July 10, 2018
Day 2: Korpo to Svaltik - Long Ferry rides and 29 miles biking
Skerries everywhere
We started the day with a great breakfast at the Hotel Nestor and then the owner/chef drove us to the ferry in Galtby.
The total ferry time was five hours with one change of ferries, and several stops in scenic harbors. The first ferry had a snack bar but we had just eaten an enormous breakfast at the Hotel Nestor and most of us decided to wait until the second ferry to eat. Bad decision: the second ferry was smaller and only had a vending machine and it only took Euro coins that we didn't have.
After passing literally hundreds of small islands (called "skerries") we arrived at the actual Aland (pronounced Oland) Islands at Langnas terminal near Lumparland. One of our guides had prepared a great picnic lunch in the shade at the ferry terminal. We stuffed our faces and then set off for Saltvik.
We biked 29 miles on a mixture of bike paths and low traffic roads, past windmills and a church that dated back to the 1200s. Many houses had tall decorated poles that looked like Maypoles but are called Midsummer poles here. There were a few hills and one gravelly stretch due to construction at a bridge northeast of Godby, but it was mostly highly pleasant cycling.
After one last climb, we finally reached the Kvarnbo area, where an interesting wood carving greeted us at the final roundabout.
We reached our inn for the next two nights, the Kvarnbo Guesthouse, which dates back to the late 1800s. The owners, Martin and Ella Cromwell-Morgan, have run the place since 2001 and were great to talk to about the history of the area and the local music scene.
After cleaning up, we took a walk to see the local church and had an absolutely phenomenal dinner at the Smakbyn restaurant and brewery nearby. Having a van to shuttle us to dinner meant we did not have to get on the bikes again for the 5 km ride to Smakbyn. The owner and chef is Micke Bjorklund, who apparently is one of the best known chefs in Scandinavia - his books were highly prominent in every airport we traveled through in Helsinki, Stockholm and the Alands.
Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 70 miles (113 km)
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