…..and then there is Carl!
Wednesday….I get myself to Lidingö, and Millesgården, the home and museum of Carl Milles and his wife, Olga.
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- Portrait done by Olga (Granner) Milles.
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- Illustrations by Ruth Millis.
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- Inside the Milles home in Lidingo, Sweden.
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- Painting in the new Gallery they have at Millesgarden.
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- Painting in the new gallery in Millesgarden
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- Inside the gallery at Millesgarden.
Carl Milles’ sculptures are all over Stockholm. He had quite a life, being born to a Swedish militant and started with carpentry. Sweden then help fund his artistic education(anatomy) in Paris, where he met his soon to be wife, who was also an artist, a portrait artist. His brother and sister were also artists. In Millesgarden it stated his sister was an illustrator and had some of her “cartoons” on display, but wikipedia says she was a sculptor. He lived in Sweden and in the United States, Michigan, I believe, and also moved back to Europe, Rome. Overall, really enjoyed his sculpture garden and studio. Was a very pleasant place to visit!
Museum Hopping….
Keeping with the momentum of seeing more of Sweden since our friends have left, I have decided to visit a few more museums. Tuesday May 14, we woke to rain! But around lunchtime I headed out to the Nordiska Museet, Nordic Museum. This is a massive and beautiful building on Djurgården, and was built to preserve and display Nordic culture through the ages. Everything from furniture to clothing, tablesettings and toys. Was a fun museum, but surprisingly(to me) it seems so large from the outside, there is alot of open space on the inside…I suppose to keep adding in the different the trends/styles for centuries to come!
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- The Nordic Museum.
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- The Nordic Museum.
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- Inside the Nordic Museum. Sculpture by Carl Milles of King Gustav Vasa…..
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- Old Swedish dwelling
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- Massive hallway
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- Old Swedish Posters
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- Table setting…from the 1950′s…(I think)
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- Swedish traditions.
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- Swedish Traditions.
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- Swedish Traditions.
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- Early outfits.
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- Toy train.
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- A whole section dedicated to Hair.
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- Inside the Nordic Museum, a retro hair salon.
After spending time in the Nordic Butik…..hhhhmmm, I ventured out to the Thiel Gallery. Unfortunately they were just coming off the Munch exhibit…by a few days! So the museum was small but very pleasant.
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- Walking to the Thiel Gallery.
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- Outside the back of the Thiel Gallery
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- Diana, you would love some of the “grey” soothing artwork!!!
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- Art in the Thiel Gallery.
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- Art in the Thiel Gallery
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- Art in the Thiel Gallery.
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- Sculpture outside the Thiel Gallery.
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- Sculpture outside the Thiel Gallery.
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- Sculpture outside the Thiel Gallery.
Then I headed home on foot….turned out to be a dry, but chilly day.
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- Walking home along the water in Djurgarden.
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- Walking home from the Thiel Gallery.
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- Walking home from the Thiel Gallery.
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- OH, the ABBA museum has just opened in Sweden!!!! Not very flashy, but there it is!!
House Guest Happiness…….
We are coming off a long holiday weekend. There was a Red Day on Thursday May 9th, due to it being Ascension Day here in Sweden. Red Day means all businesses and schools are closed, so Greg was home so we of course went on a bike ride. We went out to Ekerö (again)…..did 60+ miles….working our way up…..felt really good. Little secret….we signed up for the halv vatternrunden…..(the full was sold out long ago). The halv is 150kilometers, (93 miles) and really looking forward to it!! More on that in another post.
The kids also have Friday off….so for them a 4 day weekend. Greg is not so lucky….But we are expecting good friends from home on Friday night(May 10)…..George and I go off to meet them at the airport. They have been spending the day in Paris with a 12 hour layover in France….hope they had a good time!!!!!
George entertaining himself on the train ride into the airport to greet his BEST friend!
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- They are arriving from a DAY in Paris…..I just hope they haven’t exhausted themselves already……
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- ….yeah!!!!!!!!! They made it!!!!!!
