Exploring Gothenburg and Marstrand Sweden

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Leaving Stockholm for Gothenburg (Goteborg)



June 28: We boarded the SJ Train in Stockholm at 16:10 for the three and a half hour trip to Gothenburg passing flat farmland and forests with some light industry along the way. My sister Laurie lived in Gothenburg when she was a young adult and was eager for me to meet her friends, experience the places she loved and where she lived. According to my sister Gothenburg was a small fishing town on the sea (but she has spent most of her time in NYC and so small is relative.) This country girl was surprised to end up in quite a large city, in fact I later learned that Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden and the largest seaport in the Nordic countries. Gothenburg dates back to 1621 and lies on the sea at the mouth of the Gota Alv (the river that runs through the city.) When the train pulled into the station in Gothenburg we were “greeted” by a Scottish bagpipe band that we later found out was really greeting the train that pulled in next to ours but the music was fun to experience anyway. We were especially grateful that my sister's friend Lars met us at the train station holding a laminated sign with my name on it making us feel welcome and relieving us of the burden of finding our way about this big city.



Lars was kind to drive us around the city, giving us a little tour on our way to the Le Mat B&B. Lars pointed out the opera house, the dry docks and port, the many green spaces and parks and the lovely (hilly) area where he grew up and where Laurie had lived when she was in Gothenburg many years ago. He told us that, like many other European cities, the original buildings were built out of wood and subsequently burned to the ground. A law was later passed requiring that any new buildings have at least the first two floors to be constructed of stone. But there were more considerations to be made since this city was built on a marsh and the land needed to be amended before the taller stone buildings could be built. The large stadium we passed was being readied for the Madonna concert on July 4th and Bruce Springsteen has two sold out concerts later in July.



After dropping our bags and checking in at our B&B we got back in Lars' car to continue our tour and meet his lovely wife Lena at the Restaurant Hos Pelle in the same building where they lived. There didn't seem to be a menu in English so Lars kindly read the dinner options to us. We all settled on a fresh tasting frothy fish soup. There was a nice contrasting crunch of celery and I could taste the unique flavors of the many kinds of fish in this specialty of the house. My beer was a nice compliment to the soup and although I was really quite full, I managed to find room for the creme brûlée that was really over the top. What a wonderful treat! If this is an indication of the quality of the rest of our meals here then I can understand why Gothenburg was ranked number one in Europe for fine cuisine this year.



Lars surprised Laurie with a phone call while we were dining and she told us that at one time she had lived a block away from where we were eating! After dinner Lars directed us on our way home and loaned us a cell phone until we met again. There was a chill in the late evening air that was warmed by a brisk walk and the extra pounds we have accumulated over the past month! And we were getting pretty accustomed by now to leaving restaurants around 11pm and retiring after midnight!



June 29, touring Gothenburg

As predicted, the sun did not shine on our parade today. Although our B&B was very clean, quiet and in a good location, it lacked the warm hospitality we had become accustomed to and I think I would have preferred the quieter residential area to the busy restaurant and shopping area. The B&B did make a good cup of coffee to go with our bread, hard boiled eggs, berries and yogurt. The meats and cheeses were not so tempting so we left them alone. We were also accustomed to a cozy common area in the nicer hotels and B&Bs and sadly, this place did not offer a space like that where especially on a rainy day that unfortunately woke to, we could have really used a comfy couch, some hot tea and friendly conversation about what to see and do on a rainy day.



I had finally slowed down to a snail pace and the weather seemed to assist in that. Lars had promised to drive us out of the city tomorrow so if we wanted to see some of the sites in Gothenburg, today was the day to do it. Our intention was to take the open air canal boat tour but by the time we arrived at the river it was sprinkling and threatening to pour.



We walked instead up the tree lined avenues to the Haga or old town. The architecture is lovely and I was lamenting the fact that the I wasn't able to see these interesting buildings sparkle in the sun. We tried to find the tour bus thinking that would be a safer bet in this unpredictable weather but to no avail. After a long wait for a bus that never showed we walked across the river and found the famous Fiskekyrkan, a stone fish market built to resemble a church. Stall after stall of fresh fish and various concoctions thereof lined the long "church" walls. The vaulted ceilings did give a hallowed feel to the practice of fish selling. I bought a shirt off a fishmonger so that Dave could finally have something of his own to bring home.



