Earth Day Nature Walk

We celebrated Earth Day enjoying the ridiculously gorgeous local scenery. Across a small bridge from our house lies the island of Saltö. It took me over a month here to learn that the letter ö in Swedish means island, even when it's added to the end of the word. Given that I drive over two of these daily (Daftö and Öddö), live on a third (Tjärnö), and regularly walk to a fourth, I wish I'd understood this sooner! Saltö means "salt island", and that's where we explored a bit yesterday.

Sunny, but still cold enough for hats and jackets.

Chelsea: Not bothered by slippery rocks.

Savannah likes to get off the beaten path.

I think this is what Jeremy means when he says "rocky intertidal".

Skipping stones.

The beach is covered in shells.

We didn't see anyone else.

Island life, Sweden style.

The forest comes right up to the beach.

Pinecone, paper-thin.

Tiny buds poking out between the rocks.

Girls scheming to have a picnic on that tiny island in the background.

Our fearless leader for this adventure. She's a noticer.

I was sad to miss the March for Science, but thankful to be in such a beautiful place, especially on Earth Day.

Easter in Sweden

Easter is kind of a big deal here, and it lasts over a week. The week before Easter, schools take spring break. Easter Witches fly on Thursday, Good Friday is a "red day" (national holiday), family celebrations take place on Saturday (Påskafton or "Easter Eve"), then there's Easter Sunday, and another red day for Easter Monday. Here are the top 5 highlights of our Easter week in Sweden.

1. The Easter Bush

One required Easter decoration here is what we have dubbed "the Easter bush." You get a bunch of twigs (which must be birch, according to my Swedish source, and must be gathered from nature, not purchased), stick them in a pot, and decorate them with feathers. I decided that my Easter bush would be a super-Swedish minimalist version, with all white feathers (the feathers must be purchased, NOT gathered). Very stylish, right? No. All wrong. My Swedish friend informed me that the Easter bush requires a riot of multi-colored feathers.

Our colorful Easter bush.

We had no idea how to attach the feathers, so we used the very traditional method (<-- sarcasm) of Scotch taping them to the branches. Also, our branches are definitely not birch, as I still don't know what birch branches look like. I just told the children to go out and get some, and I picked the ones I liked best.

2. The Norwegian Invasion

Since we live so close to Norway, and our little town is a seaside getaway for the Norwegians, this holiday week has meant a massive invasion of Norwegians. They've filled up all the local camping spots, seemingly overnight. The harbor went from empty to teeming with boats. The summer homes went from vacant to full of owners and guests.

This lot was just grass last week. Now its all Norwegians in RVs.

Lots more boats in the harbor, despite the grey weather.

In Norway, "Maundy Thursday" is a red day, so all of the state-owned liquor stores are closed. This means the nearest place to buy alcohol for many Norwegians is our little village of Strömstad. Over the years, this pilgrimage became such a tradition that it turned into a rowdy, drunken, parade through town. Norwegian partiers drive classic American cars, blast music, and cause chaos throughout the day. The local police bring in reinforcements and hire locals to help direct traffic and keep the peace. Eventually, Strömstad closed its liquor store (it's now the only one closed in Sweden on this day), but the tradition had been established.


3. Easter Witches

This tradition is so adorable I can barely believe it is real. On the Thursday before Easter (or Saturday in our case, there's some debate and regional variation), children dress up as witches and go door-to-door for candy. Now, when I think of a witch, I think of an American Halloween witch: black outfit, pointy hat, maybe a wart on her nose. The Swedish Easter witches look to me like a cross between Pippi Longstocking and a colorful Gypsy. She's like a Strega Nona style witch.

Vital elements include rosy cheeks, freckles, and head scarf. Perhaps an apron. Luckily, we had a neighbor who also wanted to participate in this tradition (not all kids do it), and our girls were able to go with her. She acted as Swedish translator and neighborhood navigator.

Cutest, happiest, friendliest witches ever.

We had been told that the Easter Witches get candy in exchange for a drawing or a song. Being somewhat lazy, my children decided they would learn a song. When we asked a local which song to learn, they recommended this gem:

"Gullefjun" is mightily adorable but proved too difficult for my kids to learn, so they elected for drawings instead.

