An Island Adventure

Hello everyone,

This week I spent a few days with a Wellesley alumna and her family both at their Stockholm house and their summer home outside the city. When I arrived in Sweden I contacted the Nordic Wellesley Alumnae Association. I figured if any alumnae lived in the area, it would be nice to meet them. Julie Lindahl, class of '88, contacted me and this week I spent some time at the Lindahl's summer house on their island in Lake Mälaren. I had an absolutely fantastic time with her, her husband, and her two children. And her dog. I loved hanging out with Ellie the dog.

The Lindahl's dog, Ellie

For those of you who don't know, I have a dog named Jazzy back home, and I have often said (much to my mother's joking chagrin) that Jazzy is who I'll miss the most when I'm gone. I mean, I love my family and friends, but we can always keep in touch with email or Skype, and some people are going to visit me throughout the year. Not hanging out with Jazzy for a whole twelve months, however, will most likely be the hardest. So spending a few days with someone else's dog was great!


I met up with Julie at her Stockholm home in Drottningholm on Monday. She lives right across the street from Drottningholm Palace, which is a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Drottningholm Palace

 It must be great to have all the palace gardens and the park so close. In fact, her house is one of the oldest in the area, and the neighborhood used to be filled with people who worked in the palace. After meeting up, we ran some errands in the city, and I learned a lot about Julie. She's lived all over the world and is a really fascinating person. And of course, I loved reminiscing about Wellesley together. She's an author, and I'm really excited to read her books, especially Rose in the Sand, since it is a memoir about when she lived year-round on the island I visited.


Julie, her daughter and I drove out to their island Malmhuvud, which is only an hour outside of Stockholm. Her son and husband were already there.  Their island has a footbridge, so we could park in the forest on the mainland (which is actually a big island, of course) and walk to their home. The area used to be filled with the sand-mining business until around the 1920's. This island was so cool. Their family owns most of it, and it was such a lovely place.

Their house

Looking out at the lake

Their boat dock

Looking down at the water from by the house

I got my own little guest house, and I loved being out out in nature and right by the water.

My guesthouse on Malmhuvud

View from guesthouse

 It reminded me a lot of Island 70 (although on a larger scale) so of course I thought it was awesome. I love to be near the water. For those of you who don't know, Island 70 is my grandparents' place up on the St. Lawrence River in Canada.

The first night we had a great dinner with lots of Swedish specialties. Because I am cooking for myself here rather than going out to restaurants, I haven't tasted a lot of the local food. Monday's dinner included local cuisine like smoked salmon, new potatoes, and for dessert, gooseberry soup. I must say, gooseberry soup is so delicious.

While I would have loved to go out to their island regardless, Julie had told me earlier that there is a wreck of a sand mine barge in their harbor that was purposefully sunk around the 1920's when the mining ended. In fact, Lake Mälaren is filled with wrecks of all kinds. I took my snorkeling gear along, and on Tuesday morning I swam around looking for the wreck. However, the visibility was really bad, probably about five feet. Honestly, it was a little unnerving to be swimming around looking for a wreck when I couldn't see past my extended arm. I think I found it, because my fin hit something and there was a smudge of rust on it afterwards. But I really couldn't see much, even with my dive light.

I think the wreck was below and to the right of the floating dock

The wreck was somewhere in this harbor!

 I had fun snorkeling around anyway. And the really bad visibility, paired with the fact that the lake is iced over for months of the year, explains why I hadn't heard much about diving in this huge lake. There are lots of wrecks, but they're hard to appreciate when you can't see them. That made me think about how non-divers consider wrecks. For instance, people know there are all these wrecks in this lake, but it's not like they access them easily or know the exact history of each wreck. Most of the wrecks, like the barge in this harbor, probably aren't old enough to be worth preserving and/or raising with government money. So while in warmer, clearer waters they might be considered great dive sites, the lack of visibility kind of renders them inaccessible to most people. However, for non-divers (and non-snorkelers), all wrecks are basically inaccessible, unless they are raised. This made me consider the benefits of raising wrecks, despite the fact that UNESCO's current stance on underwater heritage sites (like shipwrecks and submerged ruins) is to leave them in situ. But of course, raising a barge like this would probably not be worth it. So it is left in a harbor, where people know it's there, but can't really interact with it.

