My oase

A beautiful small fishing town in the southeast of Sweden. I made it to this city after my bus ride to Lund from Gothenburg, and my dear friend Christine was able to pick me up for the last leg of the journey to her hometown in her new car. She was very proud of the new car, and so she should be as it's a beautiful peugeot car that is small but quite roomy as both, my friend and me, we have a very slight frame, so it really was nice to ride in this small car of her. It took us more than an hour ride to her home, where she lives with her two sons. Her house is a beautiful country style house and upon entering her home, I felt as if I was entering this picturesque house I used to see in magazines of European country houses. It felt cozy just like home with this typical country swedish home with old fire stove to heat the room on cold winter days, but homey too.
It's a one storey house with three bedrooms, where I slept in one of the rooms adjacent to my friend's son's room. It was an attic room, and it may sounds strange, but I had once wished that one day I could sleep in an attic room just like the rooms I had seen so many times in the magazines, and now I had the chance to actually slept in one. I should say thank you to my friend Christine.
On my first day arriving in this little town, I was invited to a neighbour's party, who were celebrating their daughter's graduation from school. We had pool party and some wine and dine, and of course the opening of gifts. It is my very first party in a close nit family affair, and to say in a swedish little town as well. I saw in here the close relationship among the neighbours, how they interacted with each other, young and old people having the fabulous time of their life, sharing the sweetest succulent tastes of marine foods, lobsters, clamps, prawns, and many other side dishes. Chats and jokes all around as the nights slowly creeping in, until it's time for me and my friend to head back to her home. It was just five minutes walk back, though it's summer, but the wind was quite chill after my hot summer day in Gothenburg.
Early the next morning, waking up to the sound of bird chirping, a lovely sound which has for such a long time far from my ear. I was giddy with excitement to begin roaming the area, after looking at the sunny morning with less chill than the previous night. It was still about five am when I looked at the watch, which only told me that I have yet to adapt myself to the swedish time instead of my homecountry. I went slowly downstair and found that everyone was still fast asleep, and decided to take a morning walk before the house folks rose. I put on a jumper just before leaving the house, just in case my morning walk would take me futher and the weather could change anytime. I prefer to be prepared than having to go back just because of inadequate clothing.
The fishing town, that is Brantevik, lies just five km from the Simrisham in Österlen area. This morning as I walk around the sleeping village, taking myself to the surrounding view and the sea where the fishing boats tied moored around the dockside. The sea was calm and the breeze was refreshing as I sat on one of the rocks near the dockside, looking out towards the open sea... seeing as the morning coming to life.... contemplating on the horizon, seeing nothing, just enjoying myself to the calmness which slowly seeped into my soul.
The first morning walk became a routine time for me each day as I spent my four days in Brantevik...The walk extended each time, going further up to Simrisham... My favourite morning and evening time, walking about the little fishing town. The houses in this place have the same ethereal look among them, so modest yet beautiful in its simplicity. It was like me walking inside my magazines pictures, all over again.... It's like going back into times where it was once the way of life and look of every town anywhere. Time seemed to stop here, not from it's lack of technology, but far from it, it's the atmosphere, the neighbourhood, that I had almost never felt before. It's like coming back in full circle, back to my childhood day. Some will probably say it's a dead place for the youngs, no night lifes as in clubs and the lots one can find in a city. For me it's a haven after the brisk and fast life of a city life.
By the end of my visit to this lovely town, I had savoured my friend's lovely homecooking, and seeing how Christine prepared the swedish national dish for midsummer occassion, the herrings. Unfortunate for me as I had to leave Brantevik and Sweden before the mid summer event, celebrated largely in Sweden. But the memory and the experienced I had from my stay, both in Gothenburg and Brantevik, was one of the best time ever. Next trip to Lund .....

This is my first ever trip to Sweden, and also my very solo journey abroad, to say from making the plan and the accommodation, all on my own. I never thought that one day I can actually do this on my own. It was a bit terrifying but oh so exciting... I have been meaning to travel to the scandinavian countries but has not been realised until now....

This is my log from several days I had been in Gothenburg, second biggest city in Sweden. I was there to actually come looking at the Göteborg ship's home coming after it's sailing around the world for two years.....Here's one of the outing after seeing the ship's homecoming.....

