Day 31- Empire State Building

Day 31 – Tourist time, big time, in NYC

The bad news?  Woke up at 3am-wide awake-because we’re still on Swedish time.  The good news?  We got up at 5am, finished breakfast by 7am, and were first in line to purchase tickets to “The Lion King” on Broadway.  Was able to get two seats for tomorrow night.  Good thing we were first in line – the remaining tickets available after getting our two were $250 each.  Want cheaper tickets?  You’ll have to come back in August!
80 floors flying up in Empire State Building-CLICK HERE!


also, watch our next video...

 CLICK HERE- Mom and I Going up to observation deck!

Once the theater tickets were secured, we enjoyed the Empire State Building 13 blocks away with no lengthy lines.  The observation deck on the 86^th floor couldn’t have been nicer.  I’m guessing that it was about 75 degrees with a mild breeze – totally pleasant!  The views are spectacular looking out at lower Manhattan to the south, New Jersey to the west, and Central Park to the north, and the Chrysler Building/Brooklyn Bridge to the east.   The building is totally Art Deco, filled with stylized iron, marble, and glass.  Took a ton of photos, and even purchased the cheesy photo of Diane and I in front of the “staged” Empire State Building. 

CLICK HERE- Mom and I on top of The Empire State Building!!!

Got back to the hotel at about 2pm, hot from the warm, humid walk back, and felt like taking a nap (again, on Swedish time, it was about 6pm).  Instead, had a fika of iced coffee, cookies, and fruit to get our energy back.  Diane was still hungry so set off alone to find the perfect New York City street pizza.  She succeeded at a street vendor located on Madison & Vanderbilt.  Thin crust and delicious!   Got to remember to score sine New York cheesecake tomorrow.

Tonight, we’re going to make it an early night, as we have to be on the subway by 7:30am in order to make it to Battery Park in lower Manhattan.  From there, we have a 9am ticket for the Statue of Liberty, including a tour of the base of the statue, and then off to Ellis Island for more research.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to find the ship manifest for Diane & Christopher’s great-grandfathers immigration trip to America as well as their great-great grandmothers 1^st trip (I have already located the manifest for her 2^nd trip from Sweden to America).  Then, a subway trip home by 5pm in order to see “The Lion King” at 8pm.  Tomorrow’s going to be another fun day! And as I am writing this, Diane and I are enjoying a glass of champagne, cheese and veggies at Rick’s Café (2^nd floor of Casablanca Hotel) “Here’s looking at you, Kid.” 

Day 30- New York!

Day 30 – Stockholm to New York City

Okay, so I’m seriously excited here.  Sitting in the Arlanda/Stockholm airport a few minutes from Diane’s and my flight to the Big Apple.  Never been there in my life (I know, how sad is that?), and I’m really looking forward to the next few days.  Once we arrive 9 hours from now and deal with our first cab ride into the theater district of Manhattan, we’ll get to check out our “boutique” hotel based upon the movie “Casablanca”.  Should be interesting.  Whoa.  We’re boarding – bye for now!

It’s now 8:30pm and Diane & I are going to call it a night … to us, it’s still 1:30am Sweden time.  What an interesting transition back into America.  Three movies and two meals on the flight to keep the passengers onboard from becoming restless (Glen, I have a new appreciation how hard you work as a flight attendant), and despite numerous signs stating, “We will treat you with dignity and courtesy”, met the most arrogant border patrol agent who was just a total ass.  With that ordeal over, thought the worst of it was over - then we began the one-hour cab drive from hell.  JFK to midtown Manhattan.

Clearly, Sarah Jessica Parker never once hailed this guy during her run on ‘Sex and the City’.  I couldn’t imagine her in Prada in that filthy vehicle.  I finally decided it was best for my sanity to just not watch in front of me.  I held on and looked out the side window while Diane just grinned – ah, the sweet bliss of youth!  The driver did everything other than drive on sidewalks to get one car-length ahead to slam on his brakes.  I was never exactly sure where he was looking because half the time, he was practically laying outside of the driver’s window or turned with his total body to look out the passenger window.   It must be legal to drive & talk in NYC with a hand-held phone, because that was a part of this total introduction to NYC cabs.  Oh, and the talking/muttering to himself in some incomprehensible language (Farsi?) only added to the excitement, except for the moment he screamed, “Bitch!” at a large black woman on a bicycle who yelled back and flipped him the bird.  Unreal.

Slamming to a stop in front of the Casablanca Hotel on 43^rd street between 6^th & 7^th, my churning stomach was foremost on my mind.  But then we walked into the lobby, and that one-hour drive began to melt away.  To say the Casablanca is an oasis is an understatement.  It’s absolutely outstanding, beautifully appointed, and we have a room/bath that is gorgeous.  I selected this hotel for several reasons.  First, it’s rated by Traveler Advisor as #8 of the 25 Top Hotels in America, and was #1 for NYC when I booked several months ago (I can clearly see why).  Second, for $267 a night (inexpensive in NYC), you have a location ½ block from Times Square (but no noise); Third, 24/7 boutique coffee/tea/pastries/fruit; full breakfast; mid-day snacks & drinks; and a cheese/fruit/wine/champagne reception every evening included in the room rate.  Fourth, its size (intimate, not a huge Hilton).  Take a moment to Google it.  I have already forgotten about the border patrol guy and the cabbie.

OUTSIDE OUR HOTEL NEW YORK-CLICK HERE

Off 50 steps to Times Square with Diane as tour guide (this is her 3^rd trip to NYC – once on her 8^th grade East Coast trip, and last summer to visit a college friend).  I didn’t realize that Times Square is actually a pedestrian street as a large part of it is protected from cabs.  I also didn’t know that most cars in NYC are yellow (see above).  Who would choose to drive in this insanity?  Horns, sirens, masses of humanity surging across streets when signals change…quite a place.  With the 80+-degree temp, reminded me of Vegas.  Then, add to this “normal” pace a première of the movie, “Transformers 3D”.  All the stars on an elevated platform under the iconic Coke sign, illuminated under Hollywood-style lights beneath 15-story video billboards on three sides of the street.  Even this LA-born and raised lady was impressed.  Hollywood on the East coast.  Couldn’t see much for all the flash and the iPhones held on high (how in the heck can so many people afford iPhones?  Remind me to buy stock in Apple).

click here for..mom and I walking around NYC seeing the mass amounts off different people!

Mom and I accidently coming into a TRANSFORMERS 3- Movie Premiere! Click Here!

Then off to check out the theater district.  The billboards alone are awesome, and enjoyed checking out the Tourist Office for Times Square with its costumes and twinkling stage lights.  On the way back to our hotel, viewed the 5-story ToysRUs and a Sephora that was the size of a Macy’s (and a Macy’s the size of an airport).  NYC does it big for sure.  But one sight I’ll never forget.  A mother crossing the street against a red light with oncoming cabs.  Guess she thought she was safe … she was pushing her baby in a stroller ahead of her.  Welcome to New York!

Day 29

Day 29 – Lenda returns to school 37 years later (crap – that’s a long time!)

Staying at the greatest place in Uppsala.  It’s a former university hotel for traveling professors with well-appointed rooms, a great smorgasbord breakfast, and 24/7 coffee and cookies.  Sweet!  Headed out the door with Diane and went nostalgic on her.  37 years later, I still remember the academic buildings that make up Uppsala University.  First stop:  Uppsala Cathedral, the tallest gothic church in Sweden.  Without any difficulty, walked in and knew right where to look on the floor of the church to locate the tomb of Carl Linne the Swedish botanist who developed the system of nomenclature used today to classify every plant on our planet.  My grandfather arrived at Ellis Island with the name of Adolph Robert Karlsson, and walked out into his new life as an American named Robert A. Linne.