On Tuesday I also went swimming in a man-made lake nearby, and Julie and her daughter gave me a great tour of the island. We walked to the top of the old sand mine and I had a beautiful view of the lake and many islands nearby. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera on that walk.

At the tip of the island, there was a building with a bathroom and garbage area. Julie explained that all around the lake the government installed these buildings on various islands. People often sail the lake for weeks at a time, and these buildings give them a chance to shower, use a regular bathroom, and dump their waste and recycling. It really hit me that while all those wrecks show Sweden's long history of boat transportation, the people are still really interested in being out on the water. From sailing for weeks at a time on Lake Mälaren to motor-boating around Stockholm, the Swedes like to be on the water in the summer. And Sweden has all of these initiatives, like putting in bathrooms and waste centers on the islands for sailors or keeping the water in downtown Stockholm clean enough for swimming, which encourage maritime activities. Sweden's connection to the water isn't just historical; Swedes are still quite connected to maritime culture. That's likely why Sweden has created these maritime museums and underwater archaeology projects.

On our tour of the island I also helped pick mushrooms, which we had for dinner. Mushroom-picking was new for me, but Julie said it's really popular in the forests nearby. In the evening we had a sauna, and I learned all about Nordic sauna culture. Julie wrote a book on Scandinavian well-being, so she has researched all about the history and lore connected to saunas. Julie made us vihtas, which are bunches of birch branches bound together. When using the sauna you're supposed to lightly hit yourself with the birch branches, and they have some sort of natural soap quality which helps clean you. They also smell great. I wasn't a huge fan of saunas when I was younger, but they're growing on me, especially when there's a nice brisk lake in which to jump afterwards. It was wonderful to learn the culture behind them and their significance in Scandinavia.

The lake 

The Sauna House

The lake

On Wednesday Julie took me to the local bus stop so I could go back to Stockholm. She also showed me their local church, Munsö Church. It is actually really special, as it is one of 13 round Romanesque churches in Sweden. Some of the stones beneath the church, from an older structure, date back to the 9th century, and the center of the church is from the 12th century.

Round church

Since I had to go through Drottningholm on my way back home, I decided to stop and spend Wednesday afternoon exploring the palace and the grounds around it. That'll be my next blog post!

Needless to say, I had a fantastic time meeting Julie and her family.

Me at Malmhuvud

I really lucked out to be able to go to such a beautiful island for a few days. It was lovely to go swimming a lot, to be out of the city, and to spend some time with such nice people. And while I didn't go there specifically for my project, I certainly learned a lot about the Swedes' appreciation of underwater heritage, or at least maritime heritage, during my stay on Lake Mälaren.


~Kristine

Living on my Own

In case you're interested in my humble abode, here's a picture of my apartment complex. I live in one of the far-back buildings, and my room faces a forest. It's nice to be a bit outside of the city, and I'm not too far away from the water, either.

My home in Sweden

More than three weeks have gone by, and I think I'm getting used to living on my own. More specifically, I'm getting used to cooking on my own. I don't know how I made it to 22 without learning how to cook for myself for an extended period of time. But hey, this year is all about new experiences. Living by myself was a bit of an adjustment. It's not like college, where even though I had a single room, my friends were right down the hall. I've made acquaintances, but it's different. I'm getting used to having some days where, even if I go  go to a museum or take a tour, I don't really interact with anyone. It's actually quite liberating. I have a lot of time to just think, and I get to make all the decisions. When I arrived I knew no one, so I had to figure out a lot of basic things on my own, like the best way to use the public transportation or how to grocery shop for a week at a time or where to buy sheets or how best to spend my budget. I guess those are simple things, but I'm enjoying making plans on what to see and where to go while in Sweden. I feel really comfortable on my own here, which is good. Maybe that's because Stockholm is really safe, or maybe it's because I've traveled around Europe before. Maybe it's because it doesn't really get dark here until 11pm in the summer. In any case, this living-on-my-own is a great new experience for me. 

