Lifecruiser

Did I ever tell you about our PARADISE ISLAND?

Yes, I did, but I’ll keep repeating it: Fårö, the small island above Gotland outside Swedens east coast, where we recently spent 4 weeks. As we do every year. Now we have to live on the memories for a while when we look at our photos (link in the end of the post).

If we don’t get tempted to run away there again…. *lol*

The island is separated from the island Gotland by the Fårö-strait, but connected by cable ferries, operated by the Swedish National Road Administration. It has an area of 111,35 square kilometers, whereof 9,7 area water areas – bogs – or islets.

It takes us about 6 hours to get from our home in Stockholm to our place we rent at Fårö. First by car to the ferry to Gotland, then driving up to the north-east of Gotland where we take the ferry to Fårö and then by car again. It’s a beautiful trip though, so we don’t mind.

The place we rent is on the property of a local, retired and truly wonderful farmer, which is the best way to really get to know the place - to live among the locals. There is only one (small!) bedroom and a small kitchen, no indoors water or bathroom, we have to share that with the other guests on the farm. Which is fine, that’s all we need in the summertime. We’re out most of the time.

If you’re one of our regular readers, you know by now that we sleep in a 90 cm (about 35 inches) bed at home, but incredible enough, when we’re on Fårö, we sleep in a 80 cm (about 30 inches) bed!!! Don’t ask me how we do it, but we sleep well. There is two 80 cm beds, so we don’t have to, but we like to be close. I guessed it’s called real love :-)

Though there are situations (no, I’m not going to tell you which situations ;-) who can be a little bit tricky and may end up in totally hysterical giggle attacks and even with some kind of injury when falling off the bed. [insert your own imagination here]

The renowned Swedish film-maker Ingmar Bergman lives on Fårö, he has an own part of the island which he keep very private. He has also bought a couple of farm propertys there for his children. The island provided settings for his Fårö-trilogy of Hour of the Wolf, The Passion of Anna and Skammen. Andrey Tarkovsky’s The Sacrifice was also filmed on Fårö.

There are and have been many Swedish politicians on the island too. To mention some of them: the former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, who was assassinated 1986 in Stockholm, his family still show up sometimes here. Even the current Minister for Justice Thomas Bodström, which we recently saw having fun singing Karaoke at the beach restaurant.

Well, let’s just say that it’s a lot of celebrities of all kind coming there too, I’m not going to mention them all here.

So, I guess we’re not alone thinking that Fårö is an paradise island….

On the islands north-eastern point the Fårö fyr lighthouse is situated. It is 30 meters high and was constructed in 1846-47, one of Gotlands oldest lighthouses. Why is there something so special about lighthouses? Most people seems to like them very much and so do we!

The Langhammar peninsula and the Langhammar nature reserve on north-western Fårö feature rocky beaches with rauks (sea stacks), many meter high rocks sculpted by nature. The Digerhuvud nature reserve features sea stacks and the Helgumannen fishing village. It’s an absolutely MUST to visit every year, to see at least one sunset there.

The long Sudersand beach on north-eastern Fårö is among the best beaches I’ve ever seen. The sand is almost like flour and soooo smoth. Even the beach at Norsta Aura is really good, our engagement beach. Very romantic. *smiling silly*

This island is quite unique, it differs even from the island next to it, Gotland, which most people find very beautiful - Fårö is even more special than that. It’s very difficult though to describe it in a way that can do it justice.

Except from all the sand & beaches, there is a lot of sheep-grazing areas with Juniper bushes, sheep huts, orchids, fields with Poppy (Papaver), low pines tortured by the rough sea winds during the winter time and wonderful old houses with sedge roof’s (with Gotlandic Rye) and an absolutely paradise for birdwatchers, especially in the spring or beginning of the summer.

I could go on and on and on, because there are so much to see at Fårö, even though it’s a small island. No wonder that people like us tend to come back there every year!

Read more in Lifecruisers earlier post about Fårö.

Our photos will remind us about what we saw this summer: very fun and special old shoe art, old cars, a country auction, stunning sunsets, lots and lots of beautiful butterflies, spiders, and birds.

Lifecruisers photos from Fårö Summer 2006

Or from earlier year:
Lifecruisers Fårö summer 2005
Lifecruisers Fårö summer 2004

Sources:
Wikipedia about Fårö
gotland.net/faro

NOTE: Every comment is equally welcome, even if you’re not participating in this Monday Memories-thing, we love all comments :-)