Bumbag Motel

Soaked up the sights about Harnosand’s town centre where meeting people while eating ice creams was the order of the day, as well as a perusal of the local art gallery and the old section of the town. Pleasant last day in our wonderful Swedish retreat!!

Sunny day stroll to the coast today for swim sea, rock bathe and wander. Headed homeward through the forest where we found these delecious yellow mushrooms – well, once fried in butter and served on hard bread. A tasty swedish treat for all – and gleaned along the way! Went into Harnosand for dinner that night, tasty meal by the water, complete with cover band “Rough Trade”, made for an interesting night away from base camp.

Valerie, Willie and Per tucking into some traditional swedish treats at a museum in Harnosand that recreated life in old school sweden. They are eating a type of boiled scone, sounds weird but was actually pretty good in that homemade jam. Mum and dad are sporting their attractive, and highly practical, rain jackets. Unfortunately, Emma also had a jacket of similar proportions.

Next day was in the car for a half hour and into the row boat to hang out at our friend’s holiday house, which is a gorgeous cottage built by Brittis’s grandad at the start of the 20th Century. Only access by boat and only house on the island! Called for some more swim time, basking in the sun, hearty and delectable feast and candlelight conversations. Unfortunately, Emma looks a little awkward as she woke up with a crook neck that day, though, mercifully, Vera was able to massage the knot away!

First day out and about was a stroll to the beach down from the Simonsson’s house, into the forest where there was many a berry to be picked, onto the rocks on the coast, into a cave, over the hill and into a lake for a cool off! Again. Sweden. Amazing.

Cam, I and parentals were also super lucky to be able to go to Sweden for a week to visit the most wonderful family – the Simmonsons!! Emma Simonsson (on the right) was an exchange student at my school in Invercargill and ended up living with us for the last 6 months of her year there, bringing immense happiness to the couper clan. We got to catch up with her, her sister Vera (left) and Vera’s boyfriend Magnus, as well as Per and Brittis, the Swedish parentals. This was but one of many many feasts in the Swedish sun at their beautiful abode in Gansvik, jut out of Harnosand.

Cam, mum, dad and I were all very fortunate creatures to be able to attend Pete and Frankie’s wedding in “Grunewald” in Berlin. Pete is a good friend of my brother and sister’s and we have been immensely enjoying getting to hang with him and Frankie in the big B. Amazing wedding with buffet treats that blew my mind in their deliciousness, great company and ever flowing wine – not to mention the seemingly unlimited supply of creme brulee and out of this world chocolate mousse, emma was residing in a sweety treat  wonderland!

So, today is Sunday the 12th of September, but I would like to take us back to the end of July and have a bit of a catch up, aye?

I (Emma) worked at a teach English language camp at Olympiastadium in Berlin for a week, hanging out with the German youth, playing English games, kicking the football and hanging at Olympiapool. Was a pretty ace of base time all round. Once that rolled up my wonderful parentals, Willie and Valerie arrived. We had glory Berlin explortion times, eating out, drinking beers in the street and cruising on the u-bahn.

Here is a shot of my dad contemplating the next adventure whilst enjoying a delectable ‘Augustina’. Am super stoked about his hat too, as I found it in a 2nd hand store in Wellington for $1 and he took a liking to it when we left nz – great styles Willie!