Some Stockholm Sights

Hello everyone,

I am a bit behind on updating this blog, so it's time to write some entries on the last few weeks. Also, you finally get to see some pictures! In this post I'll tell you a bit about some my favorite sights I've seen so far in Stockholm.

Parliament 

One of the first places I visited was the Swedish Parliament building. Why? Because they give free tours in English. If I can get in for free, it's worth checking out. It was also great to learn the basics of Swedish government. Parliament is on the island of Helgeandsholmen, which is right between the island for the old city (Gamla Stan), and the island which includes the modern, downtown Stockholm. It is in two buildings, one of which used to be the old Parliament, and the other which was once the Swedish national bank.

Parliament 

The Chamber

The Grand Stairway
(only used for special occasions now)

Skylight in the Grand Gallery
(the coats of arms are for Sweden's provinces) 

 The Prime Minister's house is right across the street from Parliament. I found it interesting that in Sweden the Speaker of the Parliament not only outranks the Prime Minister, but he or she has the duty of appointing the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister of Sweden's House
(The white building in the middle)

Stockholm City Hall

Stockholm's City Hall

 Stockholm's City Hall is the site of the Nobel Banquet each December after the Nobel Prizes are awarded (except the Peace Prize, which is awarded in Norway). So while the building is used for local city government, it also is designed for events. The Blue Hall (yes, it is not blue, but the name stuck even after a change in design) is where the banquet is held each year. They cram a whole lot of people into the moderately sized hall. I really liked the design, which is based on an Italian city plaza.

The Blue Hall

The Blue Hall

The winners of the Nobel Prizes along with the royalty process across the upper balcony and down the stairs to dine. One of the rules is that every prize winner must sit next to at least one royal person. The staircase in the hall was specially designed by the architect so that women in long gowns and high heels could walk down it easily. The architect made his wife Elsa practice walking down a wooden model of the stairs until he got the proportions correct. This is why the staircase is called Elsa's Staircase.

For my Wellesley friends: What was interesting to me is how similar the staircase's design is to the steps outside of the Science Center at Wellesley. As we all know, those steps were designed 'for a women's pace' and they're really awkward to walk up, since the steps are short in height and really deep. These steps in the city hall are the very same type of stairs!

Elsa's Staircase

Another great room in the City Hall is the Golden Room. Unlike the Blue Hall, this room is aptly named. It is where the dancing takes place after the banquet. The mosaics are quite impressive. 

The Golden Room

The Golden Room

On one wall, different nations are depicted.
Look, there's the USA

And if you ever win a Nobel Prize, here's where you'd enter the Blue Hall:

From the outside, Stockholm's City Hall really has a southern European feel, especially with the arches and the gardens on the waterfront.

Boat Tour

Another great thing I've done in Stockholm is take a boat tour called Under the Bridges of Stockholm. I got to see Stockholm from the water, both from the Baltic Sea and from Lake Mälaren. Because Stockholm is spread across many islands, there's no better way to see the city. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the tour:

This boat is actually a youth hostel. How cool is that?

The old city (Gamla Stan)

The Vasa Museum

Going through a lock between the lake and the sea

Wandering

A lot of my time here has been spent wandering. I like to just walk around the city and explore, especially in Galma Stan. I can't get over the winding, narrow streets and colorful buildings. I also love that there is water everywhere. You can't get around Stockholm without crossing a bridge, and a lot of people now commute via ferries instead of buses or the metro system. I think the closeness to water is part of what makes Swedes (or at least Stockholmers) so invested in their maritime heritage. The people of Stockholm take care of the water, and you can actually swim in the water right in the city. They're really careful to keep the water clean. So it makes sense that they care about their rich maritime heritage and its connection to their history. It's not like they have wrecks that are hundreds of miles off their coast. Well, they do, but they also have wrecks right in their backyard!

