Valborg and the First of May celebrations brought a distinct sense of Spring along with longer, warmer days. Our International Choir joined Gösta the director’s other, Swedish choir in Trelleborg to sing at the town’s Valborg bonfire ceremony at the Viking museum. It started with the “kulning” an ancient Swedish herding call by 3 women from the top of the rebuilt viking trelleborg. Then we choir members rang cow bells and assembled, pretending to be the cows and sheep. There was a speech and other ceremony around the coming spring and our director talked about the old medieval ways of Majsjungning “Maying” in Skåne and Denmark
After our songs and a bit of dancing, the costumed museum actors brought in their torches, and in spite of strong winds, lit the enormous pile of winter wood. The fire brigade was close at hand, monitoring the situation, and the atmosphere was festive. I understood some of the Swedish around me. Several tween boys complained about having to buy a ticket to see the fire this year, and I think they meant that the town had a free fire ceremony elsewhere (most likely down by the water). Many folks seemed to appreciate watching from atop the fortress. Having arranged a ride from Lund, I had my own fan section cheering me on. But once the fire was blazing and the ceremony complete, Mattias, Andrea, Stephanie and I enjoyed the scenic ride back to Lund, with a less than stellar stop for Chinese food in Svedala due to a waiter who seemed to be disgruntled that we were there at 8:15 on the day before the Swedish Labor Day holiday.
Tis the month of Maying, and this merry lass has been playing, as the song says…Skånetrafiken offered an 8 day Eurovision pass for travel within Copenhagen and all of Skåne. In order to maximize the ticket, I went adventuring every day, twice to Copenhagen and all around the area of Lund, and Malmö. Normally the price for a round trip ticket to Copenhagen is about 380 kr so at 700 kronor, the pass was a great deal. Erin, Melissa and I spent 2 days across the Sound and we managed the potentially packed trains quite well by traveling off peak, using the train stop farther out from the center so that we could get seats before the large crowds boarded.
We enjoyed the Glyptotek museum, with it’s spectacular building and terrace views. This one would make a great winter visit so we didn’t spend too much time on this lovely day, the first truly nice weather I’ve experienced in Copenhagen!
We met up with another MN transplant, a friend of Erin’s and a Luther College alum, for a tour of some of her favorite spots including the Tipsy Mermaid bar on an old fishing vessel.
We managed to get the coffee and pastries from my instagram best of list at a two in one stop!
There was no shortage of charming vistas, including the sweet Just Married drive-off, via cargo bike, which Melissa captured.
Back in Lund I discovered a quicker way out to the community garden (Kallbymolle odling), via the train to Lund’s new Klostergarden station. I’ve been helping out with a plot that belongs to a friend who will be traveling for most of this season. The 40 minute walk or 25 minute bus ride can be done with a two minute train ride and a few minutes walk to and from the train. It could be a handy route when I need to save time. I haven’t got the hang of biking in the city and “managing” the e-bike yet, and I’m not that motivated to do it.
I cheered for Stephanie as she ran the Lundaloppet 10K. They had perfect weather for it, not too warm or cold, and Stephanie had a terrific run. Hil made the sign for me to wave, cheers!
The rapeseed fields are at peak this week so Andrea and I detoured en route to pick up garden supplies in order to take in the views. Jakriborg, a village just outside Lund, which I pass by on the train all the time but have never visited had some perfect spots for admiring the fields of gold.
We also had the quintessential dagens rätt in another part of Hjärup. It reminded me a lot of cafes in small town MN, with a meatloaf-like daily special, but including salad bar, bread, juice, coffee and cookies, certainly the best deal around with the cops and locals who clearly come in quite often to eat lunch and chat.
Borgeby Castle hosted a flea market, auction and farmers market where we, Andrea and I, got some of the best apples! They are the variety Maya and they store well over winter if oxygen levels are lowered. Sweet and crispy. Also bought some lovely apple plum elderflower cordial and had lunch al fresco with live music by a local brass band, Nostalgia at it’s best.
May has been so action packed I cannot get it all in just a couple of posts. Stay tuned for the annual camping trip and other highlights!
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