I´m a bear etc.

12 Augusti 2009
So we racked our brains...cant remember...this is what happens when I wait too long to post. Probably movie and chilling...yep still blank.

13 Augusti 2009
Today was not a happy day, we had an appointment to see Lena, she helps with visa´s etc. In short she said getting a work visa was near impossible but good luck anyway...real encouraging. She did however tell us to contact the US Embassy in Stockholm...which is only open from 1 to 2 pm...and it was 1:30 by the time we got home...again encouraging. After 2 a guy randomly picked up the phone and didnt give us a much better solution but we are finding options and it will work so no worries. Just was a *Debbie Downer* day.

14 Augusti 2009
Friday...David planned a romantic dinner on top a mountain. The dinner was a Greek buffet...hard part. On top of a mountain. How to get there? A. Walk around the mountain B. Find a series of little paths. or C. Crawl up the ski jump stairs... which did we choose? Why C of course that makes the most sense it was quicker...shoot me. (this is all in a good humor tone). So we proceed to *run* (as David tells me I did) up the 200+ stairs (no joke). The ski jump is 90 meters high about 300 feet. So we make it ...the first part of our journey. We then had to crawl up a steep hill (due to my stubborness of not wanting to go around) and through a forest path until we reach yet more stairs. joy. Crawled up those to be greeted with a gorgeous view and 15 minutes to spare. Again. Shoot me.

But seriously it was a romantic dinner with the best possible company ever and I look back on it and smile. He asked jokingly if we would go down that way and quickly answered it himself. We walked down the road and then found a little path and wove our way to the bottom (much much much better). It took almost an hour both ways but it was so much fun and I loved every non thinking-I-was-going-to-pass-out moment. Afterwards BANANA CAKE! I am bringing home the recipe it is A.mazing.

15 Augusti 2009
Today was so much fun we went on a drive around the High Coast...what is the High Coast one might ask...well...the High Coast is a part of Sweden that was once covered under a glacier (like everywhere else) but what makes it special is the land has rebounded almost half an inch each year. It also possess´ breathtaking nature, which I think all of Sweden is beautiful. So we began our drive and went by the tallest mountain in that region of Sweden...they asked if I wanted to go up on a hike...I declined with a smile. I am not the best hiker. So we went onto a few cultural places along a designated nature reserve road. Part of the World Heritage Fund. Very beautiful, we saw local artwork and Micke found really big blueberries with lingonberries too...so of course we had to eat. Very yummy so sweet and mmm. So we kept going til we stopped at Mannaminne and walked around the outdoors museum through different periods and countries. Very nice collection of works and ideas and it is always growing. We then had a fika...yay fika and then headed to the coast.

We drove to the outside of a nature walk (reminded me of Funks Grove) and walked through the woods and you could hear the sound of the ocean. We met the ocean with huge, I want to say Granite, slabs and miles of them. We had another Fika...yay fika consisting of cavier yummy bread and bacon cheese with sopas! Then went to the water to feel it and of course it was cold but so refreshing. David and I walked along the rocks and through the surf for awhile til it was time to head back to the summer home for the night.

We got back to the summer home and had dinner (really good kyckling and potatis with sallad and Loka) Then out to the fire...dun dun duh. My boyfriend is a pyro but that is okay. We sat outside and talked for a long while. Once we had gone to bed I made David tell me what he and his mom were talking about early but wouldnt tell me. Apparently about 3 days ago a bear had been stumbling around up in the woods nearby the summer home and Christina found the proof that there had been a bear (draw your own conclusions...it is the obvious one). Also she found the remains of a moose...somebody was hungry. Anyway, there are a lot of bears up in that area (brown bears in case you were wondering) but they havent had encounters with humans. So I wasnt worried but definately didnt want to out at night by myself...for good measure. Anyway no I have never seen a bear while I was there and probably wont. So dont worry mom.

16 Augusti 2009
It is raining and cool and we are taking it easy. Peace.

It has been awhile

So where did I last leave off...it has been forever since I last wrote...

28 July 2009 Tuesday
David took me to the museum where he wanted to show me the history of his city...too bad the city decided to nix their exhibit and put in two new ones for the duration of my stay. Oh well, it was a textile exhibit and a womens awareness one. I thought of TWU during that one it was very well put together and was a current issue.

