Friday 08 JulyUp very early (5:30am) and off at 6:00am to meet the Huckleberry Finn Ferry (TT-Line) for the trip over to Trelleborg, Sweden. We drove on at around 7:20am and were on our way 10 minutes early at 7:50am. The trip over takes 5 hours and cuts out about 2 days travel for us.
We hired a day cabin to rest up, and had breakfast and lunch on-board. The Baltic Sea was calm, but it rained all the way. We were the 3rd vehicle off the ship, and 30 minutes later were at our camp-site at Malmo Camping, Sweden. After setting up, we went for a walk into the local town, to get some Swedish Kroner – 9 Kroner to 1 Euro.
We had nice coffee at this small bakery, where two old guys were playing the piano and double bass, to a packed house of seniors. It was clearly a regular Friday afternoon gig, and we were able to enjoy the last set of sing-along favourites – think “Hello Dolly” and you get the idea.
The sun finally came out on our walk back, and we were able to see the spectacular Oresund Bridge which links Sweden to Denmark. We had seen this from the air many years ago – and it's quite a sight. Not only it is massive and long (8km), but it finishes short on the Denmark side, where it lands at an artificial island, and then becomes a tunnel for the last leg to Denmark. This is so that really tall ships can sail “over” the bridge.
Saturday 09 July
Into Malmo today to explore. This was not as easy as we expected as the tourist maps and guides were lacking any detail of places to visit. We wanted to do a guided walking tour – but are a week to early for that – even though this is peak season – everyone takes holidays in July in Sweden. So we ended up on a 50 minute sightseeing trip on a small boat around the harbour and canal that circles the town centre.
Malmo is very pretty town, and generally well maintained – although there is a surprising amount of liter in some places. They are very proud of the Turning Torso – a 190m high rise apartment complex made up of 9 cubes that are sculpted and twist upwards. Much to our disappointment, it doesn't actually turn! They are undertaking a huge development in the harbour area over 10 years, as Malmo is revitalised since the Oresund Bridge was opened in July 2000, so hopefully the Turning Torso will not look so isolated once other development takes place nearby.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the town, and in the afternoon went in search of where a Summer Festival was due to occur that night. By the time we found it we had run out of energy and as the entertainment looked more suitable for kids, we headed home.
Sunday 10 July
Took the day off today to rest up and plan the next few weeks. The sun was shinning so we headed off to the “beach” next to the camp site and Billy went for a swim – it was refreshingly cold – could not have been too bad as he went back for a 2nd swim. Sylvi went for a 30 minute jog just for something different (will feel it tomorrow for sure).
Monday 11 July
Packed up and headed to Öland, a small island off Kalmar, crossing the Olandsbron Bridge. The 6km bridge was completed in 1972 and has brought much investment and tourism to the island. Our camp site was located at the northern most point (nearly) so the entire day's travel time was 7 hours. It might have been shortened if the locals hadn't observed the moose warning signs so stringently and driven at 50km in the 90km zones. The Neptuni Camping site at Byxelkrok is perfectly located a street away from the marina and was recommended to us by a Swedish friend. It's a good camp site and quite expensive, but much to our frustration you have to pay extra to take a shower.
After settling in (Sylvi had to get a chicken curry on the go) we went for a walk around the marina and surrounding shops. Following dinner we went back out to get some great sunset shots. By then the temperature had dropped considerably and the wind was up, as a storm was brewing and headed our way.
Tuesday 12 July
Awoke to a fine morning after some overnight rain and very strong winds. It is still light at 10:30pm and first light is around 3am, so we have to make sure we close the window shutters before going to bed from now on. Decided to go for a walk to the Lange Erik (lighthouse) at the northern most tip. Once again the tourist map we had wasn't great with instructions so we set off for what we believed to be a 5km walk on a set walking track. The “track” was crushed limestone for about 0.5km then we had to walk on the road the rest of the way. Luckily Swedes are used to making way for bikes as well as people exercising on the side of the road. Most of the way we walked amongst lovely trees but along the rocky beach there are more hardy plants and even some wild roses.
The Swedes, like the Germans, like to sun themselves as much as possible and set up camp for the day anywhere they can to do just that. It can't be comfortable, but lying on rocks to sun bake is not uncommon.
Finally made it to the lighthouse which was manned until 1972 but is now fully automated. For 30 Kroner each we walked up its 138 steps for a birds eye view of the surroundings before starting the return journey.
