Mumbai --> Stockholm (via Amsterdam) --> Gothenburg --> Bergen --> Stavanger --> Bergen
--> Stockholm --> Mumbai (via Paris)
We spent about an hour and a half at Universium, but if you have kids in tow, I expect you'll need more time as there's much the little one will love to explore
Our next destination, Gothenburg, is a major city in Sweden known for its Dutch-like canals and leafy avenues. To get there, we boarded the 7.11 from Stockholm Central to Gothenburg. It's a comfortable journey of a little over three hours, but you can keep busy with a nice fika from the cafe on board.
The City of Gothenburg
29 - 31 May, 2018
The City of Gothenburg
29 - 31 May, 2018
Like Stockholm, Gothenburg, too, is charming. And the first sight that caught my eye was this sculpture inside the station. This 'Weeping Girl' is hard to miss, but is easily passed by.
When I first saw her, I posted the pic' on Instagram and captioned it 'Ready or not, here I come.' My husband said it looked like a child weeping. We moved in closer to read the plaque placed above the sculpture. It read, 'Lek eller Allvar' which translates to 'Play or Seriousness'.
Stepping out, I saw another piece of art towering way above me. It's not as impressive as the weeping Girl, but it might explain why the Swedes are listed as one of the happiest people in the world.
These are Kikazaru, Mizaru and Iwazaru, who, together, embody the principle 'Hear no evil, See no evil and Speak no evil.
Before we go any further, let me show you where we stayed while in Gothenburg.
Accommodation
Like before, we used Airbnb to book ourselves into this really beautiful neighborhood of Kapellplatsen. The room was pretty, with windows that let in lots of happy sunshine. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17198847
There was also a cat :-)
The hosts were friendly, especially the cat who trotted up to greet us when we arrived and bid us farewell when it was time for us to depart.
Getting around was no problem. Once again, we got ourselves a two-day travel card from Gothenburg Central and that was more than enough for the many tram rides we enjoyed for the duration of our stay. What we realized, however, is that it's far better to explore Gothenburg on foot as much as you can. There's so much to see and admire as you walk around this lovely city.
Exploring Gothenburg
As stated above, we began by taking a tram to the very popular tourist district of Haga, renowned for its wooden houses and quaint cafes. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Gothenburg and walking down the pedestrian street Haga Nygata is an enjoyable experience.
The Haga Nygata is a great place to shop for anything from soap to toys and quirky souvenirs. We didn't buy anything, but we did enjoy a leisurely stroll and indulged in some window shopping.
Halfway through our stroll down Haga Nygata, we took a little detour and climbed a seemingly unending stone stairs to reach the Skansen Kronan, a 17C fortress that stands atop a hill right in the heart of Gothenburg. It's quite a walk (especially for almost-lazy me) up the hill. There I was, stopping after every few minutes, panting away like I'd run a marathon.....while everyone else, even an elderly couple, seemed to skip up the steps and race me to the top. Shame on me!
After much panting (and swearing under my breath) I finally made it to the top of the hill. The view from here is awesome!
After completing our exploration of the Skansen Kronan and the Haga Nygata, we decided, with the help of the ever trustworthy Google Maps, to walk back to our room at Kapellplatsen. This was a good thing to do as it took us through some pretty neighborhoods and beautiful parks. In about 15 minutes, we were back in our room and ready to call it a day.
The next morning saw us heading towards Universium, a very interesting museum of natural history. It houses various sections including a Rain Forest with a tree house 25 feet up in the air, an interactive Chemistry and Space section and also a Health section that is full of kids (and adults) testing their physical strength at the many 'games' and exhibits.
I went to the Space Section and checked my weight as it would be on the other planets and decided I'm never going to Jupiter.
A short tram ride later, we headed towards what is popularly known as the Fish Church of Gothenburg. From outside it looks like a church, but step inside and you'll find that it's actually a completely clean and non-stinky fish market. Here, you can not only buy fish, but also sit an enjoy a deliciously fresh fishy meal.
That done, we spent a little more time exploring the city on foot before going back to our room to pack for the next leg of our journey.
Eating in Gothenburg.
Well, Gothenburg has a great number of wonderful eating houses, restaurants and coffee shops, especially at Brunsparken and Valand, but the one experience I will share is that of enjoying a coffee and snack at Cafe Husaren (Haga Nygata). Known for its giant cinnamon buns, Cafe Husaren houses a rare example of a 19C glass roof and beautiful stucco work.
I must also make a mention of this little restaurant a few meters from where we were staying. The Restaurang KG Kallare serves a buffet lunch (unlimited) and the menu is varied and quite yummy.
And if you're craving a burger and do not want to visit a Burger King, head back to Kapellplatsen, and grab a bite at the Landla Grill that serves tasty burgers and hotdogs fresh off the grill.
Off we go again.
After enjoying a splendid two days in beautiful Gothenburg, we boarded the early morning train to Oslo (4 hours from Gothenburg Central) from where we had to change trains and enjoy a 7 hour train journey towards Bergen, a city on the southwestern coast of Norway. More about that in the next blog.
Pics by Misha.
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