Easter drawings to exchange for candy!

Armed with drawings and adorableness, they knocked on doors, greeted people with "Glad Påsk!", and received a bunch of candy (and at least one pastry!) in return.

4. Giant Eggs

As far as we can tell, there's no tradition of hiding a million tiny eggs stuffed with candy for the children to find. The Swedish people are far too clever for all of that. Instead, they put a boatload of candy in one giant egg and hide that. Genius, right?  You can buy various sizes of eggs, pre-filled or empty, and just hide that sucker someplace where the children will search for a while. We are extra lazy, so we hid them in plain sight.

Pringles, giant egg, and giant lolly-filled lolly.

Bounty inside the giant egg!

5. Traditional Food and Drink

We learned that a dish called Janssons frestelse (Jansson's temptation) is traditional in Sweden for Easter. The dish involves layering sliced potatoes and onions with small fish, covering it all with cream and baking it. No one in our house was excited about the fish, so we replaced it with cheese. The Swedes love cheese, so it seemed an appropriate substitute. We also heard that eggs served in various ways are part of the tradition. There's also a special Easter drink called Påskmust which is only around at Christmas and Easter. We tried that, too.

Janssons frestelse(ish) and quiche.

Everybody loves Påskmust! 

We've got one more day to go: Easter Monday. If there are any more traditions left to celebrate tomorrow, we don't know about them. Yet.

Nordens Ark

Over the weekend, we were invited to visit Nordens Ark. Located about an hour away from Tjärnö, Nordens Ark translates roughly to "Nordic Ark" and it is a nonprofit zoo that exhibits both exotic and native Swedish animals.

It's very similar to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, in that it has a focus on conservation and tries to create exhibits that offer animals large, natural living spaces. It had a very different overall feel from the zoos in San Diego, though. As we walked through Nordens Ark, it felt like we were simply walking through a forest and there just happened to be animal enclosures around.

We forgot to tell Jeremy it was Puffer Jacket Day.

Often the path was a simple trail or paved pathway, sometimes it was a wooden walkway or bridge. All of the paths, enclosures, and structures blended in with the natural environment. Even the small buildings where we bought hot dogs and burgers for lunch were built of wood.

There were play areas throughout the park.

At the San Diego Zoo, there would be kiosks and gift shops throughout the park. We saw none of this. In San Diego, the Zoo is colorful and busy with signs and structures. Nordens Ark was simple and plain in comparison, and it felt like a relief. Just thinking about the San Diego Zoo makes me exhausted. Although Nordens Ark was large, it felt serene.

A friendly deer.

We started with the more exotic animals. Red pandas sat curled up high in the trees of their exhibit. It looked as though they could have climbed right out. The big cats were impressive: several varieties of leopards and large tigers.

That little speck way up in the tree is a red panda. Promise.

Toward the end, we visited the farm animals: horses, sheep, goats. This section also had a small play area, which included something labelled höhoppning, which I did not immediately understand, until Savannah yelled, "Mommy! You can jump into hay in here!" And yes, there was a kid-sized barn where you climb up to the top floor and jump down into a pile of hay. Probably the highlight of the trip.

Höhoppning in action!

Feeding the pony some grass. 

Spring time means baby animals!

Perhaps not surprisingly, the girls want to go back to Nordens Ark to spend more time in the farm animals area. Now that I'm looking at all of the animals on their website that we somehow missed, I also hope we get the chance to visit again.

Three Days in Gothenburg

Day 1

Start your visit just outside the city in the town of Kungälv. While your partner shops for a used car, enjoy lunch at the local Pizza and Kebab restaurant, where you'll get to practice your sign language and remedial Swedish, because the owners speak no English!

Be sure to sit next to a long table of high school boys, who will delight you with a rousing version of "Ja må hon leva!"aka the Swedish birthday song. If you're brave enough to speak to them, they will explain to you (in polite and flawless English) that yes, it is a school day today, and no, they did not like what the cafeteria was serving for lunch.

