hej!
Today was the first sunny day we’ve experienced in Gothenburg. When we walked across the street from our room to the hostel’s front desk and kitchen area, the sun was shining, birds were chirping, and it was warm enough to not need a coat. For breakfast I made a soy yogurt parfait with dried fruit, grapefruit, and some mixed fresh fruit on the side. I also had a tiny strawberry and banana smoothie that was delicious. Today was our day to take the trek out to one of the many islands in the Gothenburg Archipelago: Brännö Island.
After breakfast, we hopped on a tram to a main station to then take another out towards the island. There was a bit of a hiccup in the plans when we had to get off the tram and onto an extremely crowed bus due to rail construction. The bus held all the tram riders plus more people as it continued to more stops. I think I know what a sardine in a can feels like now.
We finally arrived at the ferry dock and jumped on just in time as not a minute later it took off. The ferry was two floors, with the top having group seating around tables with access to go outside to get better photos at the back end of the boat. It was a fairly short trip to the island, with beautiful views of some of the other islands as we passed. I did have some major difficulties when trying to find the bathroom. I was told it was downstairs, but when I went to investigate, the only thing I found was the life jacket cabinets. Thankfully there was a nice man who saw my confusion and showed me the way. After that little hiccup, we landed on Brännö.
The island’s idyllic scenery was beyond words. The brightly colored homes were nestled in the hills among boulders and green grass (even in January!). It was surprising just how many houses there were on the section of the island we walked through. It had to be such a tighly knit community because all these people lived so close to each other, and of course, they’re on an island.
We walked through the town to find a place JJ had dubbed “Suzie’s Cove”. We passed the island’s tiny grocery store and some friendly sheep. There are no personal cars allowed on Brännö, so the locals get around by walking and biking. Suzie’s Cove turned out to be a lovely beach with very large rock formations. We had a nice picnic lunch, then split up into groups to explore the island more.
My group decided to be adventurous and explore more of the rock formations and nature paths. Karlson’s Garage was the selection for the team dinner tonight. It had great food and atmosphere. The bartender even gave us all black licorice shots, which I definitely would not recommend.
Daily Reflections:
- I know where to find life vests on a ferry in case of emergency.
- Public transportation is hard.
- The Swedes are very friendly, especially when you’re asking for directions.
- There are adorable dogs in clothes everywhere.
- Getting just a little bit lost can be a lot of fun.
Adventures in Sweden 