Choose another map, showing:

• Scandinavia
• Europe
• Greenland
• Eurasia
• Eurasia, Africa & Pacific
• The World

Other entries in Visby

Gotland-Land of Vikings and Surprises

I've never been to a place that feels like home so quickly. Gotland is out in the middle of the Baltic sea, the largest island and one with many viking stories to tell. It's a land of ancient exploits, buried treasure, and a long history whispering through its forests. The land is now covered by quiet agriculture and tourism, but it once was home to a rough and tough people. I like these contrasts.

I arrived surprisingly easily from Stockholm- a quick train ride which delivered me directly to the ferry terminal. After a short wait I boarded the ferry with several hundred fellow vacationers and settled into the modern conviences. This nordic ferry exceeded expectations. Perfectly clean, super comfortable, delicious food, beautiful views of the ocean. And it departed early! I could get used to this (although in reality if transportation in the US always left early, I'd always miss it!).

I found accomodation in a renovated cell of the old prison, tucked into the old town walls and began explorations in search of viking treasure. Well, the treasures I found weren't viking in nature, but they were plenty rewarding. I wandered through the UNESCO honored world heritage medieval town of Visby, nestled on the water and surrounded by formidable old stone walls. Being the very beginning of the season, I was mostly alone in these wanderings, I only found people when I exited the walls and found the new town with supermarkets and the alcohol store. The narrow streets meander between quaint wooden houses, almost all of which have a view of the ocean. Most windows had shades over them, fans, or model ships with huge sails to block the view into the house (from the prying eyes of tourists like myself). But the famous swedish interior design was obviously at work inside. Simple yet fashionable countrystyle interiors (with wooden floors and big windows- my favorite!). All the houses had flowers blooming in the small yards or at least in flower pots at the doorway and beneath the windows.

Sprinkled throughout town were the ruined walls of old 16th and 17th century churches, now inhabited by ivy and lush green grasses and wildflowers. The view of all the red tile roofs topped by ship shaped weather vanes, grey stone walls covered in green, and the ocean spreading in the distance towards sweden created the perfect mental postcard. (And I tried capturing it by camera, we'll see how it turns out.)

Visby must come alive in the summertime with all the wealthy swedes visiting in thier yachts, spending money in the fancy expensive fashion and furniture stores, and enjoying a drink and good food at the kafes and restaurants. But poor little old me, all alone and feeling very poor after 3 months travelling, just had a tea at the kafe, window shopped down the streets, and gazed into the half full pub, convincing myself not to spend the $10 on a pint.

So, the next morning I found a companion, Ellen from France (yes, yet another French accomplice). She had just broken up with her boyfriend of 4 years a week ago and had fleed her visit with him in Stockholm for the healing powers of Gotland. We travelled together to Färo, the little island at the northern tip of Gotland. There we rented bicycles and cycled till our bums hurt. It was so nice to be back on a bike, wandering through the idyllic countryside. If I were to do this trip again, I would get a good road bike and travel through the entirety of the island for a week or more. Its perfect for that kind of a trip. Even camp on the beaches.

So Färo is connected by a free ferry but was long a distant and removed location. Its primary trade is sheep farming, followed by tourism. We visited several beaches on each side of the island, each one with its own characteristics. On the east side of the island the waves and winds were big and harsh. The beach was made of super fine sand (which made my cheese sandwich gritty) feeding the lovely grass-covered dunes beyond. At the northern tip we found an old lighthouse (from 1848) warning sailors away from the shore defended by brilliant white round stones and boulders. The western side was in contrast calm and silent. We cycled past two flat bays, with the water gently lapping at the pebble beach and the mallard ducks, swans, and other waterfowl feeding in the shallow waters and cattail marshes. The western side also houses the most famous geologic structure, the raukers. Huge limestone 'statues' jutting up from the coastline. The tallest reached 8 meters in height. We stopped at one that looked like a dog, to watch the sun set over its back and then drop to under its belly before sailing away over the horizon to greet my friends in the US.

I raced back to meet the ferry just in time to miss the 9 pm shift and have to wait for the 9:30. But like all waiting while travelling, there are filled with little surprises. I watched a beautiful scene of a sillouetted swan lunging beneath the surface to strain the yummy morsels of food from the shallow sediments. It reached deep down, streatching its neck all the way and popping its triangular tail straight up in the air before rising again and curling its long slender neck into a question mark reflected in the calm sunset-colored water. One of those images that will stick with me long after this trip is over.

Add to del.icio.us Add to reddit