I am learning that in Sweden, when a person refers to a bath, they are referring to immersing themselves in any body of water, not specifically a bathtub, and this week has been filled with baths, wonderful Swedish baths, and wonderful Swedish culture.

A lively group of ladies show their musical talent in Orsa.

Rolling classes were well advertised around town.

It was hard not to relax here.

A week ago we headed to Mora, Sweden. Upon arrival we met up with Magnus Fernstrom of Magnus Marine Mora. He took us to Orsa, where there was a wonderful community gathering, complete with live music on every corner and a festive atmosphere. It reminded us a little of a monthly event that we enjoy at home, Arts Arcata.

After a really fun evening, Magnus and co-organizer Anders Theren took us to the house where we’d be staying. It was a large property in the woods, with several cabin-type buildings surrounding a large grass area. Words cannot describe how spectacular the place was, and we felt very welcome. Owner, and builder, of the property, Lars, fired up the wood burning hot tub for us, which was a fantastic place for both evening and morning “baths.” He also showed us around. The property includes a sauna, archery, numerous warm lakes to swim in, swings hanging from tall trees, a well and everything else that both children and adventurous adults could really enjoy. What the property didn’t include was running water or an Internet connection, both of which was fine with us! We stayed on the property for two days, and when we weren’t running classes, we spent lots of time relaxing.

Our incredible room.

Anders demonstrates how to use the well.

Lars shows us the playground that he has created around his spectacular property.

Classes were wonderful too, and held on a large, warm lake in town. The participants did very well, and we hope that they had as much fun as we did!

Of course there was archery as well.

And a portable sauna to take to the lake after a cool swim.

A happy tiger snoozes in the sun at the bear park.

After leaving Mora, we headed to the Orsa Bjornpark. It was our second time visiting this park, and both times we’ve really enjoyed it. The animals have TONS of natural space to roam around, and they seem happy and well fed. The enclosures are so large, that if the animals don’t want to be viewed, they don’t have to be.

After this wonderful treat we headed to the west coast to run classes in Hunnebostrand. On the way we got a little toasty in the car and stopped for a quick “bath” at one of many lakes that we passed. We arrived in Hunnebostrand late, and were greeted by our host, Per Hanson, and his friends.

A huge celebration was taking place at the Hunnebostrand harbor which created a lively atmosphere.

Mark demonstrates strokes.

For the next two days we ran classes in this area for an enthusiastic group of kayakers. It was wonderful to work with so many skill levels, from people who had started kayaking just two days before, to people who had several years of experience behind them. Congrats to the group because everyone got their rolls!

We utilized the spectacular archipelago for the two-day class.

Besides from rolling, we also taught strokes and rescues. The islands in Hunnebostrand provided a gorgeous setting, and we enjoyed warm weather the entire time. Of course, mornings started with yoga, attended by both students and neighbors, and one evening we enjoyed a sit down dinner with our hosts and participants. Thanks to everyone for taking such good care of us!

The channels behind the islands can be a great place to duck away from the wind for a few minutes.

The day after classes we slowly made our way to Norway, where we’ll be running classes this coming weekend. We stopped at a hotel for some rest and relaxation. I couldn’t help but laugh when the first thing that I did upon entering the room was pour a glass of red wine and fill up the large bathtub (not as great as the one in Mora, but still nice), and Mark settled on the bed with a beer, a movie and a large bag of Cheetos…