Mmm, Fika

Apparently, its only for Christmas season, starting with the first advent, 4 weeks before Christmas...but we couldn't resist the taste and temptation any longer...so, present you with Lusse katte (Saffron Buns...)

Mmmm...

Mix

Mould

Knead

Bake

And Enjoy...

Autumn...again

Aaaaand summer has gone (not that there was much of it), autumn has settled in and its been a great autumn so far. It started early, with the leaves yellowing in early August, convincing me that there was too much rain in summer making the leaves rust. But,  the weather in autumn has been sunny for the most part, almost better than summer, making many opportunities for a weekend adventure. Nearly every weekend for the last 6-7 has had some outing in one form or the other.

There has been days out with friends, in forests, nature etc. We spent a day picking mushrooms, berries, fishing or anything else that happens on days out like that. Pleased to announce that there is enough lingon, cloudberry, blueberry to go till at least years end. 

And there has been 1 or 2 decent days out fishing. The last Saturday was out on Storsjön, on a boat. After 2.5 years I finally caught fish on that blinking lake. Nice toothy pike to add to the list. There has also been some days out in Lappland, from a kayak. Last feelings of summer that was. 

Apparently too, there are numerous man tests one has to go through in order to be a Swedish man. I have carved a wooden dala horse, driven a volvo, carved a wooden butter knife, been fishing. And now, added moose hunting to that trip. Got an invite to go to Lycksele, Lappland, for a moose hunting weekend. Meeting up with real hard Lappland men, sitting out in a forest in dead silence, listening to the noises of birds etc, and waiting. The build up in cool I must admit, got a chance to shoot in the rifle, prepare all gear, food clothing needed. See the maps, meet the team, hunting dogs and all else thats part of it. And then you wait...

Eventually after a day and a half, finally some moose were spotted and dispatched (ie, shot), but not without some excitement. The one calf that was shot was only injured, which resulted in a 2 hour chase of the beast through the forests, until it jumped into the water and was shot properly. Imagine the guy who had to swim to get it from the water, in about 6 degree water. Yes, this is why i called them crazy hard men.  

I also got a chance to run up a mountain in Norway. Seems a better way than hiking. A friend saw a mountain on a recent holiday with his family, asked around if anyone had been up there or knows what its like. No one had or knew anything. So he checked a map out, saw no paths, decided that it looked like a good idea to run up and check it out. So that was the adventure. 26.8kms in total, up a mountain (which was already covered in snow), 1320metres high, in Norway. Total time: 5 and a half hours up and down. Not bad for a day out, especially as the weather was really great. It was really a better alternative to hiking, if I can be honest. 

and we are off

That mountain, in the tiny distance...

and after

And so, I close this blog with my thoughts of family and friends in South Africa. Its the 24th of September, National Braai Day in SA. I miss home, and its worth a few minutes to remember where one hails from. So to celebrate and enjoy the sunshine of autumn, SAndrew lit a fire, grilled for a few minutes and tucked into a proper SA meal, of braai'd meat, pap, sauce, coleslaw and a salad. Not bad for a monday feast. I did though get a few funny looks, on a monday grilling at lunch, but hey who cares, Im a saffer and proud of it....

Happy Braai Day everyone...

And so what remains of summer

It seems ages since the latest post, just like the Swedish summer, it just hasnt been. So about high time to post some pics and events on whats happened in the last few weeks.

So last post was about how busy summer would be and something about running. Well thats still been the case, work wise has been good, done some work with Jämtland Härjedalen Tourism, translation work and been working with a website called Spotilove:

Old Stadium, Stockholm

The running I am glad to say has stuck around.  After the St Olovs Loppet (A run from Östersund to Trondheim in Norway, read about it here: runningjamtlandharjedalen.wordpress.com) We have been to Stockholm for a marathon, the Jubileums Marathon, a very very cool race, organised and run 100 years after the Olympic Marathon was run in Stockholm, along the same course. About 8000 runners took part and had a blast, even met a few fellow Saffers, some who had come to Sweden just for the marathon. Very cool indeed. Even though I was slow, I missed my running partner but had a great time just running and enjoying a European big city marathon.

After Stockholm, we further spent a few days with family in the south of Sweden; always good to catch up on some connections and have a chilled out time. The week after the Stockholm Mara,  we both ran a half marathon. This was Sandys first half marathon, and a birthday present I had organised for her; ja right. Anyway she blasted along the route and finished just after 2 hours, 2:04 to be exact; very respectable and she had a jol, so mission accomplished as she said she'd be keen for another: whooopAH.

There have been few adventures here and there, but overall its been a low key summer. Most people have been working over this time, trying to earn some money for the coming winter. And, like the crappy summer that its been, there haven't really been much good weather for swimming, braaing, camping or hiking.

Braai on one of the few sunny days

Guys fishing

And a family fika

'

There has in fact, only been 1 hike, in Bydalen, with a Slovenian friend and myself. I can count the number of times I have swum on 1 hand, and the number of times I have been fishing on four fingers...
Shameful to say actually.

