucia girl who wears the candles on her head.  Her attendants are a great choir and perform a large volume of music all by memory, much of it a capella.  Celebrations happen in churches, in classrooms, outside on playgrounds and everyone gets involved from the young kids at daycare to the university crowd.

The song performed in the above link is our favourite Swedish Christmas song which lovely close treble harmony.  We were delighted that it was performed on Friday evening.

Today, we celebrated early Christmas with our family here.  There were presents opened and squealed over.  We had a fabulous Christmas dinner -- Julbord -- at a popular country lodge.  I did not try all 7 courses, (herring, smoked fish, cold meats and salads, hot food, cod, cheese, dessert), but 5 out of 7 is pretty good.  Amazing flavours and all made at the lodge which is currently expanding their onsite greenhouses to produce their own veggies.  Here we are enjoying Glogg in a tent before going in to the Julbord.

We baked cookies.  What more could you want?

Goat -- check

When Richard and Jennie first moved to Gavle, (city about 1.5 hours north of Stockholm) we heard about a Christmas tradition of a goat.  Yes, Santa (or Tomten as he is called here) rides about the heavens to bring presents to children, on -- a goat!  So in the mid 1960s the city of Gavle wanted something special for their Christmas celebration -- they made a goat.  It is 13 m tall and made of straw.  It is unveiled on the first Sunday in Advent and -- if it survives the Christmas season -- it is removed in early January.  But a giant pile of straw has, of course, many problems -- like people who want to burn it.  Those people have been successful 37 times, but today, for the first time in real life.  I saw the goat.  For years we have been watching the live goat cam on the internet, but this morning we walked to the town square which sits next to the river and library, and admired the mighty straw creation behind its double security fence.  Yeah Goat!  Bucket list check!

Stockhom again

It was about ten years ago that I first came to Stockholm.  That initial visit was also in the fall so the grey misty weather fits my sense of the city.  Not a complaint, and not a negative comment on the capital, but just a statement.  The motto is that there is no bad weather, just bad clothes.  I have adequate clothes for the elements, so there is no problem.  As an aside, I have been here in June in lovely weather and that is, of course, wonderful, but clouds and rain don't detract from a place for me as much as they do for others.

Despite my enthusiasm for new adventures, I do love to revisit places and note changes as well as those enduring aspects which I enjoyed previously.  The old part of the city, Gamla Stan, is on one of the central islands of this archipelago, and boasts the Royal Palace.  The guards change all through the seasons, and there was a group of eight black and white clad marchers on a narrow cobbled street this morning.  The souvenier shops were open but not all shutters had been removed on the Christmas Market stalls.

I kept seeing people in Santa suits and thought that they were headed for the Market, but no, they were converging on the large park on the north shore across from the Palace.  And there were more and more.  It was a fun 3 km walk/run in support of disabled children, I found out, and there were more than 1400 Santas involved.  Old, young, and families with kids in strollers were all participating and with the organization  being done by volunteers, all the money (except for the disposable Santa suits and beards) was going to the charity.  How wonderful!

The flagship stores of NK and Ahlens are still here, as is the big downtown mall (restrooms still in the same spot) with the same kiosk still selling a fabulous walnut, apricot and raisin bread.  It's in the backpack waiting for tomorrow. We had a great breakfast here on the boat and this afternoon, we have a reservation for Julbord at the Grand Hotel.  Should be amazing.

The boat -- well, she is a yacht  -- a luxury yacht owned by a variety of rich and famous through the years including Barbara Hutton who reportedly received the vessel as an 18th birthday gift from her father (Woolworth fortune).  The rooms are tiny -- we have the front cabin with two port holes and a wall that slants outwards as it is just under the front deck -- but the bunks were comfortable and the dark wood everywhere on board gives a sense of historic elegance.

Arriving late last evening we could not appreciate the incredible views over Stockholm harbour, but breakfast was an excellent opportunity to appreciate the well-maintained buildings, large and small, visible on the shores.  There are a variety of ships anchored about, some hotels like this one, others private homes or tour boats.  Even in the grey rain of December, everything seems clean and well kept.  The Swedes are very proud of their capitol.  This week there are the Nobel Prize events in addition to Lucia and the Christmas celebrations.  It is somewhat sad, though, to see all the adornment and delight of the season without any references to what I consider the essence of the celebration.  No creche scenes grace the parks and decorations are all secular.

Still Surprises

This travel day began very early this morning.  In fact, we never went to bed.  The train pulled out of Koln station on time at 02:18.  We sat together, but had to move a few times as people who had reservations for the seats, embarked.  I think we will book seats next time for a long trip like this.  Only on the last leg -- Copenhagen to Stockholm we are already assured specific seats.

I had not looked up the route from Hamburg to Copenhagen and when it was annouced that the train was going onto a ferry for a 45 minute ride from Puttgarten to the Danish border, it was a complete surprise.  How delightful that there are still surprises!

As with most ferries, we were instructed to come off the vehicle and go up onto the ferry deck.  The Scandalines run hybrid ships and like most ferries, they are the same front and back so no turning is necessary.  It was amazingly smooth and speedy both getting on and off.  Ian has decided that ocean boats are not to his liking -- unfortunate!

The Danish country side is flat and so far, mostly farmland.  The houses are stone and the fields are mostly green with winter wheat.  No cows yet.

Weinachtsmarkt

German Christmas markets are known for their celebration of all things Christmas -- food, decorations, toys, drink, gifts.  Aboard the MS Aurelia, we sailed from city to city experiencing Christmas markets in sunshine, rain, and darkness.  For ambiance, it is much better to go at night as the place is ablaze with lights, but then, it is usually very crowded and so, go during the day. 

You can eat and drink any time of the day.  Gluhwein comes in red, rose and white, with more or less spice and sugar.  You pay a deposit on the cup and you can return it anywhere at the market.  And there are lots of food specialities-- reibekuchen (potato pancakes), sausages of all kinds, gingerbread, roasted almonds, roasted chestnuts, etc. 

The ornaments range from tacky to fabulous.  Creches come in all shapes and sizes including a whole variety of accessories -- hey, Bethlehem needed chopped wood, a well, etc.

And there are toys -- wooden, metal, paper, cloth, etc.  You can pick up any cookie cutter you can imagine.

So, that's a check off the "I would like to see/do" list.  I don't think I am at the bucket list stage yet.

Cruising along

This is the third day on the ship Aurelia.  Check in was very simple as well as getting dining and registration set up.  Like most of the ships I have encountered, the crew is of mixed nationalities mostly eastern European.  Our room is gorgeous and about 50% bigger than  any I have had before.  Meals are amazing with many German specialities.

We have visited 3 Christmas markets so far.  The one in  Cochem was small but had some less commercial and more handmade items. So far we have tried gluhwein but most of the other specialities will to wait.  We are fed very well on the boat.

Working on the new phone and can't get pictures to insert.  Sorry.