A day on the water - Sweden

Off early this morning to Pernilla's school where Elaine waited in the common room while I spent half an hour with Pernilla's technology class who were making machines like I used to do with my classes.

 

At abut 9am Mirja came to collect us for a day out on the Goteborg archipeligo. After 2 long tram journeys we were on our first ferry of the day south to Bratten on Styrso Island where we had a coffee in a beautiful little cafe.

 



 

 

 

Bratten parking lot

 

 

 

 

Then the next ferry to Vrango Island where we walked around to the southern tip. We had our picnic lunch of smoked salmon sandwiches and then I actually paddled in the water. It was really cold and the wind chill factor made it even colder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued our walk around to the ferry wharf through a nature reserve. 

 

We then caught the ferry back to Bratten where we changed to another ferry to Husvik on Branno Island. On Branno we walked across the island, stopping on the way at Mirja's friend's tiny house, and just sitting for a while and using the bathroom. Unfortunately the friend was not at home but we could get in.

 

At Rodsten we caught a ferry back to Goteborg. This time we took 3 trams to get back to Pernilla's by about 6pm.

Parking lot at Rodsten

 

 

The day was a wonderful experience of peace just being in the stark, rocky landscape, strolling though nature and the small hamlets on the islands. Mirja pointed out sloe fruit, a fungus with cancer curing properties which grows on birch trees, many apple trees with hundreds of ripe apples and all manor of wild flowers and garden flowers. There were beautiful views across to other islands and small rocks. Some of the islands had just one house on them.

 

Mirja walked at my pace as we were both really interested in nature and building styles and she was able to tell me about the culture of the area. Sometimes we walked quietly together and just drank in the atmosphere. It was a real  case of the hare and the tortoise as it has been for the last eight weeks with Elaine walking briskly ahead and me just strolling along. At least this time I did not feel I had to run to keep up as Mirja also has a hip problem. This hare and tortoise has been the source of much rubbishing in various places we've stayed and between ourselves.

 

Dinner tonight was roasted Swedish sausage called falukorv. Pernlla slit the large sausage and inserted mustard and cheese into the slits before baking. She served this with mashed potato. Yum! Mirja stayed for dinner too and her son from another flat in Pernilla's block came to chat for a while.

 

After dinner we did our accounts, packed, wrote diaries and recipes then called it a night after a long day in the open air.