Scandic Noir Archipelago

 

Accapello, Marti Pello, Archipelago .. no idea where that came from but we were looking at the weather a  bit after a warning from Tourist Information on Friday.  Also have been practising the pronunciation, a bit like Mychynlleth, once you have the rhythm right it trips off the tongue. Visited the edge of the northern archipelago at the turning point of my run yesterday, but today it was towards the south we would head, and the port of Saltholment.  The 3 day travel pass gets you on trams, buses, ferries, we used all today and suddenly £17 for 3 days per person felt a bargain.  The clouds put a mood on proceedings but did not dampen our mood.

Not a rushed start to the Sunday but out by 10am Plenty of time you think for the brand 7/11 to be up and running but it was still shut, what's that all about?! Luckily a kiosk near central station gave us the caffeine and pastry kick required to start the day, and we were tramming south through the Gotburg suburbs.  Very comfortable we were too, so much so, when everyone else got off at a stop, it took a polite old fella to point that we needed to get off onto the tram replacement bus service. All very efficient, we were back on our way in minutes and standing quayside, making decisions about which ferry we would catch.

Who thought Island hopping would be a feature of another trip this year? I say that on a slightly lesser level, we identified 2 of the larger Islands as our destination for the day. These Islands are the playgrounds of the rich and famous as well as a Summer season holiday place in their own right.  Think it is coming to the end of that season but we hopped on the first one we could see heading out to Styrso, and were comfortably looking at all the other little dots of islands as we passed. I sat next to the radiator indoors, summer season definitely is over.

After a couple of drop offs we hopped off at Styrso Bratten.  We were told these Islands were car free which is technically correct. Converted golf buggies, smart cards, electric scooters and bikes all seem to feature and the odd motorbike or doctored motorbike. Still, very gentle roads, wished we had hired bikes now, but was fun to explore on foot.

Quite established settlements here too, communities all quite young families we could see, milling around. Should the clouds gather and the faces all turn your way there could be a sinister edge, perhaps Scand Noir meets Wicker Man. Wouldn't mind taking a holiday home out here for a couple of weeks and see what plot I could come up with.  Feel Michael Blomquist must have headed out this way at some point!

A short cut through a forest and we hit the local wildlife. A red squirrel. Don't think I've seen one of them since Casllwchwr primary school circa late 70s, not sure if that was in the trees or a Peter and Jane book. We wandered for a bit, getting simplistically lost on the small roads, stumbling across the odd jetty, and trying to smile at the locals so they didn't get any ideas about us.  After an hour or so we came to Styrso Tangen, another port on the Island. Nothing much running out of there today, but an open cafe and it was lunchtime. 

Batebacken, What a treat! Shrimp sandwiches on the menu, washed down with pear cider. The shrimps on rye bread, hint of lemon, mayo and egg, another delicious experience. Chrissis home made quiche pretty spot on too. So Sweden, a place for foodies it would seem!  And some old school decor and furniture with a homely feel, albeit perhaps homely 1970s feel.

We plotted a further walk, around 5k across the Island to Donso.  The 2 islands are linked by bridges, and our route took us along roads, nature paths and small cut throughs. Honestly this was the most sanitised remote adventure experience ever. Would heartily recommend if you looking for a getaway from it all holiday home swallows and amazons style.

Donso 'port' also had a small cafe and working toilets. Plus some fishermen statues that were almost the replicas of those we say yesterday at the market. What''s that all about, the internet won't tell me!

Fika time in Popsicle , velvety choc cake and coffee continued the taste sensation, then a timely ferry back to the mainland, with a reverse bus / tram experience to get us back to the Hotel. Another busy day, great to shower it off in Radisson luxury.

Chance to catch up on matters on the home front, Bryn adulting well as our returning housemate (and son) on placement year, Carys getting over Freshers flu at Uni. 

And then it was our last night away, and Gothenburg very quiet. We passed a mexican restaurant that we'd logged as our preferred food. By the time we had a pint and watched a bit of footie in an Irish bar it was shut.

Out of the corner of our eye we saw a South Indian Restaurant and thought we'd give it a go. Cocktails whilst their signature mixes were a bit weak, particularly the mango cordial I was given. After that through crunchy and spicy onion and parsnip starters, a real send of home cooked, and warm pressed food. This was the case with main course, my chille chicken, a dry and spice enthused dish that took me somewhere, probably not Sweden, but somewhere. Perhaps a future trip to South India.

Another day, perhaps our latest finish, but 2.5 days done, and a good half a day to go tomorrow!