Old Sweden...

From Colorado to Sweden in three days - talk about contrast. Language, flora, history, and weather is all very different, and also very different from New Jersey.  100 degrees Fahrenheit in NJ, and then 50 degrees in Sweden.   Two days ago we visited a living outdoor museum on a mountain (Torekällberget) in the city of Södertälje, south of Stockholm.  It has old historical buildings (the typical Falu red paint is on them of course), and also exhibits a living farm with heritage breeds that are endangered now. In the part that mimics a little old cobblestone town you can find real stores with craftsmen making pottery, printing (with old presses), weaving (mostly linen from flax), baking, and blacksmithing.  I bought two really nice kitchen towels, and took lots of photos, which you can see here.  Here are some:


An 200-300 year old Swedish kitchen. Note the crispbread on the poles in the ceiling, and also the two large painted boxes, those contains two beds. This building was built in 1775-1776 and was moved to this museum much later.


An old-fashioned Swedish round pole fence, made from all plant materials and no nails or strings. People still maintain these around Sweden.


I bought the green ones of these kitchen towels locally out of linen. The store is called Axlings Linne.


Swedish cinnamon buns (kanelbullar) is a really Swedish thing. At the bakery they come in many innovative varieties, not just cinnamon.