Nature has a way of doing that to me. On the last day of The Conference (and, I promise, I will recap the bulk of the program itself soon), I had the opportunity to take a tour of Christinehof Ecopark. It had been created, "to protect, preserve and exhibit the sites and artifacts of natural and cultural value [wetlands and woods] that surround Christinehof", a baroque manor house. But even with such a warning, I couldn't have been prepared for the amazing experience I shared with Petter, Eva, Ariel, Leonora, and more.
We began with coffee/tea and a homemade kanelbullar (cinnamon roll) in Fyledalen; taking in the warm sun, fresh air, and lush, green surroundings. Did you know: "following Australia's lead, Sweden was the second country in the world to introduce an eco-tourism charter"? I hadn't. And yet it seems so obvious to me now. My host and every one of her friends had a cabin outside Malmö. Petter raved about Swedes' love of their great outdoors. He told us too about the wonderful constitutional law, Allemansträtten, which allows access to any and all countryside--for camping, hiking, berry-picking, etc.--as long as the natural integrity is maintained.
After, we got a taste of it ourselves. With Eva as our guide, we mingled with grazing cows, learned about an industrious Dane, chased a herd of sheep, heard about Christenhof's education programs, took a nature walk, ate edible clovers, and made lunch: baked rye with sour cream and "chicken weed" alongside a wild green soup garnished with local flowers, parsley, and more creme fraîche.
Then we retreated inside the manor house to take a look at their eclectic collection of furniture, decorative arts, and portraits, in addition to an exhibition of the work by Sweden's first professor of textile design, Hans Krondahl. The juxtaposition was gorgeous.
And just when I thought the excursion couldn't get any better, I met "the love cake." We each enjoyed a square alongside coffee or tea as we thanked Petter profusely for the unforgettable day he, Eva, and all the staff at Christinehofs Ekopark had provided; yet another Swedish memory I'll forever cherish. With that sweet thought, I'm off to finally get a good night's sleep :) happy birthday, K!
