Sunday, July 19, 2015
Day 52: Bike shop, blueberries and other fun
Today we went to the bike shop and procured bike clothes/shoes for Andy and got Magnus interested in road bikes. Then, Magnus, Andy, and Amelia biked to the grocery store and brought home lots of goodies and we all cooked dinner (sausages on the grill, mashed potatoes, spinach salad, and carrots) which we ate on the deck in the garden. Afterwards, Magnus and Andy biked to Peter's to pick up Becky (who'd been there all day playing with Anna) and Anna-Maria and Amelia picked flowers for "lemonade" and climbed to the back of the yard and picked blueberries on top of the boulders.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Day 51: Cliff Diving!
OK, so we didn't go cliff diving. We did, however, bike to the swim area on the north of Korshamn harbor and Andy and Magnus did jump off the cliffs. :)
Photos and such to come later.
Photos and such to come later.
Day 50: Fun in Kullavik
[many photos to come later]
Today we had breakfast with Magnus's long time friend, Michael (whom Amelia last saw 18 years ago) and his Lotta, who were in town for a soccer tournament. In the middle of the day we (Nilselids except Rasmus and Team Bald) all biked over to the marina, stopping at the store to get snacks, and had a nice visit with Solveig and Gert on their sailboat in the harbor. In the evening, Andy and Magnus watched a bit of the Tour de France while Rasmus sold one of his mopeds. Later, a badger was seen in the back yard!
Today we had breakfast with Magnus's long time friend, Michael (whom Amelia last saw 18 years ago) and his Lotta, who were in town for a soccer tournament. In the middle of the day we (Nilselids except Rasmus and Team Bald) all biked over to the marina, stopping at the store to get snacks, and had a nice visit with Solveig and Gert on their sailboat in the harbor. In the evening, Andy and Magnus watched a bit of the Tour de France while Rasmus sold one of his mopeds. Later, a badger was seen in the back yard!
Day 49: First day in Sweden
[many photos to come later]
Today we hung around the house doing laundry, sleeping late, eating on the deck, watching the birds, and playing with the rabbit, Brownie. In the evening, Solveig and Gert (who'd sailed down from somewhere north) came to supper. It was so good to see them after 18 years!
Today we hung around the house doing laundry, sleeping late, eating on the deck, watching the birds, and playing with the rabbit, Brownie. In the evening, Solveig and Gert (who'd sailed down from somewhere north) came to supper. It was so good to see them after 18 years!
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Day 48: Vienna
[photos to come in due course]
Today we had a lazy morning breakfast, then a few of us had a swim in the hotel indoor pool, then we all wandered through the Stadtpark and then toward the center of town. We lunched in an Italian restaurant, and then split into two groups. One (Andy, Magnus, and Robin) went to the amusement park to ride roller coasters and the other (Amelia, Anna-Maria, Rebecca, and Rasmus) wandered through the Fußgangerzone (pedestrian shopping area) and visited St. Stephen's Cathedral and shopped. It rained a bit, but we weren't deterred. We all met back up again around 5pm at the hotel to get organized to head for the airport, which we did by walking to the S-bahn, and then taking the train to the airport. We flew AirBerlin from Vienna to Berlin (the smallest most basic airport in a major capital city!) and then to Göteborg, arriving around midnight. It was so nice to arrive in Sweden where the weather is nice and coolish and comfortable. After some unpacking and laundry beginnings, we all collapsed in bed.
Today we had a lazy morning breakfast, then a few of us had a swim in the hotel indoor pool, then we all wandered through the Stadtpark and then toward the center of town. We lunched in an Italian restaurant, and then split into two groups. One (Andy, Magnus, and Robin) went to the amusement park to ride roller coasters and the other (Amelia, Anna-Maria, Rebecca, and Rasmus) wandered through the Fußgangerzone (pedestrian shopping area) and visited St. Stephen's Cathedral and shopped. It rained a bit, but we weren't deterred. We all met back up again around 5pm at the hotel to get organized to head for the airport, which we did by walking to the S-bahn, and then taking the train to the airport. We flew AirBerlin from Vienna to Berlin (the smallest most basic airport in a major capital city!) and then to Göteborg, arriving around midnight. It was so nice to arrive in Sweden where the weather is nice and coolish and comfortable. After some unpacking and laundry beginnings, we all collapsed in bed.
Day 47: Schönbrunn and meeting friends
We slept a bit late then enjoyed the endless Marriott breakfast buffet. Half of us walked and half took the subway to Schönbrunn Park to meet Amelia's friend Eva for lunch near by. We had a lovely lunch, and then we all wandered through the park, admiring the castle and the grounds before heading to the world's oldest zoo (and perhaps the world' most modern zoo?). It was awesome.
Then we split up again so some could take bikes back (which failed miserably) and some of us walked and took the subway. In the evening we met Steffi, Bradley, and Hunter for supper and walked to an authentic Austrian restaurant. The food and fellowship were lovely! Of course, we have to avoid so many police blocking some roads for the Iran nuke talks. Magnus wanted us to stage a protest demanding more nukes for everyone...
Then we split up again so some could take bikes back (which failed miserably) and some of us walked and took the subway. In the evening we met Steffi, Bradley, and Hunter for supper and walked to an authentic Austrian restaurant. The food and fellowship were lovely! Of course, we have to avoid so many police blocking some roads for the Iran nuke talks. Magnus wanted us to stage a protest demanding more nukes for everyone...
Day 46: Mountains and Ice Caves
This morning five of us (the teenaged boys kept sleeping) went up the Schmittenhohe mountain to enjoy the views and morning tea. The 360 degree views of the Alps are breathtaking. We also saw people paragliding off the top of the mountain (not us!).
Then, we came back down and packed up our things in the van and headed towards Salzburg. After the usual u-turn at one point we drove part way up the mountain to the Eisriesenwelt caves and stopped for lunch with a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and the SchlossWerfen just across the valley.
Then, we drove to the parking area and hiked up the mountain, then rode the cable car, then biked farther up the mountain to the ice caves. The ice cave tour (in English) took just over an hour and involved nearly 800 steps up (and then down). It was very cold inside (below freezing in some areas) so we layered on more clothes at the cave entrance. It was fascinating.
Afterwards, we drove 3.5 hours to Vienna, arriving in the dark to the Marriott Vienna, which is a very good location across from the Stadtpark and only a few blocks from the old city center and St Stephen's Cathedral, etc. In fact, we were next door to Palais Coburg and the Iran nuke talks to the place was crawling with press and police.
We collapsed in our rooms after a very late dinner in Champs.
Then, we came back down and packed up our things in the van and headed towards Salzburg. After the usual u-turn at one point we drove part way up the mountain to the Eisriesenwelt caves and stopped for lunch with a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and the SchlossWerfen just across the valley.
Then, we drove to the parking area and hiked up the mountain, then rode the cable car, then biked farther up the mountain to the ice caves. The ice cave tour (in English) took just over an hour and involved nearly 800 steps up (and then down). It was very cold inside (below freezing in some areas) so we layered on more clothes at the cave entrance. It was fascinating.
Afterwards, we drove 3.5 hours to Vienna, arriving in the dark to the Marriott Vienna, which is a very good location across from the Stadtpark and only a few blocks from the old city center and St Stephen's Cathedral, etc. In fact, we were next door to Palais Coburg and the Iran nuke talks to the place was crawling with press and police.
We collapsed in our rooms after a very late dinner in Champs.
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