The World According To Cindy: Swans Yesterday, Snails Today

Being a basically shallow person, I usually prefer things like horses and pastry shops to museums and churches while traveling. (I also am bored by ballet- so sue me.) However, today is our last day in Lund, we have to return the cool James Bond rental car, and we've pretty much seen all of Craig's old mission haunts we came here to see. So we decide to just go to TripAdvisor and see what the average tourist likes to see. Naturally, the answer comes up as museums and churches. There is supposed to be a cool bird sanctuary though so we try that first. The bird sanctuary is pretty much devoid of birds (or they're too far away to really see.) We do see a lot of large snails, small butterflies, and some really vicious stinging nettles. ( I saw the stinging nettle a bit late- my hand still smarts.)

Nary a bird to be seen.

Still looking for wildlife to photograph, we head back to town, where Craig captures forever on pixels the elusive yellowcatinadoorway and the persistent wasp that has, as nearly as we can tell, been present for every meal we've eaten since Göteborg.

Time to give up on exciting creatures and make for a museum. We head for the Kulturen (The Swedish Museum of Culture - billed as the second oldest open-air museum in the world, open since 1892. Bet your first question is: "What's the oldest open air museum in the world then?" That was my question too, so I looked it up. The answer is the Skansen Open Air Museum in Stockholm. Guess the Swedes just have a thing about culture and fresh air.) It is a series of ancient buildings, each open to the public with different exhibits inside and surrounding several large courtyards. I bet SCA gatherings are a blast here!

Wow! These Medieval guys were short.

Itty bitty heads too.

The modern 18th century kitchen. Looks like mine without the microwave.

Sleeping for a thousand years sounds pretty good at my age.

But is it bigger on the inside?

Love the ancient tapeworm and kidney samples.

We spend a lot of time visiting the well-done exhibits, then head over to tour the Domkyrka, a huge gorgeous old cathedral in the center of Lund.

Craig had to explain this panel to another tourist. I trust your knowledge of the Old Testament is somewhat better.

I just liked this goofy church cow. I don't know what she symbolizes.

This is right out of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

This one is particularly puzzling. Why are these two guys creeping up to steal Scrat's acorn? And should we tell Dreamworks?

Then, secure in the knowledge that we are as cultured as we are going to be without resorting to a bowl of Activia, we return to the B and B for the night. Craig and I will be sorry to leave Lund for the big city of Stockholm. We both love the country feel and the gorgeous cobblestone streets. I especially love the gently rolling hills of pastures and farmland. I've decided that's my favorite landscape. (That makes me an Entwife. ) Craig likes the Sequoias of California and the mountains. (He's an Ent.) If you can't handle the Tolkien references, find another blog.