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Alla inlägg under augusti 2016

Av EvaLena Hallgren - 17 augusti 2016 07:48

It has been an entire week since I got Mom to write for me, and that's because she claims I have nothing to tell but I beg to differ. Sure it's true we're not driving around much anymore, and we are in places we have been to many times before, so there's not much excitement at the moment. We're relaxing taking it easy before the big flight back to the sun.

It's getting cold here now but that's according to Mom, I'm fine temperatures in the 60ies is ok for me.

I have a story that I'm pretty sure Mom don't want me to tell, but I will anyway.

On the island we were staying for almost a week, there are no big pet shops, and the special food I like is only sold in these specialty shops. My bag was empty so Mom went to the grocery store and bought some crappy stuff that I refused to eat but she thought if I get hungry enough I'll eat it....................BS, it smelled wrong and I wasn't about to give in and stubborn as she is, she wasn't either. 

Anyway, on the second night, Mom woke up because my stomach was growling so loud from starvation. Now she felt so guilty so first thing in the morning we drove back to the mainland  and found a pet store where she got me the correct food, and I ate two portions. I bet she'll never try that BS again.

 

At this place, there are billions of swallows and it was so much fun watching them perform flight acrobatics. Pretty soon they'll all leave and fly south for warmer weather.

 

   

 

a gorgeous sailboat in wood is not something you see very often nowadays 

 

 

 

early one morning this little fishing boat went out, and the toff toff sound of the diesel engine is wonderful to hear.

 

 

 

here's an older fishing boat that's ready for the graveyard. I suggested to take out all dangerous stuff, paint it in bright colors and let the kids play on it. I bet they'll love it, and it would be a lot cheaper than trashing it.

 

 

 

Early one morning Mom saw this little creature running around, and he quickly scurried into a large container

 

 

 


Since she wasn't exactly sure what kind it was, she waited forever for him to stick his little head out, and that's when she discovered it was a little mink.

 

 

 

After my food shopping, we drove off to meet our friends that planned to visit the speedway competition just like last year. The race was supposed to be on Saturday but it rained so they raced on Sunday morning instead. Mom didn't bother to go this time, so we stayed in Lucy, me napping and Mom finishing her book.

 

Mom is always cold and her friends are laughing at her

 

 


At the races, an American driver won. I think his name is Hancock just like the fabric shop Mom goes to all the time. Mom had the flag from last year so up it went hurra hurra hurra

 


after the races we continued together to a different town called HJO, where we stayed 2 nights.

Here is "fika" the most important Swedish tradition, and Mom says no other country has as good pastries as the Swedes except those harts weren't as good as they look.

 


this town is nice, very small and lots of nice wood houses that somebody once upon a time used the scroll saw and made lots of very ornate wooden decorations.

   

 

I happily went along for the stroll in my wagon.........

 

 


There was an entire row of these little wood houses on the beach. That's where you're supposed to change into your suit. This lake is famous for being very cold so noone was tempted to take a dip.  

 

 

Harbor here is nice, so Mom made a mental note of maybe visiting here again some day

 

 

we were lucky with the weather this day.

 

I think Mom felt so guilty about depriving me my food, so she bought more of those expensive chicken treats I love............................which made me a real happy pup 

 

   

 

This is Mom and Elvy coming back from doing the dishes, Mom is incognito

 

our friends left to drive home, so and Mom and I stopped to visit our friends before we parted ways. 

We only have about a 4-hour drive to where Lucy is to stay for the winter, so we'll g there and get her winter-ready pretty soon.

 


see ya all pretty soon , miss ya all

 BUTTONS

 

 

 

Av EvaLena Hallgren - 11 augusti 2016 08:51

We're still at the same place on the island hoping that the wind will die down, and finally this morning it looks like it has.

It has been sunny all along but so windy you couldn't be outside, or we didn't really want to, so Mom has amused herself with reading,knitting, embroidery, painting and crossword puzzles.

Me ? I've been eating and napping between a few walks

 


Amazing how these people want to be out there in this weather, some are even swimming in this mess. 

Mom feels seasick and cold just watching them. Looks very scary to me so I'm not tempted to go in the water either, besides I finally did get a shower so my hair is nice and fluffy again, and according to Mom I do smell a lot nicer now.

       

We do take walks which I rather don't because the wind is pushing me around.............

   

I thought I finally found a cat that's like my Lilly who doesn't run away from me..............no wonder, this cat was a phony baloney made of metal.

 

 


Several sailboats have been staying here for days because it hasn't been safe for them out on the ocean, and I can see that. Because even here in the safe harbor the boats have been rocking like crazy.

Today I bet they'll all sail away.

 

 


This has become a very common view from our Lucy...................very surprising to me ? but as long as it's only 1 I shouldn't be alarmed i guess ?

