Adventure in Sweden - 9.24.2010

My last full day in Sweden. I tried not to think of how it seemed as thought the days had flown by and I tried my best to remember every moment, which is impossible. However, from previous experience I know for sure that all sorts of feelings, thoughts, and memories will filter back from time to time. You never really leave the places you leave behind because you carry everything with you.




The full account is after the jump.




Engsö Castle
Suzanne's younger brother Henrik had to install something in the chapel at Engsö Castle so Siv and I tagged along to take in the sights and the air. It is situated on a small island inhabited only by a groundskeeper. The area is also a nature reserve. The castle was not open but we were able to wander the chapel and the grounds while Henrik did his thing.








When we arrived at the chapel there was a conservationist there working on the alter piece. We immediately started chatting (which just really means I asked her question after question about what schooling she had to complete to do this sort of work, what solutions she uses, and what ever else came to my mind.) She was a wealth of information and told me all about the restoration process and the history of the chapel. She also let me go up on the scaffolding to get a close look at the gilded wood sculptures. Few people get such a close look so I count myself very lucky.





You can see the water damage on Christ's leg from where someone wiped it with a wet rag year after year to "clean" it.

And where an extra piece was added.


She gave me a little tour and asked me when we got to a corner near the door if I knew that it was haunted.



Brita Bååt (born 1520) was the lady of the castle and a widow. She had had multiple husbands. One Christmas, shortly after the death of her most recent spouse, she woke before dawn to dress for mass. She thought she was late and rushed to the chapel only to find the ghosts of all her deceased husbands sitting there having their own mass of the dead. Terrified, she turned to run. Her latest husband chased after her because once you've seen the dead you are not suppose to live to tell the tale. As soon as he was close enough he reached to grab her but only managed to grasp the fabric of her black mourning veil. His tug pulled her to the ground where she hit her head on a rock. She died the next day and the piece of her veil still hangs in the chapel.

Johan Sigismund Sparre was gambling one night and had already bet everything he owned. A mysterious man appeared and struck a deal with Sparre: in exchange for his soul he would give him a gold chain so that he might settle his debts. Sparre agreed but woke the next morning to find that the gold chain was only an illusion. It was actually a troll stone and cursed so that if it was moved a fire would start in the chapel. The first and only time it was ever moved a fire did start. It has not moved since.







Aside from the somewhat sinister past it was a sweet little chapel. The grounds were excellent as well, especially in such pleasant weather.





Visby Outdoor Museum
On our way back from the castle Henrik's car got a flat tire just as we were exiting the highway to Västerås (I blame the ghosts) so Siv and I walked back to her apartment from the gas station. Suzanne picked up Henrik and then joined us for lunch. After that we spent the afternoon here.









In the summertime the buildings are open - each one is something different. A general store. The vicar's house. And so on and so forth. But even though the days were getting shorter and it was a bit chilly the animals were still out.