Before Easter is all forgotten....

...and I will write more...here's a bit of a diary from our Easter visit to Sweden.

Friday 30/03: we left our dear little house and blooming garden and met up with the Finnish gang (Niina & Adam) at the airport to have dinner and build up the vacation excitement. In Oslo, we went straight to the Hansen Family. Over a good red wine we caught up with the latest and greatest.

Saturday 31/03: Waking up to a sunshiny Norweigan day was great. Almost as great as the breakfast that was served. Yum! Off we went sightseeing. Holmenkollen (skijump) and the surroundings. Aker Brygga and the year's first "ute pils" (outside beer). Gotta give it to the Norweigan restaurants, they are prepared for anything. Sat on nice and fluffy sheep furs, fleece blankets...Did I mention sunshine?

Sunday 01/04: April Fool's day...And there were a couple that got tricked around the breakfast table as young Mr.Hansen invented pepper chocolate milk...Hi! Hi! Another day of sunshine and relaxation. Gå på tur (take a walk, but it sounds funnier in Norweigan) is one of those things you got to do. Off we went to charming Baerums Verk where the Hansen's live.
Well, we all know the Dutch pretty much conquered the whole world. Seems they made it all the way to Baerums Verk, since they left a pancake house behind... Next stop was a little chocolate factory that made marvellous hot chocolate... The afternoon well spent on Ann Magritt's sunny terrace with some more catch up chit-chat. Dolly Dimple's came by with our dinner. Then we packed Trine's automobile full and headed downtown Oslo and her apartment.


Monday 02/04: Work day for some. Vacation day for us. We headed on foot (gotta love this gå på tur thing they have there in Norway) and we basically did ALL of Oslo on foot. Started in Grunerlökka to Karl Johan on to the royal castel then Bogstadveien. In Frogner we had passed like a million of these coffehouses so we just had to make a pit stop. Who needs Starbucks when you have Kaffebrenneriet, Norway? Finally made it back to Aker Brygga (sail dock) and this time we picked a chilled beer and heated terrace at TGIF where Trine met up with us after a hard day at work. Dinner at "Mucho Mas" best TexMex I've had in a long time. Then 007 tucked us into bed. I just gotta say - this Bond movie was really good! Am I the only one that seem to think so? Was about time for a blond blue eyed Bond, anyway.


Tuesday 03/04: Gå. På. Tur. Our legs are definitely used to the flat lands of Holland. Say no more... Anyway, we put our poor feet out there again. This time we food shopped in artsy Grunerlökka and whipped up a Thai/seafood salad for Trine when she came home. The best with Norweigan retail? Deli de Luca . "Råest på convenience" (toughest on convenience) is their motto and I can nothing but nod with my mouth full of Oreo Cream Cake. For those that has not had a Deli de Luca cake - you have like, missed out. Majorly. Book a ticket to Oslo immidiately!! Oh yes! This was also the day I found that bridesmaid dress. For those of you that started to fear I had a serious problem. Thanks for putting up with me the past...eeeh...3 months.

Wednesday 04/04:06.39am bus to the airport. Landed in a windy Narvik. Spent a couple of hours way up there...Here you can see how many kilometers we were from the rest of the world...
A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO THE NORWEIGANS FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND TAKING THE TIME WITH US. DET VAR KJEMPE KOS!! STOR KRAM THERESE OCH SANDER!!

The train took us to my dear Gällivare and a cuddly welcome at Hasse & Ulla's

Thursday 05/04: Whatta day! Whatta day! Anna's day. Her Bachelorette party day to be specific.

Collecting Easter eggs, dressing up as an Easter witch, horese back riding, cancelled paragliding, selling Easter kisses, singing with the After Ski band and getting full score on the love quiz - Anna excelled all of her missions. Better bride-to-be can not be found. A well deserved evening of relaxation in the Sauna looking at Dundret (mountain on the picture). Then we all took on the mission: Gällivare by night.

Friday 06/04: Day after big party. Bridesmaids in church at 9 for practice. No comments. Then off to see my cousin & family in the cottage. The evening was a evening of Thai food and fun, as we celebrated Micke&Carola's surprise runaway wedding. Sneaky! Big, big congratulation hugs to you!

Friday 06/04: ANNA & JOHAN'S BIG DAY
And whatta a LOVELY day you guys had. That you let us be a part of. Everything from the ceremony (great!) to the dinner and party, it was all very personal and 'you'. This was also the day we got to see your Max for the first time. We are so happy to be there for this day. Tack och stor kram till er alla tre från Tessan och Sander.


Saturday 07/04: where did vacation go? One last day of total relaxation; annual ice fishing competition in Nietjakk. The strategies were many. Not so much fish, but a furry reindeer and a blanket - could just do the trick.
A furry reindeer, a dog, a baby and a blanket - I need to grow a 3:rd hand to be able to fish.

And of course there was the Dutchman and his prize winning fishes.
A big, big thank you to Hasse and Ulla for the usual warm hospitality. We always feel so welcome and we can't wait to come back again. We miss you all already. Många stora kramar från oss!!

Monday 09/04: a long train ride (16 h.) and a quick stop in Stockholm -sorry mamma & pappa we didn't have more time together with you! - we left Sweden feeling happy and relaxed. Maybe a little, little tired, because we did a lot this time around. We'll do like the coolest cat in the world "Pesto" an American Ragdoll and take a cat nap soon...

THANKS TO ALL YOU SWEDES FOR ANOTHER GREAT VACATION! SEE YOU SOON! KRAMAR FRÅN TESSAN OCH SANDER!