Yet another adventure to share from our summer vacation. This time from one of Sweden’s most impressive historical constructions: The Göta Canal. All the way from Stockholm into the middle of Sweden, it stretches between Mem at the Baltic with 58 locks and Lake Vänern at Sjötorp and then down to Göteborg. The charming village of Sjötorp is a beautiful, well kept country village with very nice, old architecture (click all pics to enlarge):
This Canal is one of Sweden’s best known and most popular tourist attraction and has been named the Swedish Construction of the Millennium. The 190 km canal was build between 1810 and 1832 by a total of 54 000 soldiers who dug an amazing 87 km of it by hand. The construction was initiated and headed by Baltzar von Platen. Let’s have a look at how it looks like today:
You can experience a wide and appealing range along the Canal: Cruises, sights, good food and great services – surrounded by a beautiful landscape and unique atmosphere – and of course a bit of fun. One of them is the yearly Canal Swim, this year with almost 300 participants and in four groups of different distance. Let me show you two of them:
200 Meter (219 yards) from one lock to another. Mål in Swedish or Norwegian is the Finish Line.
Another racing group for 500 Meter (547 yards) from one canal level, passing the lock to the lower level and then swimming to the same Finish Line:
The water temperature was said to be 24C (75F) and all ages participated. Some needed refreshment during the race too:
Diane and I had our blog friend Tor and his wife Anna with us that day. Click to see the adventure through his eyes! You might like to read and see more about Göta Canal from my post last year too.
This was the last post from this years summer vacation for four weeks in Sweden. I hope you’ve enjoyed all of them as much as I have sharing. We still have one more summer month in Scandinavia though, so stay tuned: There might be more sunny adventures!
This was a really fun event. Many of the participants took it quite seriously but there were large numbers of family fun there as well. I remember a couple of boys holding up a sign which says “Go Grandpa!”
RennyBA
Yea, like I said: in all ages and also for the reason of having fun – I really liked that too. Maybe we both should participate next year dear ;-)
I haven’t been reading long enough on your blog to know what your occupation is….how in the world do you and diane get an entire month off of work? If you don’t mind me asking.
Surgery went well…I’m kicking….just not very high…and I can’t enjoy the summer sun for a while. But…I know that I will feel better now. Hope you enjoy your last month of summer!
RennyBA
I don’t mind Jessica and you can read all about me at my About page. However, it has nothing to do with my occupation: In Norway all citizens have five week off during the year, regardless of their job.
I’m so happy to hear about the good news regarding your surgery – hope you recover and can enjoy the summer soon!
Very impressive. It looks like a lot of fun, Renny :-)
RennyBA
Thanks Deborah – and for your StumbleUpon support too!
I remember last year’s post about this, Renny. I like cold water for swimming so 75º sounds just right to me!
We’re finally having a little cool down here, only 84F right now, and the promise of some much needed rain.
Have a great Sunday, you and Diane! :-)
Love and hugs,
Diane
RennyBA
I know you are a faithful reader – 75 is actually quite hot here in Scandinavia.
Well, just now we have 60F and rainy.
Wish you a good one too – bunch of hugs back from both of us :-)
How wonderful and fun this looks! I am quite a fish and love to swim. Especially when the water is warm.
RennyBA
I hope one day we can do this race together then :)
I definitely think that you and Diane should swim in the races next year…it looks like lots of fun :)
that house looks like something out of a fairy tale…
enjoy your weekend :)
RennyBA
Maybe, will you come along too :)
We did enjoy and hope you had a great one too!
Renny, I always love your posts. It is almost like travelling myself! I do envy you in a way, as my life is mostly the same everyday, not much adventure.
Last time I swam was in a 5 ft pool. I am VERY fast though. ;-)
RennyBA
Thanks Eric, I love to share and have you along too!
I know you would have done it good at the canal swim ;-)
What a pretty place!
RennyBA
It really is Teena!
hi, renny! sweden has nice places (and it must be cool up there compared to the tropics). show me around someday? :D
RennyBA
Its cool and charming – I’ll gladly show you around – welcome any time :D
OOPS! i think i’m confusing sweden with norway here… sorry. i meant norway. this place looks nice, too.
RennyBA
Don’t worry – Sweden or Norway: Its Scandinavia all the same. I live in Norway, but our vacation home is in Sweden.
I’ve heard of the Gota Canal! What a wonderful holiday you all had…especially judging by the photographs. That way we were able to come with you!
Where’s your next holiday going to be…are you planning it yet?
didn’t you guys join the canal swim? hehe ;p
RennyBA
No, not this year hehe ;P
Lovely pictures. The water, cottage, plants everything looks fresh and beautiful.
RennyBA
Thanks, I’m glad you caught the atmosphere.
Interesting and creative blog! Will come to visit again. My grandfather was born in Norway. One day I hope to visit this beautiful country.
RennyBA
Thanks for your compliments – always great to welcome new readers you know – with Nordic heritage too. Your welcome any time – I’ll gladly show you around.
Just wondering how deep is that canal? Any fish in it?
RennyBA
Between the locks, I guess around 4M. Fish: yes, it goes from lakes to lakes you know.