Here are a few pictures of Stockholm:

The island Riddarholmen

A street in Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan

Riddarholmen

So that's a bit of what I've been doing during my first few weeks here. People are finally coming back from vacation, so my project is getting underway. However, even on my own explorations, I have learned a lot about how Swedes regard their underwater heritage. I have a few more updates from this week's adventures outside of the city that I'll post soon. And tomorrow I am off to a dive park north of here, so I hope to have some fun insights to share after that visit.

~Kristine

Culture House and Project Update

Hello everyone,


I have now been in Sweden for almost a week. After getting to know my neighborhood I started to explore downtown Stockholm, and I have found a gem: the Kulturhuset, or Culture House. I found this center because it was the closest place of interest (according to my Lonely Planet guide) to the T-Centralen, which is the central metro and train station. At first I thought the first floor was a bookstore, but later I learned that the Culture House holds many public libraries, including specific collections of graphic novels and children's literature. It's a funky building with glass windows facing a plaza and an amazing view of the skyline. On the children's library floor, there are indoor playgrounds with kids running around. Another floor is a gallery, which currently has an exhibition on Street Art. But my favorite floor of all is definitely the very top. The Culture House has a rooftop cafe that looks out over Stockholm. Not only does it have good food, but the cafe has gallons of flavored water available for its customers. I can buy a sandwich and sit around sipping unlimited lime- and mint-infused water while looking out over Stockholm and planning my afternoon. Since I have to go to the T-Centralen to get into the city every time, this cafe is really convenient. I like that I now have a favorite place in town. It has a nicer atmosphere than the chain coffee stores, and it definitely sports a better view. 


Now that you know of my rooftop haunt and my love of mint-infused water, I should give an update on my project. I have been emailing quite a few people to discuss interviewing them or visiting sites and museums. Unfortunately, people in Sweden like to take vacation in July. However, I have a few interviews set up for later in July and in August. Also, there's a lot I can do on my own, like visit the Vasa Museum and the Swedish National Maritime Museum. Later I will speak to people from these museums, but first I want to explore them from an outside perspective. While these first few weeks might not be the most productive for my project, I have time to explore Stockholm's other wonders. 


My most exciting news this week relating to my project is that I have been invited to visit an excavation site at the island Björkö. This will be in late August, as that's when my contact is available to meet with me. But I'm psyched that I've been invited to go to a current excavation site, which is for a submerged area of a viking settlement. 


I thought at first that I'd focus on two specific wrecks in Sweden, but the more research I've been doing, the more interested I am in the country's underwater heritage as a whole. There are thousands of shipwrecks in Sweden, and I don't want to limit myself to researching organizations and programs that work with only a couple. For example, I hadn't heard of the excavation Björkö until this week, when the head of the archaeology unit of the Swedish National Maritime Museum invited me to visit it. They are excavating submerged ruins, so I think the site is quite relevant to my project.If the opportunity arises to learn about a new site, I won't say no. 


I've quickly learned that there's only so much you can research ahead of time. Being in the country makes it a lot easier to make contacts and create concrete plans. I must admit, I have been a little shocked (in a good way) at how willing people are to meet with me and help with my fellowship. I'm kind of in awe that I can simply send an email to a curator of a huge museum and have the person not only respond,  but give great advice for other contacts. Some people have even emailed me back while on their vacations. Their responses via email alone show me how dedicated they are to underwater heritage and sharing their knowledge. I cannot wait to meet these people in person! 


~Kristine

Settled in Stockholm!

Hello everyone,

This afternoon I arrived in Stockholm. For the next two months I will be living in an apartment complex near the university. So far the area seems nice. There are students sunbathing on the lawn and my room looks out over a nice little forest. It's only a short metro ride from the university station into the center of Stockholm. After arriving and dropping off my bags (I felt a little ridiculous lugging around two huge bags, but dive gear takes up a lot of space!), I went back into the city and explored the area around the central station. I needed to buy an Ethernet cable and some sheets. There were plenty of clothing stores, but finding a place that sells sheets was a bit more tricky. But after asking many sales representatives in various stores, I finally found a department store with sheets. I now have internet from my Ethernet and a made-up bed in which to sleep tonight.

