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@ Stone Bridge, Kinnekulle
Gaia begins her tour of "Sweden". Wrap up warm!
Stone Bridge, Kinnekulle
Kinnekulle is a flat-topped mountain in the county of Västergötland, Sweden. This beautiful bridge is probably limestone excavated from the Kinnekulle Grand Quarry. The lower levels of limestone date back 400 million years.

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@ Swedish Port, Bohuslän
"'Swedes consume 20 million Semlor per year'," read out Gaia from the brochure. "'Semlor buns, a traditional pre-Lent treat, are cream buns made from an enriched bread dough, flavoured with ground cardamom and filled with almond paste and chantilly cream. Versions of the bun are eaten across Nordic countries on Shrove Tuesday, but they are probably best known and loved in Sweden and Finland.'"
"They sound wonderful!" enthused Moriarty.
"They do indeed, Moriarty, but it warns you here—a Swedish king in the 18th century died after eating too many of them!"

Swedish Port, Bohuslän
Bohuslän is a province in Götaland, Sweden. A rocky coastline ranked as one of the world's last great wilderness areas, with 3,000 islands and 5,000 islets.

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@ Antique Window
"How many lakes are there in Sweden, Silky?" queried Gaia.
"A huge number, I'm guessing!"
"Yes, indeedy—95,700!"

Antique Window
It was not until the 19th century that large panes of glass were made so all windows prior to that time were smaller panes of glass with lead joining the panes. The first glass blocks were patented in 1886. This beautiful blue glass window appears to be made of glass blocks.

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@ Swedish Lapland, Sweden
"You know, Edgar called me a heathen the other week because I said I didn't like Dickens," remarked Gaia. "I'm going to inform him that 'heathen' comes from the Old Norse heiðinn, meaning 'one who inhabits the heath or open country'."
Choose a name grinned. "He'll probably just call you a Philistine instead, Gaia!" she said.
Swedish Lapland, Sweden
Lapland is a province in northern Sweden. The northernmost parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia, also known as Sápmi, is the land of the indigenous population, the Sami people, who have lived here for thousands of years. A truly stunning landscape.

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@ Full Moon
"You know, Edgar called me a heathen the other week because I said I didn't like Dickens," remarked Gaia. "I'm going to inform him that 'heathen' comes from the Old Norse heiðinn, meaning 'one who inhabits the heath or open country'."
Safeara grinned. "He'll probably just call you a Philistine instead, Gaia!" she said.
Full Moon
Bundle up the pets and go for a scenic drive along the misty roads. It looks clear enough that you should see some stars.

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@ Drottningholm Palace, Sweden

"Come with me, we are going to the underground Metro."

"The underground for a trip?" Dorlinger asked.
Gaia shook their head, "Not quite, you will see when we get there, just another block."

When they arrived in the underground station Dorlinger looked around with their mouth open. "Look at all this art, just look at it all. Paintings, sculptures, and that over there is a mosaic."
Gaia smiled, "Are you surprised? In Sweden, ninety percent of the metro stations have been decorated with many different art forms. It is one huge gallery when you put them all together."
Drottningholm Palace, Sweden
Permanent residence of the Swedish Royal Family. This, the most well-preserved royal castle in Sweden was built in the 1600s. The castle is built on an island, Lovön which is close to Stockholm.

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@ Frozen Lake, Sweden
"Hey, Moo, did you know there's quite a few examples of Swedish loanwords in English? There's moped, gauntlet, ombudsman, orienteering and tungsten."
"That's great to know, Gaia! I'll remember that when I'm next wearing gauntlets, orienteering on my moped to see the ombudsman about tungsten!"
Frozen Lake, Sweden
Wintertime changes the landscape considerably. Bodies of water can freeze over, trees are covered in snow, darkness falls earlier and light comes later. Taking a walk through a winter forest is refreshing but do be careful where you put your feet.

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@ Apladalen, Värnamo, Sweden

Gaia turned to Hera and asked, "Do you recycle?"

Hera responded, "Well, I try to, I think it is important."

Gaia nodded in agreement, "In Sweden, they recycle so much that they only have one percent waste to take to the landfills, fifty percent of waste is recycled or composted and forty-nine percent is incinerated for energy."
Hera gave a big smile at this news, "We need to do more, we need to be like Sweden, when we get home I am going to talk to my friends about starting a compost and learning more about how we can be more efficient in our waste management."
Apladalen, Värnamo, Sweden
A natural history park is the main attraction in Värnamo, featuring traditional houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. There are goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry that you can pet.

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@ Sweden Icy Country Road
"Ah! We know Sweden has land borders with Finland and Norway but did you know it's also connected to Denmark—by a bridge?" said Gaia.
"A bridge that's a border? Sounds great!" said Brillianie.

