Wandering Solo

 As mentioned before, I’ve been sailing solo for the past few days... 

I left Jérôme with his son Louis in Stockholm, where they happily reunited after a year apart. The three of us celebrated the reunion in style, along with Louis’s birthday and his graduation. 😊

Then we each went our separate ways—the boys one way, the girl the other way. But not before spending some time exploring the beautiful, colourful, and wonderfully watery city of Stockholm. Sweden’s capital was built across an archipelago of islands, so unlike cities that simply sit beside the sea, a lake, or a river, water is literally everywhere! It makes wandering from one island to another while admiring the city’s stunning architecture very pleasant.

During this solo part of my journey, I let my curiosity guide me and tried to mix things up: a bit of  nature, some history and culture, and a few urban getaways.

People had told me that Sweden would remind me of Canada—more specifically Quebec—and I have to admit they were right. Endless lakes and rivers, beautiful forests, and that same sweet, resinous scent of conifers...

At times, I almost felt as though I had crossed the Atlantic! That is, until someone spoke to me in a language I couldn’t understand. 😅

That’s where the comparison ends though, because Canada didn’t have the Vikings. Or did it? Well... yes, actually! For those who didn’t know, we were lied to in history class: Christopher Columbus did not discover America. Others had reached it long before him, including the Vikings. The remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement were discovered in Newfoundland—almost 500 years before our friend Columbus embarked on his famous voyage.

Often portrayed as bloodthirsty warriors who pillaged and burned everything in their path, the Vikings were also remarkable sailors. They navigated nearly every major river in Europe and even crossed the Atlantic—although probably in boats a little bigger than these! 😂

The Vikings were also skilled traders. Archaeologists have uncovered coins from places as far away as Persia (modern-day Iran), showing just how extensive their trade network was. Apart from the many artefacts found during excavations—which can be admired in one of the many museums—very little remains of Viking settlements themselves. They didn’t really live in cities but rather on farms, in wooden houses that naturally haven’t survived the centuries. There are, however, a few surviving sites from former trading centres, such as the one in Newfoundland and another, much larger one at Birka, west of Stockholm, which I visited.

Located on an island in the middle of Lake Mälaren, Birka can only be reached by boat. The site includes an archaeological area, a small museum, and a reconstructed Viking village.

Even so—and despite taking a guided tour—you don’t actually learn very much about Viking society, unfortunately. There were plenty of people dressed as Vikings, but they seemed to be there more for decoration than for bringing history to life.

A few of them were cooking, and when I looked a little closer, I noticed that one pot contained rice and another was full of hot dogs. Now, I’m neither an archaeologist nor a historian, but I’m pretty sure that neither of those dishes appeared on Scandinavian tables in the 10th century! So I left feeling a little disappointed. The visit left me wanting more, I have to admit. You can’t win every time. 😞

On the other hand, traces of the Viking Age are easy to find in many places: runestones. These carved stones, inscribed with runes—the Viking alphabet—were most often erected as memorials to the deceased. If you keep your eyes open while wandering through towns and cities, you’re likely to come across one or more of them, like this one in Uppsala.

Uppsala was one of my city escapes. About an hour north of Stockholm, it is home to Scandinavia’s oldest university and largest cathedral, as well as a charming pedestrian centre and a lovely little flower-lined canal.

Besides Uppsala, I also stopped in Sigtuna, a town that was highly important during the Middle Ages. It boasts beautiful wooden houses and the highest concentration of runestones in the world. 😲

Much further south, I also discovered Lund, with its cathedral and stunning astronomical clock.

If you manage to zoom in on the second photo, you’ll know exactly when I was there. 😊

But my favourite has to be the little town of Ystad. Despite the rain, I completely fell under its charm with its lovely flower-filled gardens, half-timbered houses, beautiful church, and peaceful cloister.

In a few hours, I’ll be meeting up again with my favourite partner-in-crime and travel companion in Malmö. From there, we’ll cross the famous Øresund Bridge to Copenhagen before heading back towards France, where the next—and probably one of the last—chapters of our great adventure will most likely be written. Unless Jérôme feels inspired to write a little chronicle about their father-and-son Swedish adventure. 😅

To see all the photos: c'est ici

Me, not him (but just this once). 😉