Rättvik

Welcome to Rättvik, our overnight excursion from Stockholm! Rättvik is a small town (population five thousand) in Dalarna, a region famous in Sweden for its forests, ski slopes, classic vacation cottages, and lovely lakes. (In Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Superintendent Morell retires to Dalarna, stumped.)

It was a short stroll from the train station along the lake to our hotel....but first we stopped at the local grocery store, where we obtained these gems....and ate them outside. 

And then it was on to our retreat house right next to Lake Siljan. The retreat house had a sauna, a boat house, a church, a ping pong table, a breakfast spread, a gym, and special wooden stables for church-goers (not currently in use). 

Though we enjoyed exploring the church, playing ping pong, and our massive breakfast (consisting primarily of sandwiches, which made us feel very Swedish), we were most grateful for the view. 

The town wasn't touristy at all (and there was scarcely anybody about), so we wandered the lake shores, the 600 meter-long dock (with trees growing at the end)...

...saw children's projects at the local library....

...and grown-up projects, too. 

The town wasn't quite empty....along the edge of the lake, we saw a lovely little fitness group, dancing to songs from Grease. When we retire here, we will definitely join in.



Before catching our train home, we meandered up the hillside. Having already spent a few days in Stockholm, we were accustomed to smelling lilacs wherever we went, but the view, the copious wildflowers, and the lovely little houses made us a little sad to wander back down.