Travel Day - Carlstens Fortress

Today is a travel day using my favorite mode of transportation, high speed train. 

This morning I picked up my laundry from the cleaners, packed up and set out on the journey to Carlstens Fortress on the island of Marstrand on the west coast of Sweden. This is where Metta Fock was imprisoned. 

The train from Stockholm Central to Gothenburg Station is a scheduled 3 hour journey. I took the subway from Ostermalmstorg to Stockholm Central and made my way to the high speed rail. SJ, the Swedish rail organization, has a lounge with free coffee, juices and snacks. I took advantage of the hospitality as I was a bit early for the 11:34AM departure.

The trip to Gothenburg Station did not disappoint. The 3 hour high speed journey passes through some beautiful Swedish country with lots of lakes, sprawling dairy farms, beautiful forests and small towns. 

To get to the Carlstens Fortress from Gothenburg Central required a 55 minute bus ride and a 90 second ferry to the island of Marstrand.

The walk from the ferry to the fortress is a bit of a trek, especially with luggage. However I was met shortly after starting off by a gentleman in a golf cart who asked if I was Mr. Lomax. Huh!? He explained that he was the proprietor of the Carlstens Fortress, Charles Souter, knew I was scheduled to arrive and helped me load my luggage into the golf cart. What a pleasant surprise. 

Charles drove me to the fortress and helped me carry my luggage to my room in the Commandants House. The Commandants House is the very building where my gggg grandmother, Metta Fock, was imprisoned for 3 years!

It was about 6:30PM and I needed a bite to eat and the cafe at the fortress was closed. I knew I would not be able to wait until breakfast. Charles offered to drive me back down to the water front restaurants showing a few of the local sites and waving to all of the residents along the way. He dropped me off at Arnell pâ Kajen and gave me his phone number to call when I was finished with dinner. I had Arnell's signature dish, fish soup which was very very nice.

I decided to walk back to the fortress and burn up some of the calories from the very rich and creamy fish soup. 

That night I got the best nights sleep I have gotten in a long while. I slept the entire night through without waking once!