Bison, what bison?

After breakfast this morning we checked out of the lovely Hotel Skeppsholmen and ordered a taxi for the railway station.  We have decided to take the train rather than plane between Stockholm and Göteborg (Gothenburg) so that we have a chance to see some of the countryside.  It seems to be quite a big deal to rent a car anywhere in Scandinavia if you want to return the car to a different destination from where you hired it.


Travelling to Göteborg  from Stockholm,we saw a few different kinds of landscapes. 
On our way from the east coast, we enjoy approximately 4 hours of lakes and forests, Swedish small towns and farmlands hastily completing harvesting and tilling before the colder weather sets in.  

We watch the weather close in, pass through a few showers and gloomily watch the dropping temperature.  As we get closer, however, the wind is pushing the clouds quickly past and by the time our journey is over, the rain has cleared.


We pass by a bison farm - yes, bison!  Between Skövde and Göteborg we pass by Bisonfarmen i Gate.  This farm in West Gotaland, (Sweden) has a herd of American bison imported from the U.S. in 2004. Today there are about 125 animals in the herd. They can be seen on guided tours with tractor and prairie wagon. The Farm is located near the Forest of Hökensås. Bison Farm at Gate has 138 acres of pasture divided into seven enclosures. The animals are moved from enclosure to enclosure to meet the needs of new grass. In the wintertime, the animals are fed with hay. At the farm breeding and meat production are the main activities.



Approaching Gothenburg, we pass the two lakes Aspen and Mjörn. They are much larger with lots of small boats anchored around their shores – and are very close to the train tracks!

We also pass a Volvo factory!


Donna reckons that the carpet is a sign that we are in the right place.  The room is certainly rather luxe.  Very nice. Toochilly to go out in the night air, but we will head out nice and early tomorrow to the Haga area - one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Göteborg.