A day of walking.

Went up the steep hill to Skansen, an old fort built in 1698. It was closed today, but a nice blonde lady let us walk up the narrow stone stairs to the top, where there is now a restaurant. It’s like a cave, with tables and plastered, uneven walls and very deep window wells. In each of the wells, a cannon. Just in case. You never know when the Danes are going to get all shirty again. The view from the hill is incredible. Again, it was a foggy morning, but warm. (Nevertheless, all the kids are wearing snowsuits.) The ever-present Beech trees are huge and beautiful, and the colour of the leaves is somewhere between red and brown, covering the ground in a luminescent copper, with strokes of green from the grass. Very stunning, especially with the fog.

After Skansen, another stroll through Haga, an old district in central Gothenburg built entirely of wood, except for the cobblestone roads, and then lunch. And more pastry. Today, kind of a flat, chocolate cookie covered in salty peanuts and sunflower seeds. Delicious. Followed the feeding frenzy with a walk to Slottskogsparken, a huge park with many ponds, creeks, and assorted wildlife. Fascinated by the birds, especially the Magpies, which look just like ours but a bit smaller, and Jackdaws, another handsome corvid with black/grey feathers and really lovely light eyes. This park also has a free zoo, which is built vertically up one of the many rocky outcroppings throughout the city. Seals, sheep, goats, moose, and Fallow deer, which look like reindeer. Interesting layout for a zoo. Can’t imagine pushing a baby carriage up that incredibly steep hill, but I’m sure people do. They’re Swedes, after all.

Sharon and I are both in the thralls of dog-withdrawal, so we’re hitting up strangers for a quick fondle of their animals. Sharon especially is having a tough time. It seems weird to come home and not be greeted by a cat or a dog. Well, they’re only here until December, and I’m leaving in two weeks, so I guess we can deal with our dogless existence for the incredible trade-off of living and/or visiting such a wonderful city, and country. And their baked goods.

Tomorrow, more walking. And a visit to the museum.

8:55PM (12:55PM Edmonchuk time)/8C