Jet lag in the rear mirror for the most part, Andrew and I used the day before Ruthie and friends arrive to do some very chill exploring. With the days so long we don’t have to rush to grab the daylight – we left the house around 9am and didn’t return until nearly 8pm…still light! Locals recommended exploring two of the older towns in Sweden – Uppsala and Sigtuna – one a college town, the other with a history that dates back to the 900 AD range. Both within an hour drive of Taby/Stockholm.
Uppsala is the home of one of the best known Swedish universities, with a clear specialization in the natural sciences. With school out of session for the summer the campus was very subdued – it wasn’t until mid-afternoon that locals and tourists emerged to fill many of the town’s cafes and bus tour tour groups filed into the centuries-old cathedral that is a centerpiece of the town along with a castle that sits atop a hill in the middle of everything. There is a lovely river that runs right through everything and bike trails zig-zagging the campus and surroundings.
We visited the university’s museum that focuses on Sweden’s role in scientific research and tools development, early medical illustration and practice, and some local archaeological digs. The highlight for us was a preservation of an early dissection theater… a wooden table in the center for the “specimen” (usually human), with a very steep set of observation rows surrounding it. It wasn’t hard to imagine the eager eyes of med students peering down at the early views of humble innards!
We had a lovely lunch at a restaurant recommended by the parents of our hosts, Hans and Pia, called Hamberg’s Fisk, which specializes in – you guessed it – fish. I had a terrific bouillabaisse (fish stew) and Andrew had gravlax (cured salmon) – both delicious. Swedes definitely love fish and know how to do it right.
We wandered through the botanical gardens set smack in the middle of the university campus , and on our way through ran into the most darling set of Shelty triplet pups – their owner was kind to let us take photos of them and do a ridiculous amount of doting on the cuties.
Our next stop was the small and very historic town of Sigtuna. It’s known for housing the stone ruins of St. Olaf’s, St. Lawrence’s and St. Peter’s medieval churches. St. Mary’s Church that was built by Dominican friars, still stands in the center. Stora Gatan, said to be Sweden’s oldest main street, dates back to the time of 10th-century King Erik the Victorious. Today it’s lined with touristy shops and restaurants in traditional wooden houses. These shops and pubs are so small that you have to stoop to get in if you are one of today’s tall folks. We walked a lovely path through town then all along a boat marina and adjacent waterfront…it seems this relatively quiet town has now become much of a retirement community, housing for airline personnel because of proximity to the airport, and a retreat for weekending locals.
All in all, this was a very relaxing day for wandering and exploring. We anticipate that tomorrow when Ruthie and her friends arrive that the exploration will continue in earnest and we are looking forward to their company!
Esther
Living La Vida Loca 