The Content Reader Goes Outdoors

 After two weeks in Austria, it was time to set the GPS for Delft in the Netherlands. We had been there once before, for a rather quick visit. The only memory I had was the visit to the Vermeer centre and that we had a parking boot when we came back to the car. Fifty-fifty good and bad memories. Delft city view We found a really great apartment just at the border of the old town. It was close to everything we needed: the old city for sightseeing and eating and the Technical University for Hannes. Delft is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited. There are the old houses and churches, the canals and the small bridges. Walking distance everywhere. You are literary walking in history. We were there for five days so did not have to rush. A must is to visit the centre dedicated to the most famous man from Delft, Johannes Vermeer . He was born in Delft in 1632 and died there in 1675. He specialised in domestic scenes and was not very successful during his lifetime. It was not unt...

Our son Hannes is going to study for a Masters in Geophysics in a program that covers three universities; Delft, Zürich, and Aachen. Normally, it would not be a problem to go from Sweden to Holland for the start of the semester. However, this year is not normal. Swedes coming to Holland had to be in quarantine for 14 days. It would have been expensive to stay so long. He could not come into his student hotel until 1 September. Instead, we decided to go to Austria. Martin, my husband, was already there and had arranged for a corona test the day after our arrival. Otherwise, we would have had to spend the entire time in quarantine. It has been difficult for Swedes to travel this summer, although it has eased now. Well, as Donald Trump says: "It is what it is." We took the car in mid-August and drove 16 hours to arrive in Innsbruck in Innsbruck. A long drive indeed, but it went very well. Less traffic than usual and fewer queues by the roadworks made for pleasant driving. The mo...

 At last, I have been able to establish a good morning routine. One that will keep me going for the rest of the day. Somewhere between 9 and 10, I go for a walk before breakfast. I dress in my sportswear, drink a glass of lemon water, and a cup of coffee on the balcony while reading a book.   I start my walk directly outside the house and walk towards the see down to Öresund, the strait that separates Sweden and Denmark. There are a camping and a huge park/recreation area, in the summer full of people sunbathing and swimming. This part of the year it is rather empty, just other walkers, with or without dogs, joggers, and swimmers. Yes, there actually are some people swimming even now.  The bridge between Sweden and Denmark I usually sit down on a bench overlooking the strait and the bridge between our countries to philosophy for a while. It is wonderfully relaxing, being close to nature and the sea, the wind blowing, more or less. Yes, there is always a wind here. Th...

Glimmingehus is a medieval castle located about an hour's drive from my home. If due to the coronavirus or not, only guided tours are available, every hour. I came 15 min before the first tour at 11 am, and got a ticket for the 1 pm tour. I spent the waiting time visiting the small, but interesting museum, walking around the castle, visiting the herb's garden, and the small park surrounding the estate. As I always have a book in my bag, I sat down at a picnic area to read while waiting for the tour to begin.  I always find guided tours interesting. They will tell you a little bit more about the history and the lives of the people living there. The estate has quite an interesting story, and we were treated with information about past and present times.  Glimmingehus was built 1499-1506, during an era when this place was part of Denmark. It is the best-preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. Due to the troubled times in which it was built, it contains many of the defensive...

Here in Sweden, we continue to self-isolate. Venturing out for errands, shopping, and excursions. If one should seek a positive angle for the present situation, it is that we have so much time on our hands. In the last 20-23 years, we have been very busy, and time has been a rare commodity. We, therefore, appreciate it a lot. It has also given us the opportunity to discover our new surroundings. I think we would not have discovered so many wonderful places had times been normal.  The Skåne (Scania) area where we live has a lot of nature parks, forests, and seashores. It is all there to enjoy. Here are a few photos from our latest outings.  The modern-day Falsterbohus, today housing flats. In the foreground the ruins of the ancient fortress.  There are lots of castles in this area. They are mostly beautifully situated around a lake. One of our favourites is Häckeberga Castle. Surrounded by woodlands they make for a stunning walk.  Söderåsen/Skäralid is another beautif...

North of Helsingborg, on the west coast of Sweden, we find a former royal summer palace, Sofiero. In 1864, Prince Oscar of Sweden and his wife Sophie of Nassau bought this former farm. The first one-story palace was completed in 1865 and was expanded with another floor between 1874-76 after Prince Oscar became King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway. Sofiero Castle In 1905, Oscar II's grandson Prince Gustaf Adolf, future King Gustaf VI Adolf, and his wife, crown princess Margaret received the palace, called Sofiero, as a wedding gift. Princess Margaret was very interested in gardening as was Prince Gustaf Adolf, and they invested a lot of effort into making the gardens great. Among other things, they planted a large Rhododendron garden, situated in a sort of gorge surrounding the palace, which we can still enjoy today. Princess Margaret died in 1920 from blood poisoning following an ear infection. Three years later the Prince married Lady Louise Mountbatten who also took an inter...