Next, drive to an industrial area of town so your partner can look at another used car. Drink lots of very strong coffee at a cafeteria frequented primarily by workers at the nearby paint factory. Since there is no wifi, be sure to bring your colored pencils and coloring books to entertain yourself and remain calm until your partner is finished.

For your next stop, drive just south of the city to the nearby town of Mölndal. While your partner attempts to look at a third used car, amuse yourself in a local planned community. Notice the similar style and color scheme of the houses, and take your children to play at the small playground.

For accommodations, try the Gothenburg City Hotel, which may or may not be a hostel! You'll enjoy the tiniest hotel room possible, private bathroom, a stylish and kid-friendly lounge (which you can use as your living space, since your room doesn't have any), and a delicious breakfast buffet. Bring your own hand soap, or be prepared to use the complimentary shower gel for all of your washing needs.

Panoramic shot of tiny hotel room.

Stylish lounge. Exactly one of the books is in English.

Step outside the hotel and spend the afternoon poking into the many shops in the city center. Along the small winding streets, you'll find dozens of boutiques and cafes. Stop in at Jerkstrands Konditori Saluhallen to ogle the assorted cakes and pastries and treat your children to a glass of warm choklad.

Putting the "goth" in Gothenburg.

Look around! You're in Europe, children!

Continue your stroll and stop into the Domkrykan Göteborg. Completed in 1815, the current building is the third cathedral built on this spot, as the previous two both burned down. The original cathedral dates back to 1633, and a small church stood on the same site for at least a decade before that.

Sea-life themed statue, just outside the Dome Church.

Try dinner at El Toro Bravo for a feast of Spanish tapas. End your night by signing into Netflix on the flatscreen TV in your tiny hotel room. If you're feeling adventurous, try a dancehall-style dance class at Twisted Feet Dance Academy or check out the local hip hop dance scene at Lou Lou. Or both.

Day 2

If you have young children in your party and it's too cold to spend the day outdoors, check out the Universeum. Start your visit to this seven-story science museum by taking the glass funicular up to the top level, where you'll find aquatic exhibits featuring local fish and wildlife.

I found the Sign of the Beaver!

Continue down the the next level, the aquarium, where you can gaze at a wall-sized kelp forest exhibit, walk through a glass tunnel with sharks swimming overhead, and try to refrain from petting the tank full of stingrays.

Next, get blasted by the tropical heat of the rainforest level. If you're lucky, the sloths on exhibit will be active. (Tip: You are not very likely to be lucky.)

Left: Sloth photo. Middle: Sloth fan. Right: Sloth sleeping.

The kids in your group will especially enjoy the interactive exhibits on space (try out a space toilet! or space bed!) and health (how long can you hang? how high can you jump?). They'll also love spending some time in the museum's creative space, which boasts an area of giant foam blocks for building.

Trying to beat her personal best.

Weather permitting, the kids will also enjoy the outdoor space, which includes a play area and giant dinosaur.

Spend your remaining time and energy this afternoon cruising around the city center. If a sudden storm erupts, duck into Nordstan Shopping Center for an afternoon fika and a visit to the most stylish furniture shop on earth.

For dinner, you might try a local Japanese restaurant, but be sure to carry enough cash to cover the cost of the meal, in the event that your credit card is mysteriously declined.

End your day with candy bars purchased with your miraculously functional credit card in the hotel lobby. If you can sneak away after the children are in bed, you might take in a concert by legendary rapper KRS-One.

Day 3

On your last day in town, visit the beautiful Slottskogen, a massive city park which used to be a forest belonging to the local fortress. You won't have time to take in all it has to offer today, so let the children lead the way to the enormous play area.

Hedge maze!

Playing Jonah.

While there, enjoy some people watching. Among the visitors to the park you'll notice many groups of schoolchildren on field trips (the preschoolers recognizable not only by their size but by their matching neon safety vests). You may see women engaged in a boot-camp style exercise class, a lone man attracting attention with his Tai Chi routine, and more stay-at-home dads with infants than you can imagine!

Sisters.

Balance Fail.

