We slept well, just not long enough, in our quiet and comfy cabin on the ferry. Ironically, after debating about whether or not to have a room with a view, we awoke to heavy fog with very little visibility. So much for the room with a view!
We discovered that many Swedes take the ferry to Poland so that they can take advantage of low liquor and beer prices. We took a walk through the shop and saw people with trolleys full of cases of beer and liquor. It was hard to find space on the elevator as it was full of booze. One fellow explained to us that Swedes go to Germany and Poland for liquor, and the Norwegians come to Sweden for cheap chocolate and sweets as they have a high sugar tax. We must have looked really odd, lined up to buy batteries without a buggy of bottles.
We were thrilled to find bike routes and good signage right off the boat. We felt well taken care of and made our way through the archipelago for 12 km to Karlskrona, a city surrounded by the Baltic Sea. We had lots of things to take care of here-find a bike shop and get help with pads for our brakes, get new SIM cards for our devices, get maps (hopefully cycling maps), make a plan, etc. We were unable to find any maps for Sweden in Poland, so first stop was the Tourist Info. Wow, they were great. We got free excellent cycling maps, good advice and a recommendation on a good bike shop.
We have learned that Karlskrona offers a great deal to see. It has World Heritage status due to it being a well preserved example of a late 17th century European planned naval base. Surrounded by the Baltic Sea and many islands, Karlskrona has interesting period architecture, quaint colourful wooden homes with intricate latticework, wide pedestrian areas, many museums and a theatre with films in the original language. We feel a at home here. One feels that this is a community of people who are very laid back, friendly and enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle.
We realized that we need to stay here tonight as the bulk of the day has been devoted to getting jobs done. We found the Archipelag Hotel and if it is representative of what we will experience in Sweden, then we will be happy. Free use of a guest laundry facility including soap, free tea, coffee and cookies whenever you like...and it is good coffee!, a hearty breakfast buffet. We like the low key and laid back,hospitality which makes us feel at home. A good day. Happy to be in Sweden.
The fog is lifting and we get a first view of Karlskrona. In the foreground, you can see our hotel. It is a white building with a peaked red roof below the church
This gives a sense of the archipelago with many islands and jutting coastline. When we disembark, Karlskrona will be very close “as the crow flies” but it will be a ride of several km up and around the archipelago.
And we are off. The crew have been great and very understanding. When they saw we were ready to go, all traffic was stopped and we were given 5 min to ride off. Imagine telling freight trucks and motorcycles to wait.
At the Tourist Office, we really liked this poster. The philosophy of sharing their outdoor spaces is admirable and they reenforce their expectations in a positive way.
In Sweden, beer must be under 3.5% to be sold in stores. Sweden has very strict liquor laws and zero tolerance for driving with more than 0.1% blood alcohol.