Sweden Icy Country Road
Grab your runner sled and get ready for some fun in the winter sun! The ice packed road is perfect for waxed runners and sledding fun!

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@ Sweden Street Art
"The hotel manager taught us two untranslatable Swedish words today, to help understand Swedish culture," remarked Gaia.
"What are they?" asked Pinky Tuscadero.
"Well, the first is fika, which means to have a cup of coffee with a treat at a café while talking with a friend. A small word for a universal custom that everyone in Sweden enjoys! The second describes a core Swedish value. Lagom means 'not too little, not too much … but just right.'"

Sweden Street Art
People's Park, Malmö showcases the beauty of nature and the creativity of the people's art.

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@ Swedish Main Train Domain
"Listen to this, Frosty. 'Sweden has the world’s largest scale model of the solar system. Starting at the Ericsson Dome in Stockholm, the model ends 590 miles (950km) away in Kiruna where the end of the solar system is marked."
"Gosh! What scale is the model, Gaia?"
"The scale is 1:20 million and each object is marked with a model or statue. Mercury is a mere 1.86 miles (3km) from the centre while Earth is 4.72 miles (7.6km) away and Neptune is 142¼ miles (229km) away."

Swedish Main Train Domain
Pulling out of Stockholm Railway Station we see the "Orange Carriages", not to be mistaken for the spooky Silverpilen train, or Silver Arrow, that we met in one Scary Fayre episode! These trains may be ridden in perfect safety!

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@ Crown Pharmacy
"'Sweden has a famous hotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi made entirely out of ice. The hotel has to be re-crafted every year using large blocks of ice taken from the Tome River'," read out Gaia from the brochure.
"Sounds very stylish, Gaia, if a little chilly, possibly!" remarked Munich.

Crown Pharmacy
This splendid red and gold sign is at the Skansen Open Air Museum in Stockholm. The Crown Pharmacy (Apoteket Kronan) has a sign outside in the form of a royal crown to accord with the pharmacy’s name. Enter the pharmacy to go back to a time when the pharmacist made up medicines and tinctures from a recipe. The shop fittings are mostly from the palace pharmacy at Drottningholm outside Stockholm as well as from a pharmacy in Köping that was run by the noted chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele.

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@ Mariefred Railway Station

Gaia turned to Woolly and asked, "Do you recycle?"

Woolly responded, "Well, I try to, I think it is important."

Gaia nodded in agreement, "In Sweden, they recycle so much that they only have one percent waste to take to the landfills, fifty percent of waste is recycled or composted and forty-nine percent is incinerated for energy."
Woolly gave a big smile at this news, "We need to do more, we need to be like Sweden, when we get home I am going to talk to my friends about starting a compost and learning more about how we can be more efficient in our waste management."
Mariefred Railway Station
The Mariefred Rail Station is located in Sodermanland, Sweden. The station operates a steam locomotive on the narrowest track, called a narrow-gauge track, ever used for public train services runs from Mariefred to Läggesta and Taxinge Näsby, between May and Sept.

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@ Sweden Värmland
"You know, Edgar called me a heathen the other week because I said I didn't like Dickens," remarked Gaia. "I'm going to inform him that 'heathen' comes from the Old Norse heiðinn, meaning 'one who inhabits the heath or open country'."
Sweetie pie grinned. "He'll probably just call you a Philistine instead, Gaia!" she said.
Sweden Värmland
Standing on the peak of one of many throughout the travelled road, it's incredible to look over the green valley below, is that a cloud shadow?

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@ Sweden Limhamn, Malmö
Oh look ... you won a pet!
Sweden Limhamn, Malmö
Walking along the coast of Malmo, the sunny sea grasses call travelers to keep strolling

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@ Sweden Cornflowers
"'Sweden has a famous hotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi made entirely out of ice. The hotel has to be re-crafted every year using large blocks of ice taken from the Tome River'," read out Gaia from the brochure.
"Sounds very stylish, Gaia, if a little chilly, possibly!" remarked Trix.

Sweden Cornflowers
Waving gently in the summer breezes, the bright blue flowers are the inspiration to so many art pieces, pottery, china and eyes of blue!

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@ Örebro Castle, Sweden
Sweden’s northernmost point is called Treriksröset, meaning "three national cairns". This is the point where Sweden, Norway and Finland meet, so you can literally stand in three countries at once at this point in Sweden.
Örebro Castle, Sweden
The oldest part of the castle, a defence tower, was built in the late 13th century. In the 1890s the castle underwent extensive remodelling and the round towers you see today were created.

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@ Sweden Ostkustleden
"'Sweden has a famous hotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi made entirely out of ice. The hotel has to be re-crafted every year using large blocks of ice taken from the Tome River'," read out Gaia from the brochure.
"Sounds very stylish, Gaia, if a little chilly, possibly!" remarked slider.

