Uppsala

It's 10 PM in Sweden right now. The sun has still not completely set. It has been years since i was far enough north of the equator to witness the "midnight sunset" or whatever they call it, leading up to the shortest night of the year on June 21st.
Uppsala is beautiful. Driving in from Arlanda airport revealed a lot of green, farm land, and even a parked crop duster-looking plane.
I am staying here at Krusenberg Herrgård:
http://www.krusenbergherrgard.se/krusenbergherrgard/inenglish.4.7671d7bb110e3dcb1fd800063071.html
I got in at 7:30 and for 2 hours it was just me and the attendant at the reception desk. it felt good to be so isolated. when i travel for work, i am normally alone while in transit and in the evenings (unless we are having some sort of function). arriving at this hotel/manor and being one of 2 people on the property (that i was aware of), being told that the chef waited, but had left as it was so late, and that 5 people who were here for the meeting had all gone into town, was a lovely physical manifestation of the loneliness of business travel.
maybe not loneliness persay, but more isolation. it's not really a bad thing- sometimes i wonder if i had someone that traveled with me, maybe i would make more of an effort to go out and do things.
maybe, maybe not.
the Krusenberg manor house is beautiful, and i think i will enjoy our two day meeting.
then it's off to Malta!

alyce