400 bicycle km, 14 ferrys and countless islands: Summer vacation part I - Sweden

Last year I met the magic of the Archipelago.
Only short did I experience the Swedish islands, but I fell instantly in love. There was something incredibly calming.
While studying maps this spring I discovered that there are also many of those granit islands near the Finish shore and in the middle between Sweden and Finland.
So the idea arose enjoying island hopping with my bicycle and of course the ferrys.
On the photo you can see them waiting for me.

Nur kurz erlebte ich die Schwedischen Schären, doch ich war sofort verzaubert von den Granitklippen, die auf mich eine unglaublich beruhigende Wirkung haben.
So träumte ich während meiner Krankheit im Frühjahr plötzlich vom Aufenthalt auf einer Schäre, statt eine Fernreise zu planen.
Auf der Karte entdeckte ich, dass die Schären sich nicht nur um Stockhom ausbreiten, sondern auch vor Finnland und dazwischen. Dort liegen die Aland Inseln.
Die Idee war klar - Tally Ho, auf zu neuen Abenteuern mit meinem Fahrrad geht es zum Insel hüpfen.
Auf dem Photo sieht man sie schon auf mich wartend.

After landing in Arlanda, the Stockholm Airport, I had to cycle my longest distance of approx. 80 km to reach the coast.
The first part took me through a typical Bullerbü-landscape.

I reached the village of Vaxholm with its charming houses and shops.
But I could not wait for the relaxing part and took the ferry out into the Archipelago as soon as possible.

Exactly as I had dreamt. *big smile*

My first ferry of many to come: The beautiful "Vaddö"

I don't know why but it happened that I landed on Finnhamn - a perfect choice.

I'm so in love with the flat granit rocks.
Maybe because of some happy childhood memorys from a holiday on the Denish island Bornholm.
Last year my friends and I called them 'whale'.

On the outer whale I did my yoga and sat endless hours doing nothing. Just staring.
"One needs the time for this" - I read this sentence in the biography of Astrid Lindgren.

The view out of my bedroom.

I was so lucky to be able to camp this way.

The weather was not always as nice as the photos show, but one of those great Swedish evenings I had.

After some days I took the Vaddö back to Ljusterö, took a car ferry back to the main land and cycled to Kapellskär to catch the big ferry that brought me to Aland festa.
The Aland Archipelago is made of red granit rock. Most of the streets are built out of this local material.
My destination were the outer islands, so I left the so called mainland for Vardö.
The traffic you can see on the picture.

What a camping spot!
The day before I spent mostly inside the tent due to heavy rain.
What a cozy feeling in my little shelter! Cozy, till I discovered the water under my mattress.
For luck the rain stopped in the afternoon, so I could dry the tent. It was still time for a walk on the tiny, tiny islands that are connected only by small dams.

I dreamt of many ferry trips and I had them.

Those falun red boat houses are a typical sight. This serves as a littly shop on the campground of Kökar island.

Huge 'whale' on the campground.

An enchanted spot for my last night in the 'wilderness'.
Apart from the very coastline the 'whales' are covered with lichen and moss.

Cruising into Stockholm.
My goal, my final destination.
The city that I rediscovered on a very special weekend last November. Only good memories from then and from 32 yrs ago.

You bet, my smile was big :-)

If you are interested: My Sweden summer last year.

Same as last year I will take off for another adventure in a couple of days.
Enjoy your summer!

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