Fårö - Bergman's Island

Fårö - pronouced ‘for return’ - without the turn. British pronunciation

 

Talking of turns, sometimes it’s nice to follow your instincts and take the ones that feel nice.

If you were to take a Swedish ferry to the island of Gotland,

and then immediately take a left turn,

you would after a bit of driving, arrive at a smaller ferry.

The shores of Fårö from the main island

Following your whims still, hopping on this småller ferry, you would then, miraculously and without even knowing it, as it turns out, arrive, as the sun sets, on the småll island… of Fårö.

Now before I share more pictures and such, I must point out it’s a strange place.

Strange in the loveliest of ways. Eery, quiet, soothing.

It’s no wonder Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman filmed, lived and died here. It’s a place for lovers of quaint light, quiet lulls, and quite long beaches with nothing to disturb you from your walks and thoughts.

Please enjoy this complimentary attempt at illustrating just that.

What was particularly nice about that moment was the ukulele singing in the wind. All the long high pitched notes you hear are the harmonics produced by the strings, vibrating in the strong Fårö gusts. It’s a natural whistling of sorts and everything you hear was filmed and recorded there and then. I hid the camera’s microphone in a scarf to protect it from the wind and put it at the base of the blue soprano, singing in the bicycle basket.

Now, having read an article about how to engage readers on a travel blog, please enjoy therefore my top 5 things to do on Fårö.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO ON Fårö

1. rent some bikes

Yeah, rent some bikes. It’s a nice place to do so.

Get by by bike !

2. Take small paths

And somehow end up on what might be, in hindsight, some sort of reserve (WOOPS).

On Fårö for a while

3. Upset some birds

Because probably that’s their breeding ground, so turn around while shielding your family with a blue ukulele (sorry about that Fårö), but at the same time also notice a huge weird structure in the distance that even the locals know nothing about.

Walk by the conspira-sea

4. Instagram a uke in a boat

Take a picture of said ukulele in an old fisherman’s barge because that’ll look fire on social I suppose. Then forget to post it.

A ship off the old block

5. Reward yourself

Drive to a café and have FIKA.

Between the windmills and stoned walls

The light and hum of Gotland calls

Unless you’re hungry, famished I’d say

Then grab the motor, off to a café

All this adventuring won’t make you meeker

You just need to keep well fed

That’s why the Swedes have ‘FIKA’

“It’s our tea time” ‘s what they said

Have a cardamom bun

Wash it down with some coffee

Enjoy the low sun

Getting lower to be

Back up in the morn

For another fine day

For now it’s a yawn

And a rest come our way

BONUS Thing to do: Film some sheep

They were very cute.

Thanks for following the adventure, if you like it do share it. It really does make a difference in my life, for the project, if you do. Thanks.

Raukar on Fårö

 

Raukar (noun, plural): a bunch of Rauks

Along the quiet and inviting island of Fårö (four - ruh) stand many intriguing characters.

On its stony western beaches, an open-air workshop awaits your discovery. It seems blunt stormy nature has carved out an entire collection of personae. One almost feels there might be other forces at work, some swooping powers intent on creating art, and bringing it to life.

In deed, the same wind that dances through your hair on the island, helps carve unique beings on these shores.

That and tides, ice, and the fire of the summer sun.

Only I, the wind and the ice my tools do I use, between the depths and the sky true.

The coastal limestone is a friendly material for any mysterious power wanting to try their luck at scultping.

Far and wide, spirits as I do dance

And compose poetry fit for the Gods

So lively are certain sculptures they have their own names. Although the locals have mistaken what is obviously a giant dog and his master for a Kaffeepannan (“the Coffee Pot”).

Open arms, a dog and his chieftain and

See the life I carve out of stone well I’m only - setting free

They did name a part “Giant Head” (Digerhuvud) - but it’s not where the giand head is, that head happens to be at Langhammarsgubben (“the Fellow from Longhammer”)

A bit about the videO

This video is filmed on three different Raukar beaches along the north-westerly beaches of Fårö as the sun went down at the end of the day.

The idea was to have three sections of the song filmed at three different locations, each one with the sun lower than the one before.

I’ve ended up having to mix and shake it all up. It’s also a landmark: the first drone shots of the adventure since its first take-off in 2015 !

