Well, we completed our loop through Europe, all 6,000+ Kilometers or approximately 3728 miles. Returning to familiar and comfortable Malmo, Sweden. When the city was founded in 1275 by Denmark its original name was Malmhaug, meaning “Gravel pile”. Makes it sound so romantic but now it is nicknamed “the city of parks”.  This conclusion was bittersweet, marking the end of our throw caution to the wind, footloose and fancy free part of our travels even so, the timing was perfect. Our return marked a not quite end to the European portion of our travels as we are staying for several weeks but the comfort of kicking back, chilling out, and not lugging our luggage every few days. Why yes Americans, other countries hotels do not all have elevators nor do they have central air. For that matter not all apartments have central air either.

Our Loop

0 KM when we started

We returned to Malmo just in time for a cool Swedish late summer but what we received something that no one anticipated.  A Swedish heat wave caused even the Swedish weather agency SMHI to issue its first ever warning for high temperatures with the many areas set to bask in plus 30C (86F) heat. Mild by US and even NJ standards but the facilities are not prepared. There are no shopping malls blasting AC to escape to because it is usually unnecessary (and a waste of resources) and people do not have ceiling fans and, for that matter, stores do not sell stand alone fans or “flickers” as they call them. Those that did sold out of them pronto. Once we succumbed to that hoax of the daily predictions of promised 74 degree weather were not righting themselves our hunt for a fan only produced a small 12 inch box one that also converts to a heater for winter. Open the window you say? Well the apartment is not quite equipped with large freed windows to open, also we are on a small city street that does not get a cross wind,. I am not spoiled growing up with no air in a row home but here the sun sets at 9ish and rises at 5ish how can we trick ourselves and more importantly a 3, turning 4 on August 6^th girl to stay sleeping? Global warming has foiled us again first the south of France scorcher and now this. I digress… we survived.

Wading pool cool down

Beach Fun

Bike Riding

A HUGE highlight, one that Ilaria has been anticipating since our departure from Sweden, was an opportunity to make Swedish Prinsesstårta, in English – Princess cake, a traditional Swedish cake that is sponge cake with a thin layer of jelly, lots of fresh whipped cream, and covered with a layer of marzipan.  Traditionally it is green and technically it is called Operatårta (Opera Cake) for pink marzipan.  We had the honor of accompanying Andreas, a baker and student of Kali and his daughter Elin to their family’s bakery to prepare a cake from scratch.  It was a great time with Ilaria jumping up and down most of the time out of pure excitement.

Our days here in Sweden this go about have been filled with yet more park time, a canal boat ride, and lots of biking with our rented bikes. The upside to the weather was that we only had very little rain so lots of outdoors and sunshine!   Taking advantage we had an excursion with Farbror Dan to Ystad.  A town steeped in history and medieval building and a beautiful beach but our main intent was to visit Ales Stenar.  Ale’s Stones, in english, is a megalithic monument in an oval outline of a ship 67 meters long and formed by 59 large boulders and carbon dated back to around 600AD.  It is referred to as the Swedish Stone Hedge.

llaria’s 4th birthday was August 6th.  The weekend previous we had a lovely Swedish gathering in the park to celebrate.  Our Swedish friends old and new gathered to toast and give her well wished and very thoughtful and lovely gifts.  We were blessed to have them with us for a celebration!  After hors d’oeuvre and drinks Ilaria sliced her fantastic birthday Princess Cake prepared by the baker Andreas.

On the day of her birthday, August 6th, our little family journeyed to Copenhagen to Tivoli Gardens, the very famous and special amusement park.  It opened on August 15,1843 making it the second oldest amusement park in the world!  The park is a beautiful place because it is not just rides but also gardens and fountains.  We enjoyed our time and special memories of the day.  All of her days she spends singing and dancing through life (both literally and figuratively) and has been such a joy.  In the days leading up to the culmination of the European leg of our travels we have not taken for granted ALL of the special times we have spent together and all of the laughter and happiness.  We chose this time in her life and our lives to make this journey and the memories we have are unimaginable.