Still in Jonkoping, it's been another beautiful day- I know it's gorgeous at home as well, so I don't feel bad about saying that!
I'm so glad that today was our rest day! We collected our rental bikes. Mine was built for some long legged Swedish lady not a short dumpy middle aged British woman, I had to keep jumping off when I needed to stop and to get going was just as hilarious to watch!! Still I survived the 6 hours on it with no injuries sustained. We cycled along designated paths which made riding so much less stressful. Of course we did the obligatory extra kilometres as we did a few detours!! Colin reckons we did about 45 kms which my legs can testify to!
We visited rose gardens, an arboretum, as well as sunbathed by a lake. The uphill parts were very steep and the stopping by pedalling backwards took some getting used to. Cycling through the countryside was pretty idyllic with traditional farms and houses to see.
Cycling along looking across and down on to the lake was quite spectacular. With the sun shimmering on to it and motor boats, sail boats and kayaks all pottering or speeding along we could easily have thought were in the Mediterranean until you looked at the people sunbathing; all of them had their backs to the water in order to be facing the sun, which was quite weird!
I have decided that sunbathing families are the same the world over. Dad decides the spot and puts up the parasol then plonks himself down with a paper or book whilst Mum unloads copious bags, lays out blankets and towels, sorts the children out with suncream, swimwear, various toys then when she finally sits down Dad wants suncream putting on himself! After this he gives in to the children's demands for attention for about 5 mins and then loses interest and either goes off for a walk, off for a swim or lies down for a sleep leaving Mum to sort out the crying children
- why is it that children whinging in a foreign tongue isn't as annoying as those whinging in English? Dad pays no attention to any of them until it's time for the BBQ then he's in charge!!
On our cycle home which was predominately down hill and therefore freewheeling was much quicker. On yet another detour through a residential part we saw a huge hare lolloping across a lawn, which caused me to ask the question about Kit Williams and his bejewelled hare. Do you remember in the 70's Kit Williams made and buried a golden hare decked with diamonds, rubies and other jewels? He then wrote a book giving clues to the buried treasure; did anyone ever find it and did he then write a book giving the answers to his clues? Random I know but some-one may know the answer.
After tea Colin read the information booklet he'd picked up yesterday which was full of details about walks in the are a and a museum dedicated to the Husqvarna motorbike in one of the towns we cycled through needless to say we didn't visit the museum!
Tonight we visited the Red Lion pub, only the most Swedish of places for us! The bar tender told us that most of the pubs in Sweden are based on an Irish, British or Scottish theme but most of them stock local ales. Colin was delighted to find that on a Friday night the ugly bus drops off even in Northern Sweden and the pubs even have special corners for them to sit in!

We returned tp the hotel to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Colin had asked the bar tender if he would put it on in the bar instead of Swedish football; he declined and shrugging explained Swedes like football. Which is alright accept for the football stadium itself was barely a quarter full and not one person in the bar was watching anyway!

The Swedish commentators particularly enjoyed Rowan Atkinsons sketch with the orchestra! We got bored watching the 200 countries parade round so went to sleep; reading friends comments on Facebook the next morning it was probably a good decision!