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Off to Sweden and Norway, where to go.


Marquinius

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This is turning in a rather nice experiment to see who's saying what about Sweden. So I'm preparing for endless flat wooded plains, ugly cities and about one place where everybody think I should go: Stockholm.

 

But with all this information (thank you kindly, really appreciated), I think I'll tun west after my first stop and see how far into Norway we can and want to venture. That train is whispering in my ear (albeit the toll and fuel will be paid by ... my boss, one of the peculiarities of Dutch company car regs).

 

Now that we're talking about it: anything I should NOT order for diner in Sweden?

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This is turning in a rather nice experiment to see who's saying what about Sweden. So I'm preparing for endless flat wooded plains, ugly cities and about one place where everybody think I should go: Stockholm...

 

Now that we're talking about it: anything I should NOT order for diner in Sweden?

 

Surströmming is a rather special dish - but then I'm not sure how often you'll find it available on the menu. Otherwise you're pretty safe, as Swedish food is generally very bland and inoffensive. Your main challenge will be finding anything more exciting than a hamburger or quiche (called 'paj' here) with salad at local restaurants.

 

If you have the opportunity, try to book a table at Oaxen before they move to Stockholm. This is one of the best restaurants in Sweden, and is roughly along the route, if you were to choose Norrköping-Stockholm as your holiday.

 

Not all towns in Sweden are as ugly as I implied - this website describes three so-called 'wooden towns' which have retained their character and are worth a visit.

 

I think the main problem for visitors on this type of driving holiday is that, unlike most other European countries, Sweden lacks charming villages and country restaurants that can interrupt the tedium of long drives. Every time I drive down to Copenhagen (a six hour dash on the motorway), I'm frustrated by the fact that the scenery consists of woodland-McDonalds-woodland-woodland-Max'sBurger-woodland-redhouse-choppedwoodland-McDonalds... You get the picture. ;)

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It is years ago, but when I was in Gothenborg to pick up a Volvo(quite a nice town but I cannot think of any other reason to go there), I had a meal at RAKAN restaurant. Not only was the seafood very nice, they had a huge pond in the middle of the reataurant. When you ordered you got a remote control and had to navigate a model ship from the kitchen to your table to get your food. Needless to say I failed miserably. A waiter had to recover my shrimps...:ohttp://www.rakan.se/

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Surströmming is a rather special dish - <snip>
Ah that sounds like a challenge:D I wonder if Marco tried any.

 

Korean fish dishes can also be 'interesting' - I recall something one of my students tried (by acccident). This seemed to consist of rotting fish in a similarly putrid sauce containing a lot of hot spices (chili). Even 1 m away it really smelled vile. Normally I think I can eat anything, including Durian, but this was clearly over the edge.

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I know that drive with firs, more firs, even more firs, MacDonalds, firs, etc. Reminds me of Oregon. Oh well, we'll see. The wife is bending towards Norway after Sweden as well. It will be interesting and I'll stay away from the fermenting canned herring (I rather liked the description that some Japanese thought it had the most hideous smell in the world :D)

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Hello Everybody,

 

Sometimes a World in which nature simply balances & regulates itself can be a pleasant place. There is much to be seen along a stream that wanders over the countryside with no special place to go.

 

Where the Earth has a purpose other than to please & satisfy people.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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Sometimes a World in which nature simply balances & regulates itself can be a pleasant place. There is much to be seen along a stream that wanders over the countryside with no special place to go.

 

Where the Earth has a purpose other than to please & satisfy people.

 

Ah this is so true! I agree that the landscape isn't there as our dramatic backdrop. Unfortunately, the purpose of unending and tedious woodland can also be this.

 

I'm sure the trip will be enjoyable - rotten fish, burgers or whatever else. Just being away from your regular surroundings can be all a person needs to refresh tired brain-cells.

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The lakes and forest scenery in Se are just superb.

The little Se cottages characteristic.

The evenings drinking in the market squares good opp for street shots.

The Gota canal is senic as well but dont fall in, cold.

The roads are boring, the trains like the NHS operating theaters.

They wont speak any Swedish to you...

