The Göta Kanal (Kids Stuff)

Göta Kanal.  That's Swedish for those of you without roots grounded in the Motherland.  It's not easy to find on a map much less pronounce - so says this third or fourth generation American.  Third, when tracing my Mother's side of the family tree.  Fourth, when pursuing my Father's.  But back to that pronunciation.  Let's try doing it phonetically:  Jhu-ta Canal......No, that's close but no cigars.  Try again.  Jhu.....Sjhoo-ta.....Sjhoo-ta Canal.  That's it.  Perfect.   

Now that we have that little bit of housekeeping out of the way, a few facts.  The Göta Kanal is some 240 miles in length and runs in a generally east to west direction through the southern portion of Sweden.  Construction began in the early 1800's and the passage was officially opened on September 26, 1832.  The waterway links a number of lakes and rivers by virtue of some 58 locks with the high point being about 92 meters above sea level.  Originally conceived as a transportation boon for an economy based on mining and agriculture, the canal has now been relegated to an afterthought for tourists and vacationers.

And so it came to pass that the Fall of 2017 arrived and something unforeseen blossomed within - I found myself wanting to go to Sweden.  Now there is nothing unusual about my desire to see new and off-the-beaten-track places.  That pretty much happens a couple of weeks after the return from every vacation I've ever taken.  But that Sweden part caught me off guard.  When other members of my family had voiced their desire to visit the Motherland I had always dismissed it as a destination because Scandinavia was simply too similar in nature to the environs surrounding the Salish Sea of the great Pacific Northwest.  Why go halfway around the world to see pretty much a mirror image of what is proclaimed everyday out the back door?

Then there was that awkward issue of ancestry.  Sure, it's nice, maybe even important to understand one's roots.  But to truly capture the essence, the very soul, of who these people had been generations past and worlds apart presented a muddle of depth that I had never been willing to wade into.  Indeed, genetics are a funny thing.  The further into the past one travels, the less a person has in common with any single ancestor.  The same can be said for moving into the future and those who will come after us.  Without doubt, those whom we touch in our brief lifespans are those with whom we share the most.

All that said in an effort to justify a sense of guilt somewhere deep down inside.  A disquiet springing from the knowledge that vast oceans of my heritage are simply unknown to my consciousness.  For that ignorance, blame is often transferred from myself to the premise that life happens and sometimes life gets in the way.  Rationalizations of that manner had always shouted down opposing opinions during any internal debates regarding a trip back in time to the Old Country.  Needless to say, those contending notions had always gone quietly.

But the Fall of 2017 was different.  This time, Sweden wouldn't let go.  The want quickly evolved into something akin to a need and the question moved from "if" we should go to "when" and "how" should we go.  That, along with a few "must haves":  a connection with the past, a varied and interesting venue, large doses of relaxation, and lots of good food.

It took a bit of research but soon the internet provided the perfect answer - six days meandering the Swedish countryside at six miles per hour.   The Göta Kanal.

And with a casual mention of the whole idea to Jamie, the trip was soon booked for August 2018.

Join us as we journey.

Stockholm 

M/S Diana 

The Locks

Boats - in writing

The Emigrant - in writing

Copenhagen - in writing

Sights along the Way