Sweden Ostkustleden
A wonderful place to rent a cabin and relax on the shores, the traveler who enjoys sunrises and sunsets will not be disappointed.

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@ Sweden Snow Fence
"Hey, Cabernet, did you know there's quite a few examples of Swedish loanwords in English? There's moped, gauntlet, ombudsman, orienteering and tungsten."
"That's great to know, Gaia! I'll remember that when I'm next wearing gauntlets, orienteering on my moped to see the ombudsman about tungsten!"
Sweden Snow Fence
Covered in a fresh layer of snow, covering the world in white for all the eye can see, strap on your snowshoes and enjoy a crisp walk!

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@ Downtown Crown
Gaia turned to Tilly ♡ and asked, "Do you recycle?"
Tilly ♡ responded, "Well, I try to, I think it is important."
Gaia nodded in agreement, "In Sweden, they recycle so much that they only have one percent waste to take to the landfills, fifty percent of waste is recycled or composted and forty-nine percent is incinerated for energy."
Tilly ♡ gave a big smile at this news, "We need to do more, we need to be like Sweden, when we get home I am going to talk to my friends about starting a compost and learning more about how we can be more efficient in our waste management."
Downtown Crown
King Carl XVI Gustaf has been the monarch of Sweden since 1973. He is the 74th King of Sweden. Sweden's tradition of monarchy goes back over a thousand years. This crown, representing Sweden's monarchy, is a famous landmark on the Skeppsholm Bridge in Stockholm's "Gamla Stan", which means its historic "Old Town" quarter.

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@ Øresund Bridge
"You know, Edgar called me a heathen the other week because I said I didn't like Dickens," remarked Gaia. "I'm going to inform him that 'heathen' comes from the Old Norse heiðinn, meaning 'one who inhabits the heath or open country'."
Lacy grinned. "He'll probably just call you a Philistine instead, Gaia!" she said.
Øresund Bridge
The Øresund Bridge is a toll bridge that links Denmark and Sweden. Spanning 16 km (9.94 mi.) A very dramatic photograph showing not only the impressive bridge but a wonderfully moody sky.

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@ Twilight Sky, Stockholm
Gaia turned to Choose a name and asked, "Do you recycle?"
Choose a name responded, "Well, I try to, I think it is important."
Gaia nodded in agreement, "In Sweden, they recycle so much that they only have one percent waste to take to the landfills, fifty percent of waste is recycled or composted and forty-nine percent is incinerated for energy."
Choose a name gave a big smile at this news, "We need to do more, we need to be like Sweden, when we get home I am going to talk to my friends about starting a compost and learning more about how we can be more efficient in our waste management."
Twilight Sky, Stockholm
It does not matter where you live or visit, everyone loves to sit for a while and gaze out at the setting sun. It may be just a gentle darkening of the sky with a bit of red or orange, or it may be a full-on display of colours. Relax and enjoy as nature says goodnight.

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@ Sweden Winding Mountain Road
"Ah! We know Sweden has land borders with Finland and Norway but did you know it's also connected to Denmark—by a bridge?" said Gaia.
"A bridge that's a border? Sounds great!" said Midnite.

Sweden Winding Mountain Road
Sit down, strap in and hang on! The adventure on these winding roads is about to get real! When life hands you a curve, remember, lean into it!

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@ Northern Lights, Sweden
"Listen to this, glowy. 'Sweden has the world’s largest scale model of the solar system. Starting at the Ericsson Dome in Stockholm, the model ends 590 miles (950km) away in Kiruna where the end of the solar system is marked."
"Gosh! What scale is the model, Gaia?"
"The scale is 1:20 million and each object is marked with a model or statue. Mercury is a mere 1.86 miles (3km) from the centre while Earth is 4.72 miles (7.6km) away and Neptune is 142¼ miles (229km) away."

Northern Lights, Sweden
The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights can be seen in more northern countries and they never fail to instill a sense of wonder. Green is the most often seen colour with red being the rarest. Dancing, rippling, swaying colours are created when charged particles collide with gasses in the earth’s upper atmosphere.

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@ Bring The Oars, Sweden
As Gaia's tour of "Sweden" comes to an end, she receives a seasonally appropriate gift!
Barren Winter Hills
Hills and mountains layered over a background add depth. These wintery feeling hills are just waiting for you to add whatever you like. Maybe you want a whole forest where pets can play hide and seek. Perhaps you prefer to cover the hills with snow and create a place to make snow people or snowpets. Maybe there is one lone tree bare of leaves or an ocean below the hills. Ah! My pets are clamouring for me to make them a place where they can go sledding.
Bring The Oars, Sweden
Sweden has more pleasure crafts, per capita than almost any other country. The people of Sweden have a great affinity with water. This looks like a fine little boat and the waterway has some lovely scenery. Time for a leisurely drift down the river.
Gaia has completed her tour of "Sweden"! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can also tour Scandinavia!