 

 

 

more painted rocks and more collected  ready to get painted

 

   

 

Seems like everybody out on the water was lucky and there was no need for the rescue team to go out.

 

 

 

In this mill there's a restaurant but we have not been there to eat yet ? Mom has become frugal lately ? wonder why ?

 

 

I don't know how much longer we'll be staying here, but it's kind of nice to sit back relax nap and do nothing............we'll see how much longer Mom will be able to do that ...........hahaha

 

 

 

all is well, only 3 weeks left of this vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Av EvaLena Hallgren - 7 augusti 2016 06:16

Waking up at Mom's favorite place, at least I think so since this is the third time we're here. It's a marina on the most southern tip of Swedens second biggest island called Öland. This time, it was very crowded here so we didn't get our favorite spot but we'll keep a lookout for when someone leaves.

 

It's so amazing going to sleep listening to the creaks of the ropes holding the sailboat and the waves crashing, seagulls laughing and diving. It's like being on a boat without getting seasick...........Mom loves it.......

Friday we parted ways with the girls and that was so sad. We really enjoyed their company and they bought Mom a cup from the area so she'll always remember them. No chance she'll forget anyway because thinking back on our trip and all the beautiful places we have seen and people we met these two girls were definitely the highlight.

  

 

They kept impressing Mom with all the stuff they were carrying in their backpacks which were so heavy she could hardly pick them up. Who has ever heard of a backpacker who brought fresh ginger with them ? and they were prepared for a cozy candlelit dinner in their tent. No matter what hurdle was thrown at them they kept a positive attitude and smiled. 

 

We dropped them off at the ferry in Helsingborg since they were going to Copenhagen to visit friends. 

 But before we parted ways we had a last "fika" together.

   

 

The ferry ride to Denmark is only 20 min. and this is a picture of a Danish castle Mom zoomed in with her camera

 

 

Bye Bye girls, I hope we'll meet somewhere in the world sometimes again

 

   

 

walking back to Lucy all of a sudden I became the tourist attraction again. People wanted to take a picture with me...........maybe I should ask for money and that way I could contribute to our travel cash 

 


       


Here's a boat that has an eye on you ;-)

 


we continued North since Mom says it's almost time to put Lucy away for the winter and fly back to the USA.

This time, we're following the east coast heading towards the island but it's too far to make it in one day, so we parked at a rest stop for the night. There was no money left in the modem to get on the internet, so we had plenty of time to reflect on our trip and it has been really good, even the rainy days and getting lost on a bike in Berlin was ok too. ........see Mom is trying to adopt the girl's positive attitude no matter what...........and that's of course always easier after the fact. The sky was gorgeous and we had a good night sleep.

 

In the morning we continued and when we came to the city before the bridge to the island Mom was looking for a place to get help with the modem which she really had messed up now.  We also have been looking for a place big enough to fit Lucy to get a bath, which we finally did. She's a little too tall for regular car washes and we need that power wash stuff to get all the dead bugs off.

In the city, there was an American car meeting but we have seen plenty of that before so we didn't stick around very long.As soon as the modem problem was solved. (Mom had put money on the wrong sim card, not sure why we had two?) we kept on driving to our planned destination

         

 

these dice that are so popular with these cars are getting very fuzzy

  

 


Here's  a Gold Wing showing off with so much extra equipment and details you just had to be impressed.

 

 

So here we are at the Grönhögen marina, and I think we'll be here for a few days, and that's just fine with me. Somebody had a lot of fun building with the rocks, and Mom painted a few.

     

 

Coast guard came by and Mom said it was because I had stolen treats while she was out. 

Yes, I did. couldn't help myself since she had bought those dried chicken things. While she was out there chatting away with some neighbors, I managed to get the door opened and had just about finished the entire bag before she came back, and now she's worried about me getting a belly ache ..........haha me?

Coast guard left without even giving me a warning, so I think she fibbed.

 

Maybe they should have looked into what SHE was doing instead ?

 

 

We're having a nice relaxing time, no more adventures are going to happen as far as I know.

Sending you all my best wishes 

Buttons

 

 

 

 



Av EvaLena Hallgren - 4 augusti 2016 19:56

Now we're back in Sweden and we ended up taking another short ferry ride (about 20 min.)from Denmark to Sweden, and this time it was Mom that was scared when she saw these waves she was thinking about getting seasick but it turned out ok. We both stayed in the car and it was all over in no time

 


On the Swedish side we turned North because Mom wanted to visit a place she's read a lot about and of course it started to rain again and there by the road was 2 hitch hikers. That immediately caught Moms eye because it's not very common any more and Mom used to do that all the time when she was a puppy. She stopped and picked them up, it was 2 young girls from Germany who wanted to go to the same place as us. They had plans to pitch a tent in the park which Mom couldn't let them do in this awful rain, so they stayed with us.

