Building an IKEA cabinet

We bought a cabinet at IKEA to hold the TV because mom and dad thought I spent too much time with my face pressed up against the TV (it was on a very low table). With this one, I won't be able to reach the screen (booooo). But I had a lot of fun with dad, using a screwdriver to put it together. I want to be an enginerd when I grow up!!

Swedish meatballs at IKEA

Our apartment in Uppsala is fantastic, and really well furnished. But we still had to make an obligatory trip to IKEA to buy some stuff. We stopped for a tasty lunch... you guessed it, Swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE meatballs... but I have to get used to calling them köttbulle rather than albondigas.

First snow!

Mom and dad say it's embarrassing that as a sconnie boy I have never seen snow. So we stopped to sample some on our way from Gotenberg to Uppsala. It was so freaky... cold but squishy! I thought it was very tasty.

Ferry to Sweden

After a couple of nights in Aalborg, Denmark, we drove to Fredrikshavn and got on a REALLY BIG BOAT. It was like a cruise ship, with restaurants and game rooms and tons of cool stuff for kids! We rode it over to Gotenberg so we could drive to Uppsala.

Here I am reading a book about farts. Hee hee!

Legos!!

Hotel Hideyholes and Carseat Standup

I must explore every nook and cranny of every hotel room to find the perfect hideyhole!!

Our trip to Sweden sure would have been a lot more fun if mom and dad would have let me standup in my carseat the whole time! My mom says to tell you not to worry, the car was not moving when this picture was taken.

Spaetzle and spaghetti eis in Mannheim

Yum yum yummy!! We stopped for some famous spaghetti eis (vanilla ice cream pushed through a spaetzle-maker covered with strawberry sauce and white chocolate flakes). I luuuuuuved it!

Tanja made some fantastic spaetzle with morel mushrooms. I ate lots of both!

Schloss in Heidelberg

Here I am with mom and Tanja in front of a gigantic wine barrel (Grosses Fass) into which the wine producers living around Heidelberg had to pour 10% of their wine as a tax. It was built in 1751 from 130 oak trees and it holds about 58,000 gallons of wine.

The obligatory picture by the exploded gun powder turret at Heidelberg Schloss. I'm feeling so romantic!

Here I am with mom, and our friends Tanja and Stefen. They took us around Heidelberg to see the sights, including the philosopher's walk and the castle. You can't see very well, but Tanja is 8-months pregnant! I can't wait to meet my new German cousin after she (?) is born.

Coffee on the square in Heidelberg, Germany

I am learning to read menus...

We spent the day in Heidelberg being tourists! Here I am in the main square of the old town, while mom, dad, and their friends Tanja and Stefen have coffee/beer.

Staying with friends in Mannheim, Germany

I am totally in love with German washing machines!!

Wine country in France

We visited wine caves at a chateau near Beaune (Burgundy). They had sooo many barrels and bottles, it seemed like they went on forever! Mom and dad tasted some wine, but they wouldn't let me try any.

On the streets of Beaune, France.

Driving through France

Here I am crawling around in front of the church in Brive, France.

We stayed in an old abby with an amazing wine cellar that is now the dining room. The people there were so nice!! They set up a high chair for me to eat dinner and breakfast in.


Even in France, it's essential that I check out every new garbage can in the bathroom of every hotel room.

San Sebastian, Spain

For our last tapas in Spain we ate at a basque-asian fusion tapas bar in San Sebastian - standing up (mom was excited about holding me for the whole meal - NOT). But the tapas were definitely the best we'd ever had. The place was called Astelena, if you ever happen to be there!

Here we are beneath the statue of Christ in San Sebastian.

They have tons of my favorite kind of tapas in San Sebastian - pintxos!! They are tasty beautiful snacks usually on a piece of yummy bread (though not always).

Around Olite, Spain

We stayed in Olite on our first night. It is near Pamplona. But we didn't see any running bulls.

We had one of our last Spanish lunches in a small town about 2 hours from Alicante.

Driving away from Alicante

One of many big black bull billboards along the highway.

First nap of the trip. So sleepy.

I am excited to begin the trip! Feeling very smiley and happy... mainly because I don't realize at this point just how many hours I will have to spend sitting in this stupid car seat!!

Leaving Alicante

Here is a video of us leaving our happy house in Spain. We had a great time in Alicante with all our friends, great food, wonderful weather, and many good times. I was sad but also excited about the adventures we will have while traveling through Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden! Bye bye Alicante.