Linear view vs. Masonry View

Tag Archive for ‘Writing’

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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Cold November rain

Cold November rain

English version

when the November rain
chews the light
like a black hole

devours it all

bashes the windshield
like an angry bird
in a Hitchcock movie

remember soft summer wind
gentle over your warm skin
as bright memory

brightens all

down to your bone
like a happy ending
in a Lindgren story

Svensk version

När november regnet
äter upp ljuset
som ett svart hål

slukar allt

piskar mot vindrutan
som en ilsken fågel
i en Hitchcock film

minns sommarens ljumma vind
smekande din varma hud
som ett ljus minne

värmer allt

värmer din märg
som ett lyckligt slut
i en Lindgren saga

Find your inner lighthouse, ha de Gött!

Astrid Lindgren is a Swedish child book author known for books like Pippi Longstocking, Pippi Långstrump. She has been translated to over 107 languages, even Latin. Changes are that you will find her at your library, and it’s worth the effort.

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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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After the storm

After the storm

slowly the wind dies down

from frantic roar to silent whisper

as the sea slowly settles

the last waves make a lazy splash

onto the battered shores

a forgive me caress

and the sun slowly fades

behind the dissolving clouds

Anger is okay, but don’t stay that way. Ha de Gött!

Svensk version

långsamt avtar vinden

från frenetiskt vrål till tyst viskning

när havet sakta lägger sig

de sista vågorna gör ett slött plask

mot misshandlade stränder

en förlåt mig smekning

och solen försvinner sakta

bakom upplösande moln

Ilska är okej, men fastna inte i den. Ha de Gött!

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Insomnia

Insomnia

Too warm, soaking sweaty sheets

too cold, where is that blanket

the too soft pillow is too hard

why can’t he come, only for a fast drive by

spread that magic powder in my eyes

Mr Sandman, please come on in

place two Sumo wrestlers on my eyelids

let them win this fight

slumber, only to fall over the edge

with a bang you hit the floor

wide awake, for the next hour

trying to untangle yourself

from the bed linen web

giving in, fading into oblivion of sleep

then the alarm goes off, and out the window

Sleep tight if you’re still awake, ha de Gött!

Swedish version

För varma, genomblöta svettiga lakan

för kallt, var är täcket

den för mjuka kudden är för hård

varför kan han inte komma, bara en snabb sväng förbi

sprida det där magiska pulvret i mina ögon

Jon Blund, snälla kom in

placera två sumobrottare på mina ögonlock

låt dem vinna denna kamp

slumrar, bara för att falla över kanten

med en smäll slår du i golvet

klarvaken, nästa timme

försöker du reda ut dig själv

från sängklädernas spindelväv

ger efter, försvinner i sömnens glömska

sedan går larmklockan, och ut genom fönstret

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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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Nixie

Nixie

As the shadows draw closer

and the daylight fades into night

you can hear him tuning his violin

backed by the wind’s soft rustling in the leaves

and the beat of the waterfall

he plays his alluring tune

but beware and don’t get too close

Nixie’s wish is not to your best

The Nixie, Näcken in Swedish, is according to the old Scandinavian folklore a humanoid water spirit. He tries to lure you to the water in order to drown you. My grandmother used to scare us kids with him so we would not go close to the water.

If it sounds too good to be true it probably isn’t, ha de Gött!

Swedish version

När skuggorna närmar sig

och dagsljuset försvinner till natt

kan du höra honom stämma sin fiol

kompad av vindens mjuka prasslande i löven

och vattenfallets takt

han spelar sin lockande låt

men se upp och kom inte för nära

hans önskan är inte till ditt bästa

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