a week of discovering snow
I've just come back from a week in Sweden, it was a wonderful week. Snow everywhere, and so cold, it was very much a picture book winter. The only problem was that it didn't actually snow while I was there. I had to settle for that which had fallen the previous week. However it was still quite deep and lots of it was still pretty undisturbed, so I could have lots of fun in the snow.
It was -11 on the day i landed, that was a bit of a shock, but thankfully I had packed my gloves and beanie in my hand luggage. Flying in to Arlanda was great, I couldn't believe how white everything was. Wasn't sure if i was seeing snow or something else, but it was definately snow. I spent the train ride into stockholm looking out the window at the fields and houses. It was just like the postcards with snow everywhere and the advent candles in the windows in houses and offices. It was really pretty.
The first full day in Stockholm Helen and I went for a walk into the city, to look at the NK christmas windows and to go skating in one of the parks. I made us stop on the way into the city though so I could go stamping through some clean snow in a park. Helen had a good laugh at my reaction to the snow. I tried to make a snowball, but it was too cold for the snow to stick. So also too cold to think about making a snowman.
As we walked over the bridge near the Stadshuset (the town hall) I was again thrilled to see that the canal and part of the lake was frozen.
I really liked the city views when i visited in September, but with the covering of snow, it was just so beautiful.
Helen took me to see the christmas windows in the main department store, NK. They were great, very much more like the DJ's windows than anything I saw in London. I couldn't get photos as there were too many people, but the windows told of different father christmas myths. In sweden father christmas comes knocking at the door and hands out christmas presents, but they also had a window explaining that in some countries he comes down the chimmy. There were other windows about the toy makers and helpers. Thankfully Helen was able to translate most of the explanations, so we didn't have to guess too much.
After the windows, and a hot chocolate in NK to defrost slightly we went skating at the Kungstradgarden. Johan was able to get away from work for about 30 min and come and watch our bags, and take photos. The skating rink is a fountain or pool during summer i think. I am an appaling skater, having been to Thebarton ice rink about 3 times in my life, and never having learnt to roller skate. The only thing like a bar to hold onto was in the middle of the ice, so i had to get from the edge to the middle. I didn't fall over once in the half hour, but i certainly didn't show any particular style. I wasn't the worst on the rink, there were a couple of toddlers being pushed around by their parents. I think it was pretty obvious that i wasn't used to ice.
After the skating we went for lunch, hot soup and then to do a little bit of shopping. I wanted to see if i could find some cord trousers as they are a little warmer than jeans, and Johan had promised to take me to see a game of Bandy over the weekend. We found some for me, and I also picked up a Swedish Cheese slicer. very useful things.
On thursday we went to Uppsala. It is one of the oldest citys with a fabulous old cathedral and castle. Johan had a day off work so all three of us wandered around the city. Johan lived there for a few years, so was able to fill helen and i in on some of the extra history and interesting facts. The cathedral was magnificent, it is as tall as it is long.
The castle isn't open during the winter, but we walked around the outside a bit. The cannons for the castle are lined up so that they face the cathedral and the bishop's house. The castle gardens are now part of the botanical gardens, but there is still a lovely view from the castle. and yes, seeing it all covered in snow made it even nicer.
Friday was fantastic, it was a bit warmer, almost 0! we spent the afternoon tobogganing and making a snowman. I had heaps of fun tobogganing, borrowed a pair of helen's waterproof skipants so that i could happily spend a couple of hours in the snow. Johan and I bought some toboggans in the morning, great big saucer shaped things. Johan did the first run to show me how it was done and to pack down the snow slightly. I wasn't very good at steering, but as the run got faster it was lots of fun. Thankfully there was a fence at the bottom of the run to catch us, i couldn't stop very well. Here are just some of the many photos.
Here are the photos of the snowman, and the end result of the snowball fight. I should have know not to throw a snow ball at Johan just as he had finshed with the head of the snowman. He had to make a new head.
Saturday was very quiet. Helen wasn't too well, so she and i stayed at home while Johan went skating on one of the lakes. Sunday Johan took me to see a game of Bandy. Bandy is a cross between football (soccer) and field hockey - played on ice. The rules are more like football, but the game is more like hockey. it was great. i really enjoyed it. it was very fast and skillful. the only problem was that you had to stand outside to watch it, and as it was only -3 (!) it wasn't cold enough for them to turn on the heaters in the stands. So could barely feel my fingers or toes by the end of the game.
Monday was the last day, helen and i again had a quiet day, saw the new Harry Potter film. I hope to go back again sometime later in the year. I really have enjoyed the last two visit to Stockholm, as you might be able to tell from the photos. I have also decided that i really like snow, so much fun discovering all the fun of it. Most of the photos are with thanks to helen who borrowed my SLR most days. Now back to Leicester and assignments. ah well, the holidays were great.
