The Big Trip: Malmo

We took one final overnight train from Stockholm to Malmo, Sweden. We could have just stayed on the train for a half hour longer and arrived in Copenhagen (our next major stop) but we really couldn’t leave Sweden without stepping foot in the hometown of our great greats. We arrived in Malmo at around 6:30 in the morning. So really really early. Our decided upon objective was to walk around and see what we could of the city. My unspoken objective was find any trace of our ancestors. Thanks to sturdy feet and an active imagination, I was able to achieve both objectives.

Since it was so early in the morning, the only thing we really could do for the first few hours was to walk–everywhere. We walked through Gamla Staden which is the old town of Malmo.

Kara is standing in Lilla Torg square which is at the center of Malmo’s charming old town. It was in this square that my relatives most likely strolled and shopped and proposed marriage in. It is also in this square that Kara and I were mistaken for actual Swedes. We hated having to speak English and ruin the moment, but it was pleasing to not be automatically labeled as Americans.

We then went for a huge long walk through a beautiful park downtown. This park was vast and green and really pleasant to walk through.

I love rows of trees.

I bet they were planted by my great great great something or other.

Speaking of my ancestors, I am pretty sure this is one of them.

Resemblance?

Am I taking this ancestor thing too far? Yeah, I don’t think so either. So anyway, we also walked through a graveyard. Because, graveyards are interesting. They are also places where dead people are buried. Dead people are more often then not very, very old. You see where I am going with this?

It could have been a relative–you never know. Kara and I did think this grave was beautiful either way.

We then found our way to this castle but were, sadly, too early for a tour. So, all we know about this place is that they call it a castle.

We walked and we walked and finally we walked for long enough that stores started to open. This got us very excited. Stores opening meant we could go in and order one of these.

Oh the cinnamon roll. Did you know they are thought to have been invented in Sweden? We had several of these while in the country–from the good to the very very good. Our Malmo cinnamon roll was my favorite of all. By now this should not surprise you–I mean really, chances are very good one of my unknown Swedish cousins made it.

Before we left town Kara and I spent a good hour in a great arts and craft boutique that sold beautiful handicrafts from Malmo artists. We each ended up buying a pretty tea cup to remind us of our morning in Malmo. Afterward we couldn’t pass up lunch at this fine establishment:

“Probably the best steakhouse in town…”

You know, it probably was. Sadly I wasn’t able to stay long enough to find out for sure. We left Malmo roughly 6 hours after we arrived. I know we can’t say we really saw all Malmo has to offer but I am glad we stopped all the same. Honestly, somewhere out there I hope my great great grandfather knows Kara and I were there, in his hometown, playing homage to the heritage he gave us. At the very least, I think my grandpa will be happy we did.

This is for you grandpa.

Next up: Copenhagen