Sweden 2014 - part 3

Our son and his wife to be flew in to joined us for few days, and together we made a trip to pretty Askersund, a town at the top of the Lake Vättern, where we enjoyed a family lunch together.

There were other days out, of course, some of the places we visited before, on our previous trips to Sweden, and you can read more in "Sweden 2010" and "Sweden 2012" under My Labels on the left.

One of my favourite places to visit, for obvious reasons, is a small town of Hallekis, on the shore of lake Vänern.

These cottages were once occupied by workers from the local cement works.

Now they are rented during the summer to various artists and so it is now a street of small craft shops,

where you can find some unique works of art to take home.

I never leave here without "a thing or two",

this time I found this lovely handmade table runner,

a window or wall hanging in traditional design,

and a cute fridge magnet, made of wood.

Not far from here is Sjotorp, where the start of the Göta Canal is.

This huge project, built in the 19th century, completed the waterways connection across

Sweden, between Baltic and North Sea. If you click on the link above, you can read about its history.

Back in Hjo park we were even treated to "a concert in the park".

During one of the the weekends we had an opportunity to visit Hjo Accordion Festival,

a meeting of accordion players from various parts of Scandinavia.

Free, just bring a chair (or a wheelchair).

We were probably in younger age group attending, but it was a pleasant hour spent, on the beautiful summer day, on the shore of the lake.

Even this bus fitted in :-)

Sadly, like all holidays, this one was coming to its end.

Just a small stop on the way back; 

Gekås, apparently the largest attraction in Sweden, the largest Scandinavian Superstore!

You can find just about anything here and at very good prices.

But, more interesting for me, just opposite, recently opened Panduro Hobby shop, or rather moved from smaller premises since my last visit 2 years ago. Panduro is not very cheap usually, but there are very good prices in their outlet shop. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my purse), there wasn't much time...

And so, some 1,600 miles later, return journey, but choosing a short ferry from Sweden to Denmark instead of the Oresund Bridge, to catch 18 hour DFDS ferry back home. For the last time.

During this year's visit we managed to get together with our Swedish friends of 30 years, our children, their children, and this time also grandchildren.

Will we ever be back? Who knows.......

Thank you, Sweden, for another lovely holiday! 

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2014

Sweden 2014 - part 2

                         This is a view in the direction of our holiday village across the lake Mullsjön.

Although there are mainly holiday and weekend cottages here, some of the people are living here permanently, as are our hosts.

Let me take you on a tour of our surroundings.

Most of the cottages here are of traditional design and colours.

Our grandchildren spent many hours at the Hjo outdoor swimming pool, which by the way, was free.

This picture was taken in the late afternoon at the end of our holiday, when the weather was changing, and it was becoming more typical of late Swedish summer.

The pool is next door to the Hjo harbour

and our favourite ice cream place.

(Hjo is pronounced the same as "you" )

© pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2014

Sweden 2014 - part 1

What happened to our glorious hot summer? It was here when we left for Scandinavia just over 3 weeks ago and we returned to cold winds. Our garden is showing definite signs of wet, wet. The weather people are promising us August record low temperatures this weekend!

Oh well, just as well we have wonderful memories of this year's trip.
Sadly, this was our last one by car, as the last ferry route to Scandinavia is being closed down at the end of September.

There was time when we could take a direct ferry to Norway,  Sweden and Denmark. Over the years, one by one, these connections disappeared. In the last few years only Danish connection remained, and now even this route is being closed down. From October there will no longer be a direct ferry connection between UK and Scandinavia. Yes, you can fly - drive or take the long way across Holland and Germany, but that is not quite the same.....








This year we went with our daughters family. The route, the same as the last time, took us to Harwich for overnight ferry to Denmark.

In the picture on the  right you can see a vessel supplying parts for windmill farms in the North Sea.

We arrived to Esbjerg in Denmark at lunchtime the following day and ahead of was an afternoon drive across Denmark, and two toll bridges :

the Storebaelt Bridge

   and crossing to Sweden,

 the Oresund Bridge

                 (yes, "The Bridge", for those who watched TV program of the same name).

We rented a holiday home for two weeks, but on the way we stayed one night at a motel near Helsingborg in Sweden and second night in this lovely old B&B.

Sweden was enjoying a fantastic summer this year and we were concerned that by the time we'll get there, it will be over. But the beautiful weather just went on and on and the first part of out holiday the weather was hot (too much sometimes, but am I complaining?)

This year we chose to stay near one of the "Three Wooden Towns", Hjo, which is on the lake Vättern.

It is a lovely old town, a former spa town, with many old wooden buildings and a beautiful park

Our holiday home, which is quite new and very comfortable, was just a few km from Hjo, near one of many smaller lakes.

©pleasureinstitching.blogspot.co.uk 2014