Friday, May 14, 2010

Kalmar Slott


This week our son, Michael, attended a ceremony at California Lutheran University to receive a certificate for completeing his Teaching Credential Progam through C.L.U. last Fall.

The light coming through the stained glass window was a nice effect

Mike and his proud mother Laurie

My sister Marilyn, Mike's wife Vanessa, Mike, Laurie, my sister Linda and
our niece Lauren

Is Laurie getting shorter?

Congratulations Mike!!!

I'm really looking forward to Mike and Vanessa's visit to Hässleholm in about three weeks.

Kalmar Slott
Work on this castle began in 1180 A.D.

On Friday I took a two hour train ride northeast to the Baltic Sea port of Kalmar. This castle is the showpiece of the city with a spectacular interior. In 1397 the short lived Kalmar Union that united the kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and Norway was signed in this castle. The Kalmar Union's goal was to counterbalance the German Hanse.

The Slott's impressive moat

A Drawbridge is a MUST!

Wall Painting not Wall Paper

A Tapestry secures this building in the roll call of European castles

A peacock and a swan should always be part of a proper dinner table

Impressive Woodworking

The Ceiling in the Golden Hall

The Queen's Bed

Johan Hammarqvist's Family Crest

A Lion guarding the History of the Slott

A 265 year old chest

It's good to be the King

Now THAT'S a Wild Boar

The Slott's scene stealer is King Erik's chamber. His bedroom is small but the decorations are quite interesting.

A window in King Erik's chamber

The ceiling in King Erik's chamber

The exit from the Slott

Every Slott needs a little firepower

May IS the Month of Flowers in Sweden

A swan at peace

I wonder what life stories
this man could tell?

I'm ready for lunch

Lonely Planet's Sweden guidebook highly recommended this little establishment located upstairs named Kullzenska Caféet.

These unassuming steps led to . . .

This incredible blueberry crumble!

I had a sandwich as well but this dessert was awesome.

The Kalmar Cathedral

Kalmar is a sea port afterall

Spanish Paella on the Stortoget

It was getting near dinner time and on first glance this looked pretty darn good in a stand by the Cathedral's Square.

On further review, what we had was a Spanish dish with slices of Italian salami served in a Swedish sea port by Latvian cooks playing really loud American Bob Dylan music.

I passed.

How old is this dock?

A classic Peugeot I think

Correction, according to Claudio Mangano of the Catania Elephants, this is really a Citroen 2CV (2HP) Charleston Edition. Thanks Claud, now beat the Milan Rhinos!

". . . you just wind it up and watch it . . ."

Hide the Barbie doll!

Funny, I think that WAS the year
my life peaked

An American Football

We're trying to make a dent in the market.

A fountain celebrating someone's death is always a keeper

Keys to the City

Dinner at O'Leary's
The Bobby Orr Bacon Burger

This chain of Boston oriented sports bars are all over Sweden. It was my first time in one.

The burger was good, the beer was better.

BOSOX NATION!

5 comments:

Erik Sox said...

You should have given me a heads up that you were visiting my "home town". I could have joined you on this walkabout.

Now my fingers are crossed for tomorrows game against Lugi. I won't be there, but I'm sure that we will bring the Vikings to the ground.

/Erik "sox"

Claud said...

G,
it's a Citroen 2CV(2HP) Charleston Edition.
Beautiful piece of european car history

George said...

Thanks Claudio,

BEAT THE RHINOS!

Laurie said...

The burger plate looked great, but what did you do about the pickle?

George said...

The pickle is still on the plate as far as I know.