Sweden

After +-3 hours on the bus June 4th we stopped for lunch in Söderköping on the Göta Canal. We enjoyed a buffet where the locals supposedly eat, and then had a couple scoops of ice cream at the "Glassbar".

Another 3 hours on the bus got us to Kalmar. We checked in to the hotel and did a short orientation walk to see the town. There was a tower that looked like it was part of the city wall, but it was built in 1900 “to improve the city’s capacity for firefighting”. In the 1980s it was rebuilt and turned into eleven apartments. For some fun along the way we took photos of a Ben & Jerry’s and a Texas-themed restaurant.

June 5th started with a tour of the Kalmar Castle. Highlights of the castle included the Checkered Hall with incredibly detailed inlaid wall panels made of 17 different types of wood, a dining room with the table set for an Easter fest, and the King’s Chamber with hunting scenes and elaborate inlaid panels. It also had a gorgeously carved and gilded ceiling, which is actually suspended from the real ceiling by chains.

After a short break for wandering around we were back on the bus and off to Copenhagen, with a stop on the way for a picnic lunch. We returned to Sweden a few days later as we passed through Varberg on our way to Norway.