Truly Wandering

We folded our nice clean laundry, took long hot showers and filled up on breakfast to prepare for the day. It is a little unnerving to be the only English speaking people and to not understand anyone around us. Thank goodness we can chat with the sweet hotel clerk. Then outside, Bob met a couple traveling by motorcycle in the parking lot who spoke some English. He said that this had been the worst vacation they had ever had as there was snow in the mountains and they couldn't get through and it had been rainy and cold the whole trip. They chatted and laughed but, oh boy, now I'm nervous. What have we gotten ourselves into?! Today will be interesting.

Here is the typical Swedish breakfast buffet - sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, sweet pickles, herring, salami, sliced cheese, liver pate', brown bread, several jams, hard boiled eggs, and a variety of granola type cereals. Bob tries it all and complains when his stomach gurgles later. I have learned to get my coffee and make a sandwich of heavy whole grain bread with cheese and orange marmalade. It sticks with me and doesn't smell like old fish.

After we get on the road, our first stop was at an old church on a river outside of Sveg. It was open to tour with a little log cabin beside it. There was no one in attendance and we were free to explore on our own.

Inside the church was covered with breathtaking paintings.

  

Many of these churches have no heat or electricity. They just burned candles and the benches made you sit very straight. No sleeping here. I had fun clicking many pictures and said a prayer of thanks and for safe travels.

As we left, a couple about our age in a motor home stopped and started walking around the outside. I felt pretty sassy that I could point and say, "Opet," to let them know it was open and they could go in. However, glass (ice cream) is still my favorite word.

The sky cleared and everything looked shiny green from the rain. We are starting to see occasional lilac bushes up by some cabins along with all of the other pretty spring flowers. We drove through patches of thick woods. Some have white moss on the ground that makes me think of high country. We also passed fields that looked like someone had scattered huge rocks and boulders about with moss and scrub pine trying to grow. A glacier must have dumped its load here.

                          

We saw a sporting goods outlet with a café and restrooms so we pulled in. Looking through the bins, I spotted a Michigan State sweatshirt. It was an omen. I had to have it. How funny to buy an MSU sweatshirt, made in China, in Sweden.

We ate a Swedish energy bar with a latte' for lunch as we drove through beautifully wooded hills with moose crossing signs once more. We also saw snowmobile trail signs. We drove in and out of heavy rain and even some hail and then back into the sun.

As we passed around the town of Ostersund, our son, Brad called us on Viber. It was early morning there and he was the only one up. It was great to hear his voice and to catch up a little. Here we were driving through woods in Sweden and can talk to Brad like he is next door. Technology amazes me!

We stopped at an ICA Grocery Store for some snacks for the car. A huge young man helped us read the labels on the boxes of crackers so we would know what we were getting. The checkout girl was also so nice to us and switched into English with no problem. It seems to come very easily to the younger ones.

We went by some lakes and rivers and over several bridges.

 

It was beautiful country. 

We (or I) started to worry again about a place to stay for the night. My Trip Advisor App looked like there wasn't much of a choice. We stopped at a nice looking little hotel in a small town and it was closed. It was a Sunday night on a holiday weekend and as we were told, many things were closed. We pushed on with Bob saying, remember to keep the faith and we'll find the right place. In the next little town of Vilhelmina at 5:00, we stopped at another hotel that was closed. We had one more chance with the Lilla Hotel and sure enough, it was locked up. We started to leave and Bob noticed a phone but we couldn't read the sign. He picked it up and gave it a go. A very nice lady answered and said they did have a room and she'd be right down. She set us up with the perfect little, spotless room and then cooked us the best salmon dinner we had had (other than the smoked salmon with Tord).

 

We sat relaxing to American 80s music and just enjoyed. The hotel was so cute, filled with things to look at hanging everywhere. I could use that "quaint" word again.

We then took a much needed walk through town and along the river and enjoyed the quiet sounds of the water and woods .

Way in the distance we could see snow covered mountains. We're going there tomorrow.

Back at the hotel, I worked on the blog while Bob chatted with the hotel clerk and got some good advice for tomorrow's journey. I know she was a little nervous around us at first, but quickly became comfortable. It was a little weird feeling that we were the only ones in the hotel and we knew the workers went home for the night. There was a phone on the wall to reach them. Luckily, two more rooms filled up before we turned in. Jack Nicholson and the Shining was drifting through my mind.