Isn't the return journey always faster? Not this time. In fact, it turns out we'd walked not 5km but 8km in both directions. We devoured some lunch before buying two types of gorgeous smoked salmon fillets from the fish monger for dinner.
As well as beautiful seaside camps, Oland also has hundreds of windmills (400 in fact), a ruined medieval castle (Borgholms Slottsruin) and an Iron Age fort. That's what we'll pack up and head for tomorrow as it's all the way down the other end of the island at Eketorps Borg.
Wednesday 13 July
Up and off early (bright sunny day, less windy) taking the back road to Eketorps Borg, the Iron Age fort. We had noticed in other areas of Sweden that everyone paints their shed in the same red/brown colour. On the mainland it's just the shed, here it seems easier to paint the house that colour too. It's not unpleasant, just a little dull after awhile.
When we arrived at the fort, the car park was fairly busy but not overly so. 240 Kroner (around 24 euro) later and sipping a very average coffee out of a machine we headed into the fort which is the only one of many Oland forts to have been completely excavated. Construction first began in the 4th century to protect the population and then used as a farming village with military functions until it was abandoned in the 7th century. It saw new life again in the 12th century during wars between two royal houses.
All around the island you see limestone walls (the kind built without cement holding them together) separating property or cattle yards. The fort was built exactly the same way which is amazing for such a huge structure. The bottom layer of stone is the original from the 4th century.
The reconstruction of the houses and businesses, complete with straw thatched roofs is very well done. It was funny to see many swallow nests made within the straw roofs, one in particular filled with at least 6 chicks waiting eagerly for the next feed. The goats, pigs and chickens roaming about all made for a more authentic feel. A small museum containing excavated tools, pottery and personal items as well as a short film (in Swedish) completed the education.
There were many interactive displays which are a big hit with kids – archery, jewellery making, ancient games to take part in – and bread baking which was a big hit for all ages. Tasted yummy smothered in honey too.
After lunch in our motor home in the car park, we drove through some lovely groves of trees back to the Olandsbron (bridge) and across to Kalmar for the night. Our camp site, Stenso Camping is quite a good one with hot showers included in the price and all important WiFi.
Thursday 14 July
Happy Bastille Day!
We had planned to be somewhere in France on this date but it made more sense to continue north after Germany and visit France on the return journey to Frankfurt.
Today is also the birthday of Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and there will be much celebrating at the family summer residence Sollidens Slott, on Oland which we've just left.
Cold, windy and wet today but we headed off into Kalmar for a visit anyway.
The city centre is about 2.5km from our camp, and near the centre is the Kalmar Slott, which started as a tower and keep in the 12th century, to defend the town. In the 13th century a fortress with a ring wall and defence towers were added. The Vasa Kings modified the castle in the renaissance style in the 16th century, and this is how the castle appears today.
This was a surprisingly good experience, as the displays were very accessible, not all roped or glassed off as was the case in Germany.
We walked around by ourselves at first, and then joined a guided tour in english. The wooden carvings and inlay were a real feature, particularly those in the Queens Hall. There was also an amazing suspended ceiling with real gold features in the aptly named Golden Hall.
Another interesting piece was the Royal bed. This was the only original piece of furniture in the castle. It was obtained from the Danes "for free" as part of a war settlement. The Swedes at the time believed that the nose as the window to the soul, so in order to protect themselves, the removed the noses from each of the faces carved on the wooden bed frame.
Gustov Vasa gained control of Kalmar when he became King of Sweden in 1523. Having converted Sweden to Protestantism early in his reign, showed his contempt for Catholics by using their grave stones as building material for staircases in this very castle.The castle was very important defensively when the Danish border was close by, but it fell into less relevance when the Danish border moved to where we know it today after the Peace of Roskilde in 1658. The castle was converted to a prison, until it was restored and opened to the public.
Into Kalmar itself where we visited the Domkyrkan – Kalmar's Cathedral – which dates from the 2nd half of the 17th century. The interior is quite simple compared to what we have been seeing in Germany. Rather then religious depictions, there were many shields. It still was quite beautiful.
The wind and rain kept up, so we finished the day with a visit to the Systembolaget, Sweden's State run monopoly bottle-shop. You can only buy alcohol stronger than beer in a Systembolaget.
We could not believe they were selling wine in tetrapaks - including this great white drop from down under!
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