birthdays, friends, cakes, surprises, and fall as the icing on top

A little over a week ago, I turned 20. It's weird to say that I'm 20. It seems so old. I've lived for two entire decades! In any case, it was probably my favorite and most memorable birthday. On thursday night before my birthday, a few of my friends and I went out and hit the town for the best Uppsala had to offer on a regular Thursday night. Just before midnight, we ended up by the riverside to ring in my birthday and the mild, balmy temperature must have tempted us all to jump in for a birthday swim. When else is it socially acceptable to swim while screaming in a river? Only when you turn 20. So I did it. Usually I don't do such ridiculously sounding things, but then, that's what makes life interesting right? I want my life's novel to have a little bit of fun! Ooooh, the water was cold, but it was memorable and it will never be forgotten. To aid our chills, we all sprinted home on our bikes and jumped into the sauna (each building has a sauna, perks of living in Sweden). In the morning, the sun shone brightly and it was incredibly warm. I mean, incredibly. It was about 70 degrees. That's no lie. I was sweating as I was cycling. Fall was in full bloom and everywhere I looked I felt as if I had just stepped into some kind of painting. The colors popped, and the city bustled with life as everyone wanted their fair share of soaking up the sun. After class, I met Avery and we joined Amy for a lovely lunch outside at Linné cafe. I know it's kind of cliché, but it was so worth it. My caesar salad was amazing, and what was even better was the blueberry princesstårta Avery and I shared. It was a slice of heaven.

Incredibly sunny

YUMMY

Café Linné <3

Anyway, after our lunch in the sun, we enjoyed another visit to the last day of the Linnaeus garden right across the street. It was just as lovely as the day before, and I wanted to buy everything in the gift shop! It was a perfect harmony of typical Swedish, with Carl Linnaues, all wrapped up in nature! How could it be any more perfect for me? :) Here are some pictoral recaps. The garden popped in the wonderfully golden rays of the sun.

Amy soaks up the last bit of the garden

As Avery and I were cycling home, we scoped out this wonderfully fall scene....we had to stop.

It was so beautiful!!

I arrived home and was getting ready to go to Karlskrona for the weekend when a friend text me and said to come over immediately, as I arrived in the corridor, I was hurriedly stopped by Charlotte at the entrance to the corridor as she yelled to Babsi that I was there. I had no idea what was going on and finally, I was allowed into the kitchen and I was greeted by the most beautiful looking princesstårta I have ever seen along with many excited "happy birthdays" from friends and some screaming on my part in overwhelming happiness and surprise. It was beautiful and wonderful, and I almost couldn't bring myself to cut it and eat it. Babsi and Charlotte worked on the cake for two days straight and Thursday Babsi sadly couldn't join Charlotte and I for an afternoon on the river, little did I know Charlotte had to distract me from coming over to their corridor :) I have never in my life heard of anyone making a homemade princesstårta, but Babsi took on the challenge because she knew how much I loved it so much. It was really one of the best birthday presents and birthdays I could ever ask for :)

Behold the beauty!!! The next few pictures are devoted to the shear wonderfulness of the cake

Isn't it just beautiful?! 

SO happy!

Babsi and I :) THANK YOU!!!

Hug :)

Lucky am I to have such wonderful friends to spend my birthday abroad with in Sweden! :)
From left to right: Avery, Teddy, me, Charlotte, and Babsi

Just as wonderful inside as it was outside (and just as tasty too!)

After a cake celebration, Avery and I cycled to the train station to catch our train at 8:10, or so we thought, once on the train, we realized we didn't leave for another two hours. This was just the beginning of our train adventures that night. By the end of the night, we were just laughing at the idea of "did this really just happen?" Stories to come. More birthday celebrations were to be had. Stories and pictures to come. I'm a little behind, playing catch-up. My 20th birthday was definitely a day to remember :) Thank you to everyone who even played the smallest part in making it such a wonderful day!! It's amazing to feel so loved even when I am thousands of miles away from home, and it fills me with joy that new friends in Sweden are becoming such meaningful friends, as is evident from my cherished memories of this week! Thank you to everyone! :)