We almost always return to Kristinehamn for a month in late September or October. This time, we arrived on Swedish election day. In Sweden, elections to Parliament, regional councils and municipal councils are held every four years. As Swedish citizens living abroad, we retain our right to vote in parliamentary elections, even though we are also Swiss citizens. Naturally, we cast our votes on this beautiful autumn day, just after arriving from Gothenburg on the ferry from Kiel. We also waved goodbye to the Bojorten Christine af Bro, which is heading to Stockholm under motor power for the winter, where further repairs will be carried out in dry dock. This visit was full of culture. We met the famous Swedish poet Gustaf Fröding at a breakfast meeting organised by the municipality’s tourism office. He lived in Kristinehamn for many years, but this time he invited us to his birthplace, Alsters Herrgård, just outside Karlstad. There, we heard the story of his tragic life directly from the man himself! Gustaf Fröding (1860–1911) is one of Sweden’s best-known poets. He wrote poetry that was considered daring and controversial for its time, causing scandals and even leading to prosecutions for violations of press freedom. Naturally, we captured our encounter with him on film! We also managed to fit in restaurant visits, wine tasting and a little wingfoiling before the water became too cold. Click on the picture and look under Saisonale Videos to watch the films!

At the end of August, we made a quick trip to Switzerland. Before leaving, we took the opportunity to pick some lingonberries in the forests of Värmland, even though they were not quite fully ripe. This year, there were plenty of lingonberries and blueberries, unlike last year. We and the dogs picked as much as we could, ending up with both lingonberry jam and bags of fresh berries for the freezer. Since we had stayed in Sweden longer than planned because of the heat in Switzerland, we couldn’t get a dog cabin on the ferry from Gothenburg to Kiel. So instead, we took the opportunity to visit a fantastic vineyard in southern Sweden where you can stay overnight, enjoy good food and bring your dogs. Before crossing the bridges through Denmark, we visited Kullaberg Nature Reserve on the Kullahalvön peninsula between Båstad and Helsingborg. A spectacular rocky landscape rising dramatically from a region dominated by vast sandy beaches. We also took the short ferry from Helsingborg to Helsingør, which runs continuously and saved us the detour around Malmö. Once back home in Switzerland, we immediately visited another vineyard near Zurich for comparison. Completely different places, histories and grape varieties, yet remarkably similar in one respect: two highly committed families who live for their vineyards. As I write this, we are packing the car and heading back to Sweden again. What will happen on this journey? Follow us and you’ll find out! You can find the films from the vineyards under “Tallevika Videos” and “Culture and Cuisine”. Click on the picture and turn up the volume!

Our best time is now. July, when summer is at its very best. Lake Vänern, with its 22,000 islands, attracts many people out onto the water – us, our dogs and our visitors as well. Boat traffic is intense in Vålösundet, with everyone heading out to one of the many islands. There are boat buses, kayaks and motorboats available for rent. A stand-up paddleboard, however, is something you should bring yourself. We have four boards, but that is not enough for all the dogs, so some of them have to travel together on a tandem board. A kayak trip on a mirror-calm lake as large as the canton of Bern, almost 6,000 km², is a truly unique experience. There are many swimming spots to choose from, with both sandy beaches and rocky bathing areas. The evenings are bright and warm, inviting people to visit one of the many restaurants close to the water. Concerts, music quizzes and sing-along events follow one another throughout the summer. If the weather is not suitable for swimming, a shopping trip to charming Kristinehamn is easy and enjoyable. Everything is within walking distance, with plenty of parking spaces and lovely shops, cafés and restaurants to explore. Check out our summer films under Seasonal Videos. Link in the picture.