Thanksgiving

We've never hosted thanksgiving before and we've never (until this year) done anything on the yankee thanksgiving. We had a few friends around who were unable to make it home for the holidays so we decided to host what we called "the orphans thanksgiving." It was a great night.

A Birthday surprise getaway

I love surprises and every year I hope for something surprising to happen perhaps around my birthday and this is the first time ever anyone has managed to do this. There is a downside to a surprise. You can end up sabotaging people's best intentions with say going out the night before a romantic getaway with a best girlfriend and drinking your weight in German beer. Nancy and I stumbled home from the pub after accomplishing an impressive number of pint glass bicep curls. I woke in the morning feeling like I'd eaten a whole cactus. Joel on the other hand was urging me to pack my bags quickly and get into the car. GET INTO A MOVING VEHICLE? Are you crazy? His look was desperate so I gathered my strength and my blanket and complied. Of course we were pulled over not long after on the side of the 101. Sorry honey, I really do love surprises.

So our drive ended up in Monteray at the aquarium. I had a feeling there was a little more to this surprise since Joel kept scanning the lobby. Sure enough our friends Ben and Jess emerged from the throngs. They'd driven all the way up from LA that morning to meet us. Thank goodness I'd only made Joel pull over once! Apparently we were a little late. Needless to say it was a great day, one that got better as the nausea wore off.

We went out to a fantastic restaurant, drank champagne (cures anything) and played board games all evening long at our B&B. The following day we walked along the water on a beautiful chilly clear day. What a fantastic surprise Joel!

Gothenburg

 

 

We spent 24 hours in Gothenburg. This is a neat city though a little grey and windy this time of year. We checked out some indoor markets and the art museum and enjoyed and visit with friends. 

Stockholm

 

We spent yesterday in Stockholm - a two hour drive North from Linkoping. In search of a good place to leave the car for the day we found the Nordic Museum and the Vasa Museum. We spent the rest of the afternoon absorbed in the fantastic shipwreak inside the Vasa Museum. It was a nice warm day outside but the dark hall filled with the boat and remnants of the cargo was much more alluring.

After the museum we walked around the old city where we found the Stampen bar which is the famous "Pawn Shop" where the Jazz albums by that name were recorded. Joel had a audiophile moment as we set on greasy bar stools under the canopy of old instruments and curios hanging above our heads and listened to a set of live jazz.

Images of Linköping

Linköping, Sweden, a set on Flickr.

Linköping Sweden

I took Joel on his first Ryanair flight ever today: Stansted to Skavsta. We left Oxford at 6:30am and got into the terminal here at 3:30 (4:30 local time) so it was a long one with lots of pretzel yoga moves to take naps. Johan picked us up at the terminal in our rental car and we're now about to have a salmon dinner and go for a stroll around the neighbourhood.
The countryside reminds me a little of Ontario farm land except for all the cool red houses

Oxford

We are just nearing the end of a three day stint in Oxford visiting our friends here. We've enjoyed the architecture and history surrounding us everywhere. I had a tour of the Bodleian Library in the University which included the examination room in the Divinity school (built in 1427-88) and part of the research library (1602) that houses the oldest books and manuscripts in England.

Tomorrow we leave for Sweden!

Images from Oxford

Oxford, UK, a set on Flickr.