More of Sweden

This is more of Skansen. There is a small Sami village, that is fun because you can see it, with Stockholm in the background. (Skansa is a park/outdoor museum that has all kinds of houses and bits of Swedish history, along with a Nordic Zoo and it's on one of the islands that make up Stockholm). They are the first zoo to have bears in an outdoor enclosure (in the 1930s they built theirs). Here is Alisdair and Isla at one of the picture points. There were three bear cubs who were great fun to watch, as well as moose (European elk) calves, owls, European bison, wild boars (with lots of little piglets) and a kids zoo.
At the kids zoo, there is this well, and kids come put their pacificers in it (when it's time to give them up). There are thousands of the things and they've made decorations in the trees with them as well as this well. Kind of a fun idea. The whole trip was quite kid friendly. The Swedes have perfected kiddie prams....with some impressive feats of engineering. At the hotel their was a special kiddie breakfast (Swedish pancakes...perhaps Kenna and Alisdair had a few as well....), a guy in a bearsuit that wandered around at breakfast, a place for kids to sign into the hotel and also a little room off the restaurant and bar where kids could play while their parents were eating or drinking. It was pretty snazzy. I'm not sure anything like it exists in the US or Scotland. It wasn't too "Disney-esque," just well done and kids are treated quite well in Sweden.
Here is Isla with the pot bellied pig in the kids zoo. She wasn't very impressed though with the tiny hens, the guinea pigs that ran around in the hens or the kittens.
This is her outside one of the historical houses. She spent a large amount of the trip in this pram, with her feet up, playing with her toes, and using her huge hat and Happy Hippo blanket to keep from getting any sun.
We also went to the Vasamuseum....in 1682 the Swedes were at war with Poland. The Swedes built a huge and very intricate ship. After years of work, it sailed 1300 meters into the harbour, and promptly sank...Seems someone had gotten their math wrong interms of how much weight they needed in the ballast! Because the water in the harbour isn't very salty, it kept a certain type of worm from eating the wood and in 1960 they pulled the boat out of the mud, in perfect condition and it's now in a museum. We lucked out as the computer system at the museum went down on Saturday morning and there were such crowds by 10:30 that they just opened the doors and let us in for free! (a real blessing in a city as expensive as Stockholm!) We also lucked out because on our harbour tour the toilets overflowed and the crew spent so much time trying to fix them that they never had time to sell tickets---hoorah for us! :)

We had a great time in Stockholm and would definitely go back. There is a low cost airline that flies directly from Edinburgh, so maybe next summer (or hunting season, if Alisdair has his way) we'll go back!

Sweden

This weekend, we packed the old bags and headed for Stockholm! On Thursday when Isla went for her 4 months injections, the health visitor (and Kenna) were slightly alarmed to realise that at 4 months, Isla is only weighing 12 pounds and 7 oz....that means she's gone from being in the 91st percentile at birth to the 2nd percentile and that's not good. The immediate response was to put her on formula supplements and for a brief moment we considered not going on our weekend getaway, but never being ones to shy away from a challenge, we bought the "stuff" and headed off.

The minute Isla was given a bottle she took to it and gulped away. She really had been quite hungry and that explains why she'd stopped sleeping through the night and was pretty fractious for the past few weeks. Her being happy was the good side. The downside is what a lot of food does in a little system! We quickly learned that Scandinavian countries are great for a lot of things, not the least of which is a heated towel rack in the toilet that doubles as a clothes dryer when you have to wash EVERYTHING that little ones had on while you're away from home!
We didn't let any of this stop us though and Stockholm was a lot of fun. The weather was amazing; bright sunshine and in the high 70s. The food was terrific---lots of fresh fruit for breakfast, great breads, nice meats and hot dog vendours on every corner. The first day we headed off to Skansen--an outdoor museum that also has a zoo. These pictures are of Isla trying on a bonnet in the gift shop, looking not so impressed at the baboons, mom trying not to let the lemurs attack Isla (that's why Alisdair is holding her and yes, the lemurs are loose---you walk around their inclosure and keep your fingers to yourself!)
As for the top bit, that is Isla in her pram, asleep, with the symbols of Sweden---the troll and the horse. We were thinking of sending an email to Combi (the stroller company) and telling them how many miles we've logged in that pram and how many countries it has visited! Not too shabby--we've owned it a little over a month and it's already been to NH, Shetland and now Sweden!

