Last week an excursion took me again to Sweden in connection with the commemoration of the Finnish War 1808-09 and its consequences. We visited Elghammar Castle, Julita Manor, stayed in Dufweholm Manor, and finally back in Stokholm we looked through the exhibition 1809 - A kingdom divided and a new begining in the Royal Armoury.

 

The Duchess had lent some objects for the exhibition and had been invited to the opening in Helsinki. In return she had invited us to her castle and showed us around both the old and the "new" wing of the house, the old stable, and the hunt room, and gave us lunch. Julita Manor is Museum of Agriculture, and a gene bank for apples and pears. We were served coffee with cardamom cake and given permission to pick apples.
Dufweholm Manor is a very pleasant hotel in a lovely environment that has comfortable rooms with personality, and a ghost. The food is also excellent. Seeing the 1809 Exhibition was more in the line of duty, because most of us had had some part in making it, and naturally had seen it in Helsinki.

 

In the rainy Stockholm I had hoped to meet an acquaintance, but he was home with a flu. Well, he missed a box of chocolates, and possibly a photo of me, 'A Skivvy's Evening Off,' which I thought might have amused him. I went to see the Caspar David Friedrich exhibition in the Nationalmuseum instead.

On the return journey we had booked tables at the ship's buffet for 29 € / person, which was far too much for the quality of the food. I should have had enough sense to keep to the traditional Scandinavian fare, which they know how to make, but I wanted to try something new... So, after the disappointment, I gorged on cheese and desserts.

After the dinner we heard Anna Abreu sing in the night club.

Except for a hole in a sweater, a lost eye shadow, and failing to meet the acquaintance, the trip was enjoyable.

(photos ©Magpie)