Saturday, May 11, 2013
So Saturday we head out to the Stockholm City Hall….Stadhuset. We have never toured this and it was really nice! We had beautiful weather (all 3 days they were here BTW). The first room you enter is the Blue Room, originally the plans called for the brick to be painted blue, but since the completion took over 10 years the name stuck, but the natural brick was more desired. We learned that there were two Piazzas….and yes, it was influenced by Italian architecture. It is not that old, @100 years old, but made to look old. The Nobel Prize Banquet (1300 guests) is held here, and the stair case leading to the NOW covered internal piazza was accepted only after the queen tested 10 different staircases, wearing flowing gowns with trains and heal shoes so she could truly test the comfort for a woman in formal clothing descending the staircase.
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- Staircase in the “BLUE ROOM” (was named blue because it was supposed to be blue walls but they liked the brick, the texture and so left it, but the name was already there. It is a covered Piazza, influenced by Italian architecture.
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- Organ that is now digital and can be a fair distance from the actual chimes so guests can view the organist playing in plain site. 10,000 pipes are encased up in the ceiling of the Blue Room.
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- Here is the Council Chamber ceiling. Some think it is an upside down replica of the Vasa boat. The blue color is to represent the sky and open ceiling, much like an open Piazza and to meet with open minds during meetings.
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- Here is seating for 200 townspeople on the benches up above.
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- Inside the Vault of the Hundred, which leads you to the banquet halls.
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- Tapestries hang in the Oval Room.
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- The Princes Gallery, used for banquets and receptions has a large al fresco mural on the right side depicting the landscapes of Sodermalm, Gamla Stan, and Kungsholmen. You can also get married here, there is an 8 month waiting period and there is a short and long version ceremony, short is 45 seconds and long is 1 minute due to the number of ceremonies they will perform in a day.
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- The Golden Room, impressive! Elevators are in every corner of the for during the Nobel Prize Banquet the staff uses this room to organize the food before serving it in the Blue Room.
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- Large mural depicting Queen of Lake Mälaran. It is said that some were disappointed by her appearance, but what might seem unattractive, can be explained. Her eyes are large and open so she can watch over the city, her hands and feet are large to show strength and fortitude and her hair is depicting glorious rays of sun, and not Medusa’s snakes.
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- Close up of Queen of Lake Mälaren. She sits between images of the East, on the right side and West, on the left side, showing that Sweden sits as a strong, stable force between the East and the West countries.
Next is a Boat Tour!
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- Getting seated for our Boat Tour.
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- Me and Di on the boat.
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- Enjoying a picture perfect day!
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- Giraffe crane…..?
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- Pretty hotels along the Stockholms Strandvagen. The Strandvagen is a upscale street along the water. We basically did a circle around the island of Djurgarden.
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- As we walk Strandvagen, towards our next museum, the boys see this beautiful car.
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- Dark picture of the boys in the Vasa.
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- Small replica of the Vasa, and how it would have looked all painted before sitting in the ocean for 200 years.
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- Another close up of the Vasa.
Interesting to know that because where she sank in the Baltic Sea, which has low salinity, and an area that was sheltered from stressful currents, she had a stronger survival than if she sank in the salt waters of the Atlantic or Pacifc Oceans.
Traveler Tip….alot of museums keep the lighting low, to perserve the artifacts, but when you are a jet lagged, over walked tourist these atmospheres can drain your energy even faster!!
Off to Skansen, Swedens Open Air Culture Center and Zoo
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- Kids checking out a bakery.
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- “Can’t hear you”
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- “Speak up, really can’t hear you”
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- These guys were so cool…..LEMURS…..and they were a big surprise!
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- They just walk around amongst you.
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- We wanted to adopt!
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- Collin giving bunny ears!!!
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- Strike a pose! Lemurs have human hands, and so much personality!
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- Mamma Bear and her cubs.
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- Large cat enjoying a fresh rabbit. Rabbit tartare is CRUNCHY.
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- Maddy!!
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- Me and Diana in Skansen.
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- Gorgeous peacock just hanging around.