We also took a tour of Stockholm's waterways. Stockholm is a series of islands (an archipelago) and so to get almost anywhere, you cross water. It was so nice and warm, it was a fresh break to be on the boats. Isla was a big hit everywhere we took her, smiling at everyone and making friends with Germans, Swedes, Canadians, Americans, Spaniards....a real diplomat!

Worldwide Family

This morning the postie brought a special treat, a koala from Australia for Isla! It was from her Great-great Uncle Jock and Aunt Mavis. So now she has her puffin from Shetland and her koala. A veritable zoo from around the world! (her shirt by the way says "I'm toothless but ruthless.)"

Today we went for an adventure exploring the path that runs behind Blackford to Gleneagles. With the exception of some very curious young cows who decided to follow us, it was rather uneventful. Once we crossed the golf course (and some nice men, rather than swear decided to shout "God Bless America" when they shanked the ball too far to the right...quite funny really), we went swimming. Isla loves the pool and is a real fish. We then caught the bus into Auchterarder to pick up some groceries and have lunch.

It's always an adventure taking public transportation! :)

Peat

It was so windy that at certain points we rushed Isla in and out of the picture so did didn't gasp for air!

All along the road in Shetland you'd see little stacks like these. Isobel told us it used to cost about £5 a year to get a piece of land and people cut peat and then stack it to dry. They burn it in their fires. I'd heard of peat fires and have even smelled them, but still thought it was kind of neat to see the little stacks.

We found great stuff in the Jarlshof gift shop to amuse Kenna (and Isla).

Shetland Part III-more pictures

Alisdair decided to teach Isla a new party trick. She's always been good at imitating faces, but now she's REALLY good at sticking her tongue out. Call it a lack of island entertainment (the hotel card actually says that although free Sky--cable tv--is available, the picture is dependent on the weather---). It's not very polite, but slightly funny to watch. The next trick he's working on is getting her to sit and stay---kidding, that's Charlie's trick. Isla's is getting her to shut her eyes!

This otter sign is near "Mavis Grind" the only place in the UK you can throw a rock in either the North Sea or the Atlantic Ocean.

The puffins were good fun to watch on a really steep cliff. It was a new perspective from the last time Kenna saw them at an aquarium in New Brunswick! They fly together, for safety and their landing is pretty humourous. Also, it is really windy in Shetland. The landscape is beautiful with all kinds of sea formations and cliffs, but no where you'd want to be outside for long, even in June! Goretex windstopper must have been invented there!

We had a great time though and Alisdair is planning the return visit for the spring. The ferry ride back was a little nicer and Kenna did much better at not tossing her cookies.

Shetland Part II

Shetland was full of firsts for Isla. We stayed at the Brae Hotel, courtesy of Grandma Troup (owner and proprieter)---(this picture shows the town of Brae. The hotel is behind the closer light pole). The night porter was nice enough to make us some breakfast, including the staple of all British meals, toast. Isla was so fascinated with the toast, that we gave her a piece. It was about as hard and dry as Zwebieback biscuits and she had a good go at trying to eat it, but was unsuccessful. Later that day we let her chew on a lettuce leaf at the Shetland Museum. Her face says it all!

She met Great Aunt Isy's three cats and one dog and we all had a good laugh looking through pictures of Alisdair's previous visits to Shetland many moons ago.



We went to Jarlshof, an ancient settlement just down by the Sumburgh airport (where the public road runs across the end of the runway...they have a train-like crossing barrier when planes land---Homeland Security would never approve, but it was kind of a cool feeling to be driving across a runway and looking at the lights!) This picture is Isla with her puffin doll (Tamy), feeling the rocks and closely inspecting some native lichen (just for Kat!)

Midsummers In Shetland

To add to Isla's experiences, this weekend we packed our bags, drove to Aberdeen and boarded the ferry bound for Shetland. The Shetland Islands are the most northern part of the UK and used to belong to the Dutch. There is a strong Norwegian influence there (and it's the one place in the UK that swans are not property of the Queen! How's that for pub quiz gold??) As it was the longest day of the year, for some odd reason we thought it would be a good idea to take a small infant who has been having problems sleeping through the night there! :)
The weather was lovely as we left Aberdeen Harbour and Isla had lots of fun watching boats, seagulls, clouds and a neddish family (for those who need a translation: NED is actually a government term for "non educated delinquent"). Kenna was a little scared that the family was representative of Shetlanders, but Alisdair informed her that they were just Aberdonians possibly heading up as benefits are more generous on the island that on the mainland. Phew!