Took quite a few photos of the tomb holding the remains of Sweden’s St. Bridgette as well as St. Eric.  He’s in a sterling silver casket, and her remains are in a much smaller container (she was moved several times before her final placement at Uppsala).  But one of my favorite things is a relatively new (2005) wax figure of “Maria Waiting”.  Maria is ‘every woman’, and she is shown as the mother who is questioning/thinking/waiting/watching/hoping for her Son.  She could be of this generation, or from 2000 years ago … absolutely amazing work of art.  Diane thought she was a real person standing looking into the chapel.  Google her.  Very thought provoking.  Last but not least, is the tomb of Gustav Vasa, the “main man” when it comes to Swedish kings.  He is shown full size on top of his casket, with each of his two wives (full size) at his side.  Pretty impressive – this king was beloved.

Our second stop ended up being just a “walk by” as the Gustophtanium was closed.  Wanted Diane to see the round tower that had circular rows of standing areas rising above a central table.  The table?  That’s where human dissections were first undertaken back in the 1500’s, and the standing room only circles provided perfect classroom viewing for physicians-in-training back in the day.  However, the subjects didn’t exactly volunteer.  They were usually executed criminals … or so they say.

Last stop of Lenda’s back to school tour was the river that runs through Uppsala and the Nation building where she stayed that summer of 1974.  Nations are pretty much like co-ed fraternities or soroitories.  Lots of fun at the Nations, as well as on the river.  At graduation time, the college kids put on their white caps, grab anything that can float, & celebrate by running the river rapids - with a good supply of beer before commencing aforementioned river running.

Well, all good things must come to an end, and we are spending our last night in Sweden at Arlanda, right by the airport.  As I’m typing this, I’m looking at three totally overloaded suitcases.  I should have bought a small carry on for all the stuff we’ve picked up over the last 4 weeks.  I’m absolutely sure that I’m going to be paying a weight fee for the bags.  Maybe I can find something at the airport tomorrow morning – but then again, sitting in the beautiful 78-degree weather one more time might be a better way to spend our last few hours here in Sweden.  The sun set at 10pm tonight and it’s starting to rise again.  Got to get in a few hours of sleep.  Goodbye Sverige – we’ll be back!  But it’s back to the USA tomorrow – New York, here we come!

Day 27 & 28

Day 27-28   Falling off a Swedish Horse and Painting a Home

Ah, Midsummer Dagen.  The excitement of Midsummer Eve is past and today (Saturday) is a day to take it easy, kind of like the day after Christmas.  People are clearly still visiting and spending time with family and friends, but it’s a quieter sort of event.  We decided to move slowly through our day as well and headed north up the eastern shoreline of Lake Siljian.  As you drive through the pine and birch trees, the elevation increases.  Looking at cuts in the forest above you, you suddenly realize that you are looking at ski runs now lush and green, not covered with snow.

Our destination was Nusnus, home of Sweden’s most popular toy and tourist item:  the shiny orange wood horse with it’s distinctive Dala-style paint called the Dala Hast (Dalarna Horse).  These little horses have been children’s play toys since the 1700’s, but it took 2 industrious Swedish brothers to begin a commercial market that employs enough local folks for worldwide distribution.

Arriving in town, I ask Diane if she wants me to help her up onto the 10 horse outside the shop.  She says, “Sure!”  So I give her a leg up.  Guess she wasn’t planning on me being so strong.  Up she went.  And over.  It was good that I still had a hold of her foot as I immediately saw her grasping desperately at the horses shiny, smooth neck so that she wouldn’t splatter to the ground on the other side of the horse.  10 feet down onto asphalt is a long way – I don’t think her laughter would have lasted long once she hit the ground.  Photo time!

I dare anyone to go into the Nils’ Olson Dalahast shop and come out empty handed.  First, the guys who carve the horses are great.  They can slice a horse and carve it in under 5 minutes.  There was a display of horses, from a foot high to pinhead size, “That one is the smallest one ever carved”, he said.  “If you have good eyesight, you can see it’s a horse.  But if you have really good eyesight, you can see it’s a stallion.”

He is considering submitting it to Guinness for the world record.  We came home with a few things, but the best ones are the horses they carved and gave to us when we were talking with them. 

Grabbed some lunch amongst the horsies, then decided to head back home to Leksand with a stop off in Rattivk.  Enjoyed spending time in the Hemsloyd (home store) looking antique folk costumes from that province of Sweden.  Diane’s Swedish costume that she wears for House of Sweden and other Swedish events is from that area.   Now back at the 1906 resort, we’re heading out for dinner in the dining room – elegant and cozy at the same time.  Heaven!

Now it’s Sunday morning, and the car is packed from our three nights in Leksand.  Heading out into the last two days of our time in Sweden.  Enjoyed another leisurely drive, this time to Sundborn, the home of Swedish artist Carl Larsson and his wife & family.  This guy loved to paint, draw, and sketch.  His famous pictures are of his family during daily activities whether the kids are playing dress up, his wife is rocking a child, or they are celebrating Jul (Christmas).  Plus, he used his home as his canvas.  Painted the walls, furniture, front/back of doors, mantels, bowls, archways … Carl painted it all!  Fun to walk through their home from the early 1900’s and literally see his paintings come to life as you walked into each room.

Now we have arrived in the university city of Uppsala, about an hour north of Stockholm.  We’ll do no more tonight other than take advantage of the free washer/dryer downstairs.  One more day in Sweden…it’s drawing to a close very quickly.  Feeling a bit sad.

Midsommar in Leksand!

CLICK HERE-TO SEE US CELEBRATING MIDSUMMER WITH THE SWEDES!

Day 26- MIDSUMMER! Leksand, Sweden

Day 26 – Midsummer Eve

Midsommarafaton – next to Jul (Christmas), it’s the biggest holiday in Sweden.  And Diane and I are spending it in the heart of the most traditional province in Sweden (Dalarna), in the village of Leksand.  I was 20 years old the first time I experienced Midsummer in Leksand; Diane is 21. 

We are staying at the beautiful 1906 resort retreat called Korstappans Herrgard.  Our room is on the third floor (no elevators back in 1906) and overlooks the stately entry.  Blackout curtains will be needed tonight – only about 4 hours of dusky darkness.  When I spent my first Midsommer in Leksand back in 1974, about 2,000 people were there.  Tonight we’re getting ready to celebrate the summer solstice with about 20,000 Swedes and visitors!  Earlier today we visited the Leksand Knackabrod factory and saw how the cripsbread is made.  Very interesting!  We’ve just eaten a traditional Midsummer smorgasbord in the dining room and we need to leave at 6pm - I’ll write when we return – En Glad Midsommar!

What a night (or day depending upon your perspective).  Parked the car near Lake Sjilian and walked to the bridge which crosses this beautiful lake.  Within 30 minutes, the 3 church longboats were seen with all on board rowing in unison.  Since it was easier to get around in a boat than traipse through the woods (back in the day), the long boats served as a major way to make it to church on time.  The first two boats hold about 20 folks each, all dressed in the traditional folk costumes of Leksand. and they (along with pulling on oars about 20 feet long) are transporting the various birch-branch covered rings, hearts and ornaments that are hung on Sweden’s “longest majstang” (maypole).  The hearts that hang on the maypole are large enough that 4 people can stand behind them and then are actually rolled on small dolly.  The third boat holds the costumed musicians – fiddlers a-plenty!

Upon landing, they proceed up the bank and slowly walk across the bridge with much singing and music, made more interesting by the gentle rain that started to fall.  Everyone falls in behind them (all 20,000 of us), and we proceed to the large bowl that makes such a spectacular location for the raising of the majstang.

Diane and I counted about 45 men who used 6 sets of various length wooden poles to lift that majstang upright.  Took 45 minutes and an incredible amount of Swedish muscle.  Then the dancing begins.  If you are not Swedish, the sight is actually pretty amazing.  Adults jumping around like animals to songs they have sung since they were small children.  Pretending to wash and hang up the laundry on the clothesline.  Don’t ask.  Just participate.  Everyone understands Swedish on Midsommar!  Take a look at the YouTube from 2009: CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT WE MEAN LOL!