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- Another gorgeous peacock showing us the goods.
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- George and Collin on a well worn Dala horse.
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- Maddy on a Dala horse!
So before Diana passes out from exhaustion….we send the kids off, by train to the apartment. We enjoy some Stockholm sun and rum!
Well deserved cocktails!
Then we head out to dinner….Lebanese!
Lebanese in Sweden! 
Sunday, May 12, 2013…..Happy Mothers Day!!
Today I made traditional pannekackor for Collin and Diana….which are crepes but made with a blend of whole wheat, but still thin and served with cream and jelly. Then we headed off to Gamla Stan to see the Royal Changing of the Guards. But first we checked out the Royal Armory.
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- Collin and Diana hanging with a Royal Guard.
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- Only picture I took inside the Royal Armory….shameful, there was lots of knights armor and royal garb!
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- Outside the start of the changing of the guard.
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- The band was really magnificent.
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- The whole procedure takes about 30 minutes. Never had stayed for the whole thing before, just caught the tail end or seen the parade in the streets. Very traditional and special.
The Medieval Museum is across the street. We head over there and check that out before unleashing the kids. Greg takes George and Collin and Maddy out bike riding, they hang out in Kungsholmen and then go to the amusement park called Grona Lund for the evening. There are no pictures but Collin did a death defying ride called the TILT, where you are tilted looking down, feet hanging in the air and dropped. Collin in now invincible. Diana and I escape to Prince Eugenes home and gallery, stroll Gamla Stan and go out for tapas.
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- Inside Prince Eugenes Gallery.
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- Statue inside Prince Eugenes home.
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- Georgeous painting done by Prince Eugene himself. Of all the various artist he collected and displayed I enjoyed his own paintings the most.
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- Screen by Prince Eugene.
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- Lovely oil painting of a traditional Swedish girl.
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- Outside Prince Eugene collected sculptures as well, and here is one of the many castings of Rodin’s The Thinker.
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- Nike of Samothrace sculpture after the one in the Louvre.
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- Scupture by Carl Milles, and a linseed oil mill in the background is very picturesque.
Diana standing in my favorite little square!!! STORTORGET
And Diana in another very picturesque little corner of Gamla Stan.
MONDAY May, 13, 2013
Today we are heading to Globen, to ride on the Sky View, which takes you above this large round hockey, music convention center south of Stockholm.
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- Globen Train Station
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- Getting into the Sky View Bubble.
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- The other skyview bubble going down as we head up.
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- Beautiful clear day to take pictures….(the glass of the skyview bubble wasn’t all too clean!)
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- Collin and Diana
We hop back on the train and go to Slussen, and walk the cat walk to the Katarina Hiss, or Elevator, which is not working. But this elevator connects Slussen to Gamla Stan, and gives tremendous views of the south side of Gamla Stan.
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- Odd thing off the train in Slussen.
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- Walking out to the Katarina Hiss, elevator.
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- View overlooking a large traffic circle that directs cars coming from 6 different directions.
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- Eating lunch in the sun. Kudos goes to Diana who wanted to try a traditional Swedish plate of shrimp on toast. Once will be enough, thank you!!
Now off to sneak into Georges school so Collin can meet his classmates….kind of tricky cause we played hooky today….then off to Haga Park, and the Butterfly Museum.
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- Homey”s in the Pawk. (Haga Park)
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- Sculpture in the Butterfly House.
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- Large angry fish, the sign clearly warns that your fingers will be gone if you attempt to put them in the fish tank.
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- Pre-butterflies hanging around.
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- Butterfly House
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- Butterfly house.
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- Butterfly house. It was EXTREMELY warm and uncomfortable, for me anyway in the Butterfly area….
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- Large fish tank upon exiting the Butterfly house.
We then fortify with some ice cream, and head off to souveiner shop. The boys have just about lost it….can’t walk any farther and are just plain pooped, so we walk down Drottningatan, window shop, but let the boys walk home. Diana and I head to Nordiska Kompaniet…NK…and stroll the high end clothing and eventually end up getting some nice authentic swedish memorabilia….and dinner!
