A Trip to Varnamoo Sweden

 Good Morning. This is our last day in Halmstad. Yesterday was the warmest day with a high of around 24-26C. It rained last night and is a balmy 18C this morning. Today it is suppose to get to 26C. 

Monday Aug 5

We had a quiet day on Monday as we were going to the Halmstad BK stadium for pizza night. We left early as we wanted to do a bit of exploring. Our surprise was the stadium is in a residential area. 

I am assuming that when it was built about 100 years ago, there were no homes in that area. 

Behind the arena is the Nissan River. People were out training on the river while we walked around waiting for the team to arrive. 

I even found a weed to photograph as it was gorgeous. 

The stadium is gorgeous and holds about 11,000 people. After a brief talk about the history of the stadium we were allowed out onto the pitch. It is a natural pitch and the grass is perfect. The person who looks after it has done a marvellous job of keeping it looking like that. There is heating under the grass as they play soccer until November. 

Before dinner, one of the trainers/coaches gave a power point presentation. He talked about how they play, how each player is as important as the rest of the team, and how they have consistency in their games. He also talked about what they look for in a player; dedication, desire, and willingness. They can train the person to play their style. 

The pizzas were great. Each person got a small pizza which was more than we could eat. Daughter-in-law and I shared one. The crust is thin and there is less cheese on it than what we are use to. But it was delicious. I had some coleslaw which was tangy as they use a vinegar dressing. We spent the time talking and laughing. It was a wonderful evening. 

Tuesday Aug 6

We were up early to meet the team at their hotel and to catch the bus to Varnamoo. The trip to Varnamoo was rural with lots of agriculture and small villages. They are harvesting hay and have corn which should be harvested sometime in September. 

Varnamoo is spread out with the stadium and other fields away from the town center. We watched a practice of the men's team and met one of the players who is Canadian. He gave a great talk about his journey. He signed a shirt for the coach to hang at his club.

We also had a talk from one of the players of the lady's team and from the administrator. She is the only female in Sweden who holds this position. She was passionate. 

After lunch, we had time at a lake to rest. There was a flock (raft) of ducks there that were quite tame. They were looking for bread. Grandson had them come up to him which was neat. 

We walked about 30 minutes to where the boys were playing against a local team. It was a nail biting game which our boys won 2-1. Not sure about the girls' game as we walked back to the bus. It was very warm and I was getting too hot. 

The trip home was quiet and we got back to the house about 10 pm. It was nice to be in a quiet spot after a day out. 

Today

I am staying home until later this afternoon and doing laundry. We need to pack and be ready to leave tomorrow for Copenhagen. I will go to watch grandson practice in the afternoon with the Halmstad BK boys. We will have Asian food for dinner, bring grandson home with us and let him crash. I hope we have an early night so we can be fresh for our trip home. 

Until the next time.......................................................