Then there are the blue men running around the hillside with their blue and gold striped suits waving the Swedish flag like madmen.  All part of the fun.  Singing, folk dancing…good times!  Forget that we were soaked – it rained for 3 hours straight, but did not cause the crowd to diminish one bit!  We’re back home now, warm from a hot shower.  Diane is going to pick 7 different kinds of wildflowers tonight to put them under her pillow.   If she does so tonight on Midsummer Eve, she may very well dream about her future spouse.  Midsummer magic!

Finally writing again - start with Day 18/19 !

Sorry for the long delay … just spent 7 wonderful days/nights with our Swedish relatives, but no wireless.  Didn’t want to tie up their PC’s messing with my Mac.  We’re back in business now though!

Day 24 & 25 - Magnus' Svenska Sommar Hem (Swedish Summer Home!)

Day 24-25   Gota Canal and Strangnas, Ostergotland

Up for frukost where Diane and I discovered how wonderful muesli and yogurt are for breakfast.  Today, Christina is able to accompany Carlos, Diane and I as we head off for Lilla Berga – what remains of the several small farms that were home to Diane’s paternal great-great grandfather as a child until he immigrated to America in 1909 (I now have this date!).  First stop, the Klockrike church where Diane (and Christopher’s) mother’s paternal great-great-great grandparents are buried.  Although there is no grave marker left after so many years, Carlos and I are still able to visit the oldest part of the cemetery.  We then travel into Lilla Berga where we are advised by a local farmer about the history of “Bobbob’s” Lilla Berga at the turn of the century.  In my excitement to search for a house foundation, I wander into a beehive and got one very angry bee entangled in my hair … right next to my Ireland scalp scar.  Didn’t get stung, but that was a very, very long two minutes trying to free him and listen to his angry buzzing.  But considering that I have a photo at home that I can now recognize as this Lilla Berga location – it was well worth the potential bee sting!  Carlos continued to patiently translate all that the farmer shared with him as he too learned about his great grandparents.

With our heads buzzing (literally) with all we’ve learned, the car headed back towards Nykoping with a restaurant stop in Berg on the Gota Canal.  There, during our lunch, we had the opportunity to watch how boats are moved through the locks and transported along this manmade water highway.  It’s absolutely fascinating to watch the locks fill and empty.  Many a Swedish couple spends their day moving their boats along this waterway, but unfortunately it’s nicknamed “The Divorce Ditch”.  Seems that the husband is behind the wheel of the vessel shouting out orders to his wife who is on deck, rope in hand.  Her job?  To jump off the boat, secure it to the cleats with just enough line, jump back on, and hold the line while the water gushes out of the lock like Niagara Falls.  Oh, and since there are up to 5 boats in each lock, she must also keep the boat from hitting the other boats.  Oh, and she needs to do this while people in the restaurant are watching the performance.  Oh, and while the husband is standing behind the wheel shouting orders (and doing nothing other than standing behind the wheel of the vessel shouting orders).  Repeat this drill about 25-plus times in one day.  I actually applauded one woman who completed a lock transition in front of us.  She looked at me with gratitude in her eyes.  “Divorce Ditch.”  Makes sense to me.  Are we having fun yet?

Returning home, Carlos, Christina, Diane and I had a spontaneous fika (coffee break) in Norrkoping to meet Marie, the lovely young woman who partners with Carlos and Christina’s son Petter.  Such a lovely young woman who speaks flawless English without an accent – her trick being listening to American TV shows and movies.  Then back on the road for the return to Nykoping, a load of clean clothes, and the sad process of packing to continue our trip.  As with our mothers’ maternal relatives, it’s hard to say goodbye to our mothers’ paternal relatives as well on our last night with Carlos and Christina.

With our bags packed in our rental Volvo, the next morning finds us following Carlos and Christina as we head to Strangnas, the cluster of red stugga’s owned by their son, Magnus.  To have a cabin in the Swedish countryside is a dream of many a Swede.  We can see why.  Located lakeside, these 3 cabins are wonders … simple and homey, on the water surrounded by grass, birch and pine trees.  They all have running water, but share a separate outhouse (cute as a button!) that has a working sink.  They were built in the early 1800’s.  Added are a cabin that contains a shower and sauna (very modern), and another small building with a washer/dryer, and freezer.  Magnus, Petter, Christina, and Carlos frequently work on the place (as you can imagine) almost every weekend.  There is a dock that runs out through the shoreline reeds to the warm, clear lake water.  Diane was in heaven and kept commenting that the place would be so much fun for children – even she was dashing about looking at everything (including the biggest snails and slugs I’ve ever seen outside of the ocean).  What a fun place to escape to during the summer and fall months. CLICK HERE- FOR A PERSONAL TOUR OF HIS SUMMER HOME!

But, with a 5-hour drive ahead of us, we had to say goodbye and thank you to Carlos and Christina for a wonderful visit with them over the past 3 days.  We head off into the north of Sweden towards the province of Dalarna for the village of Leksand.  We arrived this evening at Korstappans Herrgard, an old-world hotel that was built in 1906 as a private resort.  Our room is on the third floor and beautifully restored with period furniture including the Swedish wall stove.  Won’t need it tonight though – it’s warm and bright out at midnight.  We are in the land of the Midnight Sun.  Time to draw down the black shade and try to get some sleep.  Tomorrow is Midsummer Eve and the village is filled with merrymakers.  Doorways and cars are covered in birch trees, and flowers are everywhere.  Absolutely magical!

Day 22 & 23 - Carlos and Christina

Day 22-23  Nykoping, Ostergotland Sweden

Awake at 8am to say thanks and goodbye to Ulf as he leaves for work on Monday.  Ingalill has been gone to work an hour earlier!  Ulla Britt is in the kitchen and has prepared a wonderful frukost and coffee for us with the final input on genealogy completed.  With sadness, we say goodbye and leave Figeholm for our next destination:  Astrid Lindgren’s Varld.  Unfortunately, we stopped at the local Coop Konsum grocery store to purchase some goodies for our car trip and found that the car battery was dead.  Made a few inquires, and within an hour were on our way after a battery jump.  Turns out, Volvo’s don’t start unless you have the brake completely depressed before turning the ignition key.  Battery wasn’t really dead – I just hadn’t depressed the brake petal fully.  Lesson learned.  I wasn’t the only service call the guy had made for the same problem.

Arrived at Astrid Lindgren’s Varld and was treated to a child’s theme park based upon her beloved books starring none other than Pippi Longstocking.  A cute place including a child-sized village with buildings and places featured in her books. 

Continued our drive from Vimmerby to Nykoping where we arrived 2 hours late (due to the rain) to the home of Carlos and Christina, our paternal relatives.  We were greeted warmly and taken into their lovely home from the 1700’s, restored with no detail missed from the original hardwood floors to the wood-burning stove.  Architectural Digest should visit this home.  Absolutely amazing.  Christina has such a talent for interior design, blending new and old with stunning pieces from her parents’ home as well as antique shops.

Dinner was quite a surprise.  Diane and I were treated to both deer and reindeer as our entrée – as procured by Carlos during recent hunting trips within Ostergotland.  Diane pronounced the meal “Good!” – high praise from a novice to game meats.  Desert was ostkaka served with cream and cloudberry jam handmade by a gentleman from “up north”.  The wine was from France.  Ooh, la la!  We floated off to sleep sometime in the wee hours of the morning.  When it doesn’t get dark, time just seems to go on forever….

The next morning, Carlos and I travel into Nykoping to meet with Gunnel of the Nykoping Slaktforskarforening Genealogy Society.  I must have said “Wow” 20 times over the next two hours as Gunnel laid out my paternal family history back 6 generations.  To sit and actually see the church documents enlarged on a screen while she translated these documents from Swedish to English was amazing.  Within two hours, I went from knowing little of my mother’s paternal side to minute detail.  It was amazing to see the transcription work undertaken by the parish priests in keeping track of births, deaths, communions, baptisms, as well as those who moved from, and out of, the parish, all recorded in different books (birth, death, marriage).  Amazing and humbling at the same time.  I actually cried with some of the detail that was revealed about my paternal family … these were real people with real feelings.  They become validated as one reads about children who died within weeks of each other – due to illnesses that raged before vaccines existed, and other children who left for America never to return to their parents again.

