Örebro

We came across a group of ducks on our way from the bus station to the city center. They provided us with a good 15 minutes of entertainment :o)

I guess they did not like me very much.

Örebro Slott (Castle). It was first built in 1347 by King Magnus Eriksson, however it has been remodled several times and the current architechture comes from the late 1800s. Quite a few historical events have taken place here, so it has its fair share of Swedish fame.

A picture of the back of the castle. It sits on the Svartån River.

St. Nicolai Kyrka. This church dates back to the 13th century, but like the castle, has been restyled many times.

Beautiful stained glass.

Old Swedish churches like this one have a really nice simplicity to them...without being dull. I like them :o)

Wadköping. This is a "cultural center" where a few surviving old buildings have been moved to create a little community. There are lots of fun shops, as well as several residences dating back to the 16th century.

This is in Cajsa Warg's Hus, the home of the well known "cookery writer" Cajsa Warg. The ceilings were not very tall!

A steep stairway in the building called Kungsstugan. The King would sleep in this house when he visited Örebro in the late 1580s because he thought the castle was too cold.

Candy shop! No big surprise...Swede's love their candy :o)

Speaking of candy, we were in a convience shop, and we spotted THIS piece of candy...it is a Kanel Bulle candy !!! Unfortunately, it does not taste much like real Kanel Bulle...but it is fun to look at!

Last Saturday, Anja, Keilin and I took a bus to Örebro, a city about an hour and a half east of Karlstad. Some of you know that when I was choosing Universitites to study at during my semester abroad, Örebro University was on my list. So, naturally, I wanted to see what I was missing :o) Haha. Seriously though, I had heard that it was a nice town, and so Anja, Keilin and I decided to check it out.

We planned the trip about a month ago with the intention of going during the Springtime. Lets just say we learned our lesson. On Friday, it snowed ALL day long, and it was still coming down on Saturday. It was not exactly the "Spring" weather we were hoping for/expecting. Fortunately, the temperature was not too cold, so a lot of the snow melted throughout the day. Plus, we have plenty of experience having fun dispite the not-so-great weather! We had a great time, and although it was a great little city, I am happy to say that I am still 100% happy with my placement at Karlstad University :o) The pictures and captions tell the rest!

On Friday, Keilin and I are off to The Netherlands to visit one of my friends from North Park, and then we are spending a night in Düsseldorf, Germany before heading back to Karlstad. Let round two of the travels begin! As always, I hope everyone is doing well back home! You are all missed!

Lauren

Våffledagen

My Swedish Waffle and Coffee... mmmm...

Every year on the 25th of March, Swede's celebrate Våffledagen or Jungfru Marie Bedådelsedag
(Annunciation Day of the Virgin Mary). The Swedish name Våffla (waffle) comes from vår fru, which is an old name for the Virgin Mary. This day is also a celebration of the coming of Spring! On this day, Swedes eat heart-shaped waffles with a dollop of whipped cream and either stawberry or raspberry jam on top. All of the international students were invited to celebrate Våffledagen together with the host students. It was a fun and delicious celebration :o)