Ballet at Stockholm's Royal Opera House

On Saturday evening a friend and I got to experience the sheer joy and wonder of a child going to a ballet for the first time, and in a magnificent building too.

She walked into the entrance of Stockholm's Opera House and said "it's so beautiful!". We sat on a seat waiting for our friend and studied the details in the ceilings, she was fascinated.

Our friend arrived and we took her up to look at the costumes, she was enchanted.

She then bounced into the Gold Room, captivated by its beauty.

The ballet itself, Coppelia, delighted her. And us.

And she was thrilled to see the photo and the write up in the paper the next day, and know that the prima ballerina was none other than fellow-Melbournian Nicole Rhodes.

All in all it was a wonderful way to spoil a little girl, and for us to indulge in living life through a child.

If you are at all tempted, tickets are available from 160 sek, half price for children and youth (up to 26!!). It is a long way between the seats and the stage but can make for a cheap, magical outing.

And intermission in the cafe adds to the excitement and the luxury.

Thank you my dear friend, for a wonderful evening.
From both of us.
xxx

Summer in Sweden

If I had a dollar for every time a Swede said that Sweden is beautiful in the summer I would be a rich woman. But it is true enough, it is a fantastic place to be on a summer's day.

We got an SMS at about 9.45 this morning - meet us at the beach - so we jumped out of bed and on to our bikes and headed to the water.

The Beach - Swedish style. Trees and grass all the way down (except for the odd sandy section) to the fresh water - I like it! Today was our first real hang-out-at-the-beach-for-hours day this summer and the kids, although still very tired from their jet-lag, loved it.


The boys (the big ones) hung out in the shade and talked. The girls and the kids swam and lapped up the sun. I don't feel like it is summer unless I get to swim and today I got my chance.
The littlest of the girls just hung between naps with whoever would hold her and was very content doing so.
Then we rode home again - we rode a total of 17.77km - that is 11 miles for the Canadians!! Not bad for a six year old.
It was all made possible by our latest contraption - a tow-bar which hooks our bikes together, lifts her front wheel and locks in her steering. It took us hours to put the thing on yesterday (literally) so we were thrilled to get out and use it today. She loved being big enough to ride with us, to be able to keep up with us and yet rest and enjoy the ride when she needed to. It is fun to see what a buzz she gets from being so independent (yet not) - no more sitting on the back for her and we can go for real bike rides with her in tow!! Yippee!!

Let's hope summer hangs around for another few weeks yet.

Barnvagnsrullet - a terrible long weekend saved by a sunny cycling Sunday

After being stuck at home with a sick child all week, and another who had to be home because of logistical issues (1+1= 2 bickering kids), I was oh so grateful to get out today, head into town and get some exercise.

Kieran has strep throat - a first for us although an apparently common childhood sickness. It also meant that we were in quarantine once we got the diagnosis - two days of antibiotics to kill off the bacteria that had infested this throat and ears - and that was after he had been at home on the couch for 3 days! Mum wondered what that was called in Aussieland and I'm still not sure - perhaps we just never got it as kids. Still, she was glad that the doc didn't give antibiotics for a virus - little does she know that docs NEVER give antibiotics here unless they have to, and NEVER for a virus - only for bacterial infections!! Many complain about how hard it is to get the GPs to write prescriptions, and even then they are pretty mild doses - not a bad thing if you ask me.

So, 5 days later, a little boy who is revived and full of energy - sick of lying around and ready to have fun. And a big sister who had also been home because of logistical issues who was absolutely bored. Add to that a man who is in the busy period of his year and who is even less keen than usual to leave the cave and go on adventures.

Just to spice things up a bit none of our friends wanted to come out and play this weekend, they were all busy with their lives - lives that didn't include us(!) - hear the indignation in my voice? ;-)

AND if that wasn't bad enough one of my closest friends broke the news to me of her inevitable departure......

Luckily we got out on the bikes today and saved the weekend. Feeling ridiculous I put on suncream this morning and packed our raincoats along with our picnic and off we went. With Kieran on the back of Ty's bike and Makaila in the chariot towed by me we headed through town and over to Gärdet to Barnvagnsrullet.

Barnvagnsrullet is a family day organised in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö and sponsored by Metro. The sponsoring was so good in fact that the little gocarts, the facepainting, and the novelty balloons were all free if you could endure the long queue. There were also a few sponsors giving out free stuff and a quiz walk (tipspromenad) with prizes being lotted out to those with correct answers. It was a fun, festive kind of atmosphere and the kids enjoyed watching the facepainting, paddling in the water and hanging out at the TomTits stand. Makaila had a turn at the gocarts and we ate our lunch listening to the music and watching all the activities.

The kids swapped spots for the journey home which meant Kieran could nap in the chariot while Makaila got a faster ride. And she wants to know why I get upset when her father rides his bike without any hands!! Sure its fun but not with my daughter on the back!