Diane joined Carlos and I when we drove to the cemetery where Diane (and Christopher’s) paternal great-great grandparents are buried at Vangabygden.  A beautiful drive and a lovely day!  Christina awaited our arrival at home where she made a wonderful pasta dinner (with a blue cheese/sour cream sauce) despite her slowly healing fractured ankle.  If anyone knows how hard it is to get around on a walker, it’s me, so her efforts were greatly appreciated!

Day 20 & 21 - Ingalill, Ulf and Ulla Britt

Day 20 & 21   Figeholm, Smaland

Up at 7am for a delicious cold smorgas of bread, butter, cheese, cukes, and tomatoes.  Per Arne was out trying to collect the sheep that got out of their appropriate field and who needed to be fed.  Joining us this morning were our relatives Ingalill and Ulf from Figeholm – and before you could say ‘run away sheep’, we were on our way southwest to Crystal Country.  At Orrefors Glasbruk, we toured the glass museum that showcased the complete table setting for the Nobel Prize winners as well as the gold, silver, and bronze glass medals awarded at the Goteborg Olympics.  Sweet.  Closest I’ll ever get to wear one of those medals …

Then off to Boda not knowing that Boda was having their opening day of “Kultur-Revolutionen-I-Boda.”   A complete renovation of their glass factory had taken place.  We were one of the first wave to experience their ‘revolution’ in glass display, production, and marketing.  We sat and watched first hand while master glassmakers produced their new modern designs right before our eyes.  Molten glass rolled, formed, reheated, blown, reheated, shaped – fabulous.  But that wasn’t all.  A first class museum and exhibition plus upper-end merchandising of quality items for the home.  It was like being in La Jolla, but more hip.  These items will definitely be in Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom by winter.

Off to a local restaurant for a lovely luncheon, then the one-hour return drive to Monsteras.  One last look at Boo Gard, the ancestral home of Diane’s great grandmother’s sister, and then Diane and I then followed Ulf and Ingalill’s car.  First stop at her parents’ gravesite, and then to their home in Figeholm where we then greeted our cousin Ulla Britt.  Such a lovely home and the garden is gorgeous.  Flowers everywhere, in every imaginable spot.  Soon Anna Lena, Per Arne, and the kids joined us to enjoy a lovely dinner prepared by Ingalill and Ulla Britt and special summer desert with wild strawberries picked fresh by Ulf from their backyard.  Diane and I were so surprised when we were presented beautiful Kosta Boda crystal bowls by our family.  Very unexpected, very Swedish, and sincerely appreciated. 

With the table cleared, Ulf and I attempted to retrieve genealogy information from church records recorded on CD.  We were soon joined by Ingalill’s friend who quickly found the records that were eluding Ulf and I.  Amazing information on Diane’s maternal great-great grandparents and family!  Off to bed with my head swimming with information!

The next morning we enjoyed frukost in the outdoor atrium surrounded by flowers and our freshly laundered clothing blowing in the outdoor breeze.  We then drove to Stensjo, a preserved village of red stuggas, barns, and working buildings dating from 1351.  By the end of the 19^th century 176 individuals lived there.  By 1950’s, the last farm closed and the village had fallen into disrepair.  Thanks to donations, the village was preserved as a historical site and has two families who live there.  We loved looking at a bit of the ‘old way of life’, as well as practicing stringing fresh wild strawberries on long bits of straw.  Get it?  Straw – Berries.  Fun stuff for Swedish kids and American adults!

But then, arriving home, Ingalill told us that Diane and I were to learn the art of making kromkakor (I’m going to fix the spelling – I know it’s wrong, sorry).  Old potatoes, riced.  Old potatoes, boiled and mashed.  Salt and water.  Salted, ground pork.  Allspice.  Put a ball of the potatoes into the palm of your hand.  Place the pork into the middle, fold the edges over and roll into a large ball like a meatball.  Drop into simmering water and watch it sink.  After about 10 minutes it floats to the top.  Cook approx 20 minutes and remove from water.  Serve on a bit of fresh cream with lingon on the side.  Heaven in a ball of potatoes.  Made a video so we can do it at home.  Ingalill is a wonderful cook – hope some of her skill in the kitchen rubbed off on Diane and I!

Fika that afternoon was lots of fun as Ulf & Ingalill’s family and grandchildren joined us.  More genealogy, translation of old postcards from Nanna (Diane’s great grandmother) dating from 1906 – 1915 when she was a newly immigrated domestic worker in her new home of America.  Later that night, we enjoyed another wonderful dinner with Ingalill, Ulla Britt and Ulf, a heavenly desert of ostkaka, and burned the midnight oil with further genealogy work.  Now we must say goodbye after tonight to our ‘maternal’ relatives with sadness.  We’ve had a wonderful time with them and they have been so very gracious to us while we stayed in their two homes over the past 4 days.

Day 18 & 19 - Anna Lena, Per Arne, Lydia, Carl Johan, Nanny & Per Martin

Day 18-19  Monsteras, Smaland

One last awesome frukost at our hotel in Stockholm, and it’s on the road in Sweden.  Very easy to drive here once you get out of Stockholm.  In Stockholm, it’s a whole different story … over water, under water (where the GPS doesn’t work) … a bit confusing to say the least!  But at least the steering wheel is on the left side of the car again.

A beautiful 6 hour drive down the eastern coast of Sweden, through Ostergotland (land of my grandfather) and into Smaland – land of my grandmother.  Arrived tired, but was welcomed by Anna Lena, her brother Per Arne, and his 4 children: Lydia, Carl Johan, Nanny, and Per Martin.  Their beautiful farm home is in Monsteras.  Most older homes in Sweden (as in over 100 years old) have a name, and theirs is Boo Gard.  Beautiful pastures filled with horses and cows surround them on all sides.  Took a tour of their farm on foot, then got to enjoy the family trying to round up the recently born colt who loves to jump fences and lope all over the farm.  Once all the horses were corralled within an electric fence field, we were off to the Monsteras church to pay respects to our relatives who had passed on since I was last in Sweden.  Back home to enjoy a late ‘fika’ (coffee and food), then to bed at midnight.  It was just slightly dark outside; there is little to no ‘night’ anymore in Sweden.  The sun sets at about 10pm and rises again about 4 hours later!

Up at 6am, and out the door by 6:45am.  Both Lydia and Nanny were performing for their respective school graduation ceremonies.  Lydia was graduating from middle school, so she and her classmates followed a long-standing tradition.  All the kids from each graduating class pile into large birch tree-bedecked tractor-trailers where they sing and yell as they are pulled around the town to the cheers and waves of parents, friends, and neighbors.  Lots of fun – by noon their summer vacation had begun.

Now I don’t know about you, but these 4 kids were real troopers.  On their first day of summer vacation, they accompanied Anna Lena, Per Arne, Diane and I to another church/graveyard in Fagerhult where Diane saw the gravesite of her maternal great-great-great grandparents.  Just preceding this, we enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant after being in a brief hailstorm!  Then off to Lilla Klo, birthplace of Diane’s great grandmother.  Not the typical ‘first day of summer’ experience, but we really enjoyed being with the kids.  While at Lilla Klo, we had a tailgate fika, then back into town to listen to Carl Johan’s band perform.  They are called The Seagulls, and Carl Johan is their lead vocalist.  Diane was impressed.  Seriously.CLICK HERE TO VIEW "THE SEAGULL'S" PLAYING!!!

Back home, pulled out some old photographs and talk genealogy with Anna Lena, and had dinner at 11:30pm.  What a full day!

