American Family Vacation in Kiruna Sweden - North of the Arctic Circle March 2006

Personal letters home to US friends and family | 5/23/2006 | schwing_wifey

[schwing_wifey]

In case any on the Swedish Ping list decide to take a jaunt up to Kiruna, we really had a great time. And the northern Swedes were fabulous people.

[cardinal4]

Cool Post..

[litehaus]

"a jaunt up to Kiruna,"

Son settled for just Stockholm recently. Daughter in London now and not sure bout getting to Sweden....Hope to see Nyhammar again health permitting next year.

[schwing_wifey]

Thanks... works out well to do it here now that I learned how to incorporate the pictures. Now I just send family and friends the link instead of maxing out their mailboxes.

;D

[cardinal4]

Your pics remind me a lot of Alaska. I have heard of that Ice hotel, too. Although, I think I would have opted out of sleeping there!

[schwing_wifey]

I can't believe I wanted to stay at the Ice Hotel so badly (before I saw it)... talk about a potential night of misery.

[anguish]

Lovely vacation journal schwing_wifey :)

I've done all that myself too, but since I'm a native Laplander (not Sami though) it was nice to read your impressions.

Like you wrote about "release forms" - we don't do that here. If people do something stupid and get hurt it's their own fault, and if the fault is on the organizers they have insurance. I hope it can stay that way so we don't get ambulance-chasing laywers here too.

The giant satellite dishes you saw were probably part of Esrange, the Swedish Space Corporation's site in Kiruna (see image). I have an uncle who works there.

If you want your daily dose of hot blueberry soup, and want to take some with you to the US, buy Ekströms Blåbärssoppa. It's a drymix - just add water, stir and heat :)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Thank you for the ping! I enjoyed your description tremendously! Most people probably think that Kiruna is a Japanese beer.

All I can say is Brrr!! The closest to Kiruna that I have been was a visit Minneapolis St Paul in the Winter. (It was not too different from Chicago which is where I lived at the time.) While perhaps not as cold as Kiruna, it is cold enough to get a fairly representative idea of the physical side of the experience. A weekend winter camp out in the snow while in boy scouts supplied some additional experience and memories that assisted in making your description come alive!

(I did not see any moose in Minnesota nor any reindeer. I did see a deer head at a bar! I did buy perhaps the best pair of shoes I have ever owned, but found out they were made in Ireland!)

Well, anyone should be able to tell that you do a much better job than me at a travelogue.

Thanks again! Keep me on the list for your next letter, and if possible more pictures like the towel and snow boots picture please! (You look a lot like Mrs. Pete from Shawnee Mission, so maybe thats the attraction. (She does not like to wander about in "Nature" too much though, unless its located between the door to the house and door of the car.))

[prisoner6]

THANKS! A great read...made my night. Can't wait to show Wife in the morning! One of these days I hope Wife and I can travel to Sweden, especially Lapland. It's been a dream of mine ever since I found the webcam in Gellivare years ago. Sadly that website is down for awhile, but over the years I've chatted with folks online there. The country is beautiful.

Thanks again,

prisoner6

[schwing_wifey]

THANK YOU!!!! Or I should say "Tack så mycket" for the tip on the blueberry soup. My mouth starts watering just thinking of it. And thanks for the info on the big satelite dishes, I want to add that to my personal journal.

My husband and I laugh all the time over some of the stuff we come across over here. For example, none of the saunas were labeled with warnings about drinking, being pregnant, or heart conditions.

sarcasm on
(Gasp!!!) Ohmygosh! We could have died!!!
sarcasm off

Again, I have to say, we met the nicest Swedes up in Kiruna and I'd go back in a heartbeat!

[schwing_wifey]

Thanks Pete for the kind comments. (Especially the sauna one)...us ladies need more compliments as we get older, (plus it will be quite the reminder for some OLD friends that read this...oh when we were young...)

If you asked Mr. Wifey, he would have told you in advance that this was a dangerous undertaking because I just don't deal with the cold well. I grew up in the NE PA and after moving south, vowed to avoid snow at all costs. (Yes I know, we came to Sweden - BUT its only temporary.)

Kiruna and that area was awesome. BTW, friends we talked into taking an assignment over in Oslo Norway told us the saying - "There is never bad weather - only bad clothing choices" So nothing says "I love you" to your wife like a good winter parka, snow pants, and ski gloves! ;D

[schwing_wifey]

Thank You P for the kind words. I hope you get a chance to go there. Save the links from my posting, they are great for connecting to fabulous people in Kiruna.

We've now been around Stockholm for almost 18 months. We've visited the Kalmar area and taken the train over to Goteborg (Gothenburg). This has been the experence of a lifetime. Before this came up, I would never have considered Stockholm as a vacation spot. It really is a gorgeous little city that you can walk through in an afternoon. The museums and exhibits and just people watching in the cafes and parks could keep you occupied for weeks.

My husband wants me to write a family book compiling all our trips along with our two year stay in Sweden. If I ever post "Our Sweden Experience" I'll ping you.

Picture from Gamla Stan

[prisoner6]

Have you been to or know where "The Plaza" nightclub is in Stockholm? Word is Agnetha - the blonde from ABBA - hangs out there. The tabloids had some recent gossip that she was getting married again, this time to a man 62 years old and a good friend of the king. She's no spring chicken of course, but the pics in the papers weren't very flattering to her and the guy she was reportedly cuddling with.

Since I usually work overnights I climb into bed around 8-9 AM eastern time. Sweden, and the other scandanavian coutries have long been a fascination of mine, especially the Sami. I became very interested in them after hearing the singers Sofia och Anna. It's amazing to someone like me - who would rather hang out in a HOT climate - how people like the Sami and others above the arctic circle survive.

Hope you post more pics, I really enjoy weeing them!

At work....gotta run,

prisoner6

[prisoner6]

BTW yes I've already been visiting the links and bookmarked them. Gonna look around for blueberry soup over hear as well...Wonder if IKEA might have some?

Thanks again,

prisoner6

[alwaysconservative]

Great job, and thanks for the vacation journal, SW! Hubby and I are taking a trip to Northern Europe and Norway this summer, and maybe I can post some photos and impressions, too. (You've set a high standard, though!)

[schwing_wifey]

You are too kind. My reason for writing these and in such detail is so that family down the years will have something interesting in the genealogy besides just bloodlines. And to be honest, I keep thinking about trying to start a career in writing when we get back to the States. (After I finish the family book my husband requested.) Who knows, one day I may be another Rowling or Clancy or Crichton and then I'll let the whole world know I practiced on FReepers. ;D

This is a picture from the back deck of a home outside Oslo Norway. Its located on one of Oslo's tiny islands and just gorgeous. But, I want to see the Fjords before we return to the States. Check out the "Norway in a Nutshell" website if you haven't already. Lots of friends have done it and recommend it.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Alas, here is where I go to travel to scandanvia:

http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/cat/272

Not as good as the real thing, but the pictures are very good. (How's your German?)

[schwing_wifey]

Sorry...I'm lost with German.... ;D

Here's someplace else to torture yourself with...

http://www.stockholmtown.com/default____2023.aspx

And don't forget the ever popular :

www.whatsonwhen.com (Plug in your favorite city and date)

and while I'm at it....

www.norwaynutshell.com

[schwing_wifey]

Incase you'd like to hear about the last adventure (opps, next to last - Italy appearing next).

;D