For lunch, stop at Egg and Milk for a Swedish take on a classic 1950s American diner. The seating, the fluffy pancakes, and the 50s music won't disappoint. You may be surprised to find that instead of maple syrup, you are offered Hershey's syrup to pour on your flapjacks! You've never tasted anything as American as caramel syrup on chocolate chip pancakes.

As you drive out of the city, start dreaming about your next visit to Sweden's second-largest city, Gothenburg!

Bohusläns Museum and the Effects of Testosterone

Arguments in favor of visiting the Buhusläns Museum today:

1. It is Monday.
2. It is a cold, grey, foggy day.
3. We have a rental car.
4. We've seen everything in Strömstad twice. At least.
5. Jeremy is working.
6. The girls finished their daily school work.
7. It is free.
8. It has a kids' play area.
9. It has a cafe.
10. We all want to go.

Arguments against?

1. I have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad sense of direction and no navigation.

We went anyway. Getting there was only slightly disastrous.

I made it off the island, over the scary bridges, and onto the E6 easily enough. (On the E6, I get to choose between north toward Oslo or south toward Göteborg. I still think it's cool.)

The directions that I carefully wrote down at home before we left did not match reality enough for me to follow them. "Take exit 96" they said, but I had to choose between exit 96.2 and 96.1, which I'm sure are actually radio stations, and not freeway exits.

I chose neither, betting that the next exit would be 96. I chose poorly and ended up driving for miles and crossing a giant bridge. Then turning around and crossing it again.

I finally got back onto somewhere resembling my original directions. Then came all the roundabouts. Just so, so many roundabouts. Usually labelled, but sometimes not. And when you don't know quite where you're going or what you're doing and the roundabout is not labelled you end up in a gas station parking lot crying.

*sigh*

By a minor miracle, we eventually found the museum. The supposedly "hour-long" drive had taken almost twice that long. Thank goodness the girls had brought their iPads, because it's the only reason we didn't end up at IKEA (which was right off the freeway and so very tempting!).

It is a lovely little museum.

Random stylish seating area.

We started in an temporary exhibit of an modern artist, which had a kid-friendly playroom.

I liked this one.

Dress up clothes included snail shells.

After that, we found a steamboat-themed play area which the girls adored. I spent my time attempting to teach myself Swedish by translating the signs on the wall, then google translating them to check myself. Entertaining AND educational.

Steamboat Uddevalla!

We did the quickest tour of the upstairs galleries imaginable. As with most places I go with my kids, I have a strong desire to go back and spend much more time there without them, so I can take my time and look at every. little. thing.

I found the exhibit design as interesting as the exhibits.

Just one of the unusual and pretty exhibits.

Backstory: I used to work as a photographer at the National Zoo, in Washington DC. The head photographer and I were part of the Exhibit Design department, since the photos were often used on signage in the exhibits. While I was there, several of the exhibits were overhauled completely and one was created from scratch. Since then, I've been more interested in exhibit design.

~

On the drive home, I listened to a podcast from This American Life (episode 220, "Testosterone", if you're interested).

One quote about the effects of testosterone stood out to me. It's from James Dabbs, author of a book on testosterone:

"The most simple thing, I would say, is it leads to a certain boldness and fearlessness and confidence in a person's behavior..."

It felt like a spotlight on the differences between Jeremy's experience of being here in Sweden and mine. He seems to be fearless. He randomly drove to Norway the other night, because he felt like getting some candy that he likes.

He didn't look at directions in advance. He didn't have internet access, so if he got lost, he'd just have to figure it out or (heaven forfend!) ask for directions. He just did it.

The difference between that and how I operate is like night and day. There is nothing bold or fearless or confident in my outings. I'm terrified just backing out of our driveway in a rental car. I panic driving over the scary bridges. I'm sure that I'm about to have a head-on collision every time a car comes from the opposite direction.

Jeremy does seem bold, fearless, and confident. I feel scared, uncertain, and hesitant.

I do want to go back to that museum, but I may have to enlist Jeremy to drive me. I have no confidence that I can find it again or survive another attempt.