Thursday November 1st, 2007
Today at dawn departure (flight at 6.30 from Orio). We arrive at 7.50 in Frankfurt in perfect time. The flight to Gothenburg is at 15.40, so we have a lot of time to pass. Rented a car (parking is frozen, before leaving we must remove a bit of ice from the windows). Then we head to Trier (about 80 km far).
The sky is overcast, but no rain, it’s cold. Before 9am we leave the car and start to see the city: from Kornplatz, then Hauptmarkt (very beautiful) with the background of the bell tower of St. Gangolf, then the dome and the nearby Liebfrauenkirche (in cathedral there is a celebration, and no visits, while we can see the Liebfrauenkirche) before arriving at the Porta Nigra. We think we could see it inside, but the wind and cold force us to change our mind and give up.
Turning to the dome, but there is another celbration, then reaching the Kaiserthermen, Roman baths and then we go back to our warm and hot car. Let us return to the airport along a stretch of the Moselle valley, then we stop for lunch and finally we wait for our flight (now not missing much).
After 5pm we land in Gothenburg, shuttle to reach the city center, and at the bus stop we find our friend who accompanies us at the hotel, crossing the center. Leaving the luggage and after a short rest, we walk a bit to the center, but now it is already dark, shops are closing and there is no much to do, then dinner and then to sleep.
Friday November 2nd, 2007
The air is cold but the sun shines (there is not even a cloud), exploiting the day to see the archipelago, taking the ferry at Saltholmen (for the ferry you can use the same ticket of the tram).
This time the cold air is not enough to stop us. We spend almost all the time on the open area of the ferry to take photos (it was a bit cold, but regarding the photos, it is worth it). We stop at one of the larger island, Styrso. On this island there is almost no car, just a few bicycles and motor. It is very quiet. We walk without a clear goal, following the main road, cross the center (say so, a dozen houses, the post office and supermarket), and continuing to arrive at the church.
Here we find a very kind lady that offers us go inside the church. Normally it is closed. We are lucky because the lady was going away, we arrived just in time. Inside the church, there are some fragments of boats found in the sea. Let’s go back and we reach the opposite shore of the island, where we remain with open mouth for the beauty of the landscape. The sea is really quiet (almost firm) and incredible reflexes, seems almost a mirror. We leave this wonderful place and back to the ferry and then in Gothenburg, where we have lunch in a “typical” Pizza Hut. After lunch we must do one thing: the next day we would go to Uddevalla, then we try to check the trains, then we decide to rent a car.
It’s more difficult than expected: Europcar and Hertz have no more cars, then we try at Avis, but also they haven’t it. But, it is almost unbelievable, they call Budget and find the car (for the weekend) booking it. They give us the time to reach their office (a bit far). Taken the car, we park it close to our hotel (hotel Vasa). Then we turn a bit in the center, seeing the cathedral and the district “Haga”. In the center there is not a lot to see, the central part of the city is occupied by two indoor streets, filled with shops, a sort of shopping mall. Tonight we go to dinner at our friend’s house. Later we buy something to eat at a supermarket near his home (go by car) and then return in hotel.
Saturday November 3rd, 2007
Today we go to Uddevalla, about 70 km north of Goteborg, at the bottom of a fjord. When we arrive downtown, the few shops are still closed and there are few people around (cold). So, looking at a map of the city, we move a little more to the south. Along the fjord has been built a wooden walkway. We walk a stretch, to achieve a more open area with the lawn that reaches water. Again the same road and back to the car. We go on the island which is located slightly west (connected with bridges). For Sweden today is holiday, we stop in the first town we find (I do not know its name).
There is nobody around, the shops are closed and we eat a sandwich on a bench. We walk a bit and let Uddevalla, direction Vanersborg, a near city which is located on the banks of a huge lake. Visit to the center of the city. In a church, where they are doing tests for the evening concert, and the lake, now at sunset. Turning then to Gothenburg.
Our friends are tired, they decide to go to dinner at our friend’s home. So I and Angelo walk again to the center (in the cathedral there is a concert, full). Then we go to dinner at Jensen’s Bofhus. We eat well, not too expensive, especially at midday, it is a chain, I had already seen in Denmark. We walk in the surroundings, while the streets are crowded by young people in costume (celebrating Halloween).
Sunday November 4th, 2007
Last day of our trip. In the morning again shops (I bought, among other things, the book “The Lord of the Rings” in Swedish, weight about 2kg). It is perfect because the weight of my baggage becomes 10.0 kg. Then for lunch at Jensen’s and then to the airport.
We arrive a little earlier, the airport is very small, there is nothing near. So we patiently wait . We are a bit worried in case of flight delay. We could lose the connection for Orio. Instead we land in Frankfurt with half an hour in advance and then we take, without any problem, the other flight. In the evening we are back home.
