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Alla inlägg den 28 maj 2016

Av EvaLena Hallgren - 28 maj 2016 06:24

Mom woke up at 4AM and it's 5AM and Mom got up and made coffee ? I stay in my loft bed until later, don't see any reason to get up this early. Mom is used to get up as soon as the sun rises, but how is that going to work a month from now when we'll be way up north and sun never sets ? 

Oh well, that's her problem as long as  I can sleep as long as I want.
We are now on Öland island which is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. The island has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea, and has 25,000 inhabitants. We got here crossing a 6km long bridge from the mainland.

We drove south to a place we have been to a few years ago.It's a small harbor and a place to park your camper. Last time there was only two more campers, this time, there's 42. Guess more people found this wonderful place. We spent 2 nights here.

 

The beach is very rocky, not a great place for me but millions of ladybug shaped rocks for my Mom's project. First day here was very windy so we spent the day relaxing watching hundreds of acrobat flying swallows. Impossible to take pictures of them since they aren't still for a second. Mom thinks they have ADHD. 

 

     

 

The second day we went for a very long bike ride to a bird sanctuary. 

 

              

 

The nature Reserve carries on the legacy of the royal hunting park established in 1569 by King Johan III. The descendants of the English Fallow Deer he introduced can now be seen throughout the Reserve, but we didn't see any.  Human activity has strongly affected the entire Reserve since the first people occupied the area in the Stone Age about 6000 years ago.

 

     

 

The Ottenby Bird Station has been operating since 1946, catching and ringing about 20,000 birds every year. Through this and other research studies, much has been learned about bird migration and about different diseases carried by birds. This is a birdwatchers paradise, and we saw many with big expensive camera equipment. 

 

     

 

Mom tried very hard to capture at least one of the fast flying swallows, can you see them ? 

 

 

 

You can also climb the 197 steps of Sweden’s tallest lighthouse, called Långe Jan (Tall John), towering 42 meters above ground, but knowing that Mom had to pedal all the way back, we passed on the climb.

 

   

 

Somebody at this place speaks my language and have a sense of humor

 

 

 

this bird had the decency to sit still so Mom could get a picture 

 

 

 

Lots of cows everywhere, they don't make meatballs like the horses do. They make something looking more like a pizza. Do they taste the same you ask ? Not a clue, Mom didn't let me near them, not even for a quick whiff...........I don't understand,after 11 years of cohabitating and she still doesn't understand the delicacies I'm trying to introduce to her.

 

   

 

15 miles, and Mom is still smiling

 

 

Many windmills out in the ocean are making efficient clean power.

 

 

Loved this gorgeous horse,and I think it was mutual because he came over to see me immediately  when Mom stopped the bike. I bet he makes gourmet meatballs, but stupid Mom didn't let me down to investigate

   


The massive stone wall, stretching straightforward between the two coasts of Öland, was built due the orders of Duke Karl Gustav, later King Karl X Gustav in 1653. The intention was to keep the deer in the royal hunting grounds from escaping them, although many speculate it served the double purpose of keeping the peasantry away from his sport. It was built with local materials and local labor in lieu of taxes. The surrealistic wall in the open landscape is still in good condition.

 

 

 

giant oak trees often frame the roads to the old mansions

 

 

 

these red trees are a different tree Mom doesn't know, still very pretty

 

 

 

 


Here's an old-fashioned windmill that is now refurbished and made in to a restaurant.

 

 

 

Finally, I'm caught up in my story, hopefully, we'll be staying in places where the wifi is working, so there will be no more interruptions.  

it's now 7 AM, and I'm still sleeping, might as well because looking out, the sun is gone and the sky has a bluish gray color.

Have a great day you all

Buttons 

 

 

 


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