Well, since I last wrote, I had a lovely time going though Malmö, and I went to the Kogg Museum, which is a museum about the boats of the Medieval time in Sweden. I got to go for a ride in the harbor, and then try my hand at a medieval game. Afterwards, I went for a bus ride pass the Turning Torso, and onto the island of Ön, which means ‘The Island.’ From there, I could see the Oresund Bridge, which is enormous, and over to Copenhagen where they had 20 wind turbins going. Over all of Sweden, I’ve seen a lot of wind turbines, and they actually look nice.
Yesterday, I went out with Stig-Åke and Karin and we traveled to all the little towns and villages where my mother’s father’s family is from. It’s absolutely beautiful country, and we checked out many churches and graveyards. We didn’t find any hits, as in Sweden they take down a headstone after 60 years unless someone pays for it’s upkeep, so most of the old graves are no longer there. We asked a lot of people and we found out that there was one placed called Hallfarm where my great grandparents most likely met. We also went and met Stig-Åke’s brother and wife in Kågaröd, and we had lunch there and then went off to the village of Ask, where my great uncle Axel was born. We checked out the graveyard, and I found what I believe to be the grave of my great grandmother’s sister, Kjerti Jacobsdotter. We also went out and found out where the farms of Sonnarp and Allarp where. My family lived in both and they are in absolutely beautiful country.
After a long day, we traveled to Helsingborg, where I had a new hotel room set up by Karin. It was just too uncomfortable in the Hostel,and they found me a great, comfortable room. I was so happy to be in a great room. It’s right on the Stortorget in Helsingborg, and the view from the castle at the top of the hill is fantastic.
Today, my other cousin Kristina Larsson (great granddaughter of Matilda Andersson, who was the sister of my great grandmother Cecilia Billqvist), picked me up and we took the ferry over to Helsingör in Denmark. We went and toured the castle, Kronborg, which is the castle where Hamlet supposedly lived. After that, I did what all Swedes do in Denmark and bought alcohol. It’s cheaper than it is in Sweden, and I’ll bring it to Fred’s place for midsommer. We came back to Sweden and traveled to her father’s farm in the middle of beautiful farmland, and then onto her aunt Ulla’s house, where we had dinner. It was great and Kristina has a lot of information about my family, including information on another brother of Cecilia’s who emigrated to Canada. I didn’t know that this brother existed, but this fills in a gap about my knowledge of the Anderson side of the family.
I’m in Kristins’a apartment now, and I’ll go back to the hotel and tomorrow I’ll take the train to Karlskrona, where I’ll be looking for traces of my mother’s mother’s family. It’s been raining like crazy today with temperatures in the 50’s, so I’m hoping for better weather tomorrow.
Till later,
Ken