Day 11 - to Sundborn - Carl Larsson Country

Thought you might like to start off with some examples of 1950's luxury that are popular in this part of the world :)

not sure if this windscreen would pass rego!

who knows but....

Wicked :)

but then i do like red cars :)

 these were in the parking lot - travellers also - but in style

Leksand church - still locked when I was leaving

Bell tower - quite impressive

nice old rock wall around the church

old buildings in Open Air Museum

The midsummer pole still standing

no - not torture implements - unless you're a piece of dough at Leksand Bakeri

the ball on its way to freedom - or not!

another beautiful lake!

Canadian geese visiting Falun

Getting close to Larsson country now!  hmmm, would it fit in my panniers?

swimming spot 

Gravesite for Carl and Karin Larsson

Sundborn church, wooden shingles as is bell tower

Lena in her Tavern

The Bar

all that remains of an 8kg pike

The Barn - or pub & tavern

B&B - Swedish style

beer tasting room

happy with the choice of sherry :)

my balcony

good Golden Ale 

The wind was still blowing when I woke this morning – ah well, one can’t control the weather.

So I made myself breakfast, washed all the dishes, wiped everything down, cleaned the toilet and hand basin – looked for a vacuum cleaner but none was around – nor anyone to ask.  When I took the rubbish to the bins, I see a small brush and pan, so take that to sweep the room.  My bags all packed, beds made – that’s it….  I think they can earn some of their rather expensive charge…

I loaded Maggie and away we went.  Trouble with these small Swedish towns is that their blocks are so tiny – already I am at the wrong end of town and I thought that I had only travelled a few hundred metres.  Oh Well!  Back we go.  I might just send a Birthday greeting to a small lad who turns 1 today – Happy Birthday Jack – also to Morfar too!

So over the river and off down a small street to drop in and visit the Leksand bakery.  Not that I have any room for crispbread, especially their big rounds but it was more a nostalgia visit, following the visit in 2008.  I also bought a coffee to have with the remaining bread bun from tea – then toot toot!  We are on our way. 

Now – what a difference a wind makes – when it’s not blasting you in the face.  I was heading more easterly now and although the wind wasn’t always behind me, it was more from behind than in ya face.  So we went rolling away, first to Insjön.  I had planned to stay there last night, but had got puffed out and ended up in Leksand.  Now where to next – and then I saw a shop called Väveri (I think that’s right) – well I know väv is weaving, so this deserves a stop and a check out.  There were some nice Swedish style serviettes that I Must Have – and on Rea (sale) and there was also some very nice tapes in there – just right for decorating a real Svensk folk costume – I know someone who needs one of thoseJ  and I also got some directions on how to get to Falun not via motorway!

It was a really nice day riding again.  Up a lot and not enough down – how does that work?  But still really pretty country.  Some farming but it was more lakes and summer cottages.  At several of the lakes there were family groups sunbathing and swimming in the lake.  I stopped at one lake for lunch and while sitting there I noticed a beach ball floating out and away from the group.  The father saw it, but was also playing with his little son, so it can go.  But once it got level with me, the wind caught and blew it in right to my feet.  So, as I am still trying to replenish my karma bank (it was severely raided in Moscow and the bluddy Metro!) I took it back to the family and received some big smiles all round.  Sweet!

On I rode till eventually I came to Smedsbo and I turned left and just a little way noticed a nice sealed and wide bike way heading the right direction, so I thought I would try it out – see how far it goes.  Well, I reckon it went about 10km, right into Falun!  That’s nice!  But I didn’t get a good vibe in Falun…  why is that?  Who knows?  So I decided to try and find the Info centre and see if there was a bed available out in Sundborn.  With a little help from a passer-by I managed to find the centre – after struggling with Maggie up 3 levels of stairs.  Yes, there was a narrow ramp with steps next to it, but Maggie and her load weren’t meant for steps like that.  But we made it and eventually found the Info centre. 

The kind girl at reception called the SF Vandrahem in Sundborn (backpackers lodge ie) but they were full up. " Let me check if there is a B&B there."  Why yes there is!  And Yes they do have an available room tonight only.  Suits me!  So a new map and its as confusing as the others, when it comes to finding bike alternatives, so I head off in the right direction this time and find the bikeway closed!  Well, dang it – there’s always a good shoulder on a motorway and it’s not far to the Sundborn turn off, so away we go.  There was no sign saying No Cycles – so all was good and it wasn’t much different than riding along Logan road, but with less traffic so all good.  Soon I was heading off on the road to Sundborn.