Day 17 - Stockholm and THE Smorgasbord

Some rain forcasted for today, so we decided to make our first stop the island of Djungarden, an outdoor park and historical center.  This is Stockholms Central Park, but with dense, natural wooded areas as well as the original open-air museum called Skansen.  It's the oldest in the world and has served as the open-air 'concept' museum for many other countries.  A Swede named Artur Hazelius hated the fact that much of his beloved Sweden, and way of life, was disappearing due to the industrial revolution.  In 1891, he started bringing homes and traditional buildings to this island.  Today, Diane and I visited an 18th century church, watched a woman in traditional dress making thin bread (just like Diane's immigrant great-grandmother), and a carpenter building a tongue and grove cabinet (just like Diane's immigrant great-grandfather).  It actually made me cry - how sappy is that? - as it reminded me of Nanna and Bobbob.  There were many other crafts exhibited (pottery, glass blowing, printing, shoemaking, book binding, leather tanning...goes on and on).  Different regions of Sweden held different homes, farming lands with crops - pretty amazing stuff and actually not boring.

Next, off for a short stop (because it was free with our hoho boat ticket) at Gruna Lund Tivoli - Sweden's equivalent of Magic Mountain but on a much smaller and gentler basis.  Diane hit the roller coaster and was pleased...got to ride the thing twice because she was first in line after a rain period.  Then back again to the HoHo boat for a full ride around Stockholm to be dropped off at the Vasa Museum.  Now, I'm starting to worry about Diane and Christopher's ethnic background when it comes to ship building.  You know that the Irish-built Titanic sank on her maiden voyage.  But you may not know that the Swedes also made a mighty three-masted warship in 1620AD.  It too sunk on it's maiden voyage, just a ways from where she departed with the King of Sweden watching.   Embarassing to say the least.  And a real drag for the 50 crew who went down with her. Anyway, she was located and raised after being on the bottom for over 300 years.  Get this:  I saw her in 1976 (when I was Diane's age), and had to wear a raincoat to protect me from the chemicals they were spraying her with to stop her detoriation since she was now exposed to air.  Today, the Vasa is in a new protected building, is completely restored and can be fully viewed from 7 different stories of the huge building that holds her.  Paint is on restored sculptures, rigging is up - I know nothing about boats, but even I can appreciate that I'm looking at something really special.  A very cool museum.

Off to the Stockholm Grand Hotel. Michelin 5-Star and the location where the Nobel prize winners stay before they receive their special dinner and award.  Diane and I experienced the "Ultimate Swedish Smorgasbord".  1st plate - brod (bread), potatis med cream, smor (butter), and herring:  pickled, with beets, with onion, with capers.  2nd plate - brod, smor, potatis, cheese, herring, sill (salmon), lamb, chicken (all the cold smorgas), and salads.  3rd plate - the hot smorgas:  lamb, roast beef, pork, Johanssan's Temptation (potatoes with anchovies), korv (sausage), meatballs, lemon chicken.  4th plate - cheese of every type and sliced fruits.  5th plate: Desserts: rhubarb crumble with vanilla sauce, cheesecake, lemon and choc cupcakes, torts, och glass (ice cream).  Proceeding these plates, there are numerous toasts with aquavit  (a Swedish kick-butt aperteif made from anise and fennel seed) plus some of the best beer I have ever had in my life (and I don't like beer).

Our waiter was Robert and he was the perfect image of "Joe" in The Princess Diaries movie with Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews.  An extremely dignified smorgasbord instructor who obviously takes his job at The Grand Hotel Stockholm very seriously, and shows a very dry Swedish sense of humor.  During dinner, the street outside our window table was swarming with Polis (police) as 'someone' was leaving the Grand Hotel.  When I asked Robert (Joe) who the dignitary was, he responded, "I am sworn to secrecy and unable to tell you.  But you also need to know that if I overhear anything from your table I am sworn not to divulge your information to any other source."  Very James Bond.  Loved it!   And he was serious.

Walking back to our hotel, took fabulous photos of Stockholm glowing and reflecting in the water.  Stunning.  It was about 10:30pm, and and only dusky.  There is no darkness at night at this time in Sweden - rather surreal.  Off to bed now, and ready to start our week with our Swedish relatives who are inviting us into their homes!

Day 16 - Gamla Stan (Old Town), Stockholm

Talk about feeling at home!  Up and refreshed from a great nights sleep on a Swedish bed, then off for frukost (breakfast) smorgasbord.  Fresh bread you carve yourself, cheese, roast beef, tomatoes, cukes, salami, hard and soft cooked eggs on the cold smorgas, then the hot smorgas of scrambled eggs, bacon (american-style),  but NO SILL.  Amazing.   No fish - couldn't believe it!  Then there is coffee (strong), fresh fruit compote, yogurt, and Swedish coffee cake.  Ahhhhhhh.  What a meal!  We made extra open-faced sandwiches (Swedes never make a sandwich with bread on top, only on the bottom) for dinner.  One $98 dinner was enough or we'll be out of money before the first week is over.

Then off to our HO HO (hop on, hop off) BOAT!  Stockholm is actually 14 islands, so no need for a car.  We enjoyed a few stops in the boat before exiting at Gamla Stan to see the old town ... back to 1200AD.  Our first stop was Vasterlanggatan, one of the most exciting shopping streets.  Paved with old cobbles, the old buildings rise straight up, side by side, for 3 stories.  One street, Marten Trotzigs Grand, is so narrow that you can touch both walls with your hands as you go up the stairs.  This area I remember visiting when I was 20 and a summer student at the Uppsala University.  The buildings are a beautiful red, orange, yellow color, and the smells from the bakeries are wonderful!

Next stop in Gamla Stan is the Royal Palace, to see the Crown Jewels (seriously beautiful - we had a 1:1 tour from the guard, think he was smitten with Diane and was impressed that I actually knew Swedish history).  Got to see the three choices of crowns that 30 year old Crown Princess Victoria will get to choose from for her coronation day.  Interesting fact:  There is both a Kings Crown and a Queens Crown, but the most recent Queen (back in the 1800's) decided to be a bit of a feminist and elected to wear the Kings crown for her coronation!  The coronation robe was last out of it sealed case in 1976 when Carl Gustav, the current King, was crowned.  The entire red, crown encrusted cape about 15 feet long was only draped on a chair during his ceremony as it dates from the 1500's.  1,100 little ermine (sp) animals gave their life for the edging as well as the full inside of the robe.

Crown Princess Victoria was married one year ago on June 18th.  Her personal tiara worn on her wedding day is not on display.  However, the guard told us that the "Queens Crown" was placed on the chair next to her during the wedding.  Daniel, her "commoner" husband had no crown (obviously), but during the wedding, **poof!** the Prince Crown (a 1907 issue) appeared on the chair next to him as he was no longer a commoner.  Scepters, orbs, crowns, swords - diamonds, pearls, saphires, rubies, emeralds.  Wow!

Next, off to the room where her wedding reception dinner was held.  How convient that when one is the crown princess one doesn't have to be bothered with finding a suitable room for the occasion.  This one holds a sterling chair, statues, vaulted ceilings, chandelars, and a loft for trumpeters (no wedding reception is complete without trumpeters).  Sweet.  I could totally see the room set for the reception that was televised.

What next?  Well, her church of course!  Walked a few hundred yards to the entrance to Storkyrkan (Cathedral) which has been the scene of all royal weddings (except Gustav V, great-grandfather of the current King Carl Gustav).  It's a fully maintained Gothic cathedral and is the oldest building in Gamla Stan.  Diane walked right up to the altar where Crown Princess Victoria had walked to her Daniel.  Showed her where the Kings and Queens from Norway, Denmark, Austria, etc sat with the Swedish King Carl and Queen Sylvia.  Still can't exactly figure out what happened to my invitation to the wedding, but this was almost as good!

Well, it was now 6pm, and the last HO HO boat picked us up.  Good thing too, because the 75 degree day was now about 60 and threatening rain.  Oh no.  This is the last boat and it doesn't go to our island.  Oh no.  It's raining.  And cold.  And Diane is wearing shorts and a beater.  Well, we'll have to walk.  Oh no.  We've walked to the wrong island.  Back again.  Wet.  Cold.  Wind.  We probably walked a mile in the rain.  Love being a tourist.

