So its safe to say we are experiencing a true winter after months of summer. We made it safely to Sweden and touched down just outside of Stockholm to experience minus 15 for the first time ever!! It was so cold that if we took a deep breath we coughed!! We were lucky to have a hotel close to the city so we were able to watch ice skating, snow falling, enjoy the funky cafes, see the christams markets and even get to the Nobel Museum (by walking through snow and ice up to our knees at times!).
We then travelled South West to Jönköping by train (which was slightly delayed due to an unscheduled stop for an elk on the tracks). We have spent the past week staying with an awesome Swedish family Michele met in New Zealand. Since being here we have done many things Swedish with the most important being snow fights and sliding down any hill you can find on plastic and drinking glögg to keep warm (Swedish mulled wine)! We have also watched ice hockey and handball, been to IKEA (sooo swedish!), been to a birthday party with great swedish baking and we have been to the summer house to clear the snow so the roof doesnt fall down!
We have spent a day at a highschool talking about New Zealand and again today at Linas primary school to chat about NZ and watch a school show. In Sweden through the winter/christmas time it is pitch black by 4pm so almost every window in all the houses on the street have twinkly lights and candles in them. This week and weekend they celebrate Lucia - the saint of light. Traditionally a performance done with lots of singing and candles. Very beautiful and nice to experience some different traditions.
Yesterday we went to Huskvarna - home to the Husqvarna factory and museum! Who knew that they also made sewing machines and dishwashers along with guns, bikes and chainsaws! We then we went onto Gränna a village where peppermint toffee lollies were invented ... mmmmm!
Tonight we are off to ice skate, and tomorrow morning we will cross country ski (on the track right next to the house we are staying in) so we may have some sore bums by sat night!
McDuff
Michele and Tristan
(ps. this computer is being a little unkind to our camera so will have to post photos later!)
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