I can’t believe how fast time flies! Gerald and I had an amazing time in Scandinavia. There was so much to see and so much to do. We would like to share a few observations with you. One of the craziest things that we experienced was the length of the day. The sun doesn’t set until 11 p.m. and even then it is not pitch black. The sun rises at 3 a.m. and it’s bright, just like midday here. Can you believe that?!?! Good thing our hotels had black out blinds or else we wouldn’t have been able to sleep. All the cities that we visited had amazing public transportation systems which made it very easy to get around and explore. Food from Scandinavia is awesome but when someone says its meat and potatoes, they really mean MEAT and POTATOES. I thought I knew what they meant but Scandinavia really means business on that. Have you ever had an authentic Swedish meatball? If not, that gives you the perfect excuse to travel to Sweden. 😉
One of the most memorable experiences that we had was in the small town of Visby. Visby is well-preserved medieval city surrounded by a stone wall. Within the city, there are a number of open-air cathedrals and churches built out of stone. They are open to the public to explore. We were able to climb up passage ways to the top. The passageways were dark and the steps were thin and there was rarely any light. What was unique about this experience was that there were no rules or regulations. Staff members weren’t even on hand. Rather, there was a small sign that said “Climbing these passageways is at your own risk.” How awesome, we had the freedom to explore! It was eye-opening to me and it was a little weird not having someone watch over me. I felt like a kid again! I noticed that throughout Scandinavia there was a freedom to explore. Here in the United States, the opportunity to explore freely isn’t as accessible because companies, locations, etc. have been sued by everyone and now they have to protect themselves instead of individuals taking responsibility for their actions. Here’s to the adventurous spirit in Scandinavia, summer day light and meat and potatoes!
