Visingso

My forehead and cheeks are rosy red from much time in the sun today. We went to a little touristy town, Grenna, Swedish tourists that is, and then to the island, Visingso. These are rural places near Jonkoping. The map below may show an island on the lake by Jonkoping, if not you'll just have to take my word for it that there is an island in that big lake. We got bicycles and rode around the island visiting elder care homes and ruined castles. At one point the group split up and me and our teacher tried to catch up with some of the others headed to a ruin on the far side of the island. They had gone the wrong direction though and we kept wondering if we were going the correct way. Meanwhile we passed quaint little houses—everyone here has a brightly colored house with white (sometimes black) trimming—and pretty cows and sheep with the water twinkling just beyond the fields. I felt like I was in that Roman Polanski movie, Knife in the Water. 

So we ended up at our castle ruins and realized that we had very little time to get back to the meeting spot for dinner. Well, SJ exercises a lot, and I do not. She was riding that bicycle back so fast, and slightly uphill. I tried so hard to keep pace, but my poor thighs were burning and screaming at me. When we finally parked the bikes my limbs were jello and tears and snot was all over my face from the exertion. Not a pretty picture, I know. Hopefully some time in the sauna will cure my aching muscles. Have I mentioned that I love the sauna?

For dinner (late lunch) we ate a little restaurant on the island and had wonderful food. Besides a basic salad, we had a salmon casserole. In the middle was luscious salmon in a tasty sauce, and for the crust was baked mashed potatoes. I could not believe how good it was. It helped that there was chocolate cake for dessert, and that the whole meal was free.

Oh, I also keep wanting to say that dads here push the strollers. Not just when the family is out, but there are so many men walking around with baby carriages without their wives or partners. It is important to say partners because marriage is not so compulsory here in Sweden. Apparently it is a bit of a fad for young people to get legally married, but usual after a child or two. Many older people, however, are not married though in long-term relationships.

...tomorrow is our last day of classes. Strange that it is ending so soon. On the one hand, I feel as though I've been away from home for so long. On the other, it seems like we just began. But I will be very happy to get back home. I think of all my family and friends and want to see you all. WV folk, I am thinking that I will visit for father's day, just so you know.

I fly back Tuesday morning, but will probably post once more before then. We go back to Stockholm on Friday morning.