Something is rotten in Denmark

Actually, there´s nothing rotten in Denmark, but there´s plenty of stinky stuff in Sweden... primarily pickled herring and sketchy cheap sushi! Andi and I are in Sweden and enjoying it--except, of course, the food. Since Scandinavians rarely go to restaurants, there´s no way to buy authentic Scandinavian food, so we´ve been eating Thai, Kebabs, and sushi... I´m lobbying for more yummy Thai today.

The landscape is absolutely breathtaking and the air and water are so fresh and clean that it´s truly amazing. The people are so trusting and open--mothers frequently leave their infants in baby strollers outside the grocery store, unattended, while popping in for shopping. It is absolutely and completely safe (of course, there are random violent crimes--a few people remember 3 years ago when there was an armed robbery...!!!).

We are off to Scandinavia´s largest shopping mall today--not such a shameless place to spend a day since it is raining cats and dogs--we wouldn´t be able to see anything touristy or historical, anyway, if we tried. The weather is "chilly" for summer--sixty degrees or so. I´m cold! At first the contrast was nice compared to the sweltering heat in Puglia and the Georgia heat that awaits me back home, but now I´m ready for some good hot weather and sunshine, appropriate for water skiing and a day in the park.

Leslie Buschbom, Andi and I miss you so much! We thought of you yesterday when, to "warm up" we each drank a 50-cl bottle of Bailey´s and wandered around random haunts in Götheborg, stumbling (quite literally) upon botanical gardens and British rock climbers--who incidentally invited us to a party that night, but we didn´t make it. We drink to you! and sometimes excessively. and BTW, Andi told me about the yummy chocolates with whisky in them that she sent to you. She asked if I tasted them and my eyebrows furrowed and I squinted at her. " She didn´t share," was my only comment. You are SO not getting ANY Scandinavian chocolate from me when I get back, so you can just quit hoping. ;) Oh, Andi is reading over my shoulder and just told me it was a wedding present. So you can scratch that last comment--you´re not required to share wedding gifts. But I would have loved. And maybe, just maybe, I´ll bring you back some more. This is a perfect place for Beer Club. Ahh, missing the days...

I´m off to Paris on the 26th and will wander around the city shopping, eating crepes (just for you, Lauren! and yes, I registered the Stephane comment... ;)), and maybe popping to London for the day to see my friend Katheryn, and down to Le Mans another day to visit the city whre I used to live, even though no one is in town and they are all on vacation. I may also go to Mont Ste Michel, a place I always wanted to visit but never made it. I love traveling with friends, but it will be really nice to have 3-4 days alone to think and putz around and just enjoy my own company before teh onslaught of work.

Looking forward to being home soon!