25-December, 2010
Arrived in southern Sweden to spend Christmas with my wife, Camilla’s family. Camilla was born and raised in southern Sweden. So, she visits about once a year. I especially enjoy tagging along at Christmastime; where the nostalgia of an old fashioned Christmas is very much alive.
Spent a snowy, picture perfect week visiting all of Camilla’s family. Our days were busy; literally going from house to house. The hospitality was warm. The food was as beautiful and tasty as any smorgasbord you could imagine.
Most snow I’ve ever seen there in my 20+ years of visiting; 8-10 inches! Began the Christmas celebration at 5am service in a 13th century church. Wasn’t sure how to get to the church until I looked out our window at 4am and saw that the townspeople had placed small gas lanterns every 10 feet on each side of the country road from the center of town (1/2 block from the farm house where we spent Christmas Eve) leading all the way up the hill to the church entrance. …like out of a movie.
After a day of rest on Christmas Day, I was off. Short walk at 9am from Camilla’s home to the train station for a 1-1/2 hour ride across the Øresund strait to Denmark’s Copenhagen airport. Hoping for a peaceful and quick plane ride to Krakow.