Öland, Sweden

This place is fascinating. Yesterday, we had a guided tour ... An *Interesting*!! place was Sandvik. There were many *tiles" cut from the native limestone and finished, first by horses powering a "surfacing" mill - essentially a granite stone with sand and water as an abrasive medium. That process lasted one WEEK, and was later replaced by a windmill-driven system, taking one day per batch.

There are Castles - mainly summer residences of the nobility, with beautiful statuary, and gardens.

We visited a "Borg" - a "ring-wall" - a sort of fortified enclosure, encircling the remains of 88 buildings, dating from ca. 400 - 550 A.D. I kept thinking: "If these stones could only talk..." Standing inside, it seemed to be a landscape from another world... The sign said that it was a temporary place of habitation - possibly used as a refuge from marauding raiders.

LOTS of windmills here (more than 400) ... and lots of wind - it figures. There are many modern wind turbines producing electricity.

More later - now, off to find interesting rock formations.

Extra added attractions ----

We finally boarded FI 205 - Copenhagen to Reykjavik....

The flight was not full (!?) and, in the seats in front of me .... I will **SWEAR** that Anna Nicole Smith did NOT die... At the very least it was her identical twin - identical in every way - stretched out on the three seats directly in front of me. Reflecting on the experince, she might have been somewhat younger.

My wife was seated to my left. and I have 38 (thirty-eight) noticeable bruises, inflicted by her elbow on my left bank of ribs. In addition, I attribute this **miserable** head/ lung infection (cold) to my hyperventilation of the recycled "cabin air".

But, all in all ... :rolleyes:

Don't forget to post some of your Öland pictures here. I grew up less than 100 miles from there -- in the town of Växjö -- and spent many summers on Öland. I would love to see your take on the wonderful landscape.

-- MW

....and the photos of ANS!