Visiting the Stone Age

Yesterday we had a great outing with our Niece and Nephew, to a small village in the middle of Swedish Lapland, called Vuollerim. One of our stops were at the Vuollerim 6000, the Stone Age Museum, that´s been built around the excavations of two houses from around 4000 BC.

The museum itself is an impressive building, modern, good looking, and it sticks out in the general mood of Vuollerim´s rural community - 40´s esthetic. As one approaches there is a strong smell of tar in the air. This is how the wood of the building is treated, just like the wooden church in Kiruna, which reaked of tar when I visited it, some 15 years ago.

As you know, I´m an ardent admirer of Time Team profiles like Phil Harding, and how can one not be? Consider that this is what they have found on the banks of the Luleå river:

burnt stone

quarts and slate

And this is what they have reconstructed:

museum model

and actual dwelling

The focus of the museum was to trigger the visitor´s imagination, to make you think about what it would have been like to live here 6000 years ago. There was a great amount of clothing, tools, and examples of what they would have eaten, and so on. One of the party was particularly keen to try everything on.

Which was great, since two of us are enthusiastic photographers.

Another member of the party is a musician, and entertained with Stone Age funky music.

Unfortunately, they have no guide to the excavation site down by the river at this time, and we felt that perhaps that was necessary to appreciate it, so although one can go there, we decided to refrain and make this our one reason to return to Vuollerim.

Personally, I am - as usual - coveting a handbag.

To top this off: a perfect lunch at the local hotel, yellow peasoup (yum!), pancakes with raspberrys, and excellently brewed coffee.

After which we headed for the next interesting visit in Vuollerim. More about that later.

Vacation at home

Lovely gift from my nephews.

It´s summer and we are on vacation, finally. This year, we are not travelling anywhere (except for a short trip to Gotland), just staying home, doing a few repairs (the washing machine is in molecules, waiting for a new heating element), sleeping late, watching some film on rainy days, taking long walks.

We are also having guests. My sister from Gothenburg & family have just been, and the house has been unusually lively and full of energy. Children are such an effective reminder of the basic joys in life.

Being so impressed with Gerald Murnane, I immediately jumped onto his novel "The Plains". I got one thirds into it, it´s rather short, and I was so bored my body hurt. Sorry, Murnane. As much as I loved "Barley Patch", I just don´t get this. I imagine it´s very Australian, very metaphorical, very something that I just don´t recognize and can´t assimilate. So I gave up.

I have something I ordered and forgot about waiting for me at the library. Perhaps, I hope, a great read. I´m in need of one.