From Acquaintances to Friends: visiting in Gotenburg, Sweden

ndWe know there are many beautiful places to see in Sweden, but we have only one place in mind ... Gothenburg.

In Cuba in 2015, at our hotel, we meet Margareta & Lars.  There are several chance encounters at the beach, the bar & in the lounge, one more enjoyable than the next and e-mails are exchanged.

As busy lives progress, we don't e-mail, until I send one a few months ago asking if we can take them up on an invitation to stay in their guesthouse.  There is a warm and unconditional positive response.

Over 4 days we are picked up at the airport, have private tour guides, are fed incredibly well, given many treats ... and best of all get to better know these wonderful people we now call friends.  So many discussions, so many picnics and fabulous dinners, so much laughter and sharing.

On the way to the house, we are taken to the nearby beach to view the midsomnerstang erected a few days ago to celebrate...mid-summer.  Wikipedia has much information on this symbol for the curious to explore.

A miniature version in our guesthouse:

The day after our arrival we all go to the Bohus Fortress ... an incredible structure with a history that illustrates man's inhumanity to man.

This 700-year-old castle was besieged fourteen times but never conquered.  Because of its proximity to the borders of Norway, Sweden and Denmark the location was prime for those wanting to expand their power & influence.  It was built with the labour of prisoners.

History of Bohus Fortress

Meanwhile, a few photos:

The first one from afar as the fortress is too enormous to get a close-up photo:

This window shot to show the 3-metre depth of the walls:

One of the secret passageways:

Each prisoner wore this delightful 80-pound piece of iron day and night; working or resting.  You don't want to see the equipment used to discipline those who misbehaved ... say, by talking too much while working.  You can see that the chains are connected at neck, waist & ankles.

The next day we explore downtown Gothenburg on our own, starting with a Paddan (boat) ride on the canals to get an overview of the area.  Some photos from the boat:

The famous Fish Church (actually its a market to buy & sell fish)

The skyline from an old shipyard that is no longer in operation:

Underneath a bridge.  One bridge is so low that during high tide, paddan passengers who don't want to lose their heads have to get on the floor.

Here is the 16' high woman of the sea statue perched on top of a

215' pedestal.  At the bottom are etched the names of 690 Swedish sailors who lost their lives in the 1st world war & the names of the 98 ships they sailed on.

Then we stroll old town to admire the lovely buildings and have a beer at an outside patio:

Next, we explore the palm house...greenhouses with tropical & desert plants:

These are closed up leaves, looking like pods...

...that opens up to this!

Interesting, very flat succulents.

There are many outdoor parks and gardens in this compact, walkable city and people are lounging everywhere, enjoying the spaces:

On the next day, we are taken by car over bridges and on both foot & car ferries (all free of charge) to explore the Northern Gothenburg Archipelago, consisting of 10 islands with year-round inhabitants.  

Lars and Margareta usually travel here from their home by boat, but today it is too dangerous to do so with the high winds.  

In the middle of the 18th century, the islands flourished for about 50 years with a herring fishery.  Today like islands everywhere, they are magnets for tourists ... but still very peaceful.  

The islands once belonged to Norway and King Hakon Hakonsson had his summer home on Ockero (which today is the municipal seat of the Swedish islands)

The islands are named:
Bjorko, Foto, Groto, Hyppeln, Halso, Hono, Kalvsund, Kallo-Knippla, Roro & Ockero

We enjoy Hyppeln the most as it is mostly car-free & you can circumnavigate it in an hour on foot.   There is wild honeysuckle and wild roses everywhere.   Our friends would bring their 3 boys here to the beach to swim.

This is a mat of succulents placed as a topper on a 4' high x 18" wide x 30' long stone wall (measurements a wild guess), and they were flourishing.

Lobster traps.  Both the traps and lobsters are much smaller than on our east coast.

It's hard to leave here as we have so enjoyed having this time with Lars & Margareta.  

Adios friends, until we meet again.

Random photos from the islands-exploring day:

Useful motor trike for carrying stuff:

Canada geese are rapidly multiplying in Sweden:

These huge seagulls are everywhere here & even in the city.

Love the bow of the boat incorporated into the fence at this house:

Just one of the pretty wooden boats:

In case you don't know what a toalett is for, the painting on the door explains it rather well.