Örebro is the sixth largest city in Sweden.  A University city, it’s vibrant and full of life.  There are peoples of all nationalities.  There is architecture to admire, shops to shop, cafes in which to sit back and watch the world go by.  There is also the beauty of the forest.

Behind my brother and sister-in-law’s neighborhood lies a wee bit of forest surrounded by a paved path.  Reminds me of something Pecos Bill might have lassoed from the top of a mountain and plopped down in the middle of a city, simply for others to enjoy.  And so we did.  On our first day here, we were so excited for a break in the rain, we headed for the forsest path.  Until the diluge returned, it was quite lovely …

The only problem was the fact that the rain brought out the slimy slugs.  As I was admiring the beauty around me, I heard my mom yell my name.  I stopped, looked down, and below my looming foot was this …

A slug the size of Texas.  I EEK(!)-ed, jumped back, danced a little jig … and then waltzed back over to take a picture.  No need to thank me.  It’s just the kind of dedicated blogger that I am.

We also took a short drive to a lake.  There was not another soul in our little patch of the woods.  Just us, the water, the trees, the mossy rocks, and wildflowers.  We discovered some gold of the forest – or yellow ’shrooms – took a swim or two, roasted ourselves some hot dogs, made banana boats, and, of course, sipped our java.

Surrounded by family and friends, and the beauty of the forest, I had a hard time fathoming how one could believe our world little more than cosmic happenstance.  From where I sat – on the stump of a tree – I saw the brushstroke of the Master all around …

Yesterday was a glorious day – blue skies, sunshine – the perfect setting for a stroll downtown.   Rather than wind our way to the park and old town, we stayed in the heart of downtown.  We went to The Planet for Kebab pizza.  If you’ve never tried kebab pizza, and you get the chance, you simply must.  What is it, you ask?  Good question.  I’d do a Google search, but it’s all in Swedish.  What I do know is it’s topped with a little bit of lamb, a little bit of lettuce, and a white sauce – and it’s oh-so-delic.

From there we shopped a bit, strolled through the castle a bit, and finished the day with an ice cream cone.

And I will tell you now, if you have a certain ifinity for either coffee (kaffe) or ice cream (glass), Sweden may just be the place for you.  Both are in abudnant supply – the coffee’s dark and rich and the cream smooth and flavorful.   They make the perfect endcaps for a perfect day …

My brother likes to say when the sun gets lost, it finds itself in Sweden.  Such was the case today.  My mum, brother, nephew and I decided to take advantage of the blue skies and sunshine and headed for downtown.  Here’s a brief overview of our adventures …

It’s currently “Open Art” season – meaning anyone can display their art, anywhere downtown.  This, for instance, is located in the castle’s mote …

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Or, one of our personal favorites, displayed above a shopping plaza …

We meandered about in a park …

Before frolicking amidst old town – a jaunt not complete without ice cream …

We even walked the banks of the black river.  Though to us it looked like molten chocolate – as if you could dip your finger in its waters and come away with a delectable delight …

It was a full day of traipsing this way and that.  We’re parched – our feet are dusty and tired – but I don’t think I have to tell  you, we wouldn’t trade those miles (or kilometers) for anything in the world.

An aside: for my faithful readers, we’re roadtripping tomorrow through Thursday.  I shall return on Friday.