Sweden to Norway

Before leaving Lyr, there was one more adventure I wanted to go on: hiking to the one, sandy beach on the island. While Pete stayed back to pack and Jude stayed to play with Hedda, Maeve and I joined a few in the group to find the trailhead. 

An app showed us the general direction to go in as we hiked over rocky outcroppings and through woods. 

Beach found! One group that came by boat was there already. 

Beautiful, deep purple starfish was in the water. 

The water was cold, but refreshing on another warm day. 

This girl was my hiking buddy, enthusiastic, brave, and not a single whine! She told me over and over about how great she was doing/being. Agreed sweetheart!  

Blueberry picking

Cool man-made bridge

Back home, we said our goodbyes, hoping that we'll get some visitors in Amsterdam before too long (or pull off a return trip to Stockholm). Then it was off to our 3rd and final country of the trip: Norway! 

Swedish church in the countryside

Norway had been on our list since we moved to Europe, but I was always put off by the price tag (the kronor is very strong). Last summer our friends Paul and Andrea moved to Oslo and last fall we learned that our kids could tolerate long road trips, so the plan was hatched. My parents were keen to join us and between having our own car, sharing AirBnBs, and bringing a lot of food and booze from the NL, we managed to see Norway on a budget. 

First stop was Oslo, less than a 3 hour drive from where we had stayed in Sweden. We were reunited with Paul, Andrea, and Ella after 5 years (!!) and got to meet toddler Sloane. They hosted us for 3 nights and welcomed us with an American BBQ on arrival. Maeve took to Ella immediately and loved her sleepovers and playtime during our visit. And we think that Sloane and Pete knew each other in a previous life, because they quickly became inseparable! Sloane found Pete wherever he was and wanted to snuggle. It was so cute! There was a lot to catch up on after all that time apart and we enjoyed the long hours of daylight in their back yard after the kids were asleep. 

Swedish Midsummer

The days in Sweden kept getting better, as we got to know the group, and as the weather became increasingly warm and sunny. The culmination of the trip was our final day, which was Swedish Midsummer (not a coincidence). We were really excited to see what this big holiday, celebrating the summer solstice was all about. 

Not a Midsummer tradition, just what Jude wanted to spend his morning playing. 

Aboni brought supplies to make flower head wreaths so the ladies spent the morning picking wildflowers around the house and assembling the crowns. 

Ticks were a nuisance on this part of the trip (I found 3 on myself over the course of our time there). So the idea of putting these on the kids heads was a little scary! 

The temps were rising and the boys spent the morning fishing and then jumping into the water. Though the water was really cold, I was tempted to swim, but unfortunately the water was swarming with jellyfish. Like 1000s as far as the eye could see. There was one, stinging, orangish-colored one for every 10 "regular, non-stinging" ones. So the boys found holes where they were only with the non-stinging ones. No thank you! 

We were treated to a traditional midsummer feast where pickled herring and freshly caught mackerel (in a variety of sauces) ruled the spread, along with a mature cheese pie, sausages, small boiled potatoes, donut shaped crackers and salad. It was not all my cup of tea, but fun to try. 

Oh, and schnapps, too. 

Crab stuffed flounder being prepared for dinner. The crabs were caught in traps by the house. 

After lunch, we made our way to the town midsommar dansbanan- the midsummer dancing party. It was in a small pavilion in a clearing in the woods in the center of the island. The traditional midsummer pole was there and people danced around it in circles while a band played. A very fun, cultural experience, but it was HOT and we/the kids did not last long. 

Back home we cooled off with some cava sangria

Tried a bit more fishing

The neighboring houses were also hosting midsummer parties and our adjoining pier was bumping with a young crowd. They partied all night long on the pier just outside our bedroom windows! Nothing like some Swedish techno beats to lull you to sleep! 

Our midsummer sunset was one for the books! Ranking up there with the sunsets in Santorini and in the south of Spain. And strawberry dessert on the docks with our old and new friends made it all the more sweeter. 

Exploring Car-Free Käringön Island

The whole crew took a day trip to the island of Käringön. We left our island by short ferry, drove 25 minutes to Tuvesvik and then boarded a 40 minute ferry to this car-free island, way out in the archipelago off the Western coast of Sweden. We loved our time in Sweden and one of the reasons was that I didn't have to do any planning once we were there. We let the Swedes tell us what we should do and it was all great!

Jude has a thing for little kids and really enjoyed being with Hedda. They really bonded on this trip, starting with sitting together on the ferry out to the island. (Maybe Hedda took some warming up.)

Arriving at the island

People took a lot of pride in their gardens

So cute

Oliver brought his fishing pole with him of course. Jude had to get in on that. 

We walked along the cart paths on the island for a bit and then made our way to Petersons Krog for a delicious seafood lunch. 

The interior was really cozy, but my favorite part of all was this gem in the bathroom... 

We stayed on the island a while longer and discovered the cute playground near the church. We also passed the island tennis courts and mini golf. This would be a great place to spend a week with family or friends. Really laid back vibes. 

The sun came out just as we were boarding the ferry to leave.

We rode on the top deck in the sun, but Jude insisted on staying with Hedda. 

And feeding her peas :) 

Back home we grilled sausages, burgers, zucchini and mushrooms for dinner. And for dessert, the American summer favorite- S'mores. Most of the group had never had them before and it was fun watching everyone discover the deliciousness. 

Instant sugar high! 

It was our first clear night and I was excited for the 10pm sunset over the water. 

Midnight.
Pete got up around 3am and said that the sky still looked like this, but the light had just shifted 90 degrees to the east.