And the sad goodbyes as they take off at 4:30am on Tuesday morning, was a wonderful visit for all and I miss you already….
Weekend of Cinco De Mayo
….which really went unrecognized here in Sweden. I just needed a title for the post. I should have titled it, electric bikes can kick your a$$. Funny story….Greg and I are out Saturday enjoying a bike ride to Lidingö, and we are cruising right along the bike path, and we come up to an elderly couple on city bikes, you know, with wicker baskets in front. They were cruising along really well. So we just decide to sit back and see if there is a break to pass….the gentlemen is quite a bit ahead of his lady, who is pedaling like the dickens. I thought geesh, when I am her age I hope I can climb that hill with her strength….suddenly I am licked, I am standing on the bike pushing and she is pedaling like she is descending down hill. I beat myself up for just so long….then realized. ELECTRIC BIKE.
ride to lidingö
To celebrate the fact that I am not yet in need of an electric bike….we enjoyed a nice meal out at Un Poco. Fantastic meal!! Highly recommend!
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- nice atmosphere
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- great bottle of wine.
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- first.
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- Tuna with fennel, which is actually an appetizer if you are looking for it on the menu….I ordered it as my main.
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- Greg got beef, with a large grilled lemon?
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- This is an egglant tomato dish that was so rich and tasty! We shared.
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- Risotto with asparagus and parmesan chips, OMG, a must! We shared.
Sunday we plan to head out to Ekerö. This ride is pretty much the go to ride for the serious bikers in Stockholm. It is fast and safe and a good way to get in some distance.
Sunday’s ride to Ekerö
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- Greg in front of a picturesque church.
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- All the fields are getting luscious green or are being farmed.
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- Close up of the bison grazing in this field.
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- We had a hard time finding a coffee house for lunch but as luck would have it we stopped by this farm that was celebrating the first days of spring and the cows out grazing.
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- We were offered lovely sandwiches and fresh milk from the farm festivities.
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- Loverly….me chowing my sandwich. Thanks Greg.
And the last few Mondays I have been getting out riding with another mom from the kids school. She is an active triathlete training for an ironman in November and a half ironman in September….it is nice to ride with another mom!!
Diddo of our Sunday ride with Cecilia.
Valborg Eve and May Day
Wednesday, May 1, 2013, the kids don’t have school. It is considered a Red Day in Sweden and most companies are closed as well. April 30th there are big celebrations with bonfires and singing, to celebrate the eve of May Day(The start of spring, and also Labor Day, so many unions have parades on May 1st). We head out to Skansen an open air museum, celebrating swedish wildlife and culture and early lifestyle), on the island of Djurgården, to celebrate Valborg Swedish style.
Chilly evening walking to Skansen to experience Valborg eve or Eve of May Day
Arriving at Skansen.
Noisy and pretty flamingo type bird that lives in the park.
We indulge with some sweets…waffle with cream and sylt. (jelly)
Glas. Not the sharp, see-through type…the icy cold sit on your hips type! aka ice cream
We get to see a few of the barnyard animals, or sea loving animals…a seal, actually. Seals and right next to it was some sheep and a moose. what???!?
George and Greg!! A beautiful sunset was behind them, though that is not coming through. The trees are just starting to bloom so you can get a decent view of the city in the distance still.
An otter? The water just looks so cold!
Here is the moose. He didn’t really care that we were there.
George and I and we are totally freezing!
When we first arrived there was a large group of choral singers and they sounded beautiful, then there was a lengthy speech, in Swedish so we went exploring. Here they are rounding the end of the speeches and announcing the lighting of the ceremonial bon fire. Skansen hosts the largest Valborg event in town.
And the bonfire! Well, it had been raining off and on all day…so the fire didn’t take off the way it should if the wood was dry.
Looking around the gathering at Skansen before we depart home.
Pretty gate into Djurgården. (Greg and I are standing under it but it is dark)
The sky is so pretty tonight, such a rich lapis lazuli color.
