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Arrived here on Saturday. Lenny has been a most excellent host! He has shown me round the city and his local neighbourhood. Some of the images from Lenny's posts have come to life now: the courtyards near his apartment block and the nearby tree planted in memory of the eight year old boy who died of cancer.
Lenny lives about three or four miles out of town and yesterday he took me on a beautiful three hour walk from where he lives which went through forests and round lakes. It snowed here on Thursday and the countryside is still white and crisp. The temperature is still below zero and I was grateful for the gloves and woolly hat I remembered to pack. The lakes are partially iced over and we were able to stand on the ice at the edge. Just one step though because the ice isn´t very thick. Lenny hurled a small boulder and it went crashing through the thin ice a few feet further out.
After a short while we came to a ski slope. It was not in use yet though - not enough snow. But we walked to the top where there was a wonderful panoramic view of the city.
Afterwards we went back into town and saw the new James Bond movie and then found an Irish pub where I couldn´t resist ordering half a pint of Guinness!
This morning we´re off to do more sightseeing. I´m writing this at Lenny´s computer, listening to some nice classical music. The computer has a slightly bigger keyboard than I´m used to with some extra keys with strange letters: åäö. On the shelf above me are some scary looking monsters from science fiction. Lenny is seriously into sci-fi and computer games!
Gotta go now. Back outside into the snow! Suddenly it feels that Christmas is nearly here.
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trevor
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Really getting into it |
Registered: November 2002
Messages: 732
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I know it's not possible for everyone, but it really warms my heart to hear how online friends have become "real life" friends. It reminds me that we are not just pseudo-anonymous posters and lurkers - we are real people. Thanks for the postcard!
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smith
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On fire! |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 1095
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I've been waiting for an update. Sounds like you're having a great time. Enjoy every minute of it and let us hear more 
smith
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mt
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: November 2002
Messages: 93
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Have a great time guys. Lenny! You haven’t told me you are a sci-fi fan! And you like computer games too! Wow!
MT
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My only excuse is I owe other people emails too (and yes, that's not even a good excuse I know).
I promise to write you. As soon as I can. Better not set a date because if I can't manage I'll only make myself feel bad and you upset. But I promise to write.
Take care!
-L
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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Just got back from the airport. It's been a long day, but a most enjoyable one. And memorable for the fish. Lots of fish!
Better go to bed now as I'm falling asleep at the keyboard. But thanks for everything, Lenny. I'll write some more tomorrow.
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mt
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: November 2002
Messages: 93
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No Message Body
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Darren
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Likes it here |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 190
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Hi Guys,
I am glad you two had so much fun together. So when do the x-rated details come out? .... Just kidding. It is so nice to hear that you two had so much fun together. My (gay) brother in law met some friend that he had corresponded with over the internet (in person) and said it sucked.
Cheers,
Darren
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Personally I blame Ikea. And maybe Bill Bryson had something to do with it too? Well, anyway if you ever go to Sweden, forget about Swedish meatballs. It seems they don't eat them much anyway. No, what you've absolutely got to do is try the fish. Last night Lenny recommended this absolutely fabulous fish restaurant in the old part of town. I ordered the local catch of the day. I have no idea what fish it was (the waiter didn't know the translation), but it was really gorgeous!
It had been a rather fishy sort of day actually. Earlier on we had visited the Universeum, Sweden's "National Science Discovery Centre", where they have an acquarium containing more than 1.4 million litres of water. And only a sheet of perspex keeping it in. As the tank contained three sharks and we were standing right underneath it looking up, it was reassuring to know that the perspex was 27 cm thick! Anyway, we had a good look at the sharks (you can look at them too if you like - on the webcam) and then moved on to the "rainforest" where there were lots of other fish including electric eels. The museum staff were very friendly and demonstrated how when you pour some water into the tank, the eels create an electric current, enough to illuminate a panel of lights.
Another member of the museum staff asked us if we'd like to hold a leech. Well I wasn't at all sure about that! But we were told they had been fed and Lenny held out his hand so I did too. Curious things, leeches. Sometimes they stretch themselves out and sometimes they curl into a ball.
We also saw poisonous snakes, a bird eating spider, a very blue looking lobster, giant butterflies and hundreds of other creatures. Then we moved on to the science zone, which was fun because it was quite interactive and there were lots of exhibits with buttons to push!
Earlier on we had been to the art gallery where there was a special Edvard Munch exhibition, which I found very interesting.
Life is funny. There are many days when one just goes through the daily routine and nothing very much happens. But then days like yesterday come along when life seems so rich. Yesterday I saw great works of art, came face to face with the wonders of the natural world, learnt some science, ate delicious food and enjoyed the company of a true friend.
Well now I'm home again. Hugs, Lenny. Though I'm afraid I can't make your ribs creak tonight! And a big thank you to timmy, without whom Lenny and I would never have met.
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Fish is a desire we both seem to share. I wanted it when I visited you, you wanted it when you visited me... Interesting! (And, shows what excellent taste in food we both have I think. )
I'm so happy I seem to have been able to keep you entertained. If you'd been here in the summer there would have been even more things for you to see, but as we barely had time for what we managed, maybe those are best left until next time.
And I won't tell anyone about your lack of success using my coffee maker either. 
Hugs, Nick!
-L
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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That was embarrassing.
Got it right in the end though. Third time lucky!
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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I'm really jealous, Nick. I think meeting Lenny would be so much fun. It sure sounds like it. My wife and I have been discussing a trip to Europe and since I mentioned I have a friend in Sweden tha's where she's decided she wants to go. Who knows, maybe we'll get there. Glad to hear you two had a lot of fun.
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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Now that sounds positively perverse.
Think good thoughts,
e
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Re: Postcard from Sweden 
I REALLY enjoyed my stay! 
Way too cool 
Got it right in the end 
