20 July 2021
The night is cooler than the nights before. I have to take my down quilt as well as my sleeping bag, but sun is greeting me again in the morning – what weather! I somehow have grown to the little town of Eksjö and Småland, this campsite right at the lake. Yet it’s time to get going!!
Today I want to travel up north to my friend’s place. Maria lives on a farm near Fellingsbro. When I got closer to Vedstena located at Vättern, one of Sweden’s largest lakes in Östergötland the thick forest gets slowly replaced by a more open landscape. Forest and wide fields take turns here. For the first time it takes me a bit of an effort to find a parking space, especially with my rather long vehicle – more touristy. Yet, I find a perfect one right at the lakefront. I go for a stroll in the small town of Vedstena, catch a glimpse of the Vasa-Castle and have lunch sitting on the bank of the large Vättern lake.
Hollyhock – one of my absolute favourites! – grows here a lot. I love these ones!
Then I hit the road again and after about a 2 hours drive I’ms in Närke and get closer to Örebro and thus Fellingsbro. And here I am now. I camp next the wonderful farmhouse, read the whole morning in the wonderful sunshine, take a shower in the wonderful guesthouse and pick red currant with Maria. We’re having a great time talking about whatever.
She tells me for example that Småland used to be the poorest region in Sweden and between the beginning of the 18th centrury and around 1940 more than 1 million Swedes emigrated to the States and most of them came from Småland. The Swedish writer Vilhelm Moberg recalls and describes these events in his four volume novel „The Emigrants“. I feel tempted to read this story. It also reminds me of Liam O’Flaherty’s „Famine“. The Irish writer depicts in this touching novel how poor Irish farmer had to fight in those dark days of the potato plight. They were starved to death on purpose as the English landlords did not open up the granaries to help the poor Irish people. Thus, lots of the left for America, either died upon the ships or otherwise never came back. It’s kind of a similar story and once I’ll have a bit more time I really want to read Vilhelm Moberg’s „Emigrants“. It’s the kind of story I have always been fascinated by – poor people fighting to get out of the gutters (one of these topics that I share an interest with my Swedish friend.)
I also ask Maria about the way Swedish houses are built. They are built from timber, planks outside, plastered inside. And obviously they insulate quite well, as Swedish winters are cold and long.
But now it’s summer and I will stay another few days here with her and just read my books, relax, talk and maybe go on an excursion to Örebro. It’s nice to settle down for a moment after so much traveling.