 

 

They took over the kitchen and cooked a great meal, Mom just sat back and allowed herself to be served. Since they were vegetarians there was nothing for me.........oh well.

   

There's a story about the persistent myth about Swedish sin a rumor that started in Mölle in the beginning of 20 th century
In the fifties, the image of sexually liberated Swedes began to spread in the USA. It laid the foundation for a lingering myth about Swedish sin. 

Around the 1890s, the idyllic fishing location where we are now got a new attraction that would make the village famous far beyond Sweden's borders. Common baths, where men and women could bathe together, was something completely new at that time.

As we're walking around in this extremely windy place, the last thing on anybody's mind is going for a swim

       


Girls slept over and they were pretty pleased to stay inside Lucy instead of their tent since it really poured hard.

 

 

In the morning the girls had planned a long hike around the entire place, but that would have been way to tough for Moms old body. 

She did go with the girls to this art called Nimis. Meanwhile I took a nap in Lucy because Mom said it wouldn't have been safe for me, and looking at the pictures I tend to agree.

 

The path to get there was treacherous and long, glad Mom made it back safe.

 

When we arrived at the artwork, the girls carved our initials there.

 

This was the entrance so you actually walked or climbed inside the art 

   

The artist name is Lars Vilks (born 20 June 1946) is a Swedish artist, Doctor of Philosophy, and activist who garnered fame for his drawings of Muhammad, which resulted in at least two failed attempts by Islamic extremists to murder him. He is also known for his sculptures, Nimis and Arx, made entirely of drift wood, and the small area where the sculptures are located which was proclaimed by Vilks as an independent country, "Ladonia".


     



Vilks has characterized his own skill in the actual crafts involved in sculpture as quite limited, and although his artistic ideas can be seen as characteristic for his generation of Swedish conceptual artists.

Mom didn't climb up in any of the towers but the girls did.

     

In 2007 Vilks caused an international controversy when he depicted Muhammad as a roundabout dog in three drawings, designated to be shown at an art exhibition in July of the same year. Shortly before its opening the organizers cancelled their invitation with reference to serious security concerns, and despite Vilks' effort no other Swedish art gallery offered to exhibit his drawings.

This artist is now in hiding after he received several death threats and his house in southern Sweden was attackedby arsonists

   

After a long difficult (for Mom) climb back up, the girls went on their hike and Mom and me went back to the campsite for a long shower and to relax. 

Mom says she's not sure she'll be able to walk tomorrow, but it was all worth it she says. So much fun having the girls with us. A lot of laughs and and Mom loves being around young people that have the guts to be different, reminds her of her puppy years she says.

Weather was pretty good all day, but now in the evening it's starting to rain again.

Tomorrow girls are going back to Germany and we are going ???? who knows, guess Mom will try looking at the map to see where the sun is again. 

All is good 

Buttons

 

 

 

   

 


Av EvaLena Hallgren - 3 augusti 2016 05:51

Yesterday we left Germany and took a short ferry ride to Denmark. On the ferry website, it said all dogs stay in the vehicle but Mom remembered how frightening that was for me and checked out how far it'll be to drive around and take the bridge to Sweden. It turned out to be over 300 miles, so I was stuffed in a tote and told to keep my head down and be quiet. 

No problem I've done it before a few times............Thanks Mom

 

 

It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day, and we stopped and made camp early so we could enjoy the gorgeous weather.

 

 

Mom asked if I felt like taking a bike ride into the city. I NEVER say no to a bike ride, so off we go.

This city was nothing spectacular, not much going on we thought. Just a regular small Danish town.

 

this guy selling ice cream was very busy, don't know if it was his barbershop costume or the soap bubbles ? it could, of course, be that his ice cream was especially good too

 

   

 

In Denmark you often see parents dragging their kids in wagons. It would suit me too like I ride at the garden shop at home.

 

We tried to figure out what this fountain was supposed to liken ? Moms suggestion was a goat,or maybe a sewing machine ? but I don't see it.

 

 


This, on the other hand, shows no doubt about what it is. We both liked it a lot but thought it would have been more appropriate in the Northen Sweden. as far as we know, there are no bears in Denmark?

   

 

this lady came running and said she HAS to meet me and give me hugs and kisses, and that's fine with me. She would still do it if it wasn't for Mom saying we had to go.

 

 

again we sat down to people watch for a little while, and this hairdo made Mom chuckle a little. She remembered her puppy years when this was in style, guess it's back ?

 

 

 


The crocks are really popular here too

 

 

There wasn't much to do or see in this city so we decided to pedal back to Lucy and relax. 

Now remember it was nice and sunny ? we are bike riding so of course, it gets cloudy and the rain is in the air.