 

Noel

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Hello Everybody,

 

A word about food. In Sweden I tend to prefer food that is either from fresh water or salt or from the wild fields & forest. As in the World in general what is best is usually what is local &/or what is fresh.

 

I first had surstromming in Uppland on the Gulf of Bothnia @ the summer cottage of a farmer who's farm was a ways away. It was just a part of a summer's evening.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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Hello Everybody,

 

Sometimes a World in which nature simply balances & regulates itself can be a pleasant place. There is much to be seen along a stream that wanders over the countryside with no special place to go.

 

Where the Earth has a purpose other than to please & satisfy people.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Thanks Michael !

 

This is the wisest and most beautiful statement I've seen in a long time.

 

In my country we have just passed a law that is intended to ensure biodiversity.

Nevertheless, the development seems in many ways to move in the wrong direction.

 

More and more politicians in different parties want to abolish the protection of protected nature, whether it comes to rivers or endangered predators.

 

My government gives billions annually to the preservation of rainforests, while providing support for the scrapping of unprofitable biologically diverse forests in its own country.

Unlimited large industrial plants with wind turbines are being developed to the detriment of both landscapes and birds.

 

Classical nature conservation and biodiversity are set up against the so-called environmental protection.

 

 

 

When I was growing up we had a Leica man in our town. Regularly he went out on wilderness expeditions across the globe with all his Leica gear.

 

This man was really very mysterious and strange. He looked like a sort of blond RAMBO, except that the machine gun was replaced with "heavy" Leica gear.

He also had the finest PRADOVIT slide projectors. Sometimes he let himself be persuaded to share his wilderness adventures with us teenagers at the local boys club.

And we saw some extreme sparkling colorful Kodachrome / Colorplan slide shows which set the standard for all our future.

 

It was this man, who through his amazing slideshows opened my eyes to the value and the need of intact nature.

 

It was also due to him that I for the first time realized that the LEICA camera equipment really was in its own class.

 

Indeed it is this mysterious LEICA-man’s merit that I am on this forum today, decades later.

 

 

Best Regards !

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If you drive, observe speed limits.

 

Fines are income related, i.e. high income earners pay more than low income earners for the same offense. Well hidden small mobile speed traps will photograph offenders, record the data and transmit instantly over the mobile phone net.

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Well, we're in Sweden and some 500 km's at that. Indeed: you really have to love firs (endless) and grill restaurants (not so enless, but I haven't seen anything else). But once you're more " in country", things are pretty good. Soft landscapes, lovely people who ALL greet you when hiking and generally a good place to wind down.

 

I'm going for the small details in the landscape anyway and there are many!

 

Norway is out for this trip: we just got a call from friends to join them next week in Germany, so we'll do a slow turn south to Ystad, cross by ferry to Rugen, stay there for a couple of days and then travel to Celle. Norway will have to wait for fall: we'll take a plane to Oslo and then jump on that train to Bergen.

 

It is just a small adventure, unplanned travel and seeing what's straight in front of you.

 

PS: I NEVER, really NEVER saw so many speed cameras ANYWHERE as here in Sweden. After a while you get used to them and just stick to the advertized speed limits. And after 100 miles of firs - speed camera - firs - speed camera - firs - ad nauseam, you start to realize that a) you could get yourself killed on these roads (moose and red deer crossing, no street lights) and B) you're on a holiday, so CALM DOWN RIGHT NOW.

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If you go to the Stockholm area - try to visit the Archipelago/die Schären - very photogenic!! At this time of the year few people out there - as you can see below, 5 days ago with my boat. There are public transport boat you can use, if you don´t have your own.

 

Regards

/Anders

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How would they determine the income of a foreigner who is not registered in their tax system.:confused:

 

Easy. They just ask for last year's tax assessment saying that if it wont be forthcoming, the income will be estimated. You will be surprised how highly they think of you.

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Meanwhile I'm finding out that Sweden is quite nice, with a lot of really beautiful nature (yes, firs too, but oaks so old you won't believe it, small tracks that are actually open for normal traffic and sudden vistas with huge lakes).

 

Oh, and they have CLEAN air.

 

Lichen abound.

 

M8/35mm Zeiss.

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