We weren't that hungry but the temptations were great and, well, it was raining and we were there and the other options were not good, so we climbed the steps to the Restaurant Gabriel (appropriately named for a "fish church") iup to the balcony overlooking the large market where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch of a sweet canned bread (flavored, I think, with cardamom), fried herring, mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Delicious!



The rain let up and we left the fish church to walk along the water and back to the Haga for a nice dessert and coffee in a charming cafe we had seen earlier. Sadly our expectations were not met for the Cafe Husaren's lemon meringue pie was quite stale and their coffee was not to Dave's liking but you can't win them all. I poked around the little shops, bought an antique porcelain egg cup and headed back for a much needed rest at the B&B.



It was still raining when Lars came to get us in his car. He drove us around giving us another view of the city before bringing us to his spacious and surprisingly airy home. I didn't expect to be enveloped in light on such a dark and gloomy day but with the uncluttered rooms, vaulted ceilings, large windows and light colored walls his rooms were quite bright. Lena arrived with wine, tapenades, almond and wheat crackers, huge capers from Greece and almond stuffed olives and we sat in their spacious dining room enjoying the delicious appetizers and good conversations. Lars and Lena live in a trendy SoHo type community with open air cafes, restaurants featuring foods from around the world and attractive treed streets.



After we exhausted Lena's first course we walked around the corner to the Alta Marea restaurant where we felt like we had arrived in Italy. It has been a long time since I have had a really good pizza and Lars and Lena assured me that this was the place to order one. I was not disappointed! Dave and I split a thin crusted prosciutto and fungi pizza that was so good it will stand out in my mind as one of the best. I was accustomed to smaller portions and thought a salad would be nice to accompany the pizza only to find that each would have sufficed as a meal on its own! Sadly we did not have a fridge to bring home some leftovers for the next day. We lingered over dinner listening to Italian music and sharing conversations but by 11pm we were done in. Lena gave us a bus pass and instructions on which bus to take.



When we arrived at the bus stop it was pouring rain and we were cold, tired and even though Lena told us which bus to take it was a language we were unfamiliar with which made us confused by the multiple bus route options. I should have insisted that we grab a taxi but Dave in his tired frustration decided to try walking home. Big mistake. It was not only cold and raining (my feet were now completely soaked through) but it was also quite dark out and since it was only our second attempt walking home from here (our first time was when it was still daylight and not raining and we were not cold and exhausted) we got turned around making our trip home even longer. Lars had generously loaned us a phone and then gave us a phone to keep to allow us to make calls that might get us out of a bind. Of course it was so late that I didn't want to bother him and in the dark couldn't figure out how to call a cab...and so it went. We finally got back to the B&B around midnight with soaking wet shoes and pants. Despite the cold and rain the outdoor bars were filled with Friday night partiers and even though I was exhausted, the noise from the streets kept me from sleeping and made me wish it was still a quiet Thursday night.



June 30 Gothenburg and north to Marstrand

Lars and Lena picked us up at 10:30 for an hour long drive to Marstrand Island, north of Gothenburg. The weather was cool and the sun was making an effort to shine on our journey so we were hopeful that it wouldn't rain on our parade. On our way out to the island we drove over several bridges connecting some of the smaller islands in this archipelago. Most of the residents in these rural communities are summer people but a few commute to Gothenburg for work. As we rounded a bend and descended a hill we got our first view of the picturesque sailing harbor of Marstrand. There are no cars allowed on this small island so we parked the car on Koon and boarded a tiny walk-on ferry that carried us the short distance to the island.