 


 

We got back to Lucy and put the bike back, and lo and behold, it's sunny again ??

so now I'm convinced the bike is cursed, we need some kind of bike exorcisms. Where can that be

done ? anybody ? Maybe all we need is give her a name ? like Lucy and the Lady Alice.

Oh about Alice (the lady in the GPS box)when we got off the ferry, she was speaking in tounges ? We didn't understand one word, what happened to Alice ? Mom had to stop and try to find her and it turned out she was taken over by some lady in Ukraine ? Luckily Mom managed to get Alice back. puh

The afternoon was spent with Mom in the sun chair reading a book, and me chewing on a rawhide.

Life is good.

we both fell asleep very early, so of course, we're also up very early............

Later today we may or may not be back in Sweden...................Life is good

 

 

 

 

 

Av EvaLena Hallgren - 2 augusti 2016 08:44

Finally, a decent connection so Mom can update my story. At the site we were allocated, there was no WiFi worth using, but we drove to the gate of the campsite and hopefully this will work long enough.

So now, let me tell you about the last town we visited.

Lübeck is a medieval city in Northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany, and because of its extensive Brick Gothic architecture is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In 2015, it had a population of 218,523.

It's also the city where marzipan comes from, thinking princess cake ?

   

The old part of Lübeck is on an island enclosed by the Trave. The Elbe–Lübeck Canal connects the Trave with the Elbe River. Another important river near the town center is the Wakenitz. The Autobahn 1 connects Lübeck with Hamburg and Denmark. Today Mom is talking about taking the ferry over to Denmark, she's a little tired of the non-English speaking Germans, and also trying to remember all the words she learned in school 50 -60 years ago ..........................I'm going to get it for that one ;-)

 

     

 

one of the streets was bubbling of water ? don't they think the water from above is enough ? because the day started out sunny, but as soon as we got on the bike it started to rain ........typical 

 

 

Though considerably hit by bombs in WW2 , most of the old city survived. The city centre still has its medieval skyline mainly composed of seven gothic-style church towers. It is surrounded by parts of the old city walls with two of originally four city gates left intact. Most notable is the Holsten Gate which was the motif on the German banknote of 50 Marks until a redesign following German reunification in 1990.

     

Lübeck was historically an independent city state and came to considerable wealth as the capital of the Hanseatic League from the 11th to the 17th century. Many merchants made a fortune on shipping salt to other Baltic port cities in exchange for valuable goods needed in Germany. Many impressive warehouses are located at the old harbor and can be accessed by tourists as they host museums, shops, restaurants or pubs today. Lots of narrow cobblestone streets and I'm sure no German women ever wear high heels.

Mom was kind enough to walk the bike on these so I didn't shake around too much in my basket.

 

     

 

For a little while we sat down to people watch, and Mom is shooting secret pictures. I think the pink hair lady noticed, but luckily she didn't say anything. 

 

 

   


After sea trade substantially shifted away from the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic in the 17th century, Lübeck was slowly marginalized as a trading city against the north sea ports of Bremen and especially Hamburg. This led gradually to a noticeable decay in wealth and eventually inspired contemporaneous writers to draw a resigned picture of the cities' residents, most famously read in the novel Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann who earned the Nobel Prize for it in 1929.

After World War II, the city was ultimately marginalized due to the nearby iron curtain which impeded access to many trading partners in the eastern Baltic and even cut off two minor urban districts of the city itself. Despite efforts to boost commerce in the Baltic region, the city is still struggling from that time with a fragile economy that leads to a comparably deteriorated infrastructure outside the touristic city center. That was very noticeable as we biked back to Lucy who was parked at a bowling alley outside the city.

Almost all Germans still smoke, it's almost impossible to get away from, and I see many roll their own tobacco or smoke pipes.

 

 

at the town square there was a market with all kinds of stuff. Mom bought a piece of cheese and a small sausage.

   

 

these little "cakes" are soaps ? 

 

this lady are selling pebbles in a net as a bracelet ? and an old fashioned market with brushes 

   


This shop made Mom hungry, so we decided to find a place for lunch. Mom ordered a chicken quesadilla and it looked nothing like the ones she's used to, but it was very tasty (yes I did get several tastes)

 

 


In the ladies room there was a tooth brush dispenser ??

 

 

 

between the rain showers we stopped and listened to some street performers. This guy was chanting or I guess he would have called it singing, in this metal thing ? He was good at the accordion though. 

 

here's a different group performing, and this was more Mom's taste of music. The guy has a great voice. Please listen to him as he sings La Vie en Rose.


   


After Lubeck, we drove to the coast of the Baltic sea, where I got to run on the beach 

Mom had this for lunch and spent many hours reading and doing crossword puzzles.

 

 


That's all for now folks.................................Denmark next.

 

 


 

 

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