It was -11 on the day i landed, that was a bit of a shock, but thankfully I had packed my gloves and beanie in my hand luggage. Flying in to Arlanda was great, I couldn't believe how white everything was. Wasn't sure if i was seeing snow or something else, but it was definately snow. I spent the train ride into stockholm looking out the window at the fields and houses. It was just like the postcards with snow everywhere and the advent candles in the windows in houses and offices. It was really pretty.
The first full day in Stockholm Helen and I went for a walk into the city, to look at the NK christmas windows and to go skating in one of the parks. I made us stop on the way into the city though so I could go stamping through some clean snow in a park. Helen had a good laugh at my reaction to the snow. I tried to make a snowball, but it was too cold for the snow to stick. So also too cold to think about making a snowman.
As we walked over the bridge near the Stadshuset (the town hall) I was again thrilled to see that the canal and part of the lake was frozen.
I really liked the city views when i visited in September, but with the covering of snow, it was just so beautiful.
Helen took me to see the christmas windows in the main department store, NK. They were great, very much more like the DJ's windows than anything I saw in London. I couldn't get photos as there were too many people, but the windows told of different father christmas myths. In sweden father christmas comes knocking at the door and hands out christmas presents, but they also had a window explaining that in some countries he comes down the chimmy. There were other windows about the toy makers and helpers. Thankfully Helen was able to translate most of the explanations, so we didn't have to guess too much.
After the windows, and a hot chocolate in NK to defrost slightly we went skating at the Kungstradgarden. Johan was able to get away from work for about 30 min and come and watch our bags, and take photos. The skating rink is a fountain or pool during summer i think. I am an appaling skater, having been to Thebarton ice rink about 3 times in my life, and never having learnt to roller skate. The only thing like a bar to hold onto was in the middle of the ice, so i had to get from the edge to the middle. I didn't fall over once in the half hour, but i certainly didn't show any particular style. I wasn't the worst on the rink, there were a couple of toddlers being pushed around by their parents. I think it was pretty obvious that i wasn't used to ice.
After the skating we went for lunch, hot soup and then to do a little bit of shopping. I wanted to see if i could find some cord trousers as they are a little warmer than jeans, and Johan had promised to take me to see a game of Bandy over the weekend. We found some for me, and I also picked up a Swedish Cheese slicer. very useful things.
On thursday we went to Uppsala. It is one of the oldest citys with a fabulous old cathedral and castle. Johan had a day off work so all three of us wandered around the city. Johan lived there for a few years, so was able to fill helen and i in on some of the extra history and interesting facts. The cathedral was magnificent, it is as tall as it is long.
The castle isn't open during the winter, but we walked around the outside a bit. The cannons for the castle are lined up so that they face the cathedral and the bishop's house. The castle gardens are now part of the botanical gardens, but there is still a lovely view from the castle. and yes, seeing it all covered in snow made it even nicer.
Friday was fantastic, it was a bit warmer, almost 0! we spent the afternoon tobogganing and making a snowman. I had heaps of fun tobogganing, borrowed a pair of helen's waterproof skipants so that i could happily spend a couple of hours in the snow. Johan and I bought some toboggans in the morning, great big saucer shaped things. Johan did the first run to show me how it was done and to pack down the snow slightly. I wasn't very good at steering, but as the run got faster it was lots of fun. Thankfully there was a fence at the bottom of the run to catch us, i couldn't stop very well. Here are just some of the many photos.
Here are the photos of the snowman, and the end result of the snowball fight. I should have know not to throw a snow ball at Johan just as he had finshed with the head of the snowman. He had to make a new head.
Saturday was very quiet. Helen wasn't too well, so she and i stayed at home while Johan went skating on one of the lakes. Sunday Johan took me to see a game of Bandy. Bandy is a cross between football (soccer) and field hockey - played on ice. The rules are more like football, but the game is more like hockey. it was great. i really enjoyed it. it was very fast and skillful. the only problem was that you had to stand outside to watch it, and as it was only -3 (!) it wasn't cold enough for them to turn on the heaters in the stands. So could barely feel my fingers or toes by the end of the game.
Monday was the last day, helen and i again had a quiet day, saw the new Harry Potter film. I hope to go back again sometime later in the year. I really have enjoyed the last two visit to Stockholm, as you might be able to tell from the photos. I have also decided that i really like snow, so much fun discovering all the fun of it. Most of the photos are with thanks to helen who borrowed my SLR most days. Now back to Leicester and assignments. ah well, the holidays were great.
posted by bronwyn | 3:09 PM
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