So – why Sundborn?  Well, for many years we have been receiving beautiful calendars with paintings by Carl Larsson - a Swedish artist in the late 19–early 20^th Century.  He captures the idyllic lifestyle of the Swedish genteel folk – and I truly love the feeling of peace and harmony that are projected from these paintings.  So Sundborn was their family home and many of his paintings are of his family enjoying picnics by the lakes and interiors of their home.  His wife Karin, was also an artist, but after marriage, used her artistic flair for interior decorating their home with beautiful textiles etc.  and their home is now a museum in Sundborn and that explains it all.

Alongside the road into Sundborn are huge panels of sections of his paintings.  I can’t imagine how they aren’t stolen each night!!  I did take a good look to see how they were arranged and I reckon if you could cut one rope it would all unravel….  But Maggie is already overloaded, so maybe not this time J

Yes there were more hills today and a bit of traffic and a city – but there were beautiful lakes, not so many rivers, pretty little cottages and a feeling of all is well in the world (amazing how one can forget about the real horrors happening elsewhere).

So Lars had told me on the phone to look for a yellow house with a yellow fence on the way to the church.  It has a B&B sign out the front – which is just as well, as the house opposite also fits the description.

Lars and Lena welcomed me into their home – a typical Swedish timber home, upstairs and downstairs and as I found out later – a cellar as well.  They were a little rushed as they are leaving for Copenhagen tomorrow, but Lena showed me to my room and explained the bibs and bobs regarding breakfast and help-yourself to whatever… so fresh towels, a bed with all the line required, a fan whirring away to cool off the room – all for half the price of last night’s.  Yep, I was happy as.

After a quick shower to wash away the sweaty smells – I donned my bathers and dress (!!) and pedalled down to the lake for a swim!  I am sure Carl Larsson and his family picnicked here by the church….  Well, his and Karin and some of their family, lies quietly in the cemetery.  It was quite magical and the water temperature was around 24C and very very pleasant.  And Very shallow, I kept bumping into largish rocks, but it felt so good to cool right down. 

Then, back to the corner shop to buy something for dinner.  There was a pizzeria but I didn’t feel like pizza tonight, so just bought a pasta salad and (shock horror) an apple doughnut.  It was quite nice :)

I tried out the bed and had an hour’s snooze then thought I should do something… but then Lena came upstairs to see if I would like a look around.  There had been talk of a beer tasting evenings here.  So she took me to this non-descript little shed in the backyard and opened the door to this very small bar – absolutely loaded with every sort of beer imaginable!  And I could help myself to the fridge – 50kr for any beer.  The Lena turned on the light and in the next section was a small ‘tavern’ room.  They have evenings there, especially midsummer, where they take out the tables and dance on the ‘new’ wooden floor.  There was a nautical theme to the room because Lena is from Göteborg on the west coast. 

We went for a small walk in the garden, picked a couple of raspberries (but they are sooo small this year) but very tasty then we went down into Lars’ domain – the cellar under the house.  It used to be the potato cellar and also housed the well – maybe a spring – that used to supply the whole village.  (The house is about 100yrs old).  Lars collects mainly beers from all over the world.  He big thing is finding the best and exploring the different tastes of beers from many boutique breweries from all around the world.  Sadly he didn’t know of any Australian beers, but did have one from NZ…  hmmm…. Now that smarts!

Here they have ‘tasting’ evenings where you start with 3 beers and you keep the one you like the best and either drink or tip out the other 2.  Then you get 2 more to compare with your first chosen beer  - and so on, until after 9 choices you have made a decision on which one you like most.  Then you move into another smaller room (used to be the junk room) where Lars has his collection of spirits and wines from all over the world again.  He joined us to talk about why he likes to collect these things and a little bit about the history of some of these treasures.  He asked me if I would like to taste something and I admitted – as apparently many people do – that I am not a drinker of spirits.  But he thought I would like this sherry – and might I admit he was totally correct.  It was a Spanish one that just tasted like really ripe raisins – and no pips!  Smooooooth!!!  Oh yes!  I could really enjoy a small glass after riding home in the winter and needing something to cheer me up.  Apparently the barrels that this sherry is brewed in is very popular for (gad…. Can I remember?) aging whiskey in – I think that is right – or was it beer?  Whiskey sounds probable, but these micro beer breweries are doing lots of marvellous things these days!  Anyways!  Might I just reiterate – that Sherry was damn Fine!

So now to bed.  It is already getting dark (after 11pm) there is no wifi or phone coverage, so hopefully no one is panicking about Granny on her bike – because she is nicely chilled out on my -own little balcony – an empty bottle of Oppigårds – Golden Ale, brewed in Dalarna – which is where I am!

Goodnight!!!