Heading North

We got on Inlandsbanan today, the Inland Railway that runs up the middle of Sweden from Dalarna to Lapland. So, we are heading to the Arctic Circle. Saw a lot of trees, rocks and lakes! Here's some pics.

Had a stop in the middle of nowhere to eat some really excellent cinnamon buns. 

And the breaking news is that Bruce bought his first pair of sandals ever. 

Dala Horse Nirvana

So, today was the day. We went to the actual place where they make the Dala Horses. Here are the pics!

The pattern is drawn on 

Cut out

carved into shape

Dipped in paint

Painted

And set out to dry

And they all aren't staid little ponies!

Here's Bruce riding a Dala Rooster! 

Carl Larsson and Sundborn Sweden

Today we went to Sundborn and toured the house of Carl Larsson. It was better than stepping into one of his paintings, to see the actual rooms that inspired so many paintings and hear about his family, who inhabited those paintings. Much to Bruce's dismay, taking photos inside wasn't allowed. But, that didn't stop him from ending up with loads of pictures anyway! Here's a few:

Carl Larsson's home and gardens:

Then to Sundborn's church built in the 1700's - Carl Larsson helped redecorate it during his 

lifetime. 

Church window looking out on lake. 

Carl Larsson painted these flowers on the choir loft.

Paintings above the altar are by Carl Larsson - his daughters were the models for the angels. 

The village of Sundborn

Here's Bruce chilling out while waiting for a tour of Carl Larsson's place.

And here are tubes of caviar at the grocery store -  a breakfast staple in Sweden! 

Rättvik today

We took a bus from Falun to Rättvik today. Rättvik sits on the shores of Lake Siljan. We visited the church and the church's horse stables, individual small log cabins built for the horses of the parishioners.

Here are the stables surrounding the church. 

Then we visited an old farmstead. 

In the 17th and 18th centuries, young girls went into the remote country in the summer to take their flocks and herds to summer pastures. They spent their days herding and at night returned to a "fabod" they shared with a few other girls. There'd they'd make cheese or card and weave wool. Here's a fabod, inside and out. 

Then we went  out of the longest pier in the world - 

And then checked out the knäckebröd row at the grocery store! 

Dalarna, at last!

So, I've always wanted to go to Dalarna - the province of Swedish horses, folk costumes and vallkulla - the herding women of Dalarna. And today, we finally got here. First, we left Örebro after taking one last picture of a duck -

Bruce took a "artistic" photo of us waiting for the train - 

Traveled through wooded rolling hills and past many lakes - 

                                      

The design of the fabric of the seats on the train were covered with women's names - two of which as names of characters from the Scandinavian themed fantasy novel I wrote. Meet Astrid and Lovisa! 

Now, we are in Falun in Dalarna. Falun had a huge copper mine for hundreds of years - hence the red paint that all the houses are painted. Here are some old miner's cottages. 

Visited some trolls - 

Went to the church - 

checked in at the hotel 

and Bruce took up dancing!