Explore Sweden: Easter seaweed hunt in Gothenburg.

 A little bit different Easter holidays than usual.

Thinking of this Easter weekend and saying in my mind "Seaweed hunt in Gothenburg", I hear and visualize instead "where the wild things are". The "wild things" describes this adventure operation the best. It felt exactly as when "the wild things" walking through the forest, we were on the rock-land climbing, jumping, walking, looking around, admiring the rock patterns and looking at the leader Agnes - what is she going to do? Is she jumping int he water now? No, not yet? Where is she going to find her free food? What is she going to tell us? HOW IS THIS GOING TO BE? This definitely was a different kind Easter than other years.

The whole process was just normal as it could be. Agnes was brave to get into the cold water just to freeze her feet and hands. I think it is much harder than when you actually have the whole body cold water experience in cold season. She had to stand still and that's when your brain is yelling at you for being an idiot - it's cold, cant you feel?!  She got all that she was looking for, four different seaweed types. At home, she took out the notes of seaweed how to clean and keep them, and even guidelines for cooking them. We did not cook any seaweed meal, we were having very late dinner so it was simple as it gets - rice and few bits of seaweed. Tasted casual too if you have been a sushi lover before. I like the taste of seaweed, maybe someone doesn't, so, do not try this. 

Gothenburg is... Hard to define. I liked it, but I get to understand that I might not want to live there if I could choose. But I think if don't want the busy Stockholm, then Gothenburg is just alike but calmer. It's calm city but gets really busy around lunch time and so all the cafes are crowded with long queues... Something you do not see in Malmö, except, cafe Leve queues (it's so tiny cafe, that obviously have to queue outside). And Gothenburg has so much nicer nature escape - reachable with city busy, do not need to pay extra fees like in Skåne (10min train ride 5-10euros bye, bye). A nearby forest to a home where I stayed at, and the islands! That's what I miss in Malmö - being able to reach a forest. 

I did get an intro walk around the city, and some longer ones just wandering around. It is a nice place, and maybe the Easter holidays made it feel so calm, but the sun was out, people smiled and the Swedish spring was full on! Nothing to complain about. Maybe some other time my friend Agnes would introduce me to her lifestyle there. She helps out and working on sustainable projects, focused on food waste. She is a guru in social design and social community projects, so, Sweden hire her for your community projects! :)

Logistics.

I bought last minute tickets via oresundstag.se  There I could get bus ticket with SWEBUS and a train ticket back SJ.SE. Various prices and also good timetable to choose whichever time suits you the best. Both rides were smooth, loved and enjoyed, except, when SJ.SE had to stop in LUND instead Malmö and switch to the bus, so, extra 1h instead 10min. 

In Gothenburg at 7/11, I bought 3-day pass ticket. Can read more on GBG website(click). It is worth it if don't want to take a risk and ride without a ticket (don't recommend that, but hey we all have been young and rebellious and in a need for free transport). This ticket is similar to in Budapest - includes public transport ferry rides, so, that's how I travelled to Öckerö island for the seaweed hunt. 

And P.S. In Gothenburg NOBODY switches to English. Even if they hear your broken accent... Something that Malmö should improve!

Öckerö. 

Telling to my Swedish friend that I went to this island, his first reaction was:"That's a very, very, very religious place!" Oh, then that's why their church is so beautiful and kept in good shape! I did notice its an active community to church. Locals stopping by had a morning Easter church meeting, and the church board was full of activities. And that's nice! They keep their small community alive and friendly. It reminded me the time I hitchhiked up to North to a very small village and the first thing what happened - welcomed into a church evening eating palt (paltkoma).

It is nice to visit small towns and villages in Sweden. The whole island was beautiful and if into culture and architecture the right place to go! Then I feel closer to the culture and Swedish people I love so much. They are way nothing that is described in books and stories on "what's Swedish like", they are friendlier and kinder than a metropolitan of Swedish big city life. We ended up having a lunch in a local pub, and we enjoyed every second we were there. 

After our seaweed hunt, we saw a family marching down to the water - some in robes that I just assumed "how cool they feel like at home outdoors on this island", but in fact this family which consisted of adult kids and their partners probably and elderly people (parents?), were going for  EASTER HOLIDAY SWIM! When I saw the older man, their father, jumping in - I thought: "Oh men, look what just happened! If I was Swedish, I would definitely come from a true friluftsliv family" Incredible Swedish nature people!

I might have skipped a lot of tourist recommendation activities because it was Easter - closed for holidays. But I did check on their local tourist website some articles and recommend to read if want to find something new. They even had "Instagram photo recommendations" of places, haha. How modern we are now! Check out here: https://www.goteborg.com/

2013 SEPTEMBER VS 2018 MARCH

Moments.

It was a great time spent with a great people and we had a lot of fun, but the downside is that my introvert nature sometimes needs a moment off/away/alone to breath. It is never personal towards the people I am with, but it helps me to stay with my inner peace and be a socially good, happy, interesting, balanced person, ha. So, one afternoon I found a moment to sit in the sunshine and just listen to the sounds around me in the nearby forest. Any other adventure/travel loving introverts experience this? I love being with people, but I love alone time.

Last time I was in Gothenburg was 2013 September, when I was still hitchhiking around and was passing through for 2 days. So, 5 years later and did not really see that much changes, but this time I definitely had a way different experience than the first time. I did notice that there are more sustainable changes - shops, cafes, green thinking kind ones. Only sadly I did not get to try some vegan cuisine cafeteria. I did not have a chance to search for, I only knew one in my mind, but when I was back at the cafe area, it was crowded so heavily! Instead, I went to a cafe which I visited 5 years ago. Somehow I remembered it nice, but this time my experience was not so positive, I ate something not delicious. I ate and finished it anyways as I was hungry. Dislike when this happens, after all, I pay the money for the positive experience. That means I will have to return again to make this experience better.

The cafe I wanted to go: En Deli Haga. 

A nice sustainable shop we found: BaraBraMat

A photography artist I met: Anna Hulth.

So, let's the visual notes speak now...