Fishing, Moose Spotting and why I have probably pissed off Santa

On Friday night we headed up to Ida's mother's summer house which is in Ralund (I'm still figuring out how to put Swedish punctuation etc in so its not spelt exactly like that).

It has been in the family for many years and is where her mother grew up. Ida, Emil and Maria - Emil's partner went up there with the two doggies - Sally and Freya.

View from the garden - its like time stopped still here a 100 years ago

A new hunting dog to add - all the dogs I've met have been proper working/hunting dogs!

 On the Friday night we went fishing - we were highly UNsuccessful but managed to have a good time all the same.

I even tried to row the boat home. I figured out that my right arm is distinctly stronger than my left arm and ended up going around in circles but to the amusement but little help of the others.

Maria (Ida's sister-in-law)

Rowing fail

Emil working hard

 Then after fishing we went for a drive around the forest in the hope of seeing a moose and we did!! He was massive and it was my first ever sighting of a moose.

Sally and Freya the dogs went manic - actually Freya went manic because she has been hunting properly and I think this made Sally just get excited as well!

This moose was magnificent and huge!

Every Swede gets excited about seeing a moose!! (Freya, Sally and Ida)

 On Saturday at lunchtime we went to visit a local museum. The guy that started it is related to Ida's mother (as are most people from around this particular area) and he started out with one small room and 100 visitors the first year and now has many rooms showing the changes of season to wildlife and nature in the area - last year over 30,000 people visited the museum where you also can have a lunch of the food hunted in the area.

Head here to read more: www.svansele.se

The animals are posed incredibly lifelike in rooms set to look like their natural environment and are stuffed - some are donated as they are endangered.

Plates made from wood , as are the cutlery they are thrown on to the fire to cook more food when you are finished with them

YUMMY - this is how the food is cooked a little similar to Mongolian BBQ

You tell the meat by the antler next to it - this is moose

And this is reindeer - which I ate a bit of and thus am pretty sure that I won't get a  Christmas present because I've literally eaten Santa's ride. 

Maria, Emil and Ida

I really wanted to buy this red fox fur but wasn't sure if I could get it back into NZ - I guess I won't be applying for a role at PETA anytime soon.

Even the coffee mugs are fashioned out of wood

This is me - I'm throwing an axe - its top left - it is way harder than it looks trust me and you have to get a bit of force behind it - a bit more practice and I think I would have got it - it's the Dane in me coming out I think!

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 Headed back to Moro Backe (which is the suburb where I am staying) and got ready to head out for an evening with some friends - but first a piccie with my Mama Svenska - Ulla

Mama Svenska and I 

Ida and I ready to  head out (yes on cycles)

 PS - I managed to cycle in a skirt and high heels. I am so impressed with myself right now!!!

Julle, Jo-berg , Made and Ida at the Viktor-Carl

Me and my new Swedish boys!

A very good night all in all!

Julle up there in the photo on the left is the guy whose summer house we went to the other weekend. Julle basically subsists on pizza, sausage and other crap food so as I have time I have decided to make lots of meals for him to freeze and eat when he needs to! Men - that's all I have to say - let's be fair I like being useful and cooking!