Sweden Road Trip 2006- Day 3

It has been a long time since I slept in a bed that was as miserable as the one last night. Add to the fact that N had a horrible night, it made for a very long night. We survived though and just made it out of there by 10 in the morning. When we first got up, it was not raining, but by the time I started to pack the car, it was raining- typical!

Our first stop on the today’s journey was Eksjö. We had been there once before, though the last time we were there it was pouring rain, cold and before 8 in the morning. The only difference between last time and this time is that it was around 11 in the morning. Just like the last time, this time it is pouring rain and cold. So we did what every good Swede does when it is raining, we had fika at a café.

Just outside of Eksjö, there is a nature reserve called Skurugata. Basically it is a gorge 800 meters long and 56 meters at its height. The lady at the tourist office suggested that we not walk down into the gorge because it would be too slick on the way back up. So we of course walked down into the gorge and had no problems getting back up. The one problem that we did experience was that it had rained so much recently that the gorge had filled up with water, thus covering the trail. We worked our way around it for a short bit, but then turned around.

From Eksjö, we went down to the glass factories. We have done the glass factories several times before. In fact, we had an opportunity to do them this summer, but turned it down because we had done them so many times. So I am not sure how we ended up here again. We decided to go to two different ones. The first was Kosta Boda in Kosta. This is a big one, which we have been to multiple times. Not surprising, we found several things that we liked and wanted (me more then M, it is a rare day when M wants to buy something). I could have easily bought several things had we had space and if M would allow it (for the record, we are not looking for anything. I learned a long time ago that when you are looking for something to buy, you are not going to find anything). The second one that we went to, we had never been to before, Åfors. The pictures in the brochure were of pieces that we recognized and liked, so we were looking forward to it. Sadly, none of those pieces were there. It was an exact copy of the Kosta store. They had been bought out by Kosta Boda.

This brings up a sad point. In this area, there are perhaps 20 different glass factories, or I should say their use to be 20 different glass factories. Today there are maybe 10 in the area, the others have been closed. That is supply and demand, I know that. Of the other 10 that are still open, about 4 or 5 of them are owned by Kosta Boda. The factories are just there, not really artist spots at all. One of the things that Sweden is known for, and one of the things I really like about Sweden is the glass design/art. When only one or two companies remain, then it is only the commercial favorites that are left. An art form will be lost to capitalism (don’t get me wrong, I am all in favor of capitalism, but I am allowed to complain about the negatives of it as well!).

We arrived at the hostel at 5, as we were told that we needed to do. The lady did not arrive until about 5.20. I know that 20 minutes is not a lot, but when one is told to be there at a specific time and N needed to be fed. So we did not get the best first impression of the hostel. The rooms and the kitchen are super clean and nice. I am sure if it was not low season, it would have never happened. From what we have been told, the forest which is located next to the hostel is great for picking mushrooms.