Writing inspired by history.
The Crown redoubt was built between 1687 and 1700 as part of Göteborg’s defence system. It is built on a steep mountain Risåsberget above Haga city district. Takes your breath away in more ways than one. The stone building is 33 meters high and reaches 87 meters above the sea level. The sconce has a twin Skansen Lejonet (Lion redoubt). Today the fortification has a better use for conferences and parties.
Take a deep breath, ha de Gött!
I found this giant’s kettle at Lindö. It’s approximately one meter in diameter and I estimate it to be around one meter deep. In the folklore these holes was created, and was used for cooking by the giants that in the past roamed the world. Hence the name. The giants tossed large boulders at each other when fighting. You can find these laying randomly in nature. God was angry with them and turned them into stone. Yes, if you look close, you can see them in the hills.
There is of course a more scientific explanation, equally forceful. As the inland ice shelf melted away huge rivers with strong currents was formed. When a smaller rock was trapped and started to spin it grinded down into the solid rock. These stones can sometimes be found at the bottom with a perfectly smooth egg shaped surface.
Don’t throw stone in a glasshouse, ha de Gött!
Since 1889 it has been guiding ships towards the Kosterfjord sea-lane and Resö. Originally the light came from the second floor windows but in 1917 it was replaced with gas driven AGA lighthouse in front of the building. The first floor was the living quarters for the lighthouse keeper with family. Since the the new AGA lighthouse was automatic there was no personnel after 1917. The house was sold to a private owner in 1950. Easy to manage garden, I guess, but probably needs to be painted regularly due to the harsh and salty west winds.
The fully automatic AGA lighthouse was invented by the Swedish inventor Gustaf Dahlén. He was awarded Nobel prize in physics for his work with lighthouse technology. The light was kept burning with the help of carbine gas. To save gas it was started and stopped with the help of a sun-valve also invented by Gustaf Dahlén.
Always steer towards the light, ha de Gött!
Like many cities in Northern Europe the Danish city Helsingør has a history of ship building. These large shipyard areas are now under development for tourism and new businesses, very different from the noisy shipbuilding industry. I do think Helsingør does a good job developing and at the same time honour the hard working people in the shipyards. Makes me feel good as my own father was a welder at a shipyard in Göteborg, Sweden.
History is the mirror to the future, ha de Gött!
By chance we were able to attend a viewing of the secret garden of Halmstad castle. The castle is still in use as a government building, residence of the Landshövding (governor) of Halland. Apart from the amazing 200 year old blood maple, the garden was not what I’ve expected.
The castle was built by the Danish between 1600 and 1615 as a residence for the governor. The city of Halmstad was at the time part of the Danish kingdom. The castle, the city Halmstad and the administrative area Halland became Swedish in 1645.
In the garden it is possible to see remainders of the 8 meter high wall surrounding the city. Outside the wall there was a moat. During the years the castle has undergone many changes and colours. Believe it or not but it was actually pink before repainted to red in 1998, as is believed to be the original colour.
Be curious and learn more, ha de Gött!
6 of June is the National Day of Sweden and in beautiful Havstenssund the flags are up. The celebration is very moderate and most people spend the day with family, gardening or walk in the nature. I guess it’s a typical for the Swedish mentality, lagom, not too much and not too little.
Five hundred years ago the first Swedish king Gustav Wasa was appointed by the church, king by the grace of God, supported by rich merchants from the Lübeck Hansa. Gustav Wasa was a dictator but he reformed the way the nation was administrated. Somethings lives on still today, so in a way he founded the Swedish democracy.
We are nations but above all, citizens of the Earth, ha de Gött!
One week late, the Easter bonfire. This tradition dates back the mid 1700 in Sweden and Finland. The are lit to welcome the spring. Mostly to scare of the Easter witch flying on their broom to the island Blåkulla to feast with the devil.
Easter is the day when Swedish children traditionally go trick or treat dressed up as Easter witch or Easter man. Sadly this tradition has lately faded out and been taken over by the imported Halloween tradition.
Fly safe, ha de Gött!
Karljohansvamp (Boletus edulis) or in English cep, penny bun, porcino or porcini. Introduced to the Swedish cuisine by the, from France, imported king, Karl XIV Johan. From then on it has been called Karljohansvamp.
Karl XIV Johan was born 1736 as Jean Bernadotte in Pau, France. He became king of Sweden and Norway in 1818. On the throne until 1844 when he passed away at Stockholm Castle.
Eat like a king, have some mushroom. Ha de Gött!
Hello my friends, I’m the friendly grey tractor. A bit ruffed up and corrosion in my paint but still going strong. I go under the nickname Grålle, Gray Horse.
Brum, brum, ha de Gött!
Vintage tractors ploughing in the autumn sun.
Be a cultivated cultivator, ha de Gött!
UlleHaddock 