Hot showers, dry hair, smorgas awaiting us - all is good!  Oh, when you order a beer, they set out several for you to choose from:  three different alcohol contents.  The mid is 3.5 (like a Bud), and the 5.0 is like a Guinness.  I stick to mjolk (milk) or coffee!  (Sorry - no spell check on this blog entry today - I've got to get some sleep!)

Day 15 - Arriving in Stockholm, Sweden

Up at 6:30am, last Irish fry by 8am, and off to return the car and head to the airport.  We arrived on SAS in Stockholm at 4:30pm and were on our way with luggage and a NEW VOVLO to start our two week adventure in Sweden.  It's about 72 here, warm and clear.

Diane and I survived our drive from Arlanda Airport to the island of Skeppsholmen, one of the many, many islands that make up Stockholm.  You might not be aware that water is a huge part of Stockholm.  We went over two bridges, and through 2 underwater tunnels to reach our hotel.  The hotel is absolutely awesome - Swedish modern to the max.  Frosted glass sliding doors in the bath, a shower that rains water on you from a flat, tinted ceiling fixture, and a sink that has a rock in the center of it so that the water from washing your hands cascades like a waterfall off the sink stone.  Very zen.  Right out the door, there are rows of tables set with linen, candles, crystal, and filled with Swedes who can't miss a single minute of the sun and warm weather.  The bad news was the cost of dinner tonight - $98 for a very simple meal.  Ouch.  Tomorrow we're off to the grocery to buy thing for our own lunch and dinner.

Day 14-Dublin

Suitcases are organized and spent another 2 hours in our B&B kitchen talking with our hostess Anne after our Irish fry breakfast was completed.  For those of you who might not know, a traditional Irish breakfast consists of the following:  1-2 fried eggs (sunny side up), 2 sausages, 2 slices of bacon (which to an American are two slices of ham), beans (like pork & beans), a broiled half of a tomato, fried potato, orange juice, cereal (wheatabix – a bar of grain kind of like a granola bar but much dryer, corn flakes, or rice crispys), sliced fruit, coffee/tea, brown bread, scones, white toast, and, for the very, very brave – white or black pudding (made from blood – yum). And for those of you, who turned up their nose when reading about the ‘pudding’, ponder that our good ol’ American gravy is made from water, flour, and the drippings from cooked meat.  Those drippings?  Blood. To say that lunch is generally unnecessary after this breakfast is an understatement.  Serving sizes are huge.  The Irish Fry is also known fondly as ‘a heart attack on a plate’.  I can honestly say that if I don’t see a fried egg for a month it will still be too soon.

Made it into Dublin without having to pay a toll (3 euro) by following the old roads.  The Motorways (M) completed in the past two years are super efficient, but I prefer the smaller routes (N and R); one hasn’t experienced Ireland until one has to pass a cyclist with a tour bus or hay wagon bearing down on you.  With you on the wrong side of the road.  At 120 kilometers.

So, now we’re in The Vat Pub back at Blooms hotel in Temple Bar having coffee and awaiting the end of the rain so we can walk to Christchurch Cathedral and explore the underground crypt and check out the heart of an Irish saint.  Seriously.  His heart.  Yesterday, I forgot to do what Jeannie told me to do in Co. Meath – visit the embalmed head in the church there.  The Irish really do some crazy stuff with the body parts of popular people.  Makes you glad to be a nobody.

Back from Gogerty's in Temple Bar.  Had a great time and since we brought our hardshoes, managed to get in about 5 treble reels each.  This time Diane and I split up so that she was on one side of the bar, and I on the other with the musicians between us.  They were really great about our dancing and gave us a long, long set of reels.  Was having so much fun that I didn't notice my black/blue great toenail until later tonight.  Guess I really gave it a wack ... don't even remember doing it.  But what a great last night in Ireland!

Day 13 - Trim & Newgrange, Co. Meath

Flew across Ireland yesterday on the new Motorway - very quick (can make Galway to Dublin in 1.45 hours vs 3-4, but missed all the small villages on the way.  More than made up for that by staying an extra day in the village of Trim.  It is just the best place!  The castle at Trim was the one used by Mel Gibson during the filming of Braveheart (forget that the movie was about the Scots independence fight from the English), the village centre is a kick - so much fun!  Dropped the laundry off at the local "Laundry Basket" at 11am, and it was delivered to our B&B (for free) while Diane and I were absorbing volumes of information about Newgrange & Knowth located in the Boyne Valley, Co. Meath (about 45 min north of Dublin).

Newgrange is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (kind of like an Olympic Gold medal on steroids for heritage places) and is mind-blowing - seriously.  It is a passage grave.  Picture a one acre mound of earth with a 3x5' opening of stone slabs.  Just above that is a 'window', about 3x4'.  Proceed down a passage that at times is only shoulder-width wide due to standing stones that are 1-10 tons in weight into a central chamber with three side chambers (essentially a cross).  At dawn on December 21st, the winter solstice, a beam of sunlight shoots down the passage and lights the burial chamber.  At all other times, the place is totally devoid of any light.  I tell you, walking down that passage was like being in an Indiana Jones movie, except this was the real deal.  Newgrange predates the pyramids by 500 years (2500BC) as well as Stonehenge.  This was one seriously interesting tour.  We just walked in a water-tight passage grave that was over 5000 years old.  5000. Years. Old.

Returning to our B&B in Trim, contemplating that the usual home built in the US might last 250 years tops, received a hot cup of coffee from our hostess Anne Doyle, then spent the next three hours with Diane and her husband at their kitchen table talking about immigration into US and Ireland, college & careers for our kids, aging bodies, politics, and the differences in driving in Ireland and the US, plus many, many more topics all over the board.  What a great time - amazing that although we live half a world apart, there are so many similarities between Irish and American families.  Truly the Irish go above and beyond when trying to show hospitality to the guests of their country.  When asked about the recent visits of Queen Elizabeth and President Obama to Ireland, there was a definite sense of pride that it had gone off so well for the world to see, which then reflected positively on the country as a whole.  Who would have thought coffee at a kitchen table would have been one of the highlights of our trip in this country?

Our suitcases have been emptied and repacked in prep for leaving Ireland for Sweden.  Tomorrow, we'll spend the day/night back in Dublin, then off to the airport on Monday.  All we have left to do is enjoy our last day in Ireland and pay the euros we owe for our tolls on the M50.  What a drag - that money could have been spent more appropriately on a pint of the dark stuff!

Day 12 - Dr. Diane removes sutures!

Well, she did it. Diane was able to remove my stitches without passing out this morning.  What a trooper.  I was smart enough to have her sitting while she was working on me, then immediately told her to lie down on her bed - so she didn't pass out!  We're trying to download a youtube of the big event.  I've got a patch of hair about 1/4" long on top of my head.  So bazaar.  Diane has regained her normal coloring at this point - she was looking pretty ashen for awhile there.  Another big event - Diane drove the car over here on a back road in Co Clare after she was feeling better.  Did a good job.  I only felt like she was in Driver's Training for a few brief moments!Removing Stitches-CLICK HERE
Aftermath of Removal LOL-CLICK HERE
We took off from Bunratty, Co. Clare and did a cross-country drive to Co. Meath and are currently in Trim.  Had a blast today.  Diane had a desperate need to hit a bathroom so stopped by a breakfast  place.  She instead ran into the pub next door and ended up walking into a formal party event, literally running across the room in front of the head table.  The woman running the event ran after Diane who was running for the bathroom.  Quite the commotion.  Later that day, dropped into the "Judge and Jury" pub for lunch, and landed smack in the middle of the weekly bingo game.  2 euro/game card and on our third game, I won taking home the pot of 30 euros which paid for our games, a few pints, and dinner tonight.  What a fun, kick-back way to spend the day!  Diane and I are off tomorrow for a day at Bru na Boinne to checkout Newgrange, an enigmatic burial ground older than the pyramids.

Feels great to have my stitches out.  Diane is watching Clint Eastwood in "Hang em High"  Ah, what could be better than spaghetti westerns in Ireland!

