My folks have just returned home after their first ever visit to Sweden.
Picking them up from the airport on Friday, we went to the apartment first, and then after dropping their things off at the hotel, we went to the local pub, “The Bishops Arms”. First round was on me, and the look on my fathers face when he realized that four drinks came to twenty-five pounds (it’s usually 12 in the UK) is something that I will remember!
The Saturday we decided to take my parents around Norrköping, and they were impressed. Of course, I had to take them to Systembolaget and try and explain that this was the only time they had to buy alcohol from a store before it closed for the weekend and 3pm. Despite this my mum still said that she would get some wine for Sunday!.
On the afternoon, we went to Soderköping for a Swedish medieval festival. It was beautiful weather and what made it more memorable was that it seemed that almost everyone was out in fancy dress. The food that was cooked was in a traditional way. It’s not every day that you can eat Elk and Deer casserole whilst walking past men with bells on their feet!
The Saturday night we took my parents out for a meal at the St George restaurant in Norrköping. I have to say it was THE BEST meal I have ever had in Sweden, the service was fantastic, and the food excellent and the price were perfect. As we went back to the hotel, they said it, was “A perfect day” so job done!
Sunday my mum decided that she wanted to make us a traditional Lamb Roast dinner from the UK. It is something that she wanted to do, and I will admit that I certainly do miss a delicious traditional roast!
The evening we sat round the TV watching Dynamo, the magician, and soon it was time to say goodbye. The two full days that we spent in Sweden were ones that I will remember forever. I am under no illusion that my parents will not be around forever, they are 65 and 61 and age will catch up with us all.
But these two days were not just a normal weekend. They were days that will stay with us forever. Their first visit to their son in his new country. We had a marvelous time, and it is a weekend I will never forget.
As my dad said today “Jag alskar Sverige!”
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