Lindesberg Rotary Dinner

On the evening of Thursday, May 3, we had a wonderful dinner hosted by the Lindesberg Rotary Club at a café and artist studio just outside of town. The dinner consisted of trout roe, salmon, shrimp, salad and potatoes. We enjoyed a variety of aquavit (a Swedish flavored vodka), wine and a wonderful raspberry dessert. We participated in a Swedish tradition of singing while drinking our aquavit and have learned some new tunes to bring back to Nebraska.

Before dessert we had an opportunity to visit a ceramic artist who lives a few hundred feet from the place we had dinner. They live in a building that was built in the early 1700s to support the iron industry in the area. The building originally housed eight families and is made of unfired clay bricks (similar to adobe). The building was in disrepair when the artist purchased it in the 1970s and started renovating to make it her home. She operates a ceramics shop that had a variety of plates and bowls for sale.

We all enjoyed the aquavit – especially with her beer and wine chasers.

Today’s adventure took us to a paper mill were we learned all about the paper carton manufacturing process and Swedish history from the big bang to today. The paper industry replaced the ironworks industry in the late 1800s. The lakes and rivers in the area have a red tint to them due to the high amounts of iron in the soil and rocks.

After our return from the paper mill, we went to the Systembolaget – the liquor store that is ran by their government. Only the government in Sweden can operate liquor stores – it is evidently quite a monopoly.

This evening, Anders and his family are hosting us at a Swedish bar-b-que. I am having problems with trying to upload today’s pictures --- so I’ll put up more from yesterday.


The high school consists of several buidlings.



Our meeting at their high school. Left to right: Eva (our host), Kristi, Eric, Pete, Joe and Cassie.

Elementary school children in their lunch room.