Linear view vs. Masonry View

Tag Archive for ‘Travel’

Medieval Alleys Stockholm

Medieval Alleys Stockholm

Narrow streets and tourist traps in a historical setting.

It’s a 6h drive from my home but this summer we took a trip, by train, to Stockholm. The capital of the Kingdom of Sweden. Spread out around water, both salt and fresh, with the Old Town in the middle.

With its well preserved medieval buildings and narrow alleys it’s an outdoor museum. Just like in the middle ages you can hear all kinds of languages in the crowded streets. The Viking heritage is a popular theme from all the peddlers in the small shops along the main street, Västerlångatan.

Here are some pictures I took in this beautiful city.

Yes, the royal castle is there on the same small island. None of the royal family lives there anymore. The King decided that he wanted to be a country boy when he became a father to the Crown Princess Victoria. I suppose nobody want hordes of tourists passing through the bedroom.

Vini, Vidi, Vici, ha de Gött!

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Explore the Rock Carvings of Tanum: A UNESCO Heritage Site

Explore the Rock Carvings of Tanum: A UNESCO Heritage Site

I live close to one of the UNESCO listed World Heritage sites. Rock Carvings in Tanum and Vitlycke Museum. This area has the highest concentration of rock carvings in Europe. Rock carvings, also called petroglyphs, are knocked with small stones, knocking stones, into the rock during pre historic times. They can be found all over the world but the highest concentration are found in Africa, Scandinavia, Siberia, and Australia. New carvings are discovered daily by archaeologists and the public. As the with all art, interpretation is in the eyes of the beholder even if there is a scientific approach to what the carvings mean. Even so the images triggers the imagination to what made the people to make the effort. Faith or just a wish to be immortalised.

If you want to take a step back in time, to the bronze age when most of the carvings were made. The Vitlycke museum has a reconstructed bronze age village built up with two long houses, storage huts and work sheds. The village is next to the rock carvings in the Tanum World heritage area. You can visit all year around but in summer high season there are guides to explain and let you try craftmanship from that time. The Nordic Bronze age is considered to have lasted from 1700 to 500 BC.

Fun fact. The museum building was inaugurated on the same day my oldest son was born. In a blizzard on April 4 1998 and he also worked there for three summers. Do check out his YouTube channel Hemläxa where he made a series on the Swedish farmers history where episode one has section from Vitlycke. In Swedish but you can use the auto subtitle function in a language you prefer. https://youtu.be/6ff1wRQMwM8?si=MsxFVjlZJu0_Nbdm

Find out more from the museum website https://www.vitlyckemuseum.se/en/.

You have to look back to understand the future, ha de Gött!

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Dublin residential area

Dublin residential area

The sun does shine over Dublin, only not that often. I took these photos as we walked through a residential area and the sun found a hole in the clouds. I guess the tourist board wants to show off the new city that is emerging but to me this was more interesting. No doors was like the neighbours and the chimney gardens was also something that caught my eye. I guess with all the rain no-one needs to climb up and water them.

Dublin is truly a hidden gem for a city weekend trip. The people are very friendly. Lots to see and experience, like the Riverdance. If you like whiskey and your beer dark, this is the place to go. Food is good and affordable, specially at the many pubs. The city is dense so you can reach most by foot. You can also go by bus and tram. Taxi had surprisingly low fares.

Slainte, ha de Gött!

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Two meter man

Two meter man

Hard as a rock

he stands all exposed

with his spear ready

for all to see

he blushes, goes all red

The Two Meter Man at Listeby rock carving site is one of the most famous bronze age rock carvings at the Tanumshede World Heritage site. Similar image can be found elsewhere but this is unique in size. Why they were carved 3000 years ago is a bit of a mystery but the area is full of them and still today new discoveries are made.

Don’t ever be ashamed of your appearance, ha de Gött!

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Three faces

Three faces

One of my favourite places. The waterfall Älgafallet (translates to Elk fall) half in Norway and half in Sweden. Flowing water is always fascinating, the same but never the same. Like an actor with different faces.

Winter in January, frozen solid in -15°C.

Thaw one week later in +5°C. The flood was so high I could not get any closer.

Late summer and early autumn in +15°C with a good flow after a wet summer.

Just go with the flow, ha de Gött!

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Silent wilderness

Silent wilderness

If you want to listen to the sound of silence the national park Tresticklan in Dalsland, Sweden is the place to go. The park is the largest uninhabited forest in south Sweden. The the 2906 hectares forest area has been growing untouched by humans since a big fire in 1830 in . One of the few remaining wild forests in southern Sweden.

I visited on a still day and between the birds singing there was complete silence. You could almost touch the silence. I did not see any of mammals you can find, moose, roe deer, fox, pine marten or wolfs but there was tracks.

I’ll be back, ha de Gött!

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