My time in Sweden is almost up: we fly back to Niger on Monday! Five weeks have gone of which one full week went to a lovely vacation in Dalarna, visiting Hanna.

One of the last excursions Hanna had planned was the Långbrygga in Rättvik, overlooking the beautiful Siljan Lake.

Rättvik is a worldwide-known small town because of its old tradition of folkmusic and the beauty of the surroundings close to Lake Siljan. Many tourists who are visiting Sweden go to Rättvik to experience a traditional Swedish and Scandinavian way of living.

Source: Wikipedia

Its culture and landscape are by some regarded as being as genuinely Swedish as it gets. For instance, Rättvik still has its picturesque old church located by the water, where it is surrounded by old “church stables” where the church visitors used to leave their horses.

Source: Wikipedia

Every year the folk music festival “Music at Siljan” is held in Rättvik, by the shores of Siljan.

Source: Wikipedia

We parked the car and walked through the center of this small town in Dalarna, passing a grey version of Sweden’s national symbol (which is normally red).

A Dalecarlian horse or Dala horse (Swedish: Dalahäst) is a traditional wooden statuette of a horse originating in the Swedish province of Dalarna. In the older days the dala horse was mostly a toy for children, but nowadays it is used as a symbol for Dalarna or sometimes the whole of Sweden.

Source: Wikipedia

We then headed out to “Långbryggan” for a cosy picnic!

Långbryggan

In 1895 this 625 meters long pier, was built as a landingpoint for the steamship “S/S Rättvik” which was trafficing lake Siljan from 1895 to the 1950:s.
The poet Bo Bergman describes the pier being “almost as long as eternity”. After a major renovation, Långbryggan was re-dedicated on our National Day, June 6:th 1992.

Source: http://www.rattvik.se/

As a way of financing such a big project the public, as well as companies, were offered to buy one or more of the 2 938 boards the pier consists of. Knowing this, the names on the boards gives an extra dimension to the pier. The entire renovation cost 2,5 million SEK.

Source: http://www.rattvik.se/

Enjoying a beautiful view!

Today Långbryggan is a very popular place to visit and it is also a landingpoint for  “M/S Gustav Wasa” and  “S/S Engelbrekt”.

Source: http://www.rattvik.se/

Siljan: Sweden’s sixth largest lake.

Esther without the Ishtar pose

Hanna, my wonderful friend and hostess!

What a sunset!