A still day? This summer?

But 1 nights of camping was possible

Thanks DJ again for the trip and pic

Thanks DJ for the pics

Well with the last of August still promising some hope, lets hope a few more good adventures can come this way.

A free summer?

Im sitting once again in Åre, central Sweden. This time out of my own free will. After facing a very quiet and free summer month of July, I have landed up doing 5 different part times jobs...and still getting time to travel; this time for work.

So I got this chance to run St Olovs loppet, its a run from Östersund in Sweden to Trondheim in Norway; about 330 kms. Not at one go, but as a relay, in a team.
Oh I got this chance for free; with a team, sponsored, accommodation, food and transport. What a gift.

Plus I get to write about it, take pictures and run. Its a dream, I don't want to wake up from. But anyway, check out the blog I get to write about: RunningJamtlandHarjeledalen.

And furthermore, I got this other job related to tourism. So my brother kids and says I got a masters degree in holidays. The more I work with this the more I think he is right. This other website is called Spot I Love. Its basically about listing and photographing the best places in the world and sharing with the rest of the world. Obviously my job is a little more complicated, but basically check out the website, load a spot of your own, and watch the country you choose to tell the world about get viewed from computers around the world.

Anyway, from the view from my office, I sign off...

Thesis, is Greek word for Thasos...which is...

Ok so three years ago the planning started; apply for masters in Sweden. Two years ago the plan started and so did this blog. And today, I sit, unemployed and free, from an bachelors student to a masters student, half the Swedish language learned, 2 years of experience, a host of memories, a student loan to pay off, some amazing people met and befriended and a Swedish girlfriend to call my own. I think that its been pretty darn amazing and worth it all in all. 


So the thesis was written and perhaps one of the hardest things mentally I have ever had to achieve. While an ultra marathon is mental anguish for a day, this thesis thing lasted for a few months of mental strain, anguish, pushing, training and all that goes with a masters thesis, including a few all nighters (a first in life, something I swore I would never do), more coffee than my body weight and even a tear or two. But thank the greatest God Almighty, for without Him I would never have managed to complete it in time. 

Snow and a pose anyone?

Dressing up

Then came the "graduation ceremony" of sorts. More like a closing ceremony that you attended a university, very different. But, it involved dressing up, looking good, meeting with fellow class comrades and enjoying the day. Sandra acted as partner, family, photographer and really looked the part too. Compliments from my dad, my friends and I also enjoyed a pre ceremony bottle of genuine South African Pongracz and took more photo's. The way to church was also noteworthy...snow. On the first of June, supposedly summer, and it snowed. Nooit ek se...

Pongracz and sparkles

The ceremony was typical swedish: in the old church, a song or two was sung, some speeches were said and everyone who took part was called up to the front to receive a badge and certificate and have a photo taken. A little taste of Africa was also enjoyed, a Tanzanian girl graduated that day too and her family joined her in Sweden, Her name was followed by ulutation and cheering, very homelike. 

Happy Graduates

Anyway, afterwards a good dinner was enjoyed and a power breakfast followed, the same day that my brother ran the Comrades marathon, a 89km race in SA, followed from Whatsapp, Facebook and Internet. God bless global technology.  

Celebrate breakfast with smorgastorta...God bless Sandra

And following the Comrades; Go ROB!

Literally 2 days later, after hating the rain and lack of any semblance of summer, with literally no money, a group of us booked Greece. A green, quiet, chilled island in the Aegean sea called Thasos. Typical students, we slept a night in the airport to save 100 bucks, flew to a hot, sunny Kavalla, mad taxi ride to the ferry terminal, travelled 30 minutes over the ocean and arrived at a hotel, tired, hungary and pale. Nothing like a swim in the ocean to revive you  up. 

Sleeping in the airport to save 100 bucks?

Almost Cape Town like

What a picture for what a holiday

Mass tourism beaches...

Marble beach to enjoy it

Sunshine pose

Even Rugby...

Paradise Beach

And great views

Honestly, Thasos is a winner. Its similar to Cape Town in many ways, mountains, seaside next to road, scrub type bush. But way more olive tree's, poorer and less people. The sea is also warm and almost no waves to speak of, like a very clear, very blue lake; crazy. But beautiful. The food was cheap and the adventure was plentiful. A real chilled out good time to have by all. Mass tourism being Europeans speciality. Old, fat, sunburned Europeans spreading carrot and walnut tanning oil hoping for colour also is typical. But if you search for the real adventures, the local specialities and the local people; it can be a wonderful amazing experience. Hire a scooter, chill out around an island, eat greek salad, drink a frappe; do it locally and it will be a real experience. Highly recommend it to anyone. 

Great views

So back to real life and back to summer in Sweden. The same time that Greece happened my mum went into hospital for surgery on her back. Its quite crap being so far away and not knowing how or what to do to help. Just praying for quick recovery again. 

Till the next adventure blog: