SWEDISH SOJOURN, Day 6, June 25

The first thing we did this rainy morning was to take a bus tour of Goeteborg. With its long history as a trading center, Goeteborg is Scandinavia's biggest seaport and cosmopolitan city. It was founded on its present site in the 17th c. by Gustav II Adolf. Goeteborg was the Swedes' 5th attempt to create a center free from Danish control. the Danes had enjoyed control of Sweden's west coast since the Middle Ages, and extracted extortionate tolls from all vessels entering the country. The settlement changed hands several times, and finally Gustav Adolf paid off a large ransom for the return of Goeteborg to Sweden. When the ransom was paid off, he founded the city of Goeteborg, where the main square is today. The British, Dutch, and German traders who settled here during the 18th and 19th c. left a rich agricultural legacy here. The city is graced with terraces of grand merchants' houses featuring carved stone, stucco, and painted tiles. the influence of the Orient was also strong, reflecting the all-important links between Sweden and the Far East, and is still visible in the detail on many buildings. We drove to a high point above the city to take pictures of the harbor, then drove through some of the main squares, stopping to take pictures of the main art museum, the theatre and a concert hall which anchor it. A statue by Milles, with an extraordinarily muscular youth surrounded by spouting fish graced the square, and Milles' work reminded me very much of the Norwegian sculpture Vigeland's work in Oslo, Norway (an entire park of muscular, at times whimsical figures). We returned at 11:00 and had until 11:50 to pack and get luggage down to the bus. I had already packed, so I went to a grocery store and bought some signature Swedish coffee, the brand Gevalia, which I had heard about but which I had not tried before now. I have been drinking it all over Sweden, and it is magnificent. Also, Kristen, Jenny and I walked to the Central Train Station across the street, since it is the oldest train station in Sweden, built in 1856. Its period facade fronts a grand and marvelously preserved interior, and we looked at the wooden beam ends in the ticket hall, each one carved in the likeness of the city council members of the day. At noon, we headed to the province of Halland and the small town of Varberg, chartered in 1100. Once described as the least appealing place in Sweden, Varberg's sandy beaches have earned it the name "Swedish Riviera.". Halland is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden, on the W coast of the country. It borders the provinces of Vaestergoetland, Smaland, Scania, and the sea of Kattegat. The Bronze Age was probably a period of relative prosperity in Halland. Over 1000 tumuli and graves have been found. However, the worsening climate at the beginning of the Iron Age brought about the collapse of social structures. Sweden, Denmark and Norway all fought for supremacy in Scandinavia throughout the 13th c. Varberg had a fortress by the 12th c., and was traded between Sweden and Denmark for the next 30 years. Also, fires devastated the town more than once. Eventually, it became a fashionable little 19th c. bathing resort. We first stopped at the Badhuset, a bathing pavilion which permits nude bathing. it had a great little cafe, and I had a cheese and tomato sandwich, orange, and hot tea, as it was driving rain and the wind was blustery beyond belief. Then, three of us climbed up to the 13th c. moated fortress, set on a rocky promontory. It was home to the Swedish king Magnus Eriksson, who signed important peace treaties with Denmark here in 1343 aimed at preventing further incursions into Swedish territory. We walked all around the fortress, again in a driving rain and blustery wind, and it reminded me of the day, a few years ago, when I had traveled to Scotland and had taken a bus to England to see the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the first British monastery to be raided by the Vikings. The island was situated on a spit which was separated from the mainland from about 11:00 until about 4:00, and I was there in a driving rain on a Sunday. Little open, and scarce shelter. What a memory! After returning to the bus, we left for a 2-hour drive to Helsingborg. In the past, the links between Sweden and Denmark were less cordial than they are now. The two nations battled for this area on six different occasions, but Sweden finally won out under Magnus Stenbock's leadership. However, by the 18th c., war and epidemics had reduced the population to a mere 700, and only with the onset of industrialization in the 1850s did Helsingborg acquire a new prosperity. The first thing we did was to go to our hotel, an elegant establishment on the main drag and close to several places we subsequently visited: the 5-meter thick walled keep of the 12th c. fortified castle--the only part of the fortress still intact; the Moellebackens Vaeffelbruk. The establishment, after a climb of 92 steps, sports a windmill and a number of farm cottages, and when it is open sells waffles, sporting a recipe intact since 1912. We walked the gardens surrounding the city, then dropped down to the street where our hotel was situated. By this time the wind was howling, and we were glad to get in to shelter. Dinner was next in the elegant dining room of our hotel, and featured a marvelous shrimp salad, followed by chicken in a scrumptious dark sauce, with parsnips, carrots, and boiled potatoes. Afterwards, five of us braved the elements and took the ferry over the Oeresund strait separating Helsingborg in Sweden from Helsingoer in Denmark. Hamlet's celebrated castle of Elsinoren in Denmark is just across the 4 km Strait. The Danes call his castle Kronborg. It is clearly seen from the deck of the ferry. Although the water was very choppy, the large ferry, loaded with trucks, cars, and foot passengers, was able to negotiate the crossing without incident. Lovely sunset on the way back, and the wind had died down just a tad. Before getting back on the return ferry, we sauntered through the town, which was practically deserted. Helsingborg was winding down also as we returned, though the flickering lights shimmered off the water--truly a magical sight. Jenny is already asleep, and it is almost midnight, so must get some shuteye. Tomorrow, on to Lund, Karlshamn, and Vaxjo. Good night, one and all who are reading this. Would love to hear from any one of you!