The overnight ferry was fairly uneventful and unlike Mrs. Lavoie (Kenna's 5th grade Girl Scout leader) who always brought donuts and dramamine to every Girl Scout Whale Watch, Kenna was not prepared and her lack of sea legs became rather obvious about 4am. It was a long night for her!

The "Taste of Shetland" festival was on and at the new museum in Lerwick (that was opened last year by Charles and Camilla---oooooh....ahhhhh) they launched a traditional handmade boat and the locals took turns rowing it around the harbour. We went to Shetland to see Alisdair's aunt, Isobel and she showed us around the island. She knew all the neat sites, including where the only trees on the island grow, where to find puffins, where the seals hang out in the bay (just by the new Tescos!), the most common spots for people to hydroplane off the road, and where people cut peat for their fires.

It is a beautiful place, but not like any other we'd been to.

World Travelling

Isla and Kenna are back from America! There is a distinct lack of pictures however as Kenna brought the camera, but not the memory card for it. Anyone who has any pictures of the trip however (Tiina, Emily, Tara) feel free to send them to me and I will post them. We had a great time. It was so fun to see everyone and enjoy the heat. Isla is definitely related to Kenna as she cried when the air conditioning got to be too much. She did get to wear her summer wardrobe, buy some sunglasses and be oohed and awed over by all kinds of people!
We did a fair amount of shopping, got Isla's pictures taken (alone and with her cousins) , visited friends and family and ate a fair amount of Taco Bell. Isla also spent lots of time with Grandma Maughan being pushed in her stroller and looking at the wonderous trees of New Hampshire and learning lots of new songs. Alisdair claims Isla looks completely different after almost three weeks away. I have to agree that she has changed somewhat. I think the biggest difference is the amount of hair she has grown. I put it down to Madeleine's habit of rubbing Isla's head while she sang to her ("Beaver one, beaver all, let's all do the beaver crawl...cha, cha, cha..."). It must have some stimulating powers of growth! :) Isla also learned to "scoot" while she was in NH. This morning I went in to find her turned in her crib and about 2 feet from the bottom of the bed where I'd left her. I fear my days of a placid baby are over. She rolled over a few times in NH on Boyd and Tiina's great carpet. As we don't really have carpet over here I don't put her on the floor as much, but she is so much more observant than when we left in May, it will only be a matter of time before she is rolling around the place.
Isla did fine on the trip. She tended to sleep about 4 hours on the plane. I had joked that she is best when things are moving, and a turbulant flight would bode well with her. I got my wish! The New York to Edinburgh flight was one of the bumpiest I've been on in a long time, but as there was no bassinet on the plane, they gave us a row to ourselves and Isla stretched out for the entire overnight flight. People couldn't have been nicer (well, minus the cart driver at JFK, he obviously didn't pay attention to his "customer service training" video. He was more concerned about waiting around for a tip than helping. It was other passengers who helped me get my luggage off the cart and unfold the stroller for a (then) screaming Isla. But I did have two ladies come up, identify themselves as grandmother's and offer their help on the flight if I needed anything. I thought that was super sweet of them.)
It was great to see everyone and thank you all for your generous hospitality and for the clothes for Isla. I had to rearrange her room yesterday just to fit everything in. She will be one well dressed little girl!
Back here in Scotland, I've been told it's been really warm while we were gone. ..although not so much so today...There are definitely lots of weeds, nettles and bushes in bloom. It's no where near as warm as NH, but it's light until after 11pm and again by 3ish. Luckily we have blackout curtains in Isla's room. Alisdair was busy while we were away and did some fabulous house repairs. He took Charlie to work everyday while we were gone and she's now enjoying her "wrestling" time with Kiwi that she missed during those two and a half weeks. She has grown too and gotten some adult teeth. On our family walk on Saturday we tried our hand at hand stripping her fur. It looks like some odd animal had a fight up above town, but hopefully more fur off in the countryside will mean less fur in my kitchen!
We're getting back into the swing of things this week and preparing for our next adventure to Shetland now.
Thanks again to everyone for your hospitality. It was really nice to be home and see everyone!