Wonderful mini vacation

 

Our room is the two windows on the ground floor by the open door.

In December I got a gift from my job which was a box called "Sweet and Good" where you could choose to go to different places for something sweet.

Gripsholm's Inn

I also had won an overnight stay for 2 incl. breakfast at a place of my choice.

The little town square

Gripsholm castle

On our walk - the church and some lovely old houses

The town hall

So I booked a room at Gripsholms Inn, which is the oldest Inn in Sweden, for Thursday to Friday.
And since one of the "sweet" places was quite close, Taxinge castle, I thought we could go there too.

The prices were a bit different at the beginning of the 1900

All Innkeepers since 1610

So we arrived yesterday afternoon to this beautiful Inn and we had a big room, actually two. The sad thing was that it was on the ground floor just beside the entrance door. So everytime someone went out or in the door smashed and this was especially disturbing during the evening and night. You stood up in the bed when it slammed! One other thing was the smell. It was like a smell of fish. I don't know what it was but it wasn't very nice. Other than that it was wonderful, the bed was so comfy and we slept rather good. Although I was afraid that I would wake up with a monk by my bedside.

Hasse relaxing in what once was a monk's cell

Why monk you might ask? Well, the first building on this site was a monk convent who was situated here in 1504. It's said they are haunting and one thing people have said is that they have felt someone sitting in their bed. We didn't have any though and slept soundly.

This was the monk's windows. See how thick the walls are.

In the evening we ate at the Inn and what food we had! So delicious and just enough. Hasse treated me to that because we celebrated our 29th anniversary (it's really on Sunday ). So nice.

They have two wells left, this being one of them.

This morning we had a wonderful breakfast before going on a tour around the city. It isn't big, only 5000 lives there, but it's so picturesque and worth a visit. It was actually the first time both for me and Hasse.

After that we checked out and went to the Taxinge castle where they have this famous caketable.
My box was for two and included coffee or tea, 1 cake each, 1 pastry and 1 cookie. Nice surroundings and very good. We also saw the tent where they film the reality show "The whole of Sweden is baking" where they crown the best amateur baker in Sweden.

Hasse enjoying coffee and cakes

Some of the cakes and cookies they have

Taxinge castle and a beautiful rhododendron

This is the place where they tape the TV-show.

Now we are back home refreshed and with lots of new impressions. Tomorrow me, Emil and Helen are going to visit Mom's and Dad's grave since it's a year since she died on Sunday. On Sunday I will have the boys over for both anniversary, christening (Jonas) and that Emil has been clean for 2 years.
We will BBQ and I'm looking forward to that.

As always take care!