Sötnos

Swedish word of the day. Sötnos. Cutie. I was chatting away with a bunch of the usual suspects at the cafe a few days ago when Roffe alerted me to the fact that a really cute girl was walking by so I grabbed the camera and took a quick shot. He wasn't wrong.

That Old Tree

After a BBQ at Norrby in Handen with two of the usual suspects I jumped on the bike and headed for home in the warm Summer evening. The ride took a bit longer than usual, around 50 minutes. I blame that on the cranberry liqueur we enjoyed, and the pit stop at the old tree at Välsta. Photo taken with the 60mm macro lens on the Canon 77D body which gives it a focal length of 96mm, so this is nine photos stitched together. Luckily for me it was a calm evening.

Sommaräng

Swedish word of the day. Sommaräng. Summer Meadow. This was a wheat field in 2018 and 2017. The year before that they had canola here. This year they left everything for the insects. A field at Nedersta Gård.

Aspen Hill

The Aspen Hill near Husby in Österhaninge.

The Stockbonäs Battle

The visit to the Viking Village at Stockbonäs ended with an epic battle. All of a sudden the village was attacked by a group of Viking warriors. The newcomers badmouthed the villagers and they answered in the same way before the fighting began. It was brutal. Just look at that last photo if you don't believe me!

Viking Portraits

In Ancestors Footsteps

Five more photos from the re-enactment event I Förfäders Spår at Stockbonäs in Nynäshamn, where you could visit a very authentic Viking village last weekend. It was interesting to see how the "Vikings" went about their business ignoring the modern day people with mobile phones and cameras, most of the time that is, I did talk to a few people to get some details.

The Vikings at Stockbonäs

I visited Stockbonäs in Nynäshamn over the weekend. Usually this is just a green field in the Summer, popular with hikers and sunbathers. Now it had turned into a little Viking Village. For the third year running there was a Viking re-enactment event there. Called I Förfäders Spår. Or in English, In Ancestors Footsteps. It was very authentic, down to the last detail, so I decided on the spot to try and get authentic photos ie, without any sign of modern life, and I will show you the result in the next few days. The Vikings came from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Australia and possibly a few other places as well.

Bluebell

A Blubell,(Liten Blåklocka), growing next to the old tree. The yellow in the bokeh background comes from Yellow bedstraw, Gulmåra).

Blooming flax field

A blooming flax field at Nödesta Västergård.

Lotstornet

If you want to spend the night at Öja, Lotstornet, (the old harbour pilot tower), could be what you are looking for. There's also a restaurant in the tower called Svedtiljas. You will have a great view from any of the rooms. All managed by Åke and Lotta Svedtilja. The hotel is open year round. www.g-mo.se/

Artillery battery

ERSTA-batteri at Norrhamn on Öja. A four-story facility used during the cold war. 25 people lived and worked underground here 24/7. Supposedly it could withstand a nuclear blast. There to protect the inlets to Nynäshamn, Stockholm and Södertälje. In operation between 1977-2000. There are guided tours daily during the Summer. It will set you back 100SEK. Today this is a listed building.

Saltboden

Back in the day a "saltbod" was a building where you kept your fishing tools out in the archipelago. Today it is more likely to be a cafe, restaurant, pub and grocery shop, like here at Västerhamn on Öja. We stopped by a couple of times. Not overcrowded, but there were a few Americans enjoying the salmon at the next table. From Wisconsin. On our second sitting 12 or so canoeists showed up.

Living in the archipelago

Only twenty people live at Öja year round. But they sure live nicely. Nearly all the houses on the island has a sea view as you can see by looking at these photos.

The maritime pilot

Albert Holm was a maritime pilot at Öja. He lived between 1848 and 1939. It is partly thanks to Albert that a road was constructed on the island. Having come halfway with that work Albert figured that he had had enough and he chiselled his initials by the side of the road at Saltmarsbacken and promptly told everyone that he had now done his part and that it was up to the young people on the island to continue with the road. Diabase sculpture made by Ole Drebold an artist who lives on the island.