August 4, 2025
Oskarshamn to Visby, Sweden
As planned, we left with plenty of time to catch the ferry. We took a side trip to a coffee shop to wait and on the way I found the limit of my e-bike. There was a short but VERY steep climb. I think Rick estimated 17% grade, and no matter what, my bike wasn’t going up it. Rick pushed it up.
Got to the ferry. SO BIG!
And a “pet lounge”!
Arrived in Gotland about 4:30 and biked through the very crowded touristy town of Visby, up a steep hill (that I COULD climb) to our apartment. Settled in and walked out around the walled city.
We are here for a medieval festival in honor of the battle of Visby in 1361. The Danish king invaded Gotland and slaughtered about half the males on the island. It happened in a hot summer and they left the dead on the field and eventually buried them in mass graves, leaving their armor on the bodies. When Rick was in the SCA, he made armor based off the archeological dig from that battle. There are reenactments of the Battles of Visby and Masterby. We plan to see the Masterby reenactment.