I was looking at the canal swim pictures, wondering just how cold that water was, when you answered my question. You must have figured people would wonder, Renny! 75F is pretty reasonable for swimming briskly. I was just vacationing on the Pacific coast of northern California where the ocean temperature was probably about 16C (61F) and I have to say that despite loving to swim, I had absolutely no desire to get in the water. Now, when I was a kid, it would’ve been a different story!
I red the story of this beautiful day by Tor too and I must say if I were there I would do it with pleasure just to participe and not in the competition. With my rythm . 24 is correct. I love swimming and when I was a teen ager I did all the day in summer 300 m go and 300 back to the beach. One day, I saw a bad film, “Teeth of the sea”. And since this day things will never the same swimming in the Mediterranean. sad. I am not use to swim in a canal! But it sounds very pleasant watching to all people on the pictures!
Wow ! that seems to be a wonderful place ! Especially when the sun is shining like that ! The weather here in England is quite cool only 19 deg !
That is a very beautiful and charming place! The weather is beautiful too! Different from the snow covered places I saw a few months back. :)
Such beautiful places to visit and explore, how many weeks do I need to cover them? :P
it looks like it was such a fun event at such a picturesque location. how can you go wrong?
How fun. You four just have the most wonderful times. Wonderful. Have a great day. Big hug to you both. :)
Nice! It is very similar to the one in Ottawa, that I posted last week. One of the perk of summer, playing by the water ;-)
Hi Renny,
I have mentioned about you on my blog. Have a look; you won’t be disappointed.:)
Ahhh, beautiful Scandinavia!! your blog has opened my eyes to find out you don’t always wear those gorgeous Norwegians pullovers!!
Hey it’s something I would do! Very fun and very cool pictures. What a fun time. I still can’t imagine 4 wks of vacationing… What is that like?
Awwww ~~ it looks like you all had SO much fun! Such wonderful, sunny pictures, Renny. I’m happy that you and Diane are enjoying summertime. :-)
Renny, I will never forget this event.
Our wonderful ladies went swimming when we had a hard work making our blogposts about this event. Taking photos, runnning here and there.
After all: We had a wonderful Dinner as usual when we are together.
PS. Read this wonderful post:
http://journeytoanewlife.blogspot.com/2008/08/making-memories.html
Do not forget to comment.
btw. See you and G on Thursday.
aawww very nice photograph and the norway got really nice place for tourist :)
have a nice day ahead of you :)
beautiful pictures. again. well done. sounds like a wonderful time.
I never thought about swimming in a canal, although the swimmers with the best times will not be hit by the stray boat that didn’t clear the locks yet…
The water temperature of 75 is nice, not too cold. It reminds me of the water temp when we went to the New Jersey beaches as a kid.
I believe that the Erie canal in NY State has cruises and houseboat rentals available. That sounds like fun…different than a hotel or tent!
You make those of us that live here more excited about seeing our land and the wonderful things to do that don’t cost an arm and a leg. We are a family of 6 with teens and a 3 year old so Grönalund and Liseberg aren’t always the options. You are truly the tour director of this area!
Gorgeous photos! I love finding those activites that are known only in the area and are for all ages. It’s great to see events that everyone can enjoy, even those who watch and cheer.
Woah! Irvine and I have not been here in a long time. These are great photos! I know Irvine’s gonna have fun swimming there too!
Renny – I love your pictures – I have visited before from our mutual friend Tor’s blog. thank you for visiting at my place and leaving a comment. I will return for another visit and comment.
I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to visiting you Renny!…I just love all your pictures and stories of your adventures! Always something interesting, beautiful and FUN! (And I don’t imagine being bra-napped or used as a tool belt or donut launcher in Norway either!..but then again…who knows?!?) :)
been a while,Renny! :)
wow,your pics look so much fun!i luv them all,esp the first pic of people trying to jump in the river.quite peculiar event for me,but yeah,very much interesting to learn a lot through blogs.
hope you and Diane are doing great out there!
5 weeks of time off per year? I’m moving to Norway! ; )
Seriously, it’s really nice to hear about the fun events that whole extended families can enjoy together! But I’m wondering about the typical use of the canal. Is it primarily used for recreation (ie., families moving from one lake to another)? Or is the primary use commerce?
One last note! Renny, I previously gave you a difficult time when I saw that you were enjoying sweet corn. I was jealous since (due to flooding) our Iowa sweet corn wasn’t available. Well, that has changed and I chomped into my first eye of Iowa sweet corn a week ago: it was worth the wait!
You always have so many enjoyment matters!
Every time I visit here, I feel as if I were as happy as you guys.
We need sunshine, and sunny friend, like you, Renny!
I was sure I had comment tnis already, but something must have come in between! Althzeimers light indeed! *giggles*
Ah, yes it brings memoried back from your own trip in June there. It’s very beautiful around there and you had very fine weather I can see which makes the photos very idyllic to see!
I can’t imagine doing this swim…. It’s fantastic of them.
Sweeden looks terrific!!!
I’d love to go there someday. Nice read!!
wow people are reallly having fun with the canal swimming …