Taking the ferry in the Gothenburg archipelago

The sea, the sea, the sea. Sometimes, if I feel trapped and frustrated, I go out to Saltholmen (= The Islet of salt). Once I feel the salty wind in my sour face, I usually get in a better mood. To get to Saltholmen, the easiest way is to take the tram. From Angered or Bergsjön you can take either tram 9 or 11 all the way, and it is probably the most segregated class trip you can make with one and the same tram in Gothenburg. You travel from Gothenburg's northeast corner and through some of the city's socio-economically most vulnerable areas, through the city centre and further to the southwest and the rich old wooden villas in Långedrag (perhaps the equivalent of Djursholm in Stockholm?). You have time to contemplate a little about class divisions and the order of things while the tram rattles out onto the headland.

Now you are at the ferry terminal. Here you can go all the way out to Vrångö (the inhabited island located at the far end of Gothenburg's southern archipelago) by public transport. It takes an hour to get there if you choose a ferry that makes stops on the intermediate islands, which you want. You also want to make sure to go on either the ferry Ylva or Vesta, because they have a café upstairs. If you take the long route round trip, and with a café on board, you will have time to sit with your coffee and look out over the islets. Or stand on deck and let the sea wind sweep away all the gloomy troubles you may have. I have several times brought my laptop and in blissful solitude committed this excursion on a weekday while studying or looking for a job. It's nice and quiet, especially during the winter months. The west coast is really beautiful during winter, when the sea is iron grey and the barren cliffs stand dark against the white sky.