It was unbelievably exciting to stay with one of Jendi's cyber-friends. We have been emailing Dante (and his human, Johanna) for about five years. Jendi had really grown up with Dante. We were both really needing a dog to cuddle by then too!

Halmstad was a bit of a surprise - a Swedish beach resort. Well, it was winter so not a lot of bikinis on display! It also had its own small castle - very beautiful. And the bicycles!

The central shopping mall in Halmstad.

Halmstad has an original Picasso sculpture. It is in a park beside the river.

A tall ship moored in the river beside the castle.

Another view of the Picasso.

The Swedish people make a lot of use of bikes. This is in the centre of town.

A fountain (in winter!) in the central "square" in Halmstad.

I was told that this is a very typical grave in Sweden. The little bird on top of the gravestone and the lantern are what makes it so Swedish.

A rather lovely old building.

More graves. I can't remember how the lantern appears to be burning - I don't think it was a candle that was actually alight.

Another little bird and lantern amid the snow!

Incredibly beautiful and subtle brickwork on one of the old buildings.

The Castle! It now houses the Tourist Information office among other things.

More of the river and castle.

This was an interesting Regimental gravesite. No one at the Tourist Information office could give me any information about it. It was the gravesite for about a dozen members of a particular regiment.

This is the beach at Tylos. In summer it is a very popular place and has a few very nice hotels nearby.

A community garden - "allotment" where Johanna had a garden.

An island off the coast at Tylos.

These are rug-cleaners in the garden of the apartment block where we stayed. I assume you hang the rug over the top and beat it as hard as you can!

The central statue in the fountain in the town square.

And this is the gorgeous Dante! He was a VERY well behaved dog - not like mine at all.