The last time the families were together, Lauren’s elbow was dislocated. The dislocation was entirely accidental of course; just kids having fun. This time, no dislocations, just discussion and respectful disagreement and it was hilarious!

But I am getting ahead of our visit not unlike novels that give you the ending and then take you torturously through the flashback. Do I always digress like this? Don’t answer that.

We spent five days in Stockholm. Lan-Ling met us on our first day and we walked together through parts of the palace and the Gamlastan (Old City). It was a gorgeous and warm day, perfectly spent just walking and talking together. We stopped for a nice lunch at BAR and then Gustav (who is now 13) met us after school for a fika (which is a long afternoon catch-up over tea or sweets) at a beautifully restored spa.

Our second day, Lan-Ling, Andy and I went to Skokloster Castle which is a castle preserved with its 300 year old contents intact – right down to the portraits of Danish royals looted by the Swedes after defeating them in one of their many battles in the 1700s.

The next two days we explored offbeat neighborhoods on our own enjoying excellent food and the cafe life that goes late during the long days. (The sun sets at 10:30 and rises at 3am so it never gets dark. Extraordinary really.)

Our final day, we went to Lan-Ling’s for lunch. Her two boys had finished their school year the day prior so we were able to reunite the four children: Gustav and Oscar, Lauren and Rose. Now we come to the discussion that replaces dislocation in our memories.

It’s about “reindeer moss.” We were sharing our experience at NOMA and Gustav, on seeing the photos, said that we had eaten lichen and not moss. A google search ensued. Oscar and Rose, second in birth order and having similar personalities, took the lead and dug in their heels. Oscar siding with Gustav and Rose going with the menu printed on the NOMA website and our own recollections of the waiters descriptions. As the two set out to prove their positions, Gustav went to the forest to retrieve samples and Lauren, Lan-Ling, Andy and I chatted away. With moss and lichen samples in hand and lots of data and images collected we decided the only way to solve it was to ask NOMA to clarify. I dispatched the email and, because it’s an exceptional place, NOMA replied promptly. “Reindeer moss is lichen.” I guess technically that meant both Oscar and Rose could hold their chins up but the real winner was Gustav and we ought to send him forthwith to NOMA to engage the staff in a discussion of the distinctions between moss and lichen.

Can’t wait to see what we come up with for our next visit together and hopefully we’ll do it before another eight years goes by!