| From: [email protected] (Mats Ohrman)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
Subject: Re: Where to go by bicycle in Sweden?
Date: 6 Jun 90 09:09:20 GMT
Organization: Scandinavian System Support AB
[email protected] (John Kallen) writes:
>In article <[email protected]> [email protected] (Bengt G{llmo,
L M Ericsson, Stockholm, Sweden) writes:
>>In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
>>(Kees van der Wal) writes:
>>
>>> I'm planning to have a camping trip (by bicycle) in Sweden in July.
>>>
>>> Coming from Finland via the Aaland Islands and entering Sweden, what is the
>>> nicest part of Sweden to make a trip?
>>
>>Go to Gotland!
>I agree wholeheartedly. I went on a bicycling vacation on Gotland a
>few years ago and it was phenomenal! We made a triangle route from
>Visby to Lickershamn to Slite and back. But that was just a 4-day
>stay. If you have more time you can go much further south and north.
Just remember to book tickets for the ferries in advance. They can get
really crowded in summer.
>Which reminds me, that island on the far north of Gotland (F�r�? I
>don't remember). Last time I heard it was restricted to Swedes only.
>Does anyone know why this is so?
Due to all the military hardware dug down there. Its not just F�r�, but
all the northern third of Gotland, as well as Gotska Sand�n that is
restricted areas. I think 24-hour passes are availible from MKG
(Military Command Gotland). The local travel agency, Gotlandsresor, may
help there.
OK, about Gotland: Its a very flat island in the middle of the Baltic.
(In fact, for a couple of years the garbage dump outside Visby used to
be the highest point on the island, until it got too embarrassing, and
they flattened it out.) It's all limestone and sandstone (?), except
for the northern parts of F�r� and Gotska Sand�n, that's drifting sand.
The southern parts of Gotland is rich farmland, and grean leaf-trees,
while the northern parts are barren moors, filled with junipers, and
dark pine woods. The limestone and the climate makes the flora somewhat
unusual. There are flowers otherwise only seen in the Alps or the most
northern parts of Sweden, as well as a wealth of orchids flowering in
May.
Gotland used to be the centrepoint of the very rich Viking-age and
early medieval trade. (The swedish Vikings were more of shrewd traders
than marauding plunderers). Due to this fact, it's an archeological
treasure house. There is just short of a hundred medieval stone
churches open to the public, as well as the medieval inner city of
Visby. There has been more medieval silver treasures dug up on Gotland
than in all the nordic countries together... The museum in Visby
(Gotlands Fornsal) is well worth a visit.
Summarn kummar me sol
Kummar yvar h�llmark u stain,
Yvar f�rf�dars bain,
Yvar martall, yvar ein,
Yvar maurar u mack,
Liksum yvar pinnsvein u rack,
Kummar soli igen,
Pa ladingen...
|
| From: [email protected] (Per-Arne Sandegren)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
Subject: Re: Gotland
Date: 22 Aug 1995 16:14:37 GMT
Organization: Ericsson Radio Systems
Gotland with its capital Visby is a remarkable place to visit for
anyone with a historic interest. October is not the best month since
summer tends to end with August. Gotland is a typical summer island
and its population rises something like 4 times during july. If I can
I would give the advice to go there during june-aug instead...
Anyway, Gotland is famous for its medieval churches, its "raukar"
(rocks sculptured by sea), its summer and perhaps most importantly
Visby.
Dating from the 7-8th century the inhabitants made big flat stones with
picture engravings (like forerunners for the coming viking rune-stones)
which by scientists anyway are considered remarkable. Today several
can be seen as parts of walls in the comparatively young churches.
Older remains are also found on gotland in form of stone settings
graves (stones placed in the form of a ship).
Nowhere in the _world_ has there been found so many arabic and english
(viking trails) coins than on Gotland (in treasures hidden by their
owners in bad times). Many silver and gold treasures has been found
all over Gotland. Dating implies the there has been numerous golden
eras with uneasy times mingling together.
From Gotland many Vikings went very far and rune inscriptions mention
places far away such as England, Istanbul (Miklagard), Greece and
Jerusalem. Not much is to see from these times except for the
treasures.
Visby has the longest preserved citywall (dating from 11th century) in
Europe (two other european cities comes close and would argue this
statement). In Visby there are several impressive church ruins all
dating from the 12-14th century. Visby was a very rich town during the
Hansa-era. The Hansa were german/baltic trade conglomerat during
13-15th century.
In the 14th century the danes (with king "Christian the Terrible" who
BTW are called "Christian the Good" in Denmark) invaded the island and
conqured it from Sweden. During a decisive battle just outside the
citywall the gotlanders where slaughtered by the proffesional danish
army and by a historic coinsidence the recently discovered massgraves
gives historians the most complete picture they have of people in the
medieval times. The over thousand persons found in the graves were
ordinary farmers from the countryside.
Gotland now went into the dark ages which is well documented by
historians. Gotlands well over 100 churches (which by any standard are
many considering the size of the population) are almost all dating
from the pre-invasion era and those few who arent are several hundered
years younger.
In a sence these dark times are very lucky for us since this is one of
the main reasons that there are so much to see there today. Ruins and
unused things like a outdated citywalls used to be one of the main
sources for building material in developing cities. One flaw exists
and that is Visborg which was the castle of Visby. The danes blew it
up when they finally were chased away in the early 17th century.
Places to stay? Anywhere inside Visby citywall, numerous parts of
houses are for rent in the summer.
Places to go? Take a beer at "Munken" (=the Monk) the best bar in
Visby.
There's a museum called "Gotlands fornsal" which shouldn't be missed
(history).
Cousine? Nothing is more Gotlandic than smoked "flundra" (=flat fish).
The best is to be found in the fishing camp of "Ljugarn" (southeast
side of island where I used to be every summer when I was a child) and
should be eaten with your fingers together with (guess!) a beer.
cheers
-- pa
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Per-Arne Sandegren | "World War III can be averted by adherence
M.Sc. | to a strictly enforced dress code"
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Stockholm | Email [email protected] (text-only)
SWEDEN | Email [email protected]
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