29 July 2009
On Wednesday we walked around town a little just enjoying the day enjoyed the docks and sun and people sitting everywhere. Very pleasant day.

30 Juli 2009
A movie day just chilling at home taking it easy before our big weekend in Umeå

Friday
So Maria and her parents picked us up and took us to Umeå for a big fair on Saturday, we stayed at Maria´s apartment and had a wonderful chicken dinner...it was chicken with a pinkish sauce, very tasty and we just talked throughout the evening.

11 Augusti 2009
It is the first of August...my stay is drawing nearer to its end...very sad indeed. Today we went to Nolia mässan....a huge fair with 8 different parts and plenty for all to see. The food tent was the best but I was told smaller than previous years. We had deep fried cheese with cloudberry jam and let me tell you it was absolutely amazing. I also had like a reindeer pita for lunch...it was yummy. After we got done with the fair it was dinner time so we headed to a O´Learys...which produced a menu of five options so we quickly threw out that idea and set off to find another.
We passed by this place called All Stars and it looked good so we sat down and looked at the menu...let me mention there was Texas Smokehouse Sauce...lol. So we ordered, I had the best chicken pasta it was amazingly tasty and David was kind enough to let me try his steak...melt in your mouth goodness. I also had a Murphy´s Red Beer which was so good. We then went back to Maria´s, with the addition of Anton (Maria´s boyfriend) and watched a movie just chilling.

Sunday
Home movie day and kingdom hearts

3 Augsti 2009
David took me to a shop where I found a few gifts for my parents and Jennie and Michael and something for myself. I like the Art Noveau movement and I found a gorgeous ring that I couldnt pass up getting.

Tuesday
More walking around and chilling

Wednesday
David had a meeting down in the library complex so I tagged along to keep him company and I wanted to of course. So we went down and after he was done checked on some visa things and then decided to pay his farmor a visit (father´s mother). So she was home and we had a good visit, I got to see where she volunteers and we talked and of course had fika.

Thursday
David treated me to a picnic outside in the cool evening, he is the best chef if I havent mentioned that already...never hurts to again lol. We took it easy watching clouds and we started reading the sixth Harry Potter book...since we saw the movie now we want to read the book lol. It was a lovely evening.

Friday
Dun dun duh....tried to watch Event Horizon...dvd played temporarily died so we played Kingdom Hearts and Dofus.

8 Augusti 2009 Saturday
David received, as a birthday present, a trip to an island called Ulvön (wolf island...no, no wolves there). At 8 in the morning Maria, Jocke, David and I headed for the ferry, it is a 2 hour ferry ride to get there it is one of the biggest islands around here and beyond that island is open ocean until you hit Finland. The ferry was nice we got to be up on top with fresh air which was very nice rather than being down and stuffy. Once we got to the island we headed up to the hotel for a buffet that was part of his present...we got there and the man told us that we would have to come back for second seating because there was another ferry that took the first seating. No worries. So we walked back down the stretch of road (btw. no cars can drive after 10 p.m....they want to keep the quiet little village quiet). We headed to the store because Jocke and David were hungry and then headed back up to the middle where there is the first church in Sweden I believe...or maybe that region...idk first something.
Inside this little wooden building where painted murals of the saints and other important stories from the bible. I took a few pictures then we sat on the tables outside to wait for lunch. Lunch was fun...there was potato salad, raw salmon, cooked salmon, smoked some other fish, fish in lasagna, fish in a tomato sauce roll...fish fish fish. Wasnt my favorite buffet but wasnt bad dessert was amazing. Blackberry and another type of berry cobbler with creme. Amazing, and of course coffee. After that we headed back down the road to catch the ferry to come home. I am getting a tan. Quite nice.

9 August 2009 Sunday
Christina and Micke invited us out to the summer home for the day to wait for Evelina to come home (Evelina is David´s sister who is a year older than me...she is very delighted at this fact...once again I am the youngest in the group lol.) So we went to the summer home and I actually took a swim, it was fairly warm and it was a warm day so the water felt nice. After our swim I was told it was time for me to try surströmming....fermented herring...I will let you keep with those thoughts...

