Friday 25 August
We started early for Forsvik - I drove our car to Sandviken (170 kilometres). There is Göran and Kerstin living. They belong to the group of Roland's friends who should meet. Then Göran drove the rest of the way 350 kilometres. He is a good and calm driver. Very good arrangement!
Kerstin had coffee ready when we arrived so we had a cup before start for the long drive to Forsvik in Västergötland. We had a nice tour - had lunch in Lindesberg - a small town in the mining district of middle Sweden.
The heather had begun to blossom along the road at the end of the drive - an autumn sign.
Arriving at the Youth Hostel of Forsvik we were welcomed with open arms of the other friends in the group - all the other who were expected had already arrived.
We had dinner at seven - the two ladies (Berit and Lilian) who were hosts this time had arranged a cold-buffet dinner with meat, two kind of potato salad, and some other kind of salad. An there was lots of wine, and as dessert they had made a chocolate cake. The Youth Hostel was very nice, looked fairly newly renovated. The beds were good and everything seemed so nice and clean. It is in one of the former living houses for the workers at the factory.
We had a nice sleep after a long day.

Saturday 26 August
Nice and sunny weather!
The breakfast was made by the lady who is in charge of the hostel, a rich Swedish breakfast. Then we made sandwiches - Berit had bought what we needed - and we had our flasks filled with coffee in the kitchen. We were preparing picnic lunch.
At ten we had a guided tour in the old factory premises - a very interesting tour - The factory has been here since the thirteenth century but the direction has changed during the centuries. The position at a river with a fall between the lakes Viken and Botten has given water-power for the works. That is the reason why the mill is situated at this place. There is written about the history and the Forsvik foundation of today in this Internet site.
Forsvik
There is a wharf where they are building a copy of an old paddle steamer that sank in lake Vättern in 1856. You can read more about that interesting project here
Erik Nordevall II
This work is very important - the old skills of craftsmanship are easily forgotten - and whom could then do the repairs on the old thing we are responsible for to the coming generations?
The old buildings around the mill place are so nicely renovated - they are very beautiful with the white window borders on the dark red houses.
After this very interesting tour we assembled in the cars and drove along for sightseeing in the neighbourhood. The first stop was at Klangehamn - a fisher's place at lake Vättern. There those who wanted could buy fresh smoked fish - the wellknown "Vättern-char" - of course we could not join that as we were so far away from home. The sight over the lake was beautiful in the sunshine. I tried to takes some photos of the butterflies visiting the flowers but digital cameras are too slow for that. When I have found the motive and press the button, the camera need so much time to take the photo so the motive has moved.
Next stop was Tiveden National Park - we drove by car to an information centre deep in the wild forest. I hope you can access this link and read about the wilderness.
http://www.tiveden.se/engelskversion/wildbeatyful.4.1c1eceb10bc6f0f1648000175.html "Tiveden"
We stopped at the information centre. There we had our picnic lunch. Some of the friends had a walk along one of the marked paths to Stenkällan but most of us just observed the very good exposition of what you can find. Vegetation, dropping from the wild animals, rocks etc.
Next stop Undenäs Church - such a large building here in the rural land - in popular speech named "the Cathedral of Tiveden". We stopped in the burial place where Paul told the history of the princess Constantia Eriksdotter who is buried here.
When at home we needed a rest before dinner. Catering was ordered and we had a good meal of chicken on woked vegetables, rice and salad with home-made bread.
After dinner we walked to the theatre that is in the former forgery. The play was made after a novel by the Swedish author Carl Jonas Love Almquist (1793-1866) and was performed by a mixed company with professionals in the leading characters and local amateurs for the rest. A good play with some Swedish songs from the eighteenth and nineteenth century among the sayings that were very much according to the book. The story is a love story between Albert and Sara. She is a young lady with modern ideas. She wants an equal life and every person there own economy, and no formal wedding. The story was very debatable at the time when it was edited. The title is "It is right" and the ending saying is just those words.
The artists were mingling among the audience before the play and in the pause. But some of us has a little walk down to the lake in the pause. It was such a wonderful evening, mild and calm.
When we arrived back to the hostel we had some snacks and wine.
There was a talking about next meeting in two years and it was decided that we should see if it is possible to arrange that in Hälsingland. Then most of the friends will get a long drive but the oldest man - Roland - could stay near home. Those who live will see.
The group of friends all lived in Uddevalla in the 1940:th but now they are spread from Karlskrona in the south to Hälsingland in the north. It is only one of the men who is still living in Uddevalla. But most of them live along the west coast of Sweden.

Sunday 27 August we had a nice warm morning with sunshine and most of us had an early walk down to the lock in Göta Canal where the vessel "Juno" was to pass at seven. The "Kindbom brothers" were meeting the passengers on the cruise with religious songs and some words. It should be a tradition for nearly 80 years! We sang together "How great Thou art" and some other well known Swedish songs. One of the brothers heard that I was from Färila and came up to me asking for a lady he had met more than fifty years ago - a nurse. So I got greetings for her from the two brothers. The song tradition was started by their father. There were lots of people along the lock this early Sunday morning. The passengers seemed to be a mixture of mostly Germans and Swedes.
After breakfast we from Hälsingland prepared to go home as we had such a long drive. We had a nice drive northwards. The last part of the road just south of Sandviken is going on a bank over the lake and it is very appalling scenery. Kerstin and Göran served coffee in their home.
Then I had the last part of the driving 170 kilometres along road 272 that is going with many curves so the driving is fairly stressing. But everything was lucky. We had a cup of coffee at a Café halfway in Bollnäs. At 7.05 PM we set the key in the door. Home again!
We called little Alexander who was three years old this day. He was a bit upset as he had had some of his friends there for a birthday party - Monday 28 August we woke up at the rolling of thunder and all day we had rain sometimes. What a luck that we had had such nice weather all the days during our trip southwards!

Forsvik Works Industrial Memorial       Map Forsvik

Photo by © Ingegerd 2006