It’s my last day in Gothenburg before continuing my journey to Brantevik. I went around the park where I stayed in a hostel, just about 10 minutes from the city center. I found this lovely hostel by chance through the net, and I was really lucky to find one with a moderate price as well, and near the city center too. It cost me only about 195SEK, which approximately about 250 thousand rupiah. I had a shared room with four women, but actually there were only one lady, the first two nights and then another girl for the second two nights afterwards.
I visited the nearby park called slotsskogen area. It’s a very nice quite big park, where there’s a museum and a little zoo in the area. The park itself was quite big with so many flowers and trees, and a nice place to walk around and just do some exercises, like jogging, biking, walking the dogs, or simply taking the family to the area.
I started out around 8 am and went to see the museum, but unfortunately could not see it because it was still too early and only opened at 11 am. Looking at my watch, it indicated still about 2 hours to kill before the opening hour, I decided to go around the park instead. Going around was really a great things, as I was able to see about as much of the scenery and able to come upon a really good place to put my weary feet up. It was just at the top of the hill, where some benches were scattered around. I sat on one just at the top and sat while looking out through the scenery in front of me and basking under the summer sun, with mild breezes playing the tendrils of my hair. I was at peace, until some school children with their assignments, trying to find some information around the area, for their school work. It was an intrusion at first, but as they were really nice kids, just going about their works, they did not even bother me that long and soon left the area to search for their next matter. I even contemplated the difference of children here to those of my nieces back home, which don’t have the time to venture out in an open green place as we live in a big city, that only malls are the playing fields for them. I watched while first group of kids coming and going, until at least half an hour later, I decided to continue my exploration of the area. I managed to see almost all the nooks and places of the park, until I accidentally came upon a small shop just near the main road outside the park, buying some refreshments for the day, and had the chance to talk to the shopkeeper, and began the knowledge of this beautiful islands just outside of Gothenburg. He recommended me to visit the island Vrångö, the furthest and outside of islands. He told me that to get there one only need to purchase ticket for the tram or bus, he advised me of a tourist one day ticket, which can be used to get on any public transportation, which also means able to take the boat that will take me to the islands. It’s very cheap when compared to the frequency one can use the public transportation for the day and to visit islands for free, well that’s just a bonus.
As soon as I’ve purchased the tourist ticket, I got on the tram at the tram station which is just outside the shop for the direction of saltholmen, the last station the tram will stop. From this place I caught the boat that will take me to Vrångö. I had to wait about an hour for the boat, and bought some strawberries and a loaf of brown bread for my lunch. I loved the simple meal, which is very refreshing and hearty. The strawberries were very succulent and fresh, big and sweet ones, very different to those I usually had back home, which were mainly small and sour.
Just before I got on the boat, I chatted with this nice lady, who gave me the confirmation which boat to take to Vrångö and explained to me about the boat time schedule. I had a very nice conversation also while on the short trip on the boat with this lady, who works for a fishery cooperation company in Gothenburg. She’s on her way to visit to her mom’s grave in one of the island, I forgot the name.
As soon as she got off, I ventured outside the deck area of the boat. Seeing the blue ocean scenery, while the boat speeded through the water, and taking lots of picture for souvenir. I finally came upon my destination island, Vrångö. There were bunches of people who also got off at this island. I started walking around the island with some groups of tourists until after several hours later, I ventured to a sort of national park area called naturreservat, where one can find very dense woods for some part of the way until it gave way to white sandy beaches, calm water with very nice spot for a dip on a hot summer day such as that day. Unfortunately, I did not bring any swimsuit with me, as I never thought about visiting the island, when I took off from the hostel this morning. I walked about a quarter of the island, because it took me quite a walk to finally got back to the same path when I first entered. I was all alone, and although it’s still daylight, it’s very still, as I did not pass anyone else until the last phase of the journey. It seemed the island can hide people completely from stranger’s prying eyes, as I completely could not see any of them, until suddenly when at the end of the outing, and I was waiting for the boat to arrive, suddenly there came a flock of people from every direction. Now to think that the island’s empty, was just an illusion. The houses on this island are very beautiful and colourful too. Mostly are made of wood, but painted either in yellow or bright red, which are typical of Scandinavian country houses.
Back on the boat again, I stayed on the boat deck, looking out to the waves on the wake of the boat….dreaming of a day when I could ever be back again.