Survival Guide... 1. Cannot eat this inside (the smell is too potent and needs a breeze to take some of it away) 2. Wish you have a good solid cold (so you cannot smell the can of fish) Sound yummy yet? How to eat it....Tunnbröd like a semi hard bread, red onion, potato, and sour cream, butter, and another piece of Tunnbröd.

Basically they cut off the herrings head and throw it in a can add some brime I think and let it sit for a year...you have to eat it after a certain date printed on the can and before another date when it expires. Sound yummy now? My thoughts exactly. Christina kindly fixed a fish for me...removed the entrails, roe, and bones and David, thank goodness, put a tiny tiny tiny bit of fish on my bread. Pretty sure Micke took pictures. I ate it all to say I did...never to again. Halfway through our meal Maria, and Evelina stopped by so Christina could give her some real food and I got to meet her, she is so sweet. They didnt stay to eat (wonder why lol) and thankfully Christina provided Swedish meatballs in the off chance I didnt like the fish. It was still a good meal.
After supper and a short nap all four of us went out fishing on the lake...Christina I think caught two perch, Micke and David caught 1 and I caught two bait fish. We smoked a fish and then came back to the apartment where Evelina was already there. We had of course a fika and then we talked til about 2 I think and went to bed.

Monday
Today we got up and went to Christina´s fathers home for lunch. It is in a little town outside Övik called Bjästa, this is also the town where David was baptized and his mother married in the same church. A lot of history it was nice to see and hear it. We had a good lunch and even better company, Evelina had her boyfriend Robert along so we got to meet him and David´s grandfather is absolutely precious. He welcomed me to the family and I found out later that he was worried about meeting me because the language barrier but we both said it went well. It was such a nice visit and a wonderful day outside. After we left we went by the summer home so Robert could see it and then back to the apartment.
After dinner we went up to play laser tag, up up and up got there got dressed and got our guns and then hiked up some more up and up til we got to the spot. The team was David, me, Robert and Evelina against Christina, Micke, Jocke, and Maria. The terrain was rough I must say I am not conditioned for it but it was a lot of fun. We had face paint and the whole 9 yards and our team won all three games. The last game Robert hit me on accident then Jocke and I stood up thinking I was dead then proceeded to remember I still had hits...then died. Alas haha. We hiked back washed our faces in the lake and had fika of blueberry muffins sooooo yummy. Then went home.
We started a shower procession and Robert started playing the guitar which led to singing and led to Micke printing the lyrics to songs and we sang them. It was a lot of fun, I think we are gonna take the show on the road lol. After that we had yet another fika and talked til about 2ish when Evelina and Robert had to leave to go back to Umeå. We said goodbye and then we talked a little more and went to bed

Tuesday
Im writing my blog. Chilling. Yeah.

What I have been up to

On wednesday we went back to the library because one of my missions was to get a book (or books) in Swedish because..I want to learn and then be able to read. So he asked if I wanted to go to the bookstore but I said better to check at the library. Yay booksale! fill a bag with as many books as possible all for 20 kronor (exchange rate is 1 US to 8 kronor (rounded)). So...I got I think 16 or 18 books...do the math, good deal!

23 Thursday 2009

It was raining and Christina and Micke wanted to take us to the summer home, so we went it is about an hour and half drive out to the house that his grandfather built it has the main house and a little house up the way on a gorgeous lake. It rained for most the evening. We had salmon in foil with potatoes and spring onions (yummy) and of course coffee and schwarzwaldtårta (like a sweet cake with creme and merangie...a.mazing.

Friday

Rain still so we drove to Umeå and walked around, it is like a college town so it is a little bigger than Övik. David was sweet enough to walk around while I played the tourist role, not taking much mind to the shops. (I went with him to RPG and card game shop so all is good ;D) We met back up with them and went to Rhodes a pizza buffet where I had kebab pizza (yummy Bambi).

On Saturday we went back home and just chilled watched movies I played Kingdom Hearts...he helps me with the hard stuff, yay boyfriend!

On Sunday we went to Maria´s parents house for pizza and fun, we had four pizzas with a variety of toppings - tuna, blue mussels, shrimp, corn, mushroom, ham, pineapple, we are good chefs it was a lot of fun. They live on the ocean sound so we walked down and went for a dip...COLD! I did dunk under so I am not a whimp lol. It was refreshing and so much fun (yes I took the picture)

27 Måndag 2009

A movie day, we went to the store and bought muchies and watched LOTR.