The ukulele in the video: Victoria tenor by Flight

Leaving Digerhuvud (spot n°2)

Langhammarsgubben, from the parking lot (spot n°1)

skap mi ein Väld utav dette

We’ll get to history when we enter the capital of Gotland, Visby. However, on this little island, this little sentence is a token of Gotland’s varied history. It is in the dialect of Gotland, Gutamål, a distinct mix of Swedish, German, and, Im guessing, countryside twang.

Skap mi ein väld utav dette litterally means Create for me a world out of these. I checked with the locals of the Bergman museum. Shout out !

Raukar: “The Sculptor”

Only I, the wind and the ice my tools

Do I use, between the depth and the sky true

For an eye, a mouth and a hand do come

From within, a leg and a sense of “to be” (- of “to be”)

Take, create, skap mi ein Väld utav dette

Sky, Ice and Rauk

It’s all I wish to enjoy

Open arms, a dog and his chieftain and

See the life I carve out of stone well I’m only

Setting free

Far and wide, spirits as I do dance

And compose poetry fit for the Gods (fit for the Gods)

Take, create, skap mi ein Väld utav dette

Sky, Ice and Rauk

It’s all I wish to enjoy

The dog and his chieftain at Gamla Hamn (spot n°3) the day before the filming.

Time to hop on ! Meet the cruise's crew 🚐

So ! A historical-cultural-musical trip is starting around the Batlic Sea ! Yes, you knew.

But who exactly is taking part ? Good question. Here at Ukulele Road Trips, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s the gang:

THE VAN

It’s know by many names: Blue Steel by the previous owner (not a Zoolander reference - I asked), Fordy-ford sometimes, and it could even be called the Balt-mobile considering where it’s headed.

But we refer to it more prosaically as ‘The VAN’. It is. It’s the van !

The Van already on the trip’s next destination: Gotland’s isle of Fårö

A 2010 Ford transit T260 in case you’re into those kinds of numbers.

It’s very friendly, and patient during long stops. An ideal character for one such musical tour. Also, it lets us sleep in it, which is very kind.

The Victoria Tenor CEQ Ukulele

I like your shape and I like your curves,

Victoria, you are a ukulele.

I’ve packed you in the van next to the preserves,

We’ll sing and dance on islands gaily.

Dm, first chord in the verse of “On this Island (Öland’s Visa )”

A striking match: This Flight uke struck the right note, and our collaboration seems to strike a right chord - & sometimes more than one !

CEQ means it can add special effects to your playing without plugging it in. Baltic magic.

BEN

Yes, somebody needs to do most of the driving and write & sing the songs. That’s where I come in. Hi ! I’m Ben.

Here’s a mildly odd picture of me grinn-singing in front of a windmill on Öland:

“Caught wind of a good mill in the area…”

Did you know that around the mid-1800s, Öland had about 2000 windmills ? Crazy - it’s pretty small you know.

Each farm had its own windmill. And there’s still 355 on the thin Ö today. None that I’ve seen are still turning and milling though.

They are very pretty but not practical to travel with.

A SECOND DRIVER AND A PASSENGER

They’re in that picture at the top, maybe you noticed. They’re pretty low-key.

One is very sweet and gets cranky when hungry, and the other one is a young child.

THE SOPRANO TRAVEL UKE

All ukes are travel ukes if you can fit them in a van.

This soprano is also a travel uke by name: Flight TUC-35 travel ukulele.

It has a slighlty longer neck, and got the nod from the rest of the team because it’s good-looking and is the right colour: dark blue !

The colour theme of the trip !

It’s made of mostly plastic which is different:, and much better as a mace if you’re in a battle.

Speaking of which:

Öland AND THE IRON AGE

The Iron Age is a nifty term to say from 1200B.C. to the 6th Century. And Öland and its inhabitants have been pretty busy defending themselves over the years: having all your neighbours of the Western Baltic coasts sail by is an incentive for them to come and have a closer look !

Meaning that today, the other architechtural feature of Öland apart from the relatively recent mills, are the foundations of old Iron Age fortresses.

These are the ex-sites of mostly everyday life, but some dramatic events punctuate their history.

Most remarkable in my eyes are the beauty and intricacy of some of the jewellery found there. Completely goes against (maybe) some ideas we have about these times. Even if they were mixed in with the sight of an awful attack.

One of these fortresses on Öland has been rebuilt and redsigned: Eketorp. It’s partly guesswork but it gives the visitor an idea:

Eketorp’s gated entrance

Two peasants and the local King enjoy the sunshine (colorised - circa 496 A.D.)

Come in for an öl