Wintery Paris

Ellen accompanied me on a business trip to Paris. It was blistery cold but we made it around in the streets and the metro. We had wonderful meals. Foie grass with blueberries may sound unusual but something of the most delicious I've ever tasted. I'm certain it won't be our last visit to this city.

Rita's cake

This just showed up in Picasa. It's the cake Rita made for her class' Halloween party. It was poisenous green and had red eyeballs all over. It was spooky!

Hippie dog

Rita and her new friend Elvira and a dog that doesn't quite know what face to put on.

Family shapshot

Christmas at my Mom's place. A fun evening with good food and fun games - and just a little Christmas weariness.

Christmas 5

Yes, I believe we have a picture of us dancing around the Christmas tree every year. But this picture is special. It's the first of all 5 of us on Kløvervej and it is way over due :-)

Christmas 4

Today we got the tree. And it was the right day. It snowed when we left home. Since our regular tree seller didn't have the most exciting trees last year we tried a new place. But it was wrong. No nice trees or as Axel said: What did I say, no need to change tradition! So we went to our regular and got the most beautiful tree.

Oh and the ground was wet and muddy not suitable for young men - or so they claimed :-)

Christmas 3

Rita was a beautiful Santa Lucia the other day.

Christmas 2

Homemade pate is gross in the making but delicious in the eating :-)

Getting ready for Christmas

A snow landscape with angels and pixies are on it's way.

Fun

Last day in Sweden for now.

Kullaberg

The rugged cliffs of the Kullaberg peninsula has claimed the lives of many a sailor. The landscape is so unlike the flat of Zealand. Every cliff and hill just calls out to be climped. We did and we managed. If was fun. It was strenous. It was so that Ellen completely forgot to warn us to be careful.

Vacation bakery

Sweden means turning down the speed dial several notches. And then we have plenty of time to bake or make a special meal.

Orcs, beware!

It's a stone sure tradition. We've hardly entered the forest I'm Sweden when we are attacked by orcs and have to defend ourselves against this terrible fiend with mortar pine cones and hochsitz.

Getting ready for the first frost

Last week we had 26 degrees. Tonight it might be frost. Rita and I figured we'd better bring in the pumpkins. Our first harvest at Kløvervej gave us 13 pumps. So we have plenty for carving and cooking. Can't wait.

Stargazing

Entering the trail of Giacobini-Zinner brings us 1000's of meteors. The best way to watch them is lying down. We did and saw tons of meteors. 

Skærgård

In Denmark it was the warmest October 1st ever. I don't know about Stockholm but the weather was fantastic when we sailed among the hundreds of small island in the skærgård. We got quite the tan. It was hard to get a decent picture of the small islands but this unusual crane turned out quite good, 

Vasa

I grew up with the tale of the warship that sank on it's maiden voyage in the 1680's. It was found some 330 years later and brought to land. It  is now placed in a marvelous museum in the Stockholm harbor. The ship is huge and very well preserved. 

Splurge

The rest of the delegation returned to Denmark at the end of the week and then Ellen came so we could share a couple of days in Stockholm. We started out with a fabulous meal at Lisa på Torget. The mouthwatering piles of seafood in the Saluhal had given us an appetite for shellfish. The lobster was a treat. There's a first for everything and this was great.

Den gyldene freden

It was rumored the Academy had dinner at Den Dyldene Freden, the evening we dined there. Perhaps they did and if they didn't it was a fascinating place anyway. The restaurant was in three level. We ate in the lowest cellar behind a pair of huge hand carved doors.

Changing the guard

Time between meetings offered a real tourist moment. You know you are in Sweden when the Royal Guard play Abba.

Gamla stan

The old centre of Stockholm is spectacular: Narrow streets, small shops with handicrafts, galleries and small cafes. Saco the Swedish confederation of professions is situated in the outskirts in a wonderful house build up of beautifully carved sandstone.

Östermalm saluhall

Next stop Stockholm. After the days meetings I took a turn in the neighborhood. There is a peculiar dominance of dry cleaners and manicure stores in the area. And then the town market with an abundance of meat, cheese, vegetables and fish. If it wasn't for the suitcase I could be tempted to go on a shopping spree.

The end

And with a final view of the inland ice the time has come to bid adieu to Greenland. Today's flight has been another fantastic demonstration of nature's beauty. Blue sky, high sun and a perfect view of the many many glaciers which run their way inland to the fjords. Some snake their way until they reach water others seem to tumble over the cliffs like lemmings. It has been a great trip. Succesful workwise and the experience just perfect.