Tower Day!

K. agreed to meet me for lunch if i researched a good place. I woke later and then settled in to finding a place. Two stood out- a cheap hamburger place...and...Belvedere cafe! The menu looked to be 6$ a plate rather than 20, so at noon I knocked on K.'s door. She got ready and we took the bus so I 'd also know where Gamla Linkoping was, an old town theme Village. We got off the bus at the square and began to walk only to find a mother duck and her ducklings walking swiftly down the road in a tiny wobbly line. Everyone who saw them began to smile and several took photos. Suddenly...a crosswalk! by then there were several watchers and they quickly sprang into action. They held out their arms and began to shout for the traffic to stop...and it did! So mother and ducklings crossed in safety and continued to brighten faces through the park until exiting into someone's back-yard. We then changed our course to more directly arrive at the Belvedere. I was so happy! K. loved it!!! our food was delicious. An olive and pepper with fetta sandwich on deliciously crisp bread and two cakes. One was a heavenly blueberry cheese-cake with actual blueberries undulating in the slice's surface. Secondly a cute little round of tiramisu with a blueberry, raspberry, and gooseberry (??) trio garnish on top. An ultralight crust encased a smooth cafe-hued filling and decadent rich raspberry jelly filling sitting on a base of coconut...I could just end the day there, it was lovely! So perfect, staring down at the city from our third-storey perch in the tower. dozens of glass windows and the light streaming through. We took a long time to eat so we had to pay for a second bus back. I got off at Gamla Linkoping with kirsten. She waved goodbye and I wandered about. After just one shop i thought, if Martha Stewart had a theme park, this would be it. Quaint, picturesque homes and gardens decorated to a tee with matching made by hand items.

There were musicians playing by the street and a small chocolate shop. I passed by and then again, when this sweet old man came up to me to say something in swedish. I tell him, "sorry, i speak english" He replies "I tip my hat to the beauty. We don't often get someone like you here." I thank him. He continues "Where are you from?" "America" I reply. "I think that maybe you are Russian." he says, and again "I tip my hat to the beauty" I thank him shyly and continue on. I walk quite a distance and find a horse farm. Tourists sit at the gate eating ice cream and small meals. I walk past and discover horses everywhere. Fields are full of strong elegant horses. Back and forth I wander, marveling at the landscape before turning back. After this i wander into deep wooded trails & get lost (see earlier post). Asking directions from an old couple picking herbs in the woods, I find the way out and exit the woods...on the other side of campus! It was a place I'd never been, and frankly in the opposite part of town than where i had started my walk! My feet were starting to drag and I was thirstier than anything!

I was starting not to care about the campus buildings even though i had been excited, simply because i was so worn out. My brain switched over, pain, hungry, I had to get back so I could rest and eat. So I walked and walked past campus buildings and blocks upon blocks o housing dormitories. Gradually things became more familiar and I was encouraged. I walked a little faster then. When I finally touched the key to the key pad and let myself into the corridor I sat down on the couch, leaned back, and proceeded to drift in and out of utterly exhausted half-sleep. I half-way noticed the african student (K.'s corridor-mate) walk in and out of the room once or twice, but barely registered it.

Finally I got up to make tea and return my key to K.

Even though my departure was ealry we still chatted long past dinner and played a few rounds of Mario Cart, all of which I lost miserably, but I was glad to munch on oatmeal cookies and share in the moment. After a late night of packing I fell soundly asleep, ready for Stockholm.