Here are the accounts from my second week away.
Kim (like most people out in the real world) had to go to work on Monday, so after some much needed rest Malin and I went for a walk along the marina.
It was glorious.
We went to Henry Dunker's Cultural Centre (building to the right). Henry Dunker owned a rubber/rubber goods factory, and became very rich. When he died he left money for the promotion of Helsingborg's cultural life. Malin and I had a look round the shop and at all the weird and wonderful rubber things available. We also had a look at a photographic exhibition about African women, which was very interesting. I am always amazed at the expressions that can be caught in a photo, and the way just a glimpse of a moment captured in time can spark so many questions about their stories and way of life.
We then walked down to the waterfront and dipped our feet in the ocean (it wasn't quite warm enough for swimming!) and had an icecream. It was surreal to think that a week ago I was on the plane and dressed for winter!
The next day after work Kim and I went to another beach and had a snooze in the sun.
The beach is called Tropical Beach because of the palm trees they have planted down by the water (something I did not expect to see on a Swedish coastline!)
The view from the beach is of Denmark. How crazy is that?? The ferries run between Copenhagen and Helsingborg all the time (as you can see there are two in this photo).
I apologise for the quality of this photo - it is supposed to be showing you the NZ flag flying third from the end :) (the flags curve around the harbour entrance)
That night Malin and I went to Zumba (ohhh yeah! I forgot how much I missed it!) The gym complex has just been redone and a new pool has gone in and it is all very flash. Kim has been working at the Day Camp, and this is where she used to train all the time. It was really nice to be able to see for myself where and what she had been talking about in all the emails over the years.
But the most exciting thing about the new fit out of the gym is "The Jungle Room". In this room are five machines that I absolutely fell in love with. If I ever win the lottery this will be the first thing I buy.
A massage chair. Oh my goodness. I have no words to describe how amazing this was. I felt like I got my week's worth of membership just from this chair! The chair is programmed for a ten minute leg to shoulders cycle ... but Malin and I may have pressed Go more than once :P So if you are ever have a cool $10K (for a secondhand one :O!!!!) lying round I'm moving in! :)
The next morning Kim and I used this nifty machine ...
to make these delicious bad boys ...
Yum!
I then went for an explore by myself through Helsingborg.
This is the entrance to Kärnan (the keep). Each year when the students graudate (as Millie did this year) they walk down these steps with their caps and their photo placards and then congregate in the square below. You can't really tell from here but there are a lot of stairs (I walked up twice and felt like that was twice too many!)
In medieval times Kärnan was the central tower of a large defensive fortress called Helsingborg Castle. The 35m tower was built in the 1310s and was completed around 1320. It functioned as a watchtower and a defensive tower as well as a residence for the Danish king and his governor. Kärnan functioned mostly as a cannon turret during the 1660's war between Sweden and Denmark. It was allowed to decay after the battle of Helsingborg in 1710. Resoration was however carred out between 1893-1894, and the tower was given an appearance reminiscent of an engraving from the 1580s.
Note: I did not remember all of that - I took a photo of the information board outside and summarised the main points :)
This is the view from up at the keep. Hej Denmark!
I then had a lovely stroll through the park behind the tower, and visited the Medical History Museum. They were very surprised to hear that I was neither a doctor, nor a nurse, and not even a medical student!! - apparently they have very few visitors who are there "just to have a look see". But they were delighted that I had come, and gave me a personal after-hours tour!
It was a children's hospital; the matron lived onsite and had to be single and religious. A couple of the nurses had rooms upstairs and the doctor would come and make his rounds once a week or so. The museum has displays from the children's hospital, the hospital of the disabled, and the psychiatric hospital.
This is where patients were given hot baths - often they would be left in here for a whole day!! :S
I then wandered through the pedestrian centre just enjoying window shopping and admiring the buildings. After so much walking I decided it was ice-cream time!
