Our Happy Holidays!

I’ve had so many things to write about since returning to Florida, but very little time to process and formulate my thoughts, let alone endure the agonizing upload time to share my pictures. But now, this first day of 2012, I find myself again preparing for a move, and know that if I have any hope of sharing our holiday joys with you it must be now.

Returning from The States with Gracie and my mom brought a flurry of activity to our house in Jonkoping. After a day or so of adjusting to the time change, dark days, and cold weather again, we began our Christmas preparations. Stockings were hung after Thanksgiving, and the Nativity scene was set out, but there was still much to do to make this big old house feel like our home at Christmas time.  Matthew liberally borrowed from the lights and ornaments left behind in the attic and had purchased an adorable tree (from a gas station, go figure) to set up in the living room.  Gracie and my mother made paper chains and we found some pink and white candy canes (food that requires red dye is tricky to find here in Sweden) to add to the tree for that old-fashioned festive feel.

From Germany, for my collection

Creative use of the library

Creative use of a toilet paper tube

It's not Christmas without Legos

After decking out the house, we moved into the kitchen and introduced Gracie to the joys of Christmas baking.  She’s a good little sous-chef until it’s time to use the mixer.  The loud noise sends her running from the kitchen, but if you need something measured, rolled, or decorated, she’s your girl!

The lack of snowfall has been a surprise, a relief, and a bit of a disappointment. After running around in July like a lunatic snatching up snow boots and pants, hats, gloves, and scarves from obscure internet websites and central Florida’s abundance of outlet malls, I had hoped we would need to use them for more than a week.  As it is, this was an unseasonably warm winter in Sweden (too many Floridians here, I suppose) and after only a few days of snow we found ourselves faced with another green Christmas.  We did enjoy the snow while it lasted; a child’s reaction to their first snowfall is precious and priceless, but after bemoaning the slow death of her snowman friend, Gracie and I took matters into our own hands creating our colorful winter wonderland.

I was so grateful to have my parents here for Christmas. Sharing the holidays with family helped appease the near constant loneliness that has engulfed me since the onset of the nearly constant gloomy weather in October. We shared a lovely meal at home, played with our new toys and gadgets, and enjoyed the day.

I hope you finished out 2011 with as much happiness as we did! Happy New Year!

Our Visby Vacation

This weekend Matt and I decided to take advantage of the warm weather (our temperatures here seem to be making a rapid descent into autumn) and hop the ferry to the island of Gotland, Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea.  Our final destination was the city of Visby, a UNESCO World Heritage site and remarkably preserved medieval walled city. Now, I get excited just going to the Medieval Times Dinner Theater, so staying in a town that dates from the 12th century was a real treat for me.



From the top of the hill you get a great view Visby all the way to the Baltic Sea

 To begin our mini-adventure, we had to drive from Jönköping to Oskarshamn. During the two hour drive, we realized that the Swedish countryside is (1) breathtaking and (2) devoid of highways in the American sense of the word. Apparently, driving across Sweden is something to be enjoyed, not just accomplished, and (GPS malfunctions notwithstanding) enjoy it we did! From Oskarshamn we boarded the ferry and settled in for another three hours.


Leaving Oskarshamn



On board our ferry

Our reservations in the city of roses and ruins were at the Medieval Hotel, originally built in 1302.  Our room was small, but comfortable, the breakfast buffet delectable, and the location was perfect.  From our room we could see the towers and hear the bells of the Visby Cathedral, built in 1225, and dedicated to Saint Mary. 


As Gracie would say "It's Eat Time!"





We had a room with a view!


After breakfast we started on foot to find bicycles to rent for the day. What should have been a ten minute walk took over an hour since we completely lost our focus every time we saw a set of ruins, or a beautiful garden, or stone sheep.  (Gotland Sheep were established by the Vikings and are famous for their silky grey and black fleece.)  Eventually we rented our bikes and enjoyed the city of Visby, the Ringmuren (Ring Wall), views of the Baltic Sea, and the Gotland Museum.  We took over 400 pictures in the 24 hours we spent in Visby, so I tried to select the best ones for you.  Enjoy!

Leaving our hotel in search of adventure!

This is why we left the stroller in the room.

I think Gracie sat on every stone sheep in Visby.

We finally got our bikes!  This is the main entrance to the city.

The Gotland Museum had some great artifacts (including REAL VIKINGS), but since flash photography was forbidden, clear pictures were few and far between.

Outside of the museum

Look!  A Viking!  Actually, this is a female viking, wearing jewelry around her neck. Gracie bluntly told me she was dead and not to take pictures.

Runestone

From one of the many church ruins

Armor.

It is important to wear one's armor properly.



Viking treasure.  According to the sign, this collection of coins was found in a rabbit hole by a group of school children.



Finally, some pictures of the Visby Cathedral.  This is the only church from the period still in tact in the city.  After the reformation most of the churches were largely abandoned and finally destroyed in the 1500s.

Though we missed the annual medieval festival and we only stayed for two nights, we were blessed with beautiful weather and mesmerising surroundings.  The city is stunning, I only wish my photojournalism skills were better able to capture the experience for you.

Farewell Visby.