Marstrand hosts the prestigious Match Cup Sweden event which is part of the World Match Racing Tour. Tents and viewing stands were being set up along the rocky shore to view this important sailing competition beginning on Monday. Marstrand is a safe winter harbor for boaters because the waters surrounding this little island rarely freeze. Lars' and Lena's 36 foot sailboat the Aqua Vit was docked in the harbor and their sons Carl and Fredrick were preparing to sail the Aqua Vit to Denmark the following day. We enjoyed a coffee on board while we learned about the race that was starting in a few days. Sailors were already practicing maneuvers in the harbor on this blustery cold day and were visible from the paved pathway surrounding the rocky island. The path that wound around rocky cliffs with patches of wild roses along the rugged shoreline reminded me of Maine. This area gave us a perfect viewing point from which to watch the boats as they prepared for the big race.



Perched high on a hill overlooking the harbor is the 17th century fortress Carlsten, named after King Carl X Gustav of Sweden. As we set out to explore the fortress we climbed up narrow winding streets beside small cottages perched high over the harbor. Lars showed us a contemporary home perched on the hill overlooking the archipelago owned by the head of the Volvo company where he was once a guest. He also introduced us to a friend of his who used to be a producer of Swedish Public Television. This man had a charming cottage nestled among other small cottages that were once the homes of cobblers and cooks supporting the manor. Now these little getaways are valued in the millions. Little beds of strawberries and gooseberries lined the stone paths. Lena gave me a ripe strawberry to taste and I was immediately transported to a summer years ago in my garden in NH. As we climbed higher towards the fortress we passed Lena's sister's summer cottage that had a spectacular view of the harbor.



Carlsten is a stone fortress built in 1658 to protect the newly acquired province of Bohuslän from hostile attacks. The site of Marstrand was chosen because of its location and its access to an ice free port. The fortress was attacked and sieged twice falling into enemy hands. In 1677 it was conquered by Ulrik Frederick Gyldenløve, the Danish military commander in Norway and in 1719 by the Norwegian Vice-Admiral Tordenskjold. At both occasions the fortress was returned to Swedish control through negotiations and treaties.

We negotiated the lumpy cobblestones as we explored the cold and dank fortress that also served as a prison. One of the more famous inmates was the thief Lasse-Maja who disguised himself as a woman to avoid suspicion but when he was caught and sent to prison he was saved from execution because the king found that he was a good cook.



It was hard to imagine life in the brutal living conditions inside the prison walls where up to twenty inmates shared a hard wooden bed inside the dark and damp stone rooms. Cold wind whipped through the connecting tunnels inside the massive fortress and it was early summer, I would not want to test this in winter! The rooms for solitary confinement made the inmates' rooms look like the lap of luxury. Well maybe not that good but certainly an improvement. In present times concerts are held in the large fortress and with the stone amphitheater the sound must be amazing.



The sun came out as we left the fortress to wind our way down to the harbor. The annual Swedish Midsummer celebrations had been held the previous Saturday and the remains of the Midsummer Poles were all along the harbor. Sailboats and colorful old hotels and restaurants lined the quaint harbor on this exclusive island. A beautiful bride in a haute couture gown and her handsome new husband dashed in front of us with their photographers in tow reminding us just how special this place is.



We ate a late lunch in the harbor at Marstrand Wardhsus, the restaurant where Lena worked when she was 18. I had a delicious gravlax salmon in mustard sauce with dilled potatoes, a Swedish specialty. As we were leaving the island I photographed the three fishes hallmark of Marstrand before queuing up for the little ferry back to the mainland. We squeezed on the ferry with the elegant wedding party for the short ride back to the mainland.



Lars and Lena left us around 6PM at the B&B to attend a family birthday party. Since the weather was finally nice we decided to take a late afternoon stroll in Gothenburg's Botanical Garden (Botaniska Tradgarden) but we had only just arrived at the gardens surrounding the greenhouse when we were told to leave the gardens because they were closing. What a shame since the daylight hours are so long not to have access to this beautiful place in the evening during the short season of bloom.