It was HUGE! And it was so hot that most of it had melted by the time I had stepped out onto the street again. The lime sorbet was delicious (if a little noxious in colouring) but the raspberry/licorice flavoured icecream gamble didn't really pay off. It was interesting, but not something I would order again. It was Licorice Allsorts flavoured (which I don't like) rather than natural/herbal (which I love). But I was still very happy to sit and eat it in the sun :)
Then it was time to go home - to cut a long story short, the bike we had picked up from the mechanic earlier in the day had the seat set too high, so I had to walk it home. I then misinterpreted instructions and ended up walking 2kms in the wrong direction in the blazing heat. Cross, sweaty, tired and hungry I refused to admit defeat, seated myself under a tree in the shade and pulled out good old Tomtom Western Europe (thank you David!) With GPS instructions in place I arrived home just after six (and a good hour later than I had intended to) with tail between very sweaty legs.
The next day I went with Kim to work (the day camp) where we helped set up the BBQ (hot dogs and "saft" - cordial), supervised the kids as they did an obstacle course and sack race, and played volleyball. Three of the wee girls spoke English and I was so grateful for their company! :) The kids absolutely adored Kim (no surprises there!) and it was so cute to watch them all clamouring for her time and attention.
As we were preparing dinner Kim had found the tape with the recordings of the songs we sang at our Christmas production the year that they were with us in NZ (2001). Oh my goodness I nearly died from laughter! It was amazing how much came back after a decade ...
"Get in behind and sing the Kiwiana song!
We wear the silver fern on red and black
Sing our anthem to the Union Jack
Town and country proud to be
That little bit of Kiwi ingenuity!"
Or how about ...
"She'll be right! She'll be right! That's the story morning glory you can make it right! Have a go! You never know! What's the hurry? Say 'no worries!' you'll be home and hosed!"
I am very disappointed that a Google search for these songs reveals nothing - they are pure genius as I'm sure you can tell! :)
The next day Kim and I drove up to Halmstad, which is an hour north, and the city where Claes works, and where Kim is moving in the fall. We went for the Swedish National Swimming Champs as a lot of Kim's friends from her old club were competing.
Sarah Sjöström is a world record holder, and she's only 18. Intense!!
We had a delicious lunch as Spis&Deli (Stove & Deli), which is trying to make healthy, fresh and tasty fast food easily available. I think they're onto something. It was incredible. They make their own sourdough so I had a long roll with fresh mozarella, basil, tomato, salad greens and pesto. Yummy!!!
It wasn't just the swimming nationals that were in Halmstad; the whole week had been set aside for all the summer sports. For example, down at the river by the library we came across the CanoePolo Champs. I didn't even know CanoePolo existed. It looked like fun.
I don't know if you can see them to the left there ... I was more focused on taking a photo of Kim in her soon-to-be city :)
We had a quick look round the university too.
I think she'll fit right in :)
On Saturday Kim went back to Halmstad for the final day of the championships, while I took the opportunity to have a quiet one at home. Malin and I went to Zumba again in the morning, and then I came home and did a day's worth of blog updates! Elliot came home so that we could all go to their grandfather's 80th birthday celebration the next day, so that was great to see him again. He is a beanpole!!! I don't think of myself as a short person ... but even tippytoeing just didn't cut it! :) We spent the evening laughing at Steve Martin's ridiculous french accent in
There are some brilliant photos from the 80th birthday (Sunday) and 4th of July (Monday night - a nod to Kim's host family in Georgia) celebrations, so once I get my hands on those I will post them here.
Malin, Millie and I went and picked strawberries on Monday, and then we went to the pool. I was glad to see that after six months out of the water I could still manage 40 laps (1km) comfortably (well, I had a slight foot cramp problem, so perhaps comfortably is not the right word!)
Kim and I went to IKEA (:D) on Tuesday before she had to go to work.
I was very excited by the rocking reindeer ...
and the eye exam lamp.
I love IKEA. I love that it is a day's activity in itself. And that they cater for this by serving lunch. Mmmmm pasta! (No, I didn't get the meatballs, but I was tempted!)
I tried another Swedish chocolate for the first time.
I am a big fan. It is a hard salty toffee covered in chocolate. Delish!
Before I knew it it was my last day in Sweden! They sent me off in style- we had pancakes and fresh strawberries for breakfast, and then went to a 50's themed cafe for a final fika before my bus left at 1.30pm.
And now I am in Paris! And loving every minute of it. I am looking out the window and this is what I see. I know the weather isnt the best, but with this city on your doorstep, WHO CARES???
Update to come soon I promise!
Love to all
xxox
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