Day 11 - Warmth, sun, trad dancing in Co. Clare

Decided to head down south to miss the artic cold winds from Iceland hitting Ireland and landed in a beautiful B&B on the Shannon River estuary (where the ocean meets the river flowing from Cavan in northern Ireland).  Mike and I stayed here 2 years ago, and well worth visiting again.  Views of rolling green pasture land, lazy black and white cows, loads of kittens, and water views.  Very calming as we're both a bit worn out from being tourists!  How sad is that?

Made the required visit to Bunratty castle and I actually struck the top of my %$#*^ head again!  Igot!  Man, these Irish castle dudes were short!  Anyway, tonight will be entertaining enjoying dinner and a trad night of song and dance.  Maybe Diane and I will dance again tonight - you never know!

COWS IN THE ROAD!

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Day 9&10 - Wild County Galway and Mayo

Day 9 - off to rural Ireland on the west coast

New windshield wipers installed on the rented Ford and ready to strike out for Cong.  That's right Pilgrim ... we're heading into John Wayne and Maureen O'Sullivan territory where the John Ford movie, "The Quiet Man" was filmed.  First stop - Ashford Castle currently a Michelin 5-star world hotel, but formerly home to the Guinness Family.  Couldn't exactly afford to stay here, but the grounds were awesome overlooking the best salmon fishing in all of Ireland.  Diane spotted the helicopter landing pad for the castle - fairly near to the drawbridge.  55,000 acres with a 10' stone wall around the entire place.  Diane sat at the desk to sign the guest registry and was so nervous about who had preceded her that she wrote in the comment section, "Swanky / goregous"  Her spelling, not mine - no spellcheck in a castle registry book and didn't want to scratch out her mistake.  Her comment, "What if I was famous and someone reads that?  How embarrassing."  Picture in the lobby of some pretty important US-types ... Presidents G. Ford, Reagan, Carter, Bush, Sr., and Nixon.

Stopped second at Cong Abbey to check out what's still standing from the early 1100AD - actually, quite a bit!  Then off to Pat Cohen's pub immortalized in the movie and still serving a great pint and lots of talk.  Half of what the guy next to me said, I couldn't understand on the first attempt, but eventually got it.  Igot! (me, not him)

Then it's into the car and off for the wilds of Co. Mayo - rural Ireland at it's best.  Third stop, Croagh Patrick, the mountain home of St. Patrick for 40 days/40 nights where he decided to run off the snakes from Ireland.  Folks climb the thing ... three hours to the top, two hours down.  Some come down from the top on stretchers.  (I figured I've already seen enough of Irish health care to try it again).  Then directly across the street to see the beautiful and haunting National Famine Memorial.  A bronze, land-locked depiction of one of the horrible "Coffin Ships" that took starving immigrants off the island of Ireland.  Barely seaworthy, many on board either died on the 6-8 week sailing trip, or shortly after landing due to illness.  Around the masts, skeletons swirl, dip, and rotate...very moving.  And especially when the artist asks why today's rich nations continue to allow starvation elsewhere in our current world.  

Off to find a B&B in Westport for the night!

Day 10- Departing Westport, Co. 

And we're off again.  Rain, mountains, rain, sun, rain, cows, bikers, sheep, rain, sun, lambs, rain, HUGE tour buses (mom...Mom...MOM!).  What fun!  Dropped down into the gorgeous Doo Lough (Black Lake) pass with a dozen mountain-fed waterfalls and streams on both sides.  Photo op with cute baby lambs ("Ah Diane, that mother sheep is looking really pissed - I'd leave that lamb alone.")  Diane realized that horns means she could be "butting" practice for the sheep dad...she backed off.  The views are spectacular - but two point of view:  First, the recent filming of "Leap Year" with a scene where her suitcase is stolen while she walks down a road to a beautiful lake.  Second point of view:  That lake is Doo Lough which has a small cross memorial by the side of the road quoting Guandi.  It it there to mark the sad walk of 600 starving Irish from Louisburg to Delphi to obtain food from their landlord during the potato famine.  They were turned away.  200 of them died on the way back on that very road.  Do ghosts talk?  Was that an appropriate place for a US film crew?  It's up to the viewer to decide.

Driving through the Connemara National Park, Diane got to see peat bogs and recently cut blocks drying scattered near the roadside.  We decided not to "slog in a bog" as it was already wet enough for our taste.    A quick view of Kylemore Abbey which is now an exclusive girls boarding school, and into Clifden for lunch.  The remainder of the day will be in the Connemara - wild Ireland - looking at lakes, peat fields, and spray-painted sheep:  blue, green, red - to tell who owns them.  They have black faces and legs, and white wool coats with spray paint.  Diane wanted to know if it stained them, and she then commented that her "brand" spray would be a green shamrock instead of a blob of spray paint.  Ever the fashionesta.

Day 8 - Island hopping, Ireland-style

Up and off to the Aran Island of Inis Mor after spending the night at the Galway Bay town of Spiddel.  Fun place that is all about teaching Irish kids about their Gaelic roots (kind of like when I send Christopher and Diane to Bidmidji, Minn for their total immersion Swedish language summers).  45 minute ferry ride over Galway Bay to arrive in another world.

A slow-paced fishing town (with it's main emphasis now being tourism) on an 11x2 mile island with HUNDREDS of miles of stone fences.  Big news yesterday when one of the remaining 4 homes with thatched roofs caught on fire.  The volunteer fire dept responded.  It was still smoldering today.  5 years ago, there were three elementary schools; today none.  There are only 2 children on the island, and a nursing home for the elderly has finally been opened.  It's filled to near capacity.  The folks who live here, die here and there are no young children to take their place on the island.  There are approx 800 people, three Catholic churches, six pubs.  A worthwhile and interesting day spent in a very unique place in Ireland.

BIG TRUCK! (driving in Ireland)

Driving from the Blarney Castle Day 4

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Day 7 - Co Kerry and Co Clare

Lenda - Wow, what a full day!  Hit the road early (for us - 10am) and headed thru Tralee (as in "The Rose of Tralee") on our way to Tarbert where we drove our car onto a ferry for a trip across the mighty Shannon river leaving behind the intense green of Kerry for the west coast surf beaches of Clare.  Hit a great surf shop in Lahinch and traded some old surfing magazines and bumper stickers from Wind and Sea for a few back issues of Irish surf magazines.  Amazing break, freezing water.  These guys are nuts.

Next stop after Irish Surf City was the Cliffs of Moher.  Clear skys, wind gusts that almost knock you off your feet and birds that are suspended mid-air as they can't move forward against the wind.  650 feet straight down to the crashing surf.  Unfortunately Mike's Irish fisherman's cap was sacrificed today...blew right off my head and landed on the edge of the ledge.  Diane's comment:  Can't we go get it?  Right.  The cap will be remembered fondly.

Then across the bleak Burren where Diane was able to see Poulabrone Dolmen.  Nothing surrounds this burial memorial other than 10 miles of limestone etched over the years into a lunar landscape.  The dolmen has been standing since before the pyramids were constructed  >2000BC.  It is totally eerie and totally cool.  Excavated back in the 1980's, it contains the remains of about 30 bodies.  Huge limestone slaps on each side support a cap stone that 8 people could lay on.  Here's the question.  How did the 1.5 ton capstone get lifted10 feet in the air back in those days?

With enthusiasm, we decided to let the GPS take us thru the outskirts of big city Galway and into Spiddal, Co. Galway.  What a drive.  Saw a world class golf course out in the middle of nowhere.  Then had to drive carefully while a farmer walked his herd of cows down the road.  Amazing - they never crossed the double white center line.  Then 12 miles of roadway only one car wide with shoulder-height berms on either side, and grass in the road center tickling the bottom of the car.  At one point, we had to back up for about a city block so another car could get through.  As close to off roading as you could get - pretty fun for this city girl!  Finally arrived in Spiddal, found our B&B and headed into town for dinner and a sunset at 9:58pm over Galway Bay with Co. Clare in the background.  Off to bed - Co. Galway awaits us tomorrow!

