Copenhagen; day #10 of the Woodson Art Museum members’ travel adventure to Sweden and Denmark.
At this point in our itinerary – with just two and a half days remaining for a cursory introduction to Copenhagen – I’m looking in the rearview mirror, so to speak, marveling at the miles traversed and all we’ve experienced, and smiling broadly.
Sweden was fabulous. From the welcoming people and the oh-so-Wisconsin-like landscape to the satisfying cuisine and gracious hospitality of our artist-friends, our filled-to-the-brim days exceeded expectations.
Since pictures can be worth thousands of words, these images – along with their captions – tell the many and varied stories of our trip.
An informative and spirited tour of Millesgarden introduced the work of sculptor Carl Milles (1875-1955)
Millesgarden hosted Woodson Art Museum travelers for a champagne toast and an opportunity to visit with Lars and Ragnhild Jonsson and Kent and Veerle Ullberg in advance of the Jonsson-Ullberg exhibition preview party (http://www.millesgarden.se/current-exhibitions.aspx).
Lennart and Marianne Sand welcomed us to Lennart’s tranquil studio in Solarvet, in the Dalarna region. We were introduced to the Swedish “fika” tradition, enjoying Marianne’s rhubarb bars and coffee.
The island of Gotland with its remarkable Medieval walled city, Visby, was next on our itinerary. Here, Lars and Ragnhild Jonsson not only introduced us to Museum Lars Jonsson and its delightful cafe, but provided a guided tour of the island’s geography, geology, and birdlife.
Moving on to southern Sweden and the Kingdom of Crystal , we visited The Glass Factory and spent the night at the Kosta Boda Art Hotel – each guest room and area of the hotel is a work of art.
Day #10 began at Wanas Castle Sculpture Park. A two-mile or so guided walk offered intriguing photo opportunities.
Artists Gunnar Tryggmo and Peter Elfman, welcomed us in the afternoon, treated us to another delicious fika – thank you, Anna – and presented sketching and watercolor painting demonstrations.
These images, captions, and links share just some of our Sweden highlights. There are more stories to share and more photos, too. Each of the fourteen travelers, who comprised our congenial group, could add much more to this overview. I’ll look forward to their comments and shared photos after we return home and catch up on sleep.
With an ambitious itinerary and 16+ hours of daylight, we made every minute count. What a trip!