Walking home past Ostermalm’s Saluhall.
Kids walking together on their way home.
Greg and I went riding with George on May Day around Djurgården. Was a “Sweden Warm” day…..the sun and skies looked warm, but you still needed the long underwear!
So, I have included a little information about May Day or Valborg below.
Walpurgis Night in Sweden is a very special event and a great way to experience Sweden’s traditions. Walpurgis (Swedish: “Valborg”) on April 30 is a widely celebrated event in Scandinavia, most of all in Sweden.
Walpurgis Night precedes Labour Day in Scandinavia on May 1 and many Walpurgis events continue over night from April 30 into that holiday.
The forms of celebration in Sweden vary in different parts of the country and between different cities. One of the main traditions in Sweden is to light large bonfires, a custom which began during the 18th century. Lighting the popular bonfires began with the purpose of keeping away evil spirits, especially demons and witches.
Nowadays, Walpurgis Night is usually seen as a celebration of springtime. The Skansen Open Air Museum, for example, hosts Stockholm‘s largest historical Walpurgis celebration.
Many Swedes now celebrate the end of long, dreary winters by singing Spring songs. These songs were spread by the students’ spring festivities and Walpurgis Night celebrations are especially common in university towns like Uppsala – the nightlife in Uppsala is especially active then.
Walpurgis (Valborg) being celebrated on April 30 creates a double national holiday in Sweden. On this day, King Carl XVI Gustaf celebrates his birthday. So you’ll see Swedish flags all around the country to salute the King and show him respect.
May Day/Labor Day (May 1st) follows Walpurgis Night celebrations with a wide choice of events, parades and festivities.
Walpurgis in Swedish is “Valborg” and Walpurgis Night in Swedish is called “Valborgsmassoafton”.
Spring is here!
Well since returning to Sweden on April 6th, the weather has turned for the better. The days are longer, the sun is high and blue skies abound.
Walking out in Skeppsholmen after arriving back in Stockholm.
Unless it is raining. Hasn’t been too overwhelming with rain, but we have had a few days so far and helps to clean the sidewalks of winters mess. Though, in Stockholm when all the snow is gone, they sweep the streets, with a water/brush system and keep the stone that was spread for ice safety, wash the stone and reuse it. They will start that process on May 1.
Last weekend we went out for our first bike ride. Greg and I got on the mountain bikes, and Maddy joined us as we headed out to Drottningholm. The weather was perfect!!
Maddy! April 14th 2013
Pizza for lunch on our way back to the apartment. April 14 2013
Georges class attended a Chess Competition at Globen on Friday, April 12th. They came in 2nd place and now have to attend the National Chess Competition on June 1st in Västerås! So exciting!!
Georges 4th grade class at Chess Competition in Globen, April 12th, 2013
George facing his opponent during chess competition in Stockholm, April 12, 2013
So after a few rainy days this week this was just a pretty ordinary week. On Saturday, with a heavy heart, I took my bike off the trainer. I loved my mornings of getting lost in my thoughts while reaching personal goals of endurance! Now I get to ride with Greg and get pushed even harder!! Greg and I got out to Lidingö on Saturday.
First road bike ride out to Lidingö with Greg! Yeah!!
Ride to Lidingö
Saturday night Stockholm hosted Culture Night, and opened the Royal Palace and other official buildings up for the public, from 6pm till midnight….we enjoyed the Royal Armoury, The Royal Palace and The Medieval Museum. And the Royal Palace was filled with guides that were dressed to the hilt in costumes of earlier times.
Waiting outside the Royal Palace to get in….long line!
Waiting outside the Royal Palace.
Great costumes inside the Royal Palace.
Ceiling inside the Royal Palace Dining Hall. The King would seat 170 people for dinner here.
The table was all set in the Royal Palace Dining Hall.
One of the 3 Musketeers attended and I found this very funny apparently.
Seat fit for a King. (behind the piano, dang, bad photo)
Inside the Medieval Museum.
Old wall that protected Gamla Stan (where we are). This is the actual wall, what is left of it.