I do love riding the bikes into town - there is a lot happening, a lot to see as we rode along the waterfront the kids saw boats & ferries, ducks, dogs, people walking, kids playing, trains, trams, buses and all the other things that interest little kids. There is always a chance a crazy person will step out in front of you so being in the driver's seat you need to stay focused. Saying that we almost only rode on bike paths in and back and any pedestrian crossings are clearly marked so you can be ready to brake, just in case. You see so much more on a bike, you smell it, you feel a part of it. Bicycles and Stockholm are a fantastic combination.

We only did a 20km round trip but there are several hills and a big bridge to be encountered along the way, so my legs are feeling it tonight - that best kind of tiredness. And I am so glad I put on the sunscreen, Ty is looking very red here beside me....

The beautiful Asknäs Gård - now being run by our friends Robert & Sandee

is a gorgeous property out on Ekerö, one of the islands of greater Stockholm, that dates from the 1700s. It includes a pub/cafe, a function room for up to 90 people, a bed & breakfast, rentable cottages, stables, a farm shop, stables, beautiful gardens with old apple trees, a fully functioning asparagus farm and all with a view of Lake Mälaren. It is on oasis close to the heart of Stockholm city.
This year our good friends Robert & Sandee will be running it with their friend Abbe. After last year's roaring success running Kafe Kajak, this season promises to be an exciting one - both for them and their guests! They opened this weekend for the summer season and let's hope this was a warm start to a long hot summer.

So if you are looking for a place to escape, head out to the idylic Asknäs Gård. Take a walk in the gardens, eat great food and explore. There are not many places like this around anymore, not this close to town.

You can also follow their adventure on their Catering Allt blog or on Twitter.

Spårvägsmuseet - Stockholm Transport Museum

Kieran's birthday falls in the Winter Sports Holidays (which is always week 9 or the last week of Feb) so we headed off this year to the Transport Museum - being the lover of all things on wheels or tracks that he is.

I have heard both good and bad about this place and you definitely get the impression that is was formerly a storage house for a bunch of old state-owned vehicles. It is however without doubt a fabulous place for kids and train enthusiasts.

For a measly 30kr (free for kids) you could spend hours there letting the kids explore the old trains, trams and buses. Many of them can be boarded, some have simulators so you can see what it is like to drive the train through the subway stations of Stockholm. There is also a beautiful range of antique trains, trams and buses set in the scenes of their heyday.

A relatively well equipped cafe means you can have a light lunch or coffee/tea/hot choc/juice with something sweet. It is self-service and you pay at the desk on your way out (only in Sweden!!). Swedes are very honest people.

They have tried to make it as interactive a possible with, for example, conductor/driver clothes to dress up in.

Tickets please!

Free admission into the adjoining Toy Museum is also included (not sure you would want to pay for this one) which is someone's, or several people's, collection of old toys. Undoubtedly it brings back memories for many visitors and the kids enjoy the electric train sets and making up a wish list as they go along looking at the collections.

The highlight was, without doubt, the little train ride that went through the museum which cost an extra 10kr each.
After all the activities and exploring we went into the workshop and participated in the school holiday program. For 10kr each child they could use wooden blocks to build their own engine and there was plenty of material to then paint and decorate the masterpieces.

We finished just in time as they were closing and headed home taking the ferry across to Hammarby Sjöstad and then on to Tvärbanan. I think we went on almost every mode of transport possible getting there and back - almost. But then the day was about trains, trams and buses so what else could you expect?

Going across on the ferry was the last thing Kieran remembered before falling asleep. The day wore him out so much he slept through dinner and we had to save his birthday cake for the next day - but at least we know he enjoyed himself!

Rink Skating in Sweden - Hockey, Figure Skating or just fooling around?

With the weather often being unreliable it can be tough to know if the lakes are ok for skating. Even if they are frozen the ice can be choppy, the snow might be difficult to plow through and if it is melting it can be a slushy affair.

There are times when it is nice to go to a rink and skate and there are plenty of them around the country. I found this great Ice Rink Guide where you can plug in your town, city or region and the database will give you a list of the rinks in the area along with contact details. Dare I say all the rinks have time set aside for public skating.

It is not quite like the days when we used to skate around the rink in Oakleigh, listening to the latest top 40 on a Saturday afternoon while checking out the guys (I was never allowed to stay for the evening session). There is no music here and it is hardly the local teens' idea of hanging out - or even picking up. This is a more serious stuff - people go to the rinks to skate and you see a real range of people. We were there a couple of days last week along with other families, dads with their kids, groups of young friends and hockey enthusiasts practising their shots. Times are divided during the week to allow for sessions with and without hockey sticks. So far it hasn't been a problem to be there while half the skaters have sticks and pucks, but you do need to keep your wits about you - especially if you have little ones - and there tend to be plenty of them wizzing about the place!

