But, where do I begin? Do I summarize, categorize and reflect individually on the major themes of the trip? (Family, friends, open water, sunshine, summer homes, outdoor meals, etc.) Do I chronicle the events as they happened, carefully following and illustrating the line on the map below? Do I pontificate on the fascinating, yet somewhat unsettling, feeling of being an outsider in my home country? Well, Captain Compromise (my superhero alter ego) says it's going to a little bit of everything.
I arrived at Arlanda Airport on a Friday evening and spent my first night in Sweden in my friends Alexandra and Erik's house on the north side of Stockholm, and it was a much appreciated relief after the usual grueling transatlantic jaunt. Early the next morning I caught a ride to my hometown, Kumla, with Alexandra, as she was going to visit the parents. Fortunate timing indeed.
Boarding M/S Gustaf Lagerbjelke
After spending the rest of the day just hanging out with the family and another night of uneven sleep to recuperate from the jet lag before our first (of many) excursions: a 3-hour Sunday afternoon boat tour on Lake Hjälmaren. We departed from Hamnplan in central Örebro on M/S Gustaf Lagerbjelke and slowly worked our way downstream the Svartå stream past the stately mansions along Olaigatan, past the beautiful Stadsparken (City Park) and Wadköping (more about this later), and past Stora Holmen (The Large Islet) and its mini-train filled with kids before going down the 7-foot drop in a lock manned by high school kids and then out through Oset into Lake Hjälmaren. Once we were out on the lake, lunch was served (Baked Salmon and New Potatoes and a glass of white) before we turned around and returned to Hamnplan
Oset on our way into Lake Hjälmaren
Ok - that's all for now. Stay tuned, kids.
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