After spending time with our household in England, the boys headed again to Brooklyn to see their dad, and Freddie and I stayed to go to mates in Scandinavia. What a magical place! Listed below are a couple of photographs, in the event you’d prefer to see…
Proper earlier than leaving London for Stockholm
Our first cease was Stockholm. Have you ever ever been to Sweden? (Or are you fortunate sufficient to stay there?) I’d by no means visited, and rattling was it beautiful. Once I suppose again on the week, my thoughts fills with photos of glowing water and inexperienced grass and blue skies.
My buddy Jen, who lives there, extremely really useful the resort Ett Hem. It was undoubtedly a splurge, however since we’d stayed with household for many of our journey, we determined to go for it.
The resort desires visitors to really feel like they’re staying with household mates — and we actually did. Each nook provided a comfortable nook for studying books or enjoying video games, they usually had honesty bars arrange across the resort so you could possibly pour your self a glass of wine. In addition they had an open kitchen the place you could possibly assist your self anytime to afternoon cake.
The breakfast, which was included with the keep, was extraordinary. Our first morning, we sat by a giant bookcase, and the plates simply saved coming — farm recent scrambled eggs, sliced cheese and ham, lettuce and tomatoes with flaky sea salt, and bread rolls with butter. This isn’t sponsored — it was simply an unimaginable place!
After breakfast, we biked to the ABBA Museum (huge fan) and the Vasa Museum, which incorporates a large warship that sunk…20 minutes after setting sail. An actual instance of hubris, gahh. Additionally, whereas biking round city, I used to be struck by how carefully folks adopted the principles. In New York, the place I’ve ridden bikes for 25 years, it all the time seems like a little bit of a free-for-all the place you could possibly tumble off at any time — automobile doorways open unexpectedly, pedestrians stroll in bike lanes, supply vans block pathways. I’m used to it, however in Stockholm, the system simply ran…in line with plan.
Our second day, we took a ferry into the archipelago, a shocking group of 30,000 islands within the Baltic Sea. Public transportation can get noisy, however folks had been surprisingly quiet on the ferry — and I considered lagom, an idea in Swedish tradition the place folks stay along with moderation, equity, and easy satisfaction. Apparently, the Swedish proverb “Lagom är bäst” means “the correct quantity is greatest.”
Facet word: I beloved these women’ braids!
We then met up with my buddy Jen, her husband Nik, and their twin boys. She’s American, he’s Swedish, they usually moved to Stockholm a couple of years in the past. We went to a basic restaurant referred to as Pelikan for meatballs, potatoes, and lingonberries and performed a rip-roaring recreation of Ono 99. (The opposite restaurant we beloved throughout our keep was Bar Nîmes.)
Subsequent, we headed south to Copenhagen, Denmark, which is a five-hour prepare journey.
The design of the whole lot, even the bike racks and airport carts, was stunning.
Everybody we met suggested us to get pastries — particularly cardamom buns — so we went to Juno. One other day, we had scrumptious folded eggs at Studio x Kitchen.
We additionally biked to La Banchina, an all-day café, the place it’s also possible to swim within the harbor.
We then headed to our mates Maz and Lee’s home, the place they stay with their two boys. She’s Danish, he’s American, they usually’re splitting their time between Copenhagen and Queens.
Whereas snacking on apple cake and low, their older son instructed us about college in Denmark. “We be taught math and science, after all,” he stated, “However we additionally be taught life expertise. We went mountain biking this week, and we’re studying to stitch by hand and with a machine.” And the good half? Academics not too long ago requested the scholars to come back into college sporting long-sleeved shirts and pants over swimsuits. “We realized the best way to fall into water and take off our garments effectively,” he stated. “As a result of in the event you unexpectedly find yourself in water, you’re often absolutely dressed.”
Their youthful son picked extra apples.
Our ultimate day, we walked round city and peeked into little outlets…
…and noticed a pacifier tree, the place toddlers hold up their pacifiers once they’re all accomplished.
That night, we had dinner with my buddy Miriam. The boys and I visited her household a couple of years in the past, they usually now stay in a unique home with a wild backyard. “We thought-about placing up an indication saying it was on function, so our neighbors wouldn’t fear,” she laughed.
Miriam and her husband Monty now have 4 children, and we performed within the backyard earlier than dinner.
She made a scrumptious meal, together with smashed beef with cucumber yogurt.
And apparently Freddie juggles, haha.
Have you ever ever been to Copenhagen, Stockholm, or anyplace in Scandinavia? I’d love to listen to any extra insights or anecdotes. I fell so exhausting for each cities and am nonetheless pinching myself for the time we spent there. Thanks a lot for studying. xoxo
P.S. The weirdest greatest a part of journeys, and 4 issues I all the time pack for a visit.