Dun dun Duh...Tuesday

Yes me, Emily Anne, rode a bike and didnt do half bad. Not use to street bikes but it was fun and I think I picked it up kinda ok need to practice more, David is, as usual, a very patient and good teacher. My reward was movie! Yay movie!

Wednesday

He was so sweet we went on a picnic down by the harbor it was cool we packed fika (snacks) and just laid in the sun (because you can do that here it is cool enough)

Thursday we went to meet his dad for lunch and then down to the docks so much fun just laying in the sun with a nice cool breeze, I am getting a tan hahaha. Who would have thunk.

what I have eaten...dun dun duh

so since I have tried so many new foods I thought I would share it with the rest of the world.

There was:

MEAT

Elk, moose, bear, and horse sausage (moose and bear was my fav)
liver beef (not as bad as I thought I actually liked it)
Sill (pickled herring ...not too bad)
Tuna pizza (no at the restaurant - yes at his cousins house)
kebab pizza (lambs...yummy)

Reindeer pita

Surströmming...the devil of all foods.
Meat steaks with relish (yummmmmmy his farmor is a great cook)
Chicken pie (his mother is a good cook....see the trend?)
Chicken with rice and pepper sauce (swedes love their sauces)

BERRY

lingon berries jam
cloud berries jam
Nyponsoppa (yummy)
Blueberry Soup (I was in heaven)
Swedish blueberries
Lingon berries

DRINK

sugar soda
apple and grape soda (both yummy)
trocadero soda (apple and orange)
Loka (YAY carbonated yummy water)
water (yummy H2O)
spring water (straight from the mountain)
Saft (juice was black currant yummy)
Black Currant Te (yum yum yum)

Murphy´s Irish Red Beer (the best)

DESSERT

Swedish Dark Chocolate (buddy yeah)
Salt candy (....no)

Banana cake (yummy in my tummy)
Sour candy (....yes)
Digestive Crackers (like a graham cracker)
Pear Creamscicles (a. mazing)
VACUUMS...you can see my excitement
Polka (icecream...not my fav. peppermint)
Licorce icecream (yummers)
Schwarzwaldtårta (saweet)
Fin skorpor (like hard biscotti really good in coffee)
Pigglin Popscicle (about to try it...he loves feeding me food lol...verdict....tasty)

CHEESE

manor cheese
priest cheese
household cheese (yes Becky all good and all white)
Messmör (not sure but its good ....like...the by product of milk maybe?)
Västerbotten ost (sharp yummy)
Bacon Cream cheese (good)

Cavier in Cheese (yummy)

BREAD

hard bread (YES)

Tunnbröd (thin yummy better than a tortilla by 100%)
More types of thin bread (all good)

DAIRY
fil (no. not my cup of tea like a runny sour cream)

FOOD

Swedish pancakes (okay)
Reheated swedish pancakes with milk and sugar (yummy in my tummy) ....David is a good cook if you cant tell
Cabbage and Lingonberry salad (yum)
Cavier (yay tubed baby fishy eggs)
Coleslaw wraps (spicy fika goodness)
Mushroom pie (sooooo good like a quiche)

....more to come as i eat more haha

So happenings today...pictures to come soon.

Day 4 July 19 2009

So today I got my first look at downtown Övik, (pictures to come don´t yell lol) and oh my gosh it´s so incredibly beautiful.

Day 5

It was raining, the first rain I experienced here and we decided to go up to look at supermarket but we took a turn to walk by this little cemetery (it´s won best in the country...and it shows). Since his dad lives on up the hill we decided to see if he was home...yay he was. I got to meet him and we talked for a bit than headed on up into the woods where the training centers and trails are located. We sat in a little rest stop and had a fika (yay fika!) and then walked back down to look at the supermarkets...we need to adopt them.