Day 6 - Dingle and County Kerry

Lenda - What a great day.  Woke up, enjoyed a pot of coffee and a light breakfast at our B&B, then headed out the door for a  clockwise tour of the Dingle peninsula.  The views of the ocean, mountains, offshore islands are wonderful.  Windy as heck, but sunny and warm by Irish standards.  4 hours later, Diane had seen bee huts (limestone tepee-like structures) from 500BC to 500AD, a famine homestead abandoned in 1845, Dunbeg (translated as small fort) with it's 1,000-year old limestone walls (I ducked way down in the passage ... couldn't even imagine hitting my head again.  Once was enough....), and the "Sleeping Giant", a mountain range in the water off the peninsula coastline that looks like a contented man lying on his back in the water with his hands on his stomach.  Maybe too much Guinness for the man?

Now, I'm a big fan of the No Cal and So Cal coast drive, but even this hardened Californian was occasionally gasping, "Oh, look at that!"  So green on the hillsides, so blue the ocean and sky...absolutely amazing.  The sheer drop offs are really great especially when next to 2-ft high "retaining" walls of stacked limestone.  Retain?  Hardly.  At the steepest point, the road is only one lane wide.  In Ireland, there is no "my side" or "your side" of the road.  There is just "the road".  And you deal with it.  Damn, that was one wild drive!  Did I mention I love driving in Ireland on the wrong side of the car?  Did I mention that the left (passenger) side of the car is now decorated with a few branch scratches?  Better than hitting the oncoming car traveling at 60km.  Check out any rental car in Ireland - the front left bumper is usually destroyed as well as the entire left side of the car.  Dang this is fun!  Diane says it reminds her of driving on the Autopia at Disneyland except at much higher speeds without sheep, cows, hikers, and cyclists as obstacles.

Diane and I are now in Murphy's Pub where we shared a chicken and stuffing sandwich, and I'm having my Irish Coffee (and she her Harp).  Diane is journaling in her book, and I'm plucking away here.  Oh, if you feel like complaining about the cost of gas - don't.  Try about $6.75 a gallon here.  But you can really get a great deal on Dubliner cheese and KerryGold butter.  Yum!

Finished off the night at The Small Bridge bar with wonderful traditional music chatting away with some  Dingle locals and people watching.  Diane is shaking her head at the music from the nightclub next door ... all American music.  And so it goes in Ireland .....

Day 5 - Co Kerry, Hertz, and Stitches

Lenda - Up at 7am contacting Hertz roadside emergency. Nearest car at Kerry Airport, 100% back-tracking the Lakes of Kilarney.  Decided to look at the sights again (from a different direction) and spent 2 hours at the Kerry airport awaiting a new Ford.  We will not be charged - just inconvenienced.  Back on the road for an "anti-clockwise" (or as we say counter-clockwise) run at the Ring of Kerry with our destination?  The Ballycarbery Castle now made famous in the movie "Leap Year".  Found this beautiful, ivy-covered limestone place next to the ocean.  Truly awesome.  Really exciting as Diane was able to climb up to the top with a boost from me where the steps were missing.  While she was upstairs exploring, I decided to check out the lower level.  Took some pictures of the fascinating way the slender limestone slabs were aligned one to the other.  Decided to head outside to spot Diane at the top.  Careful to step over the stones on the floor - not so careful to remember the Irish saying "Mind your head".  Crack! My head connected with the sharp ceiling stones and I knew immediately I had split my head.  Continued outdoors, hand to the gash thinking don't pass out yet.  Diane to the rescue plus a lovely tourist RN from Canada saw me weaving about.  Compression for the bleeding, water washing, driving to Diane's GPS-located MD, stitches and a tetanus shot later, I'm fine with a compelling need to wear Mike's Irish cap to cover the gash and stitches.  The physician wanted to know what made the cut so clean, "Looks like it was cut with a scalpel".  God, what an igot (Irish way of saying idiot).  Only $80 euros so I really can't complain.  At least the top of my new physician-bad haircut now matches the back of my bad Fantastic Sam haircut.

But, pressing on, we're now in Dingle for two nights, just finished dinner, having an Irish Coffee (me) and a pint of Harp (Diane), and the traditional music is about to start.  Nice end to a trying day.  What an igot.  Diane is a great support for me, and even brushed my hair.

Tomorrow we explore the Dingle Peninsula, see famine farms, and beautiful but unforgiving hillsides that didn't produce the life-sustaining potatoes which resulted in the great famine of 1845-1850

Day 4

Off to Blarney Castle first thing in the morning (Diane - note to self:  do not apply hand lotion before hanging upside down 4 stories up in the air).  The photos of Diane are priceless.  Loved the castle view from on top and the "Earl's" bedchamber with it's impressive window.  Next stop, Cobh  - last stop of the Titanic on it's maiden voyage ... lots of poor Irish and Swedes boarded and were moved below deck, never to see the light of day again.  Beautiful city with a statue of 17 year old Anne Moore and her two younger brothers overlooking the sea.  She was the first immigrant to pass into the new Ellis Island where she received a $10 gold piece.

Leaving County Cork, we're off to County Kerry and the beautiful Lakes of Killarney.  Traveling as we did from the south of Ireland, we started at the lower lakes and climbed to what we hoped was the Ladies View.  Pulling over 6-7 times, risking our lives each time, we went crazy taking photos.  Unfortunately, just as we finally found our goal, we heard a terrible noise which sounded like our shocks or tires grinding into the road.  In reality, our front bumper of our rental car had fallen off the car.  The sneaky idiots who had rented the car before us and had destroyed the bumper attachments had secured it back in place with plastic tab straps.  They finally gave out.  A helpful German tourist who heard us come around the corner helped me to re-attach the bumper with the two shoe laces from Diane's tennis shoes.  Off to the first B&B we could find in Kinsale to raise hell with Hertz.

To bed at 1am, totally pissed for the drama today, and hassle tomorrow.  But great shoe laces.

Day 3 - Counties Tipperary and Cork

Lenda - Headed out for our first full day of driving minus the GPS (since I managed to drain the battery) and doing it the ol'fashioned way ... with a map.  UGH!  After spending an hour driving all over north and south Dublin, finally managed to get on N7 to start the drive around Ireland in a  clockwise direction, east coast to west coast.  First stop - my absolute favorite place in Ireland - the Rock of Cashel in Co. Tipperary.  The view from this outstanding 1101AD seat of the Munster dynasty is breathtaking, overlooking the Golden Vale ... miles and miles of green of every hue.  St Patrick baptized King Aengus at this location in 450AD.  A perfect roundtower stands at it's corner, windows looking out for my viking ancestors various 'visits' to gain goodies.  The cathedral walls echoed today with a high school choir ... perfect acoustics despite the fact that there are no windows, partial walls, and no roof of any type.  I had chills listening to them sing in this beautiful place.  And the celtic crosses in the graveyard surrounding the cathedral are awesome.  This was the one place that Queen Elizabeth requested to see on her recent visit ... the other locations were suggested to her.  Good move Liz.  I'm sure you were humbled as are all visitors.

Armed with a new map and Diane as my co-pilot, we next headed off to the family town of Kilfinnane so that Diane could visit the village and ruins of the church where her great-great-great grandparents raised a family who ultimately left Ireland for America during the Great Famine.  The Carroll family is well represented in the old graveyard, and we met a Carroll.  Should have requested a DNA sample - bet he was related to Diane and Christopher!  Kilfinnane and the area surrounding the tiny town is lush with pasturelands.  That great Irish butter and milk - straight from Co. Tipperary!  Yum!

Lastly, we headed straight south into Co. Cork and have stopped for the night at Meadowbank B& B in Blarney.  Carol opened her door to us at 9:30pm and ushered us into her wonderful home.  So that's it for now - showers, bed, and a 7:30 wakeup for 8:30am breakfast.  Off to Blarney Castle so Diane can gain the gift of gap ... as if she needs to improve her skills in that area.  **sigh**