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Djupvik, Gotland

Time always pass by too quickly when I am at Gotland. 

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Grötlingbo, Gotland

Spending two weeks on the south of Gotland. Best place in Sweden during the summer.

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Elliott

For a change NOT a photo of John but of my parents dog Elliott. From the same breeder as my old dog Dylan. https://www.instagram.com/p/CK8sG7opCEq/?igshid=1l7mtu2ijubx5

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Sunday morning

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Midsummer in Strängnäs, part 2

“The successful midsummer never-ending lunch party formula involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking unsweetened, flavoured schnapps. And downing a whole load of pickled herring served with delightful new potatoes, chives and sour cream. All in all, a grand day out.” / VisitSweden

We celebrated in my childhood home outside of Strängnäs. No pole and no weird dances but still a couple of grand days with some of our favourite people.

(Scroll down for part one)  

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Midsummer in Strängnäs

“The successful midsummer never-ending lunch party formula involves flowers in your hair, dancing around a pole, singing songs while drinking unsweetened, flavoured schnapps. And downing a whole load of pickled herring served with delightful new potatoes, chives and sour cream. All in all, a grand day out.” / VisitSweden

We celebrated in my childhood home outside of Strängnäs. No pole and no weird dances but still a couple of grand days with some of our favourite people. 

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Riddarholmen, Stockholm

Finally got some snow in Stockholm. Photo taken from the most touristy spot in town, but there is a reason why. The view from Monteliusvägen is stunning. 

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Östermalm, Stockholm

Incredible light over Östermalm from Djurgården yesterday.

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Djurgården, Stockholm

Rosendals Trädgård was closed but still a nice walk on Djurgården yesterday.

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Pennan, Scotland

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Skåne, Sweden

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Tänndalen

Spending a week cross country skiing with my parents in Tänndalen in the north of Sweden. Have been here almost every year for at least a week since I was born and appreciate it even more now than I did when I was a kid. 

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Järvsö, Hälsingland, Sweden

Taking every opportunity to go cross country skiing and just a couple of hours north of Stockholm we now have over 1 meter of snow. This photo is taken from the side of the road just east of Järvsö in Hälsingland. 

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Last night in Tbilisi

Heading home to Stockholm again on Saturday after two months in Georgia. It’s been a great experience in so many ways and I am so impressed with what I’ve seen. 

This geographically tiny country is still considered poor in many ways and a lot of issues are of course still to be resolved. But it has been developing rapidly since the end of the Soviet Empire and the Rose Revolution in 2004 and it has so much to offer for such a small country. Restaurants, bars, wines, mountains, wines, picturesque old towns and monuments, friendly and hospitable people and not least, the wines. 

This is a country we will hear more about in Western Europe in the near future, I am sure of it. I look forward to coming back very soon.

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Tbilisi, Georgia

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Tsinandali, Georgia

Sanna and I celebrated three years together by staying at Schuchmann Wine & Spa in the Kakheti region. Had a “wine treatment”, including bahting in wine, being scrubbed with wine, soaked and enbalmed in wine. They do love wine here.

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Stepantsminda, Kazbegi, Georgia

A few weekends ago we stayed at the Rooms Hotel in Kazbegi in northern Georgia, close to the Russian border. The view from the hotel is pretty amazing with the small town of Stepantsminda in the valley below the Caucasus mountains. 

Behind the town, on top of a hill 2100 meters above sea level, lies the Gergeti Trinity Church, a still active orthodox church built in the 14:th century. An extremely remote place of worship as the roads to Stepantsminda in general and the church in particular are pretty bad in the winter time.