Drinking Perfume in Sweden

Our last stop before the magical journey home (besides Iceland, we also flew over Greenland, which blew my mind just a little at how desolate yet gorgeous it is) we were in Stockholm visiting the lovely Bronwyn and Daniel (old friends of J's) for a week. 

It's funny, when you're traveling you want to see everything you can, especially in another country. But with them, it was about quality conversations, having a few unique experiences and being able to share them with each other. 

One of the beautiful spots we went to was a cemetery that's actually a world heritage site, Skogskyrkogarden.

Graves and chapels amongst the trees. Exquisite. And home to Greta Garbo. Also home to the Resurrection statue!

We visited the Nordiska Museet (museum) and rented bikes on a sunny afternoon, sipping lattes in an apple orchard on one of the smaller islands of Stockholm. This was one of the most beautiful moments we had. The sun was beaming, the geese were being chased by a little boy, who I'm sure ended up getting chased back, the cakes were delicious and we were smiling.

This was also the spot that Penelope discovered her love of the nectarine.

She ate an entire one by scraping it little by little with her two bottom teeth. Our child is awesome.

We took a day trip to Uppsala for the Midsummer celebration to see the Maypole and traditional dancing, and to see the ancient rune stones and walk along the viking burial mounds.

 We also discovered this gorgeous river running through the city on our way back to the train.

And, being blessed on the Solstice, it was so fitting that we saw this statue!

I was overwhelmed with how perfect the timing. (For non pagan readers, you should know that Midsummer is celebrating the goddess and her consort, and that she is swelling with life, much like the fields are ripening for our first harvest.

Speaking of being blessed on the solstice... we saw the statue above on the day of the Midsummer celebration, AND on the day of Summer Solstice itself, we came across this:

Yes, that's Thor Fishing. I met Thor in Sweden on the Solstice. Hell. Yes. Another incredible moment that I was able to share with a new friend. (heart)

On the Friday night after our Uppsala trip, we were treated to a party and got to participate in a traditional Swedish Midsummer feast - which essentially is a lot of pickled herring and schnapps (pronounced snaps). Now, let me just pause here for a moment to describe the feast.

Take a new potato, that has been boiled with dill

Top it with sour cream and chives

Place a piece of pickled herring on top

Eat

Drink a shot of schnapps

Repeat but with a different flavor of pickled herring

Or in the case of the schnapps that tasted like a Sears perfume counter girl sprayed cologne in our mouths, down a glass of wine - THEN repeat. 

We made a cake, which is essentially a giant strawberry shortcake, but for some reason the Swedes have claimed it as their own, and we learned the frog song. Yes. There is a wicked awesome frog song, which we sang. poorly.

Oh, and I got P a stupidly adorable bonnet.

That was Sweden!


Skol!