July 24, 2008...(Day 1)...Boston to Greenland's Air Space

World traveler at your service...Destination Sweden: This was my first trans-Atlantic flight. Here I am ready to go on a 24 day trip around the southern portion of Sweden. We left Maine on July 24th, and returned home on August 16th. This trip has been in the planning stages for about 4 years, and I was extremely nervous, and excited at the same time. I was so lucky to be traveling with my co-worker, Amanda, because she makes this trip every other year to visit her family in Sweden. She is Swedish through and through, and you will be introduced to her soon.

Please note that you can click on any photo in the blog to see a larger version of the photo. This will allow you to see more details.

Laurie at Airport: I couldn't resist having Amanda take my photo next to the mural of Alfred Nobel. These murals were lining a long hallway leading to the outside of the airport where we were to meet Amanda's mother, UllaBritt, and her good friend, UllaLena.

Lake Hjälmaren: This was an extremely hot day, and we had just walked along a nature path to get to this picnic area on the lake. Jonathan had taken refuge in a shelter, where we soon joined him to cool off before walking back to the nature center for some cold drinks. The lake was very pretty, and had it been cooler, we might have stayed longer. This summer in Sweden was on of the hottest on record, and we could certainly attest to that on this day. "Hello, UllaBritt and Olle! I love you both!"

Photo on the rocky island: I had to put this photo in to prove that I was really on Karingon. It was such a pretty island to hike around, and I wished we had a few more hours to sightsee.

Group Photo at the Hummerhielm House: We had an awesome visit and Jonathan got to meet, and spend an overnight with his Swedish pen pal, Robert. We are hoping that the Hummerhielm family can travel to Maine in the near future.

And, now...onto Axe Throwing...Viking Warrior Woman: NOT! This is a disaster waiting to happen...Laurie with an axe...Watch out! Its a good thing Vikings didn't have power tools! (Click on the photo for a larger view of this imposing warrior.)

Viking Warrior Alert!: Ahhh...Run away...run away...I think I would have been better off running up to the log I was trying to hit, rather than trying to throw the darned axe!

(Click on the photo for a larger view as I tried to stalk the wild asparagus!)

Viking Longhouse with Vikings: Here we are at the Viking longhouse. Even Jojo got in on the act. She is the official Viking Dog...

Longhouses had curved walls and roofs. They had several sections with a fireplace, tables with benches, work rooms and storage rooms. Vikings lived in collective or extended families. Children, parents, and grandparents all lived together. If the farmer kept workers, servants or slaves, they also usually lived in the family house. When the oldest son in the family took over the farm, he became the chief of the family and it became his duty to run the farm.

Fearsome Vikings Unite: Here we are for a lovely group photo! Thank you Agneta for outfitting us in traditional Viking garb.

Self-Portrait: Here I am, camera in hand, photographing the fir trees as we raced off to our next destination.

Laurie under Super Duper Humongoid Boulder balanced between the rock cut: Don't look up, or you might see a rock about to fall on your punkin' head! Vetteberget Mountain is divided by a huge gorge called Kungsklyfta, named after King Oscar II. Click on this photo to see an enlarged view! The rock really is awesome!

Rocky Steps: We walked through Kungsklyfta rock cut up, and up, and up, until we got to a metal staircase that took us up the side of the mountain. Note: If you click on the photo for a closer look, you will see Amanda and Ana waving to Paul, who was photographing me. They are way up the rock steps.

Laurie on Vetteberget Summit: I leave  you with this view, atop this awesome chunk of rock. Thank you, Paul, for helping to encourage me, step by step, up this "mountain hill."

Laurie in the Bat Cave: The ceilings were low, the light was non-existent without lanterns, and the floors were a tad slippery in spots. We had a great time! Ooh...look out for that bat!

Next stop...Amanda's Uncle Krister's house on the southeast coast of Sweden.

Laurie collecting sand: I got a lovely sand sample from this beach in Yngsjo.

Have I mentioned how much I Love Rocks? I couldn't get enough of this stone monument. It was absolutely amazing. I had to hold onto the rocks so as not to get blown over. Whoohoo!

Laurie at castle: I was standing next to a tower that overlooked the waters surrounding Oland. This part of the castle probably dates back to the late 1500s.

Next Stop: Amanda's Uncle Erik and Aunt Ann-Mari's home for a bit of "Bee Keeping 101".

Bee Keeping Fashion Plate: Yeah...I know...I am a veritable fashion plate...Aw...Gee...Gosh...The outfit is very important to wear. It must be loose fitting so the bees cannot penetrate the fabric. The pants were ski pants (I think), and the rubber boots made it impossible to get stung on the lower legs. The hood was very comfortable and had lots of mesh for good air exchange. I was wearing Ann-Mari's outfit. Amanda was the brave photographer for this gig.

Happy Hiving: I was so excited to be allowed to share this experience with Erik. It was so magical to be surrounded by bees, to hear the buzzing, to see inside the hives. It really takes a lot to annoy honey bees. They are very docile.

 Erik chooses honey comb to inspect: The bees hang onto the honey comb as he lifts it from the box.