Lillsved

Aikido camp is held on a small island in the archipelago off Stockholm. There are three ways to get there. You can go by car, bus or boat. If the weather is good, the boat is the most scenic way, and that is what we chose.

The boat, loaded with probably 30 aikidoists, plus others, left Stockholm on a very sunny morning. We watched a large cruse ship turn around and head out of the harbor as we were waiting to go. The views of the Gamla Stan, the old city, were fantastic, the yellow and red-oranges of their colors were brilliant in the sun.

The boat stops in many places. The village of Växholm stands out. As the boat pulls in, you see off the left side a fabulous hotel, with lots of glass, but done in an old style. It rises right over the dock, looking out on the other islands. I would LOVE to stay there! On the other side stands a huge castle, sitting on an island by itslef. The island is not so large, but the fort covers the whole thing. It has turrets and holes to stick weapons through and looks massive, made out of grey stone. The castle was originally built by Gustav Vasa in 1544. It was attacked at different times by the Danes and the Russians. Now it houses a museum. It is a little shocking to look at since nearly everything in Sweden is built of wood!

About an hour later, we arrived in Lillsved. The boat pulled up to what passes for a dock. It is not really a dock...it's a cement slab on pylons over rock. The boat pulls in nose first, the staff opens the gate, and then you jump off onto the dock...and don't forget your luggage. It's a little challenging!

Our rooms were not yet ready, so we hung out, met people, and had lunch. After lunch, we got keys. Sue and Grace had a room in the Culture House, and I had a room in the Quiet House, with a roommate from England. The Quiet House rooms all have private toilet/bath, and that was an unexpected benefit!

Lillsved itself has a folkhögskola, like the school where I studied last autumn. There is also a hostel. Somehow they are interwoven, but I am not sure how. The campus sits on a small hill which looks out over the archipelago, facing North. You can't always see the water because of woods, but it is beautiful. Near the dock is a small cafe where you can buy a meal, or ice cream, or have coffee. There are several dorm buildings, dining hall, an auditorium, gyms and another building which might be classrooms. The nearest village of any size, for example large enough to have an ATM and a bank, is Gustavsberg, which is about 25 km away.

For the most part, Lillsved is quiet, except when the motorcycle club comes out to swima nd have a bite. Yes, it does happen...And the only issue with Lillsved for me, were...TICKS. I hate them. Just thinking about them makes me feel crawly all over. This is a growing issue in Sweden -- ticks are becoming more and more prevalent, and yes, they can carry disease, not just Lyme disease but others as well. I saw only one tick, it was crawling up my student Sue's gi pants...but that was enough. I stayed out of the grass. There were lots of other bugs too...those big mosquitoes that Sweden is famous for having. I managed not to be eaten alive, but the thought of the ticks...oooooh!

Training was in the gym. It was woefully hot out, and the gym was sweltering. We were sweating before we even had our hakama tied. The schedule had a Qigong session before breakfast (I loved that!) and then weapons at 9:45, followed by regular class for two hours staring at 10:30A. After lunch, there was open time, then second class from 4:00 to 6:00P. After supper and a break, there was a shiatsu class in the evening. That was really helpful!

There were practice tests on Thursday. My two students did not do well, and we were all told that if they did not improve, they would not pass. Wake up call! We spent the next three days working extra on test stuff, cleaning up some details, learning some things that we had not yet seen, and preparing. It was hard work, and we hoped it would pay off on Sunday at tests.

Camp ended on Saturday at noon, and we headed back to the boat for the ride back to Stockholm. It was excruciatingly hot, and later we learned that the temperature in Stockholm had reached 36 degrees centigrade, which is just under 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Roasting!