Instead we walked up to Avenyn passing our B&B to find a place for a light supper and dessert (many of the other options had meals larger than we wished to consume.) We walked up to the the lovely outdoor cafe at Goteborg's Konstmuseum (Gothenburg Museum of Art) where sadly, we also were turned away. Finally after hiking all over the area we ended up at Junggren's Cafe where we sat outside enjoying a sandwich, (good) coffee, and a lovely pasty. Junggren's felt like it had been there for some time and later I found out that the Jungen Cafe opened in 1895 on the same site with a large clientele of local artists including Carl Larsson. retired early for a much needed rest.



July 1 last day in Goteborg, train to Copenhagen

Grey rain clouds darkened our usually bright room overlooking Kristinelundsgatan this morning. We had a filling breakfast of hard boiled eggs, salami and cheese, berries and Filmjolk (sour milk) and Kalles Kaviar on Wasa bread. We had planned to walk in the Gothenburg Botanical Gardens early in the morning since we only had half an hour last night before we were kicked out around 7PM but since it was pouring rain we sat instead waiting for the Rohsska Museet to open and had another coffee and brown bread with marmalade. If I waited much longer I would eat so much I wouldn't get through the museum door.



We met our B&B host Thomas who was very personable giving us local history and often asked if there was more that he could do to make our stay more comfortable. I only wish we had seen him earlier for the woman who greeted us hardly spoke at all and there was no general reception area for information about the city. We had to check out of the B&B but still wanted to explore a bit before catching the train to Denmark so Thomas kindly locked up our bags, loaned us a large pink umbrella as we checked out of our room freeing us to visit the Rohsska Museet around the corner.



The eclectic museum's third floor is dedicated to ancient and current art from Asia. A large smiling Buddha greets you as you step off the elevator. We were pleased to see this beautiful collection of Asian art that rivaled some we had seen in China. The other two floors housed a contrasting collection of period furniture in various stages of restoration along with an area dedicated to the art and crafts period from the 40s through the 60s making us feel like we had entered a time warp.



The sun was peeking through the clouds when we left the museum but it didn't stay sunny for long. Lars kindly picked us up at the B&B and drove us to the train station where I finally got a peek at the famous "lipstick" tower before ducking into the station to grab our lunch and board the three and a half hour train to Denmark. We are grateful to the wonderful hospitality extended to us by Lars and Lena for taking the time to host us in their home and giving us tours of Gothenburg and Marstrand. Tack sa mycket Lars and Lena!



Before we left for Sweden Dave had tried to find a living connection to his Swedish ancestors on Ancestry.com. He was able to pinpoint his relatives to the great exodus of the potato famine in the late 1800s. Dave's grandparents, Ingrid Nilson and Anders Anderson, emigrated to America in the 1880s and settled in Wisconsin. They had come from the Ronneby, Blekinge area of southern Sweden. Ingrid's parents were Josef Nilson and Johanna Svendotter. Ingrid and Anders were married in Wisconsin on September 20, 1889 and had seven children including Dave's father Peter Harry Anderson. Dave's research stopped when the only information that proceeded from ancestry.com was in Swedish so Dave lost the trail and was unable to locate any relatives before our trip. We at least know a little more about the general history of his people and the flat farmland of the southern part of Sweden where his people emigrated from. Hopefully we will learn more about the Anderson clan to find his roots still living in Sweden. Perhaps someone reading this blog will have further information and we will stumble on a link to Dave's past.



The train ride from Gothenburg to Copenhagen was especially interesting to us. We peered out the train windows at the landscape passing by many red and white farm buildings and windmills dotting the open flat farmland along the tracks to Copenhagen. Were one of those farms owned by a long distant relative of Dave's? We don't know now but maybe further exploration will reveal some link to the history of Dave's Anderson roots. The further south we traveled the sunnier it got making me very pleased indeed. Our train carried us over the 5 mile Oresund Bridge, a dual railway and bridge-tunnel connecting Sweden and Denmark. This is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe connecting Malmo, Sweden with Copenhagen, Denmark. Looking out the train window over the Oresund Strait we passed a virtual sea of stark white windmills dancing in the broad expanse of deep blue waters over which we traveled. This part of our journey just added to our unique opportunities that we experience when we do our unscripted adventure traveling. Copenhagen here we come!

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