Vintage Dala horses in Nusnäs.
Joe and I took a road trip up to Dalarna, about a 4 hour drive from Stockholm. We visited many of the towns and villages along Lake Siljan.
The words I'd use to describe this part of the world? Peaceful. Idyllic. Simple. Bucolic.
What a beautiful way to live.
The wooden Dala horse began life as a simple toy but has since evolved into a symbol – not just for Dalarna, the region where it originated, but for the whole of Sweden.
The words I'd use to describe this part of the world? Peaceful. Idyllic. Simple. Bucolic.
What a beautiful way to live.
Our road trip started off in the best way possible! My cousin's wife connected us to her good friend Eva. We stopped by Eva's home in Leksand for an afternoon visit. As Eva said before we left, "Now we are family." Check out the flag she had hanging on her front porch. I hope our paths cross again soon.
Eva's flowers and the view from her gazebo.
Me and the largest Dala horse in the world.
Hanging out at the Rattvik train station.
The pier in Rattvik is the longest in Scandinavia.
The pier is so long because the water is very shallow for almost a kilometre from the lakeshore.
Photo op on the pier.
Everything is decorated in Sweden. Even defunct telephone booths.
As seen in a knife shop in Nusnäs.
Hand-carved wooden Dala horses waiting to be hand-painted.
Almost every house is painted a rusty red colour. "Falu red is a dye that is used on wooden cottages and barns. The paint originated historically from various copper mines in Sweden. The traditional colour remains popular today due to its effectiveness in preserving wood." Thanks, Wikipedia!
Antlers optional.
Dala horses can be found everywhere.
The Swedes have a knack for making everything beautiful. Case in point: a pretty bunch of weeds in a painted tin can.
The village of Rattvik and its ski hill.
The sun sets very late in this part of the world. And it gets up at 2:30am!
Traditional Swedish fences (gärdesgård) are everywhere in the countryside.
Even signposts are decorated.
Sunset over Lake Siljan.
And now we are back in Stockholm waiting for our next adventure to begin!
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