I went to Umeå for a couple of days to visit my daughter – my son wanted to go as well.
Listen to Sara – the voice of Västerbotten!
Umeå is a student’s dream – and was the cultural capital of Europe in 2014.
Walking this passage we can both listen to and see the work of the author Sara Lidman – the voice of Västerbotten (this part of Sweden).
Umeå (ca 90 000 inhabitants) started in the 14th century, and is called the capital of Norrland and the City of Birches. I really should visit in spring to see the fragrant green.
Gammlia
Gammlia is an open air museum with many old buildings for people to visit and remember the olden days. Sami people have a special place here.
The sun has returned to Norrland as well – and sitting outdoors to catch the warmth is essential. Skiing and ice skating on the river is for every person, old and young. It is fun to watch three year olds racing like wild things – and are they skilled!
In the middle of the city they build ice playgrounds and a maze. And many roads have a built in heating coil to take away the snow.
After some 12 kilometers walking, we took a break at a lovely old book store.
And we had some delicious food as well…before walking back home – in the middle of the street like everyone else did. Too much snow and ice where we should have walked! But we did not slip or fall, despite the difficult weather.
Normally the temperature never rise above zero during winter, but now, due to climate change, it frequently jumps up and down. Last week -25 C and this weekend 5-6 plus and thaw. The Sami people and their reindeer suffer from these changes because when the temperature drops again, there will be a thick ice cover and the reindeer cannot reach the necessary food under the snow. The animals starve and the Sami people have to use state funds to survive.
Leya 
I especially enjoyed the photo of the books in the bookstore. Thanks for sharing and for taking us around town on your adventure!
Thank you for joining me!
Sitting outside on the snow – would be challenging for me 😉
😀
Love the atmosphere in these photos. That watery winter sunlight and quiet snow-filled streets.
Glad you love it too! Quiet it is – and a positive atmosphere. Thank you!
Oh my, you were walking for 12 km in these conditions? 😮 This is like a 30 km normal walk. The photo of those two reading in the snow says it all. We live in different worlds. 😉 Sad to hear about the melting. I suppose there will be more and more of it.
Tough people those from up north! Different worlds it really is…but they love their snow and ice and get very sad when there is too little of it – like this year.
Looks so interesting. Are some of the houses made from wood? How sad is the effect of climate change. 😦
I would say most houses here are made from wood. And painted in bright and sunny colours. This part of Sweden is timberland.
This looks really interesting. I love the idea of the ice playgrounds. Now I see people calling you Ann Christine, but I always call you Leya. Is Leya ok?
Leya is OK. It is short for lagottocattleya – my blogname. My real name is Ann-Christine, but that too is too long for any form to be filled in…
And yes, they are smart and fun in Umeå. Love the city.
Ok Leya!
Umeå looks a lovely place, but cli mate change is causing real problems for the Sami people…tragic
Yes it is tragic. And there is more to come I guess. And it is getting hotter and hotter in Australia and the Mediterranean area. I wonder how fast this will finish us.
Sooner than we think, I dare say….
I am afraid you are right.
Alas
I love the idea if the ice/snow playground. Yours is the second post i read this evening about how Climate change is affecting the lives of traditional/indigeonous tribes. It is worrying.
Very worrying..
Yes, it is worrying. Some f the tiny islands in the Pacific are about to disappear I read. And indigenous people are first in danger I think. But we all are.
We are
We have been to Umea two years back. It is nice to see it in another season.
How good to see it in more than one season! I have to go there in spring or summer too!
Ever so fabulous A-C 🙂 So many questions and observations.
What is the ”green stuff” you are eating?
It is wonderful to see people actually reading from books (please don’t tell me there is no internet)
The effects of climate change is so world wide. Feeling so sad for the Sami people and their Reindeer.
Is ”Gammlia is an open air museum with many old buildings” the oldest building still standing. I guess there is nothing from the previous centuries still standing.
Thanks for sharing. It did cool me off a bit after a quite warm day here today
Well, thank you for all the questions! The green stuff is avocado mousse – very tasty! And the oldest building at Gammlia is from the beginning of the 18th century – a farmstead. Very well preserved. Most buildings are from the 19th century.
Thank you 🙂 I’ll pass on the avocado mousse. Not my fav fruit. It is great that some of the buildings have survived and being preserved.
Many buildings were moved here in the beginning of the 20th century.
To make room for new development?
I don’t think so. They just wanted to preserve the old buildings. Most of the countryside is abandoned to nature – the flight to cities you know…
Even better to preserve the building and letting the environment come back. Pity the countryside farms and towns are disappearing though
It really is. The countryside is heartachingly beautiful up here…Had I been young and strong I would have lived here.
Leya
Lovebly photos 🙂
Thank you very much for commenting!
Such a different lifestyle from ours. Hard to visualise being that cold. But obviously people adjust. It does look a very tranquil town
Tranquil it is – and happy and harmonious people. They love the snow – so many activities. They hate it when there is too little of it – like now!
Sad about the climate impact – and now you have me wondering what the fragrant green would look like there.
It sounds like they adapted quite well to the snow – with the coils and then the readers on the mats (such a peaceful photo too) – and seems cold weather adapted – and I really like the mustard yellow house
They love their winter. So disappointed if there is too little snow – as there is now!
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