Inside the Medieval Museum.
George eyeing the chess board inside the Medieval Museum.
Walking behind some Swedish Royal Guards, they are on their way to relieve another guard at his post.
Sunday, George and Maddy head out to play football with their friends, Kaylee is hanging with her friends, so Greg and I get out for another ride. We head to Ekero.
In Kungsholmen on our way back from Ekero.
Easter in the USA!
The schools in Sweden have another break (I know, I know seems like we were just in Rome due to Sport Holiday, last week of February), but here we are at Swedens Easter Holiday(March 29th – April 5). So we spent Easter having dinner with my parents at the Neighborhood Club and my brother his wife and my niece and nephew were there as well. This is where it hurts….not seeing them for 8 months there is alot of growth!
Saturday, March 30, we left for home!(6am flight so we left the flat at 4am!!!) So much excitement filled us all. I didn’t take many pictures, I was way too busy visiting, hugging, shopping and cleaning the house! But I know we all enjoyed seeing our house and friends and being in a familiar place again. Maddy had a sleepover, then Kaylee had a sleepover, dinner with Lianne and Barry, lots of wine with friends, we all had dentist appts…..some of us more than one, more than two but THREE! Foiled physicals because mom forgot a note allowing Nana to take them. Haircuts, and copious amounts of shopping from organic coconut oil and spirulina to Forever 21, converse and SOCKS!!! We go through more socks.
PS….Cannot believe I forgot to mention and give a shout out to my favorite spin teacher JOAN! I brought my bike shoes all the way from Sweden for her class! I wouldn’t have missed that for anything!
Whirlwind dose of familiarity that we all needed!
Greg was able to get to TUCKERMANS with a few of his friends the Monday after Easter…no joke, being April Fools day you may question me! Click on the word TUCKERMANS and it will bring you to the video his friend made. They were all disappointed that they were not able to ski the headwall due to avalanche danger.
Greg and I go out to Tabbouli, lebanese food the night before heading home.
EARLY morning pickup!
Pretty sky as we drive to Arlanda airport….anticipation! But still a long ride awaits.
Maddy has been dying to get this “fish eating your feet” pedicure ever since seeing it in Stockholm.
We are in the Amsterdam Airport, layover, and Maddy is getting chewed out…no I mean chewed on, or chewed. Oh, whatever!
Logan Airport!!! First pic in USA after going through customs!
Oh the minivan!!!! My dad picks us up in our minivan….I can’t believe I was afraid to drive this….it all came rushing back!
HOME!
Welcome Home sign made by a bunch of Georges friends!!
First meal back….decided more because we were soooooooo tired and there was so many conflicting desires, but this won out because we were close to it! But I have to say it was darn good…not my first choice, but still.
Look at what the EASTER ROOSTER brought all the way from SWEDEN…….
George on Easter morning.
Some serious conversation during Easter dinner…
George working on the grass stains, after 3 kids….Easter has become synonymous with Egg Hunt Grass Stains….right!
Easter kids!!
And heading back to Stockholm!
uh, can I say I have been to Paris if I never left the airport? nah….
You know you are flying over Stockholm when you see icy water!
Back in Stockholm….tight squeeze!
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SWEDISH EASTER TRADITION
Easter in Sweden is spent celebrating over the entire weekend.
(1) The Thursday before Easter(Maundy Thursday), young girls dress up as witches and go from house to house with a tea kettle collecting candy or small change. It is not considered a “red day” or day off from work, but often businesses close early to start the long weekend.
(2) Then Good Friday (Långfredag, Long Friday in Swedish) which commemorates Jesus dying on the cross, but in tradition Swedish children were not to “play”, which may explain why it is a “long” day in sweden.
(3) Saturday, Påskafton, is a day to get together with family. Also children are often given their Easter Eggs, filled with candy from the Easter Rooster.
(4) Sunday, Påskdagen, or Easter Day, is national holiday as well as
(5) Monday, Annandag Påsk, so Sunday and Monday are off and enjoyed with lots of food and rest.
