Week 16 – „One Year – One Island“
This sunday, when I was start looking for a subject to paint, I remembered the old arched stone bridge at the Kvinneby parking spot, which I had driven past so many times on my way home. There are a few such bridges and – as far as I know – they are all on (or near) the Eastern Highway. So I drove to the bridge and looked for a good place to sit with an interesting view. But now – at least on this cloudy day – I found the subject rather boring. Yes, of course, the water reflected the arch of the bridge and created a perfect oval – but otherwise? Perhaps a play of light and shadow on the bridge would have been more interesting, but like this….? There was another bridge, just before Fröslunda, a longer one with several arches very close by. Maybe that one? I drove there. Both bridges – and probebly more of them – cross the same little stream. In summer it hardly carries any water, but at this time of year the meadows along the side were flooded, so it was difficult to find a suitable place to draw. I ran around, hopping from wet tuft to tuft of grass, but still got wet shoes. Here too, a grey bridge over grey water with a grey sky looked uninteresting. I finally gave up on this subject. What now?
On the map, right next to the Norra Kvinneby parking spot, there was a marker at google maps with the name Björklunden, in the middle of a small forest. What was that? At first I turned off too early, onto the sports field, but then I discovered the small driveway in the wall directly opposite the N Kvinneby sign. Here I could easily park my car. I walked between the trees and could see two red huts. When I got there, a clearing opened up and in front of me was a stage, lots of wooden tables with benches and a discarded hay wagon decorated with a colourful string of lights. It was a small festival site in hibernation. It immediately occurred to me that there were many such small „secret“ dance stages here on Öland in the summer – a scene that for many summer guests and residents was associated with warm summer nights, music, dancing, alcohol and great memories. A piece of summer Öland, quite simply! Because concerts in small and large formats belong to the tourist part of Öland. And here it was – as if it had fallen out of time, looked abandoned and somewhat neglected – and so quiet. You couldn’t even hear the birds chirping. I was terribly frightened when a hare, which must have been nervous for quite some time, jumped out of its deep hole just a few meters away from me and disappeared in panic. I went back to the car, got my camping chair and my painting bag and put them right where I stood. And then I could start my drawing in this hidden place – lost in time.
While I was sketching, I thought about what other festival sites I knew on Öland. Unfortunately, I’m not as active in the summer as I would like. So the desire to visit such summer events more often arises especially in the winter, when there is nothing going on here and you have time. Then I ask myself why I don’t get up more often in the summer and go out in the evenings, even to an open-air concert. There are plenty of options from June to August. But at that time we run our café 6 days a week and in the evenings, when we just have closed and all the chatting guests have left our place, my husband and I have such „tired ears“ and just want to be left alone. No concert, no happy people – no one around us. And as soon as you’ve recovered from the season, you wonder how you could have voluntarily missed so many great events. So I don’t know many such festival places and so I did a bit of research. I already knew that the the Swedes in general love to dance. As a tradition they dance at Midsommer and at Christmas eve. And there are “Folkparken” with dance barns and outdoor dance stages all over the country.
(Foto Credit: digitalarchiv.se)
Here is a small list – but there should be many more to be found on Öland – if they want to be found, because that is also one of the joys of these places: people like to celebrate among themselves, amoung neighbours and friends.
Here in Böda there was “Bödabaden”, a square dance resort that was opened in 1984 by a dance-loving couple and became very well known in Sweden. Bödabaden had its peak in the 90s. The enthusiasts Gösta and Inger Toreld ran the hotel and dance hall until 2004 and then sold it due to age.
In Byxelkrok there is a fairground where Midsummer is celebrated or theater performances are shown. It is run by the local sports club.
North of Köpingsvik there is Lundegård. Most people think of the huge campsite with the same name, but in fact Lundegård is actually an old farm with a dance barn and stage. For a few years now, people have been dancing here again in July, to country music on the “American Days”.
The Rälla Pavilijon has seen better days – various actors have been trying to revive it for at least 15 years. So far without much success.
Dansbana Sandbergen – it has been around since 1926! Since 2004, reggae has been playing here at the annual Öland Roots festival.
A probably less well-known place is Tornlundens hembygdsgård. Here too there is a dance floor with an accompanying stage in the garden.
In Albrunna lund, a nature reserve, there are only traces of an old festival site.
Björklunden, which was opened 1977, is in good company. Among my painting motifs this picture is representing these wonderful, unpretentious places where the festival is not particularly successful because everything is perfect and super organized, but because many people come together with commitment and enthusiasm to spend a great evening.
(Foto Credit: Ölandsbladet, Carin Svensson, 2019)
Oh, and to all those waiting for the “scary story”: next week! Because I was in Norra Sandby and I will also tell you about the – now famous – Sandbyborg.
Until then, I wish you a colorful week,
Angelika