Motorhoming in central Sweden

[The Larch]

Falu-sausage

[grumbler]

Today we continued northward, to the Siljan valley. A comet or something struck here once, creating a semi-circular fertile lake area. This is in the county of Dalarna and is more ornless the heart of Swedish-ness.

Traditional Swedish dress originated here, the Dala horse also. The red paint that we paint our houses with. Midsummer celebrations. The most traditional sausage, the Falu-sausage.  And a lot more probably. A lot of what we Swedes see as uniquely Swedish is from this small part of Sweden.

A "meteor" strikes, and suddenly everyone starts to act all Swedish and stuff?  I've seen this story before.

[Threviel]

There's more to this area. Back in the 14th century the Kalmar union was created as a union between Denmark, Sweden and Norway. It worked ok for a few generations but eventually Sweden more or less broke free. De facto free, but still in the union. Sweden was ruled by stewards instead of a king. The king of Denmark constantly tried to re-impose his rule.

By 1517 the comic book level evil Danish king Christian II invaded and killed the Swedish steward. After entering Stockholm he gathered all of Swedish nobility under a flag of truce and had them beheaded at the city square and thus the Kalmar union was re-instated.

At the same time, more or less, a young Swedish noble returned from adventures abroad. He heard about the meeting in Stockholm, but he knew Christian so he didn't go. When he heard about the executions he fled to Dalarna, hoping to start a rebellion like Engelbrekt did decades earlier. He went to the biggest town, Mora, and held a rousing speech.

Very few in the audience would have understood much of what the silly southerner was saying, dialects were not really mutually intelligible back then, so no-one cared. He put on some skis and took off towards Norway.

A day or so later the news of the Stockholm bloodbath reached Mora so they sent some young men to catch the noble, which they did some 90 km away, in Sälen. He became the leader of the rebellion and it succeeded, he was crowned king of Sweden in 1523 officially ending the Kalmar union.

King Gustav Vasa is more or less seen as the father of Sweden and Swedish history education more or less begins with him, often ignoring the previous 500 or so years.

And why am I talking about him? Tomorrow we'll go to Mora.

[viper37]

Well, not that big by New World standards of course. 

For us to get to the top of Sweden we have to travel about 1850 km. The south point of our French trip was about 2100 km, but that time we had 8-10 weeks, not 2-3.

1850km?  It's like a week-end vacation in Toronto then!

[Jacob]

1850km?  It's like a week-end vacation in Toronto then!

Who would drive a motorhome to Toronto?

[Berkut]

Tell me about your campervan....

[The Brain]

Today we continued northward, to the Siljan valley. A comet or something struck here once, creating a semi-circular fertile lake area. This is in the county of Dalarna and is more ornless the heart of Swedish-ness.

Traditional Swedish dress originated here, the Dala horse also. The red paint that we paint our houses with. Midsummer celebrations. The most traditional sausage, the Falu-sausage.  And a lot more probably. A lot of what we Swedes see as uniquely Swedish is from this small part of Sweden.

A "meteor" strikes, and suddenly everyone starts to act all Swedish and stuff?  I've seen this story before.

No, that one is thrilling.

[grumbler]

Today we continued northward, to the Siljan valley. A comet or something struck here once, creating a semi-circular fertile lake area. This is in the county of Dalarna and is more ornless the heart of Swedish-ness.

Traditional Swedish dress originated here, the Dala horse also. The red paint that we paint our houses with. Midsummer celebrations. The most traditional sausage, the Falu-sausage.  And a lot more probably. A lot of what we Swedes see as uniquely Swedish is from this small part of Sweden.

A "meteor" strikes, and suddenly everyone starts to act all Swedish and stuff?  I've seen this story before.

No, that one is thrilling.

The "thrilling" is in scare quotes, so is being used ironically. 

[Threviel]

Apparently it was a meteorite and nothing else.

Today we went to a faerie-land. A quite large amusement park themed around Swedish folk lore. Lots of theater and shenanigans, the kids loved it. We've met up with BIL and family.

[Threviel]

One of the most famous Swedish artists is Anders Zorn. He was a member of the romanticists/impressionists during the belle epoque. He lived a decade in Paris during the 1880's rubbing shoulders with the best artists gathered there. Zorn was an international celebrity, painting three American presidents, amongst them Teddy Roosevelt.

He was a large presence in the nationalistic romantic movement at the turn of the century. Back then a movement was about to try to define what Swedishness means and what it is. Lots of romantic paintings and songs were made, memorials erected and so on.

As a part of that movement the ski trip of old king Gustav Vasa was remembered. So in 1922 there was a race to try to re-create his trip today. And ever since then, on the fist Sunday in May about 20,000 skiers race in the "Vasalopp" (Vasa race) from Sälen to Mora. It's the worlds largest and most prestigious cross country ski race.

So today we went to see Zorn's viking inspired timbered mansion and the goal of the Vasalopp. Extra fun since my BIL has skied the 90 km race 29 times.

[The Brain]

Zorn is awesome.

[Syt]

I only know Groppler Zorn.

[Threviel]

Something about the Faerie park. There was a lot of small shows following a red thread during the day. The troll king, living in the park, was attacked by another powerful evil troll and everyone had to help. All these shows had sing and dance numbers and there was anlot of interactions woth the kids in the park.

The Troll king wore a heavy metal outfit and sang hard rock looking like a Finnish heavy metal band.

[Admiral Yi]

Back then a movement was about to try to define what Swedishness means and what it is.

"You fornicate diligently then commit suicide after paying too many taxes."

[Threviel]

Back then a movement was about to try to define what Swedishness means and what it is.

"You fornicate diligently then commit suicide after paying too many taxes."

Are you saying that we are good lovers?