In Göteborg

I’m writing this at a table in the Palmhuset at the centre of Göteborg's Trädgårdsföreningen, Gothenburg’s Garden Society Park from the 1840s. It is peaceful and warm in here.

We arrived yesterday, after a morning of meetings in Linköping for Chris and a drive in Kevin’s car for me, down the eastern side of Vättern Lake and then westwards, via Jönköping. Kevin didn’t need to be at those meetings but hoped to make some preparation for today’s demos in Göteborg. We passed a lakeside castle ruin, and the drive through forests and farmlands was in general very pleasant, along quiet roads, with red cottages and barns all the way. We made a pit stop at the edge of a ski resort, the remaining snow covered in enormous white tarpaulins. Chris and the others pulled off the main road to have their lunch by the lake.

After about 3 hours en route, Keven dropped me not far from these gardens at a traffic light on red. I grabbed my rucksac and leapt out, not having much clue where I was. It did “feel” quite central, however, so I wasn’t at all dismayed. Luckily, signposts stood in the parks; very soon I found a pointer to the Central Station which I knew would be close to our (Radisson Blu) hotel, so I walked in that direction, across a canal bridge in Kungsparken (as I now realise, having got hold of a map), into the Kungstorget, where there’s a canal-side market, swarming with people. Had I followed the Stora Nygatan along the edge of the canal, I could have walked straight to the hotel, more or less, but the wide street called Ostrahamngatan (East Harbour Street) seemed a more likely option at the time. Canal boats were boarding tourists below the bridge there. Signposts were still pointing towards the station, but when I reached the major junction at the Stora Hamnkanalen there was no further signpost, so I had to admit defeat and ask for directions.

 “It’s that way,” said the girl, pointing down the Brunnsparken where the trolley bus lines were leading. “Everyone is going there, you can’t miss it.”

Once I reached the Drottningtorget (Queen Square) I saw not only the station, but also our hotel on the Slussgatan, so, mission completed. I checked in ahead of Chris, as in Linköping, sent him a message, and went out for a late lunch at a nearby corner, a Mongolisk Buffe (Mongolian buffet where they stir-fry your choice of food). Then I had a rest in our room, which has windows overlooking the square, and sent the men a message to tell them where the nearest Parkhus was.

 Chris’ car arrived in good time, with a couple of hours to spare before we needed to eat again, so we explored the shopping mall beyond the station; walking through there, we reached the Opera House by the docks where a lot of construction is going on, but where the boats are. We had reached the Lilla Bommen and Lilla Bommens Torg, from which an overhead glass walkway takes you back across the roadworks into town. A 4-master tall ship is moored there, the Viking, and you can buy lunch on it. I might try that later today … And did! You order and pay for your meal at the hatch on one of the decks, add extras to it from the salad and coffee bar (95kr includes everything --- good value) and then carry your tray up the spiral staircase to the upper deck where you may sit in sun or shade with views of the various docks. Many locals up there, enjoying their lunchbreak. You're free to wander around most of the rest of the ship, which is also an hotel.

We had supper last night at a French restaurant with four of the QNX men (Garry, Adam, Grant, Matthias), after meeting them in the inner courtyard bar at the hotel, where they were relaxing with glasses of beer. More beer at the restaurant and the waiter teased Adam from Liverpool by presenting him with a magnum of champagne. I had coq au vin.

Chris and I took another short walk round the outside of the gardens after this supper, passing the Stora Teatern. Before we went up to our room, a woman who works at the hotel approached us to warn us that there would be an early morning event just outside the hotel that we might find distracting, and this morning, sure enough, with noisy music playing, a large crowd (mostly male) turned up, some of them dressed in costumes (dressed as Darth Vader, or in kilts, animal suits, Lederhosen and Bavarian hats, etc.) to inspect a convoy of racing cars parked in the entrance, all strewn with confetti. This was a fundraiser for a children’s hospice, so we forgave them for waking us up.

(Photos to be added later!)