On friday we woke up in Gothenburg which is the major port and shipping city for Sweden. The City was built along the Gota River that separates Norway from Sweden and was a walled city with a moat. It has a couple of canals and lots of parks and 4-5 story high apartment buildings- many were built in 1850-1925 and have lots of architecture and character. Railroads were constructed from 1850-1900 all through Sweden and lots of shipping to other countries and imports from other countries came through Gothenburg. The city has lots of electric trolleys like Sacramento Light Rail from Folsom to Sacramento. But they go everywhere in Gothenburg. Our old hotel is across from the Central train station and most of the trolley lines come through the square (plaza) that our hotel is looking over- the people looked like ants coming out of the train station and walking every which way to get on trolleys to go to work on Friday. The white building is our hotel- our room in on the third floor- they call it the second floor (above the ground floor.
We started the day with a double-deck bus ride through downtown with english narration telling us about the buildings and history of Gothenburg. Then we took a canal boat with a guide who told us more things about the buildings we were seeing from the canal and harbor. We had lunch at McDonalds (they are everywhere) and went to the history museum and art museum. The art museum had paintings by Carl Larson who we have liked for many years. We also saw paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt and Picasso. The history museum was in the building built for the Swedish East Indies (China) Trading Company- who had several sailing ships that went around the world to China and brought back silk and porcelain and tea. Many countries in Europe had their own trading companies- they were competing for the trade profits- but only the rich people had money to invest and get richer. Farmers and servants and laborers just had to work hard to survive. As the port developed and more shipping and boat building and other factories were established lots of people from the countryside moved to the city. Aprilia- I am glad that you do not live in a city- they can be interesting to visit but it is much nicer to have a house with a yard and sidewalk to ride bikes and swing and jump on a trampoline.
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| Our first Carl Larsson painting |
On Saturday we got up and the Central station plaza was quiet- very few trollies were running because people were not going to work. We bought day passes to ride the trollies and went to the Botanical Gardens about 5 miles out of the city. The university professors brought plants and flowers from all parts of the world to grow them on a hillside in Gothenburg. They were very beautiful with 1000's of different plants along trails and in greenhouses. Aprilia- you and your cousins would have loved running through the woods on the paths and climbing the rocks on the hillside. Maybe we should make a forest garden at Love Creek- except we will have to put a fence around it to keep the deer from eating all the plants and flowers. We had lunch at the outdoor cafe at the gardens with flowers and trees all around us. God's creation is very beautiful and wonderful.
We took another trolley to the maritime museum near the harbor. We read about the Swedish American Ship Line which was established in 1915 to take emigrants to America from Sweden- like my grandfather Eskil who came to the US in 1920. Maybe he sailed in one of their ships. The same company started Scandinavia Airline Service (SAS) in 1955. Lots of swedish people came to America because they could find work or start farms with lots of free land in places like Minnesota and Turlock California. I liked the big models of old sailing ships from 1600-1700. After taking another trolley back to our hotel we rode on a historical wooden trolley from 1920. We had a fun day riding trollies all over town. After a nap we took a trolley to the amusement park (like six flags) and found dinner and had a fresh waffle with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. One last trolley to our nice hotel room. So far Grandma likes our hotel rooms best- colorful with soft comfortable beds- the most relaxing and peaceful part of our days together.
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| Old Trolley Car-maybe my Grandfather rode in one in 1920? |
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| Waffle makers on a carousel |
Aprilia- we don't know all of the places you will travel to during your life, but we do know that God will always go with you on whatever adventures you have. Jesus is always with you- on trollies, ships, trains, buses, canal boats, cars or just walking or climbing a mountain like your Dad. You might find yourself lost sometimes, but God will know where to lead you and take you home. We hope you get to visit Gothenburg someday on your way to somewhere.
Love, Grandpa and Grandma
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