Stopping at Katrineholm

The second stop on our journey from Stockholm to Oslo was Katrineholm, less than an hour's train-ride southwest of Eskilstuna. I wasn't convinced there'd be much of interest here, because this is quite a small town, but was pleasantly surprised. We stayed at the Best Western's "Hotel Statt" or "Stadt" as is written (German spelling) on its awnings, just visible through the gap behind the station buildings in this photo.

There are woods with walking trails all around the edge of the town, blueberry shrubs coming into flower under the trees and pine needles underfoot. It was grey weather when we arrived on Friday, but luckily for us, yesterday was a gorgeous spring day. The immediate scenery is hilly, strewn with pink granite rocks like the ones in the Gatineau Park north of Ottawa. There's a brick built water tower (1907) on a hill to the north of the railway tracks, 59m tall. The town centre, with its pollarded trees, small fountains, and traffic free zones, seemed quiet on Friday night, slightly busier on Saturday morning with the political parties canvassing for votes in the European elections.

Yesterday morning, after breakfast at the Best Western, we set off for a walk to a little hill called the Gatstuberg, apparently the home of "a notorious troll" although the vistors' guide didn't give an example of his notoriety and we didn't see him. Someone had left some graffiti and cigarette butts on the rocks, mind. From the summit of the hill we could see the Djulösjön, a local lake, beyond the canola fields. Given the time available, it was a bit too far to walk to the lakeshore, so we ambled back the way we'd come, detouring through the pine filled cemetery and past its "forest chapel" (skogskyrka), coming across an extraordinary art work on the way: miniature wooden huts on stilts, vandrande Husen.

Prinsessan, by Stina Wollter

Back in the town centre, Chris boldly entered a barber's shop and bought a haircut and beard trim, while I made a second visit to the little art gallery (Konsthall) in the town library, to take another look at the exhibition featuring the recent paintings, photos and charcoal drawings of Stina Wollter. This artist depicts what touches her, ("Det rör mig"). As I interpret it, she tries to show what we keep hidden within ourselves, our pain and our memories, upsetting, nasty memories as well as the comforting ones, all the people who get under our skin or could not be forgotten. Some of her images have gentle connotations, like the ones shown in my photos here, but others seem very dark.

Lisa

Hennes frihet