Lexi's Semester in Sweden: Geology Field Trip-Husaby, SW

Friday 4/17/15 to Sunday 4/19/15

For the next couple days we stayed at a friend of the college. His name is Magnus and he lives in the rural town of Husaby. Several of us camped out in shelters in the woods. But many stayed Magnus's neighbor's house, named Per. Friday morning we went to his work in the city Skövde.

He works for an association that covers 15 municipalities in the area with 260,000 people. Magnus and his coworkers plan both the urban centers and rural areas for maximum benefit in the future. One idea is that the whole world is urbanized or modernized. Small farms in the country are connected by phones etc. Everyone can not move into big cities and live sustainably. He also lectured about 'Biobased Sustainable Development" or how to live and develop with world in a way that is centered around natural systems like photosynthesis.

After lunch we visited an organ factory. Carl Nelson grew up in St. Peter and went to St. Olaf. A long time ago he was working on an organ at the Haga Kyrka (Church) in Goteborg when he met a Swedish woman who is now his wife. What is it with American men meeting Swedish women and moving to Sweden? Carl and Mark! Now he makes organs mostly for Austria. He showed us around his shop and told us all about how wood moves in two ways but not the other and the troubles of tuning.

Later Magnus also showed us a biomethane gas station. His car is fueled by the gases made from fermenting corn and old alcohol remnants. It is stored in liquid form to save space. It must be stored very cold to be in liquid form. One of the giant thermoses could store hot coffee for two years without us being able to feel the difference in temperature.

This is a model of a much larger organ in Austria.

Also in the same building is a woman who makes custom guitars.

Pat next to the hand made lead and tin pipes

A practice organ they are working on. It takes 4000 work hours to make a small practice one!

Becca planing a piece of wood to make it smooth.

Carl and the practice organ

Hannah playing the practice organ

I got to ride in Carl's 1941 Chevrolet. It has been in his family its entire life.

This is the original license plate.

Per's house had a beautiful sunroom. Pat, the eagle scout, made a great fire.

Hannah roasting marshmallows. One brand we bought didn't start on fire! It caramelized like creme brulé!

Saturday: Six of us braved the cold night. It got down to about 20 degrees fahrenheit. We were set up in a shelter with borrowed sleeping bags from Magnus's friends. It was Paget's first time camping ever! We woke up at 6AM freezing and went into the house for a nap before breakfast.

Hannah wrapped in her sleeping bag at 6AM. She is not normally a morning person so this morning was extra great for her!

Erin, Britta and Paget

The next day we went for a hike up Kinnekulle, a twin hill to Billingen.

me at the top

Magnus explained that at this spot the beloved former Queen Christiana visited. This monument was erected by the people of the area to commemorate her visit. Magnus commented that this was one of the most kick butt things he's seen.

Now the signature of royalty are carved into the rocks when they visit the area.

On our hike we came across a little cave with a fountain. These are sandstone columns that are worn down in a particular way. We will see these again in Visby.

During the time of the Swedish Empire, many oak trees were planted to supply boat making. People were punished if they chopped them down without permission. The green in the forest are a bunch of leek plants.

There were so many beautiful farm estates in the area.

While we were eating lunch our professor's son managed to break him arm goofing around with his sister. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner with all the monkeying around he does.

After a trip to the hospital we visited an old church in Husaby. Magnus gave us a tour. During a time of wealth in the area, each little village had to build a church to show how rich and blessed they were. The main tower of this church above was built in 1000AD. The rest was added in 1400AD. The top floors of the tower were the living quarters of the local king. He was able to ride his horse right up to the second floor for safety reasons.

At this time the churches were catholic. Therefore the services were in Latin and people had to stand. They painted the ceiling with biblical scenes to both entertain and educate the congregation.

The first TV. The priests were separated from the congregation so to preach they looked out this little window.

After the Reformation, pulpits were added so the audience could see the preacher. The sermons were also given in Swedish so all could understand.

Everyone in the town was required to go to church. Some however were kicked out of the church for whatever reason. Yet, they were still required to come to church and were made to stand outside. This little window is how they received communion. We also saw the site of the baptism of the first Christian Swedish King.

Nearby we also visited the fortress for the Bishop of the town Skara.

Here is Sidney 'escaping' from a lower room. Afterwards Magnus showed some of us running techniques. He is a professional running coach.

Sunday we packed up to head back to Gothenburg.

I enjoyed my last morning in the country with coffee, a book and some sunshine. Also watched a woodpecker at work on a tree.

While some went to hear Magnus speak at church, Hannah and I went to a cafe. I got her a treat for her 20th birthday.

We ate lunch at the Naturum on the shores of lake Vänern. The area is now a nature preserve.

Hannah playing in the nature.

Lacko Castle. This castle was built in the 17th century and was never attacked. It resides on the tip of the peninsula diving the two halves of the lake. The facade is limestone from Kinnekulle.

Paget

There was a small exhibit on the local nature at the Naturum. They had recordings in weird accents for different animals. The salmon had a scottish accent and described his journey up river. The duck had a minnesotan accent. The spider was really creepy but cool. It was a water spider, which actually can't breath underwater. It surrounds itself in a bubble and makes a home underwater in a bubble with enough room for 300 babies!

Kenzie

In Sweden there is a right to public access of nature. This means everyone can wander on the land regardless of who owns it. However everyone must be respectful of the nature.

Jeff, Sid and Britta

Unfortunately the castle was closed the day we visited but we climbed the wall to view the garden. Erin and Britta are sitting on the wall.

The weird little room jutting out is a toilet. There would be a pile of droppings on the ground. During long feasts (10 hours) the King and Queen, or whatever royalty, would be sitting on buckets while eating so they did not have to leave while eating….I can't even imagine this. Sometimes their servants would bring buckets so they could throw up to make more room for food.