Pictures from Tim Rued's
FolkSweden Tour
2005
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(Click on thumbnails to see large photos.)
The tour began with a day and a half
in Uppland, meeting people,
sightseeing, and having music
sessions in a fiddler's apartment, at
our hostel, in a nyckelharpa builder's
garden, and in a 900-year-old church.
We saw artwork both modern and
medeival, and the recreation of a
Viking era boat.    Taking a nature
walk, we came across fresh moose
tracks on our way to finding some rare
orchids in bloom.
Statue of renowned fiddler Gås-Anders in
Björklinge, the town in which he lived.
We continued to Gästrikland, where we
stayed a couple of nights.   We visited
fiddlers, went shopping, and
celebrated Midsummer in two places:  
with a local folkdance performing
group at a retirement home, and with a
large fiddlers' team at a large public
celebration in a historic park.
Hundreds of adults and children dance around
the Midsummer pole on Midsummer  Eve.
The rest of the weekend was spent in
Hälsingland, just a bit farther north.   We
shopped at flea markets and handcraft
shops, stayed in a 19th-century hotel in
Hudiksvall, and participated in a wonderful
fiddle festival at the northernmost point of
our visit.    Later we visited a museum and
experienced more scenery in the
countryside.
Next, we drove to Dalarna, making a
quick sightseeing trip through the
Lake Siljan area.  We saw the lay of
the land, visited one of the famous
"Dala-häst" cottage industry factories,
ate at a Chinese (!!!) restaurant, and
finished the day with a lovely evening
of music with a local fiddlers' team.
Here the finishing touches are put on the wooden horses
that have become a symbol of the tourist industry in
Sweden.   Originally a child's toy in the 19th century, the
Dala-häst is the single most popular souvenir in the
country, by Swedes and visitors alike.
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View of the stage and the surrounding countryside at the
festival in  Bergsjö, northern Hälsingland.