Mastrand in Gothenburgh and the granite statue in front of my residence
August should have been hot in Gotherburgh, but not this particular summer week . It had been raining and windy. So that Saturday , when the sun was up and sunny, and Andre suggested that we should take the one hour drive to Marstrand, I just accepted his invitation.
When we arrived at the pier to Maastrand, there were already many people at the jetty. The ferry that took us through the narrow straits soon was full, and off we went to the island. There were sailing boats of all shapes and sizes in the channel and at anchor.They flew flags that indicated they were from distant shores-Norway, Denmark, Finland, Hollang, England , Germany.It was a bright sunny day and people were just relaxing and sunbathing on the boats and on the jetty.
The shops that lined up the Marstrand street were filled with people drinking and eating seafood . I walked past the shops toward the old fortress that dominated the island.
The castle was an important monument to the history of southern Sweden. It was an outpost protecting the southern border of Sweden from the marauding invaders particulrly the Danes. It sits on a hill and was built of solid rocks that looks impenetrable. The fortress itself saw some actions. When its roles as a fortress lost its significance, the fortress became a prison for convicts. Many history and local tales were made at the prison.
Climbing up to the highest point in the tower explained why this wind swept rock was chosen as the site for the castle. Beyond the island, for many miles the fortress commanded the view of incoming ships from distant land. It was a desolate lookout post for southern Sweden perched on a formidable hill surrounded by a channel of water that was tracherous to invading enemy ships.Even for prisoners, the fortress was an insurmountable stone wall on a barren island that would make any attempt at escape impossible. The prisoners must had had tough life crammed into small cell accomodating 20 prisoners each.Visitors like me were able to feel the life of the prisoners because the prison artifects and props were restored as close to real life of 300 years ago.
I spent close to 3 hours in the fortress listening to the recorded history of the fortress as I climbed the steps and walked the yards. Sweden indeed had an interesting history, taking stake in its neighbours' territory and fighting battles with its ambitious neighbours particularly the Danes and the fortress played an important role.
Back to modern times along he wharf,I chit chatted with a few boat owners. One man told me due to the cost it was impossible to own and maintain a boat by himself nowaday. So he co owned a boat with a few friends , organising themselves in the timesharing scheme. I met Bengt, a man from the same Company I was working , whom I had communicated a number of times through the phone, but never met in person. Bengt said his timesharing boat could accomodate 3 or 4 couples on a sailing trip that normally took him 1-2 weeks.Bengt loved the sea and had been sailing since young.The longest trip he ever made was to the West Indies, but that was many years ago, and now Bengt sailed the water around Gothengurgh.The Swedes , being the Viking ancestors, loves their boats and are proud to talk about their boat.
When we arrived at the pier to Maastrand, there were already many people at the jetty. The ferry that took us through the narrow straits soon was full, and off we went to the island. There were sailing boats of all shapes and sizes in the channel and at anchor.They flew flags that indicated they were from distant shores-Norway, Denmark, Finland, Hollang, England , Germany.It was a bright sunny day and people were just relaxing and sunbathing on the boats and on the jetty.
The shops that lined up the Marstrand street were filled with people drinking and eating seafood . I walked past the shops toward the old fortress that dominated the island.
The castle was an important monument to the history of southern Sweden. It was an outpost protecting the southern border of Sweden from the marauding invaders particulrly the Danes. It sits on a hill and was built of solid rocks that looks impenetrable. The fortress itself saw some actions. When its roles as a fortress lost its significance, the fortress became a prison for convicts. Many history and local tales were made at the prison.
Climbing up to the highest point in the tower explained why this wind swept rock was chosen as the site for the castle. Beyond the island, for many miles the fortress commanded the view of incoming ships from distant land. It was a desolate lookout post for southern Sweden perched on a formidable hill surrounded by a channel of water that was tracherous to invading enemy ships.Even for prisoners, the fortress was an insurmountable stone wall on a barren island that would make any attempt at escape impossible. The prisoners must had had tough life crammed into small cell accomodating 20 prisoners each.Visitors like me were able to feel the life of the prisoners because the prison artifects and props were restored as close to real life of 300 years ago.
I spent close to 3 hours in the fortress listening to the recorded history of the fortress as I climbed the steps and walked the yards. Sweden indeed had an interesting history, taking stake in its neighbours' territory and fighting battles with its ambitious neighbours particularly the Danes and the fortress played an important role.
Back to modern times along he wharf,I chit chatted with a few boat owners. One man told me due to the cost it was impossible to own and maintain a boat by himself nowaday. So he co owned a boat with a few friends , organising themselves in the timesharing scheme. I met Bengt, a man from the same Company I was working , whom I had communicated a number of times through the phone, but never met in person. Bengt said his timesharing boat could accomodate 3 or 4 couples on a sailing trip that normally took him 1-2 weeks.Bengt loved the sea and had been sailing since young.The longest trip he ever made was to the West Indies, but that was many years ago, and now Bengt sailed the water around Gothengurgh.The Swedes , being the Viking ancestors, loves their boats and are proud to talk about their boat.
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