Mon. June 21, from Oslo to a little hotel in Värmland, Sweden

Monday morning we said goodbye to cosmopolitan Oslo, and took a train into Sweden, where we picked up a rental car. Lulu was excited to have access to a car radio, because her iPod had conked out. It was interesting to me for awhile. Swedish pop radio plays about six songs over and over, just like the American pop radio I remember from the 1960s. Lulu knew most of the songs already, but for me it was new to finally find out what Lady Gaga sounds like. And there was one somewhat interesting song that they played over and over that Lulu had never heard before: a woman with an unidentifiable accent, and the refrain

Love, my aim is straight and true
Cupid's arrow is just for you
I even painted my toe nails for you
I did it just the other day

(Later back in Portland I searched the internet and found out that it was Lena Meyer Landrut, with the winning song from Eurovision 2010.)

When we were back in Portland I had used the internet to search for a hotel for Monday night in the Värmland region, and there had been very few places that had room for us. I ended up reserving a place in the small town of Storfors, and it turned out to be just right.

The hotel is run by two Dutch couples (twin sisters and their husbands), and sits amid lawn and woods down by a small stream and an old mill. But best of all, they have pet reindeer, including a baby, only about two weeks old. They provided hours of entertainment for the girls, especially Frances.