Friday, July 25, 2014

"...Imse vimse spindel klättra' upp för trå'n. Ner faller regnet spolar spindeln bort..."









Can you tell from the title that I have been learning the Swedish version of 'itsie bitsie spider'?
Well I have.
I have also learned that I can converse with a four year old (who speaks by the way, English, Spanish, and Swedish)- as long as we keep to simple tasks such as water activities.  Of course the look of disappointment when I could not translate her Swedish book about a brave girl, who goes to the ghost castle into Spanish...was pretty devastating.

Other events have been staying in a small summer house.
This is not to be confused with a family's summer cabin- by example out on the archipeligo.
But one of the small shed-like houses that are on small garden plots.
They are in almost every neighborhood, and in the center of the city as well. They were allotted to the people when food was scarce so people could try to grow food and feed themselves.
Now they are normally dominated by beautiful flowers and only small amounts of food.
The one we stayed in was larger than I had seen before, and modern- a loft bedroom, small kitchen, open plan.
With a large garden and many places to sit.
It was absolutely lovely.
I did of course feel pangs of homesickness for our own garden in Tasmania.
But Stockholm is ruled by the apartments, surrounded by green spaces and waterways.  Having this much garden space, to oneself, well- that is typified by the fact that the waiting list can be on average 25 years.
 
 

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