Note to self ... I should have worn a pedometer lol I´m curious how far I will walk

Tisdag 21 Juli 2009

Today we went to his farmor´s (father´s mother´s), house for a lovely meal. She is absolutely adorable and so hospitable, we played Chicago (a card game) and his father and a friend showed up for fika. After much talking and having a good time we went to the library and his dad called and we met back up with him for icecream - I had raspberry and polka (like peppermint) and we talked and walked to look at the Arena and around and I realized I am from Texas and was cold...so we walked back to the apartment to get my coat (yay coat) and back down for pizza. I had tuna and ham pizza...good in the moment but not something I would eat again. We walked back down to the harbor and out and around on the dock and back home at 9ish.

So much to see and do and I will post pictures...when I take them hahaha (I´m gonna be here for 6 weeks...what´s the rush)

*Peace

So I Am Here...

Let´s see I have been here for three days and...I guess I should post *sigh* hahah kidding entirely.

So I got on the plane from Dallas to Philly on an Airbus...it wasn´t the big one...darn it. Anywho sat next to this couple who I found out at the end were headed to Stockholm on their route to Paris. Woot! So we landed in Philly and walked over to the other terminal - I was hoping for a sparse flight so I could stretch out and sleep - hahahaha not happening! It was so crowded and now (after much searching with the help of David) I sat next to Steve Kilbey...who wrote "Under the Milky Way" he´s an Aussie and next to him was a San Deigo biker guy who belonged to the NRA...needless to say they had some heated discussion about all things. It was interesting to say the least but yeah he wrote it and used to be in the band The Church. He was a really nice guy. Anyway, so the plane ride sucked!!! Let´s try cramming everyone into a tiny itty bitty the smallest plane that can go Trans-Atlantic...then we were delayed an extra hour almost because our navigation system had a malfunction and so we had to reset it...oh yeah I had faith in the plane hahaha. So I didn´t get much sleep and really it´s ok because I was too excited.

So we land and get off the plane and wow...I was like "where´s Stockholm?" so get off and *dun dun duh* CUSTOMS!! Which consisted of, "Hi how long will you be staying? What is your business here...*stamp* thank you welcome to Sweden"...yeah the US Customs sucks in comparison lol (so says David). So weave my way following Mr. Kilbey for as long as I can ...til he disappears and then follow the crowd. *fast forward* got my bag *walk walk walk* go out and "where´s David?" he snuck up and surprised me and it was amazing!!!

Item 2..getting to Övik (I like his keyboard no codes for special characters!!) took two trains and a bus, was so much fun I got to see where he went to school in Gävle. *fast forward* the bus we are in Övik and his mother and Micke are so sweet to come and pick us up :D We four went home and had dinner and talked (she is an amazing cook! Yummy I know where David gets it from). Then bedtime...long day deserves long rest.

Day 2 Uneventful and relaxing. We watched movies and I slept ...a lot. Yay JetLag.

Day 3 We went to this really cool market in Åsele and got to see a band called Alcazar they were 90´s Pop Rocks. Still enjoyable we walked around looking at vendors...both got a little sunburnt and then went and had chicken ...yummy. Oh and the water called Loka is AMAZING it´s carbonated and mmmmm. Speaking of water ..America sucks...the tap water is so clean and pure and yummy - better than Sams bottled water. After dinner we started home - stopped and talked to some friend of theirs and looked out at the gorgeous landscape. Micke wanted to go swimming so we went swimming at a lake along side the road - just drive past 10 find one that isnt private and park the car. How cool is that!?! So they went swimming Christina and Micke ...I was too cold and David was sweet and didn´t want to leave me. Sweetheart! So after that we had fika (break time) and off again. Micke was thirsty so what do we do? Pull along side the road and drink from a natural well...just beside any road where water is pouring out. Yummy! I love this country...all for now.

It's the Day Before

So tomorrow morning I leave on my plane to hop across the pond...do I have everything?
I had heard that SpaceSaver bags were the way to go...so I bought the travel space savers and tried - where you roll out the air. Nope wasn't gonna cut it...see I was trying to pack 6 weeks worth of stuff into a carry on bag...HaHaHaHa...wasn't happening.

So we went back and purchased the vacuum ones - surely this will work...well when you add in presents and a coat (in July I might add) I needed about another inch for it to work. No worries it all fits very nicely in this brown bag. Of course I have my black backpack equipped with things to keep me not bored on the plane...I will probably sleep on the plane with my smooshy pillow!!

My next post will be from Sweden! Peace*