Posts filed under ‘About Sweden’
My wonderful first trip to Sweden…
A few years ago, one of my sons had a brilliant (and very generous) idea. “Mom, you are not traveling enough,” he said. (This is my most-traveling son, and I have fond memories of encouraging him as a teenager to take some of his first steps in solo travel.) “We should go to Sweden. You should go see where your family came from. Let’s go together. I’ll help you plan the trip.”
It would seem that a bit of role reversal was going on here. What a wonderful thing!
So, my Christmas present that year (2019) was a beautiful, hand-painted watercolor “Ticket to Småland” from my son, found in my Christmas stocking. And our plan was to get there–to Småland, the homeland of my great-grandfather– the following summer.
Well, you all know what happened a few months later: that nasty virus changed things for everyone, and travel became if not impossible, difficult. And not a very attractive prospect.
So 2020 went by. And 2021 and 2022 went by for different reasons. But finally 2023 came around and my son said. “You’re turning 70 this year; and I’m turning 30. I think we should celebrate our 100th birthday by finally getting to Sweden.”
And so we did!
And here are a few pictures from our wonderful time there. I will have to write more about this trip later, much more in fact. But for now pictures will have to suffice. Because Covid is still here, folks, and I’ve got it (again). So my energy is low. But I couldn’t wait to share some of these pictures with you, so here they are!
The next day we took the train to Mariefred, about 70 km west of Stockholm. We decided to spend a day or two there on our way to Småland so we could see and properly appreciate the wonderful “art fence” depicting 500 years of Swedish history that is there. We knew about this public art project because our friend Lina Nordin Gee (otherwise known as parisianpostcards) was one of the seven artists commissioned to create this beautifully crafted steel fence. Here are a few pictures of Mariefred:
On the recommendation of Lina’s father we also visited the royal Gripsholm Castle. On the day we were there there were a lot of people in 18th century costume and there was a jousting demonstration going on in the courtyard. The castle was so large we were sometimes lost within it and felt a bit like we had been caught in a time trap. “Can you help us find our way back to the 21st century?” I asked one of the clutches of people clothed in their elaborate 18th century finery when we found ourselves wandering around in circles. (By the way the thing I loved most in that castle was the incredibly elaborate parqueted woodwork in the ceilings. Amazing! Don’t fail to look up in every room if you go here.)
The next morning we left for the main focal point of our trip–Småland. We took the train to Jönköping, where we picked up a rental car from the Hertz office. (Well, actually we picked the car up from the parking garage in which there was an automated pick-up-your-car-system.) However, we only found this out because a kind member of Sweden’s Christian Democratic party who was working in the party offices (which are installed in the former Hertz office) saw our bewilderment when the address we had for picking up the car did not lead to a Hertz office. He locked up the office, came outside and said “I’ll show you how to get your car,” and added “This isn’t the first time this has happened.” So…anyone planning to get a car from Hertz in Jönköping–you now know you have to go to the parking ramp around the corner from where the Hertz office used to be to get it, and do it yourself! A very beneficial travel tip!
And now it was on to the heart of Småland, at least the heart of Småland for me. We went to a lovely stuga we had rented for the next few days which was not far from Lommaryd Parish, where my great-grandfather was baptized and I assume where he worshipped (or at least attended church) until he left Sweden and emigrated to the United States. We took a day to settle in, my bicyclist son took some wonderful bike rides around the area; and on our second full day which (conveniently) was a Sunday, we went to the Lommaryd church.
I was not at all sure we would even be able to go inside the church, since it appeared that the main Sunday service was being held in another area church that day. But what a wonderful surprise when we got there!
The church was holding an outdoor service, right next to a pasture occupied by a herd of cows. The theme of the service that day was man’s relationship to nature (and, basically, how we all need to be creating a much healthier relationship with it). My son and I wandered over to the place where the service was being held, not intending to stay very long since most of the people were sitting either on the ground or in folding chairs they had brought with them. But a kind woman who intuited our intentions gestured to some folding stools that belonged to the church, and entreated us to use them.
And so we did. And what a wonderful experience we had there! This day turned out to be truly a highlight of our trip for me, and honestly, I think it may turn out to be a highlight of my life–this opportunity to reconnect with the church community that my great-grandfather left behind more than 150 years earlier. Our warm reception there, and the connection with the rural Lutheran roots of the Swedish half of my family, was just simply wonderful. There will be more to say about it in future posts. But for now, here’s a taste. (Be sure to click on the video links, especially if you love church bells, or traditional singing in Swedish. 🙂 )
Janet Hulstrand is an American writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature who lives in France. She is the author of Demystifying the French: How to Love Them, and Make Them Love You, and A Long Way from Iowa: From the Heartland to the Heart of France, and coauthor of Moving On: A Practical Guide to Downsizing the Family Home.
Writing from the Heart, Reading for the Road 