You can also do a search on this database for a hockey club or go through the list of clubs around the country - there are plenty to choose from.

If you love skating (or your kids do) and it is not hockey that is your cup of tea then there are also figure skating clubs that practise at the rinks. Take a look around on the noticeboards for information or check out the figure skating association's site or better still, this list of clubs.

Now that I have tempted you to get out on the ice I'm sorry to say this last weekend was the last of the open-to-the-public sessions. It is such a shame considering the spring we were in Canada we skated right through - whereas the Swedes seem to think March=spring=no more skating.

So we took the chance and took the kids to the rink during last week's school holidays - lots of fun! They love it and so do we. This was just their third skating session for the season - I'm kicking myself that we didn't get out earlier!! But the season starts again in October and before we know it October will be upon us again - here is how the kids did this weekend:

Out On Thin Ice – Swedish Style

While winter seems to be finally upon us we can never be too sure how long these colder temperatures will last. If anything can be said about the weather in Stockholm these days it is that it is unreliable. Gone are the cold winters of yesteryear, the mounds of snow and the ever-reliable Vikingarännet – the skating competition that once ran from Uppsala to Stockholm every year around about my birthday. There is no longer any guarantee that the ice will be thick enough for the 100s who compete.I share this Swedish love of ice-skating and as soon as my kids are old enough I am going to have them out there on cross-country skates gliding around on the lakes. I haven’t done a whole lot of it and at this stage would only go out on an organised tour. The thought of going through the ice is more than scary and the possibility very real. I may not know anyone who has been attacked by a shark but I do know those who have gone through the ice. Not all lived to tell the tale.
If you want to do more than skate on your little local lake that at times might have half a metre of ice, and like me you do not have the knowledge, experience or courage (stupidity?) to head out in a private group then organisations like Friluftsfränjandet or Alliansen are your answer. There are also a number of other organisations around the country dedicated to cross-country skating.
Friluftsfrämjandet is membership based with local groups all over Sweden. They offer a range of activities such as family days, courses and longer tours - and that is just a few of their winter activities. Alliansen is a local organisation, part of Friluftsfrämjande, for the hard-core skaters. They offer courses for beginners to tour leaders as well as guided or leader-led tours for members. Their site is a wealth of skating resources such as where there are ploughed tracks (a nice smooth track on the open ice), information on how to get out if you fall in, an equipment guide, as well as general ice information. Unfortunately it is all only available in Swedish so you might need some help with this one.

It is a fantastic way to enjoy winter in Sweden. If you are not yet convinced, watch this film. I am heading down the cellar to get out my skates and dust them off before it is too late!

Sunday By The Lake

Last Sunday we were at Lysterfield Lake swimming. It was glorious!


This Sunday we swapped the bathers for the winter gear and walked on the iced-over local lake.
Welcome home to reality!
Still, winter in Sweden is quite magical - but cold!

Lily pads, frozen beneath the surface of the water.

Australia: 5 weeks in a nutshell

We visited old Swedish friends, stayed in a beach house with my sister and her family, swam in the freezing cold ocean, played in the sand, basked in the sun, went to Carols by Candle-light, took the ferry between Queenscliff & Sorrento, watched dolphins frolicking in the sea, researched & bought a new camera, saw penguins swim to shore and then scramble up over the beach to their burrows, rode motorbikes & 4-wheelers through the bush, celebrated a bush Christmas, killed spiders, heard snake stories, swam in a river & a freshwater lake, fed wild cockatoos & rosellas, went kangaroo spotting at night, visited an aunt and a cousin & her man on their newish farm, walked in the rainforest, escaped for a romantic night in Olinda, ate great food at cafés & restaurants, ate fish & chips on the beach, shopped, visited long lost cousins & a long lost uncle, bottle fed lambs, went to a Wiggles concert, enjoyed the company of old friends, had a picnic with the extended family, visited a community farm, visited the Australia Gardens, celebrated my birthday a month early, dropped in for dinner, chatted with people I couldn't see in person, looked through old photos, ate cheesecake, celebrated NYE with old friends, went to a 60th birthday celebration, went and saw the movie Australia on the big screen, drank lots of good wine & beer, played pool, jumped on trampolines (everyone has them), bbq'd, built train tracks and talked and talked and talked - with family and with friends. Otherwise we generally just hung out and enjoyed life.

And we were totally and utterly spoiled by my mum and her partner!!! They cooked for us, took care of the kids whenever we wanted, handed over the keys to her car, organised all the picnic stuff every time we had a picnic, shopped, did our washing, cleaned up after us....... the list goes on. Any wonder I feel more refreshed than I have in years. Thank you both. We'll be back next month. HA!!! I wish!!

Our camping road trip

Australia, pre-Christmas