Trip to Norrland: Day 7 - Trollstigen (The Troll Path)

The last day of my road trip with my children saw us visiting the fantastic Trollstigen ("The Troll Path") in Lesjöfors. Hidden among the firs of the mountainside east of the small town (behind the Lesjöfors Museum) is a steep path full with visible and hidden Trolls carved from wood. It is really a special experience that is completely free and as long as you can take the somewhat arduous climb up, it is a must if you pass this area by. The whole path soon turns into a circular path of a total 3 km, but you can just walk a few hundred meters up the slope and it will still be worth it.

Trip to Norrland: Day 4 - Adventure and Wilderness

Taking farewell of Kalix and my friend Maria, the trip now turned back south and west. First, I felt that the last days relatively cold weather had made my children a little disappointed in the bathing department so I decided I would surpass them with the adventure bath in Piteå, Pite Havsbad, which they loved of course. The prices were quite impressive, a family ticket for four cost only 250 SEK and then the lock for the locker is included in the price. Five stars for value for price, and then Pite Havsbad really is zoo much more if you want to stay longer (super big sand beaches, entertainment, tivoli, spa, etc, etc), but we had to move on.
Next stop was Svansele, maybe 60 km inland from Skellefteå. Svansele Vildmarkscenter (Wilderness Center) is a kind of multitasking entertainment/conference/museum center that you have to visit to really appreciate. When we arrived the host (sorry forgot the name…) hade local food frying in the pans over the fire and rugs spread out at the sitting place. We used wood for plates and sat among the wild animal exhibition, an impressive diorama spanning 6 or 7 rooms and hundreds of animals, recreated in a believable setting by maybe Swedens best taxidermist, who grew up nearby. The Wilderness Cnter also  offer the newly built Knutes Hotel, with modern facilities (and great internet connection…), where we stayed for the night. We also took time to visit my (ex)-colleague who moved this week from Västerås to Böle close to Svansele. He moved back up here to become a principal in Norsjö municipality. His family has also owned the carpentry in Böle since 1923 (I think).

Trip to Sapporo: Day 15 - Tower of Sauron and other Japanese buildings

(Click here for first day, yesterday or for all trips)

Today I and my Swedish friend was going to visit the Historical Museum of Hokkaido, situated at the large forested park Shinrin Koen in Sapporo, but when getting there it turned out it is actually closed. Until 2015…
But fear not, because the day proved to be unexpectedly fruitful, with this being the coolest reason:

I mean, really?! A 100 meter (yes!) high tower looking like a super nice replica of the Tower of Sauron, only missing the Eye of Sauron really. All made in metal. It is actually named the Centennial Memorial Tower and is a monument built in 1970 to commemorate the 100-year celebration of the city of Sapporo (therefore the 100 meters), and a truss structure was used, with the tower forming hexagonal snowflake like forms if you do horizontal intersections of it.

The nerd in me being thoroughly happy, we had our second luck for the day as the Historical Village of Hokkaido, an open air museum turned out to be open in the middle of winter. The even lent out skis and old-fashioned sledges for families to play with.
The main attraction though was its large collection of historical buildings. This may not sound to impressive or exciting but it was really interesting, and I actually think we got at least much impressions and thoughts from this than what the historical museum would have given us.
Prepare for a record number of pictures...

Kaitakushi Sapporo Headquarters of the Colonization

Kurumasa Inn

And its inside

Interesting chimney

The residence (for one year) of novelist Arashima Takeo

Hokkai Middle School was of course highly interesting for a teacher like me.

The principals room

The well respected sensei teaching his students. Or not.

STudent clothes before the introduction of modern school uniforms

Yes, I love maps.

Cross-country skiing is the best.

The outside

Cute lock protection

Aoyama Family's structure for Herring Fishing.

EVen sleeping next to each other, this must have been cold conditions wintertime.

Honjo Blacksmith

Wakasa's Storehouse, built in a style unique to Hokkaido and the oldest of its kind. Looks British to me.

Hokuseikan Silkworm House

Kikuta Family Farmhouse, with thatched roof.

Kondo's Dyeing Shop

Sanmasu Buckwheat Noodle Shop

Dr Kondo's Clinic

The Doctor seemed to live nicely.

Takeoka's Grocery

Oishii Sweet Shop

Fujiwara Cart and Sleigh Factory

Watanabe's Grocery

The Barber Shop of Yamamoto

Police Box

Photos from the Otaru Shinbun Building (Newspaper)

If you thought it was hard work typesetting and old style western newspaper, think again...

Look at the hundreds, nay, thousands of different "types".

This is a frontage from the Tohou earthquake in 2011.

I know I am in Sapporo, but it may almost as well be in the Swedish mountainside.

Farewell, Mordor/Shinrin Koen, I will always remember your Tower...

(CLick here for the next day)