Day 10 already??? to Karlskrona and beyond!

those grey clouds have been chasing me for the past few days and today they won the race...  Tried to sit up and watch the final of Euro-Vision last night, but it went on and on.....  so I woke up feeling a tad shabby this morning and I got a strong message from Maggie (she was tied up at the front of the First Hotel and knew that the weather was not looking good).  Anyhoo, she said Enuf!!  lets rest!  but I need to keep moving as I have paid for an accom booking 2 days ahead and I must push on....  Hmmmm there's a train station just up the road... yep, train at 11:19 only takes 1hr to get to Karlskrona...  OK just this once!!!
It meant that I could start the day with a Skype session - then a lazy breakfast Swedish style and eventually put on all my wet weather gear (to test it out) and a gentle 2km pedal thru the streets and up to the railway station...  got there early and just had to buy a children's ticket for Maggie.  had a coffee and hid in the waiting room for awhile.  but was a tad worried by a shady looking lad who was cruising around and getting closer each time to Maggie.  So went out and sat with her - the lad asked me if I wanted to buy an egg timer !!!!  so I politely said Nej....
when the train pulled into the station, Maggie and I climbed aboard and toot toot!  away we went....  It was a good reminder why I like to travel by bike.  Train tracks seem to run past the untidy back yards of businesses - and this one rattled along at a great speed, so couldn't really see that much.  The canola fields aren't so yellow when you're looking down on them either...  but I did see a pair of trana (cranes - with feathers of course) - my first for this trip.
I had already tracked down the Lyckahem hotell & vandrahem about 10km out of Karlskrona on the way to Kalmar and made a booking there, so I had a quick look around Karlskrona - but on a cold damp and being Sunday, there was not a lot happening.  Think there was some Confirmation thingo happening at the church - as there were crowds around and young girls were running around in white dressing gowns...  so didn't get to have a look in the church.
got cranky (surprise!!) when the Tourist Bureau was closed even tho it clearly said on the door that it should be open, so in a huff, Maggie and I went Quack and got out of town!!
and with a little bit of help from Here maps app I eventually found the hostel - not far from the motorway, but I came in the back way - up past large stables to a place where there was a showjumping carnival happening....  heaps of young girls in pony helmets and tight pants etc.  but all good and although I was a little early, the girl came over and opened up for me - so here I am for the night.
so not too many photos taken on this cold and dreary day!  but here's just a couple....

(PS - have managed to upload photos from the past few days, so just might be up to date now!)

btw - Miss Erica has asked me what I have to eat, so excuse the pic of food today - I am just doing what I have been told!!  :)

1st:  Berry yoghurt with variety of muesli and other crunchy stuff
Apple juice already finished!

2nd:  cheeses, hard boiled egg with dill, tomato, cucumber
and beetroot salad plus crispbread - dark brown one was home made and
damn tasty!!

3rd and final:  bread roll plus very dark seedy bread topped
with butter and real apricot jam and washed down
with second cup of coffee...
yep, not losing any weight on this trip for sure!!

Interesting table for the cheeses and salad goodies

Looking down from the 4th floor into the interior of the hotel -
down to where the breakfast bar was...  thankfully there is a lift!!

things looking a tad cold and damp - overlooking the harbour

and along the street - resort to Plan B

wet slippery cobblestones add an element of surprise

colourful flowers trying to brighten the day at the Railway Stn

Protecting Maggie

accidental photo of cobblestones in Karlskrona stora torget

I love statues of important people with a seagull on top...
old and unusual church (designed with an Italian influence) in the background

Pink forget-me-nots???  whatever next!

Let's get outa here and fast!
wide angle lens does do some fun things!

thinks are looking better already once we leave the city

Lunch (at 2pm) of Feta and Mushroom pie and a mocca....
mmmmmmmmmm

Lyckahem Hotell and Vandrahem

and a small stable of a very large horsey complex