In my little neighborhood there is one restaurant and a convenience/grocery store. Over the next few days I want to explore this area a bit more, as right now I only know how to walk to the metro and back. The walk to the metro is quite lovely, and it features a large field with cows.

I need to dig out my camera from my backpack and start taking some pictures to post here. As I've only been here the afternoon, I don't have any more updates. However, what I've seen so far is great.

Recap: Today I arrived, I got to my housing, and I settled in. Day 1 = Success!

~Kristine

Diving In!

Hello everyone,


This will be my blog for the year as I travel around the world with the Knafel Traveling Fellowship. So if you want updates on what I'm doing, how I'm feeling, and general musings from me, be sure to check this blog. 


For those of you who don't know (but if you're reading this, I assume you do!): I recently graduated from Wellesley College, where I received the Susan Rappaport Knafel '52 Traveling Fellowship. The Knafel (pronounced Kuh-naf-l, rhymes with 'a raffle') is a traveling fellowship, meaning "The fellowship will fund a year of purposeful travel abroad to explore a particular interest" (Center for Work & Service website at Wellesley). The fellowship requires that I move every two months and that I do not return to the US for the entire twelve months. I first found out about the Knafel during my sophomore year in college, and as a girl with a love for travel, I couldn't imagine a more amazing opportunity. (Side-bar: If you're a Wellesley student reading this, I highly recommend that you consider applying for the Knafel!) I had been thinking about project ideas for quite a while, and last summer I decided the topic of my project would be scuba diving. I've been diving since I was 12 years old, and my favorite dives are wreck dives. I've always been intrigued by wrecks, and from this interest and a lot of research on wrecks and submerged ruins, I created my project.

I applied and received the Knafel for my project entitled "Underwater Heritage: Exploring the Protection and Promotion of Shipwrecks and Submerged Ruins." I will be spending the next 12 months in countries which all have amazing underwater heritage sites in the form of shipwrecks and submerged ruins. While in each country, I'll explore how communities are protecting and promoting their local underwater heritage. I want to discover the various ways the countries preserve these shipwrecks and submerged ruins, create accessibility for visitors, and promote them as heritage. I plan to interview experts associated with organizations that maintain, develop, and study these sites, including leaders in local maritime museums, historical societies and government programs. Through these interactions, I hope to learn a variety of perspectives and approaches to protecting and promoting underwater heritage. I will also dive at the sites in order to experience how each country has managed to create accessibility, portray the site's history and protect from destruction. 

So where will I be going? Here's my itinerary for the year:

July 2012-August 2012: Stockholm, Sweden

September 2012-October2012: Alexandria, Egypt

November 2012-December 2012: Bodrum, Turkey

January 2013-February 2013: Cape Town, South Africa

March 2013-April 2013: Townsville, Australia

May 2013-June 2013: Kingston, Jamaica

I am leaving tomorrow night for Stockholm. I'm really excited to start in Sweden, as it is a country which seems to be very proud of its maritime heritage. As I start meeting with people and diving at sites, I'll let you know what I learn!

Quite a few people have asked me if I have to write something in the end for the Knafel. The answer is no. The Knafel is not designed for a final product; rather, it allows someone to spend a year doing a project about which she feels passionate. The experience itself and my growth will be the product. However, I do plan to take notes and perhaps someday publish information on what I will have learned. And of course, I'll post some of my thoughts and analyses here on my blog. 

I plan to blog regularly, so throughout the year you can check here to see what I am doing.  If you happen to know anyone in any of the places to which I will be traveling, I would love get their contact information. Meeting local people would be wonderful, and it's always fun to be shown around by someone who knows a place well.  I'm also always interested in research suggestions, and I already have a list of books relating to my project that I can't wait to read. So feel free to email me or comment here. 

I should probably get back to packing now. One more night in NH until July 2013! 

~Kristine