Rune Häger's Complete Guide to the Road From Halmstad - Harplinge

For those who are wondering: what follows is a quick description of the road between Halmstad and Harplinge, the "goal" which Gyllene Tider sings about in their song with the same name.

1. ”Börja vid torget” (Begin at the square). Halmstad has several different market squares, but the one concerned here is the large, well-known Stora Torg (big square) in the middle of town, with the St. Nicolai church and Town Hall building in the background when you stand at Palle’s Sweet Shop and look southward. You can also see Carl Milles’ “Europa och Tjuren” (Europe and the Bull), a sculpture which is perhaps more famous than the square itself. It was put up decades before Sweden even joined the European Union! And, this is where the journey begins, though not with the blue city buses which were once stationed here. They were moved over the Österbro (east bridge) to a new terminal.

2. ”Karlsro” is a part of town where nothing really happens. So, it makes you wonder why, in the text, Gessle urges us to pass quietly through this dull area. Coming down from the city’s center, Karlsro is not much more than a long slope that finally flattens out where, at Karlsro Road, a wall follows along on the left hand side. Behind this wall is Västra Begravningsplatsen (the west cemetery); it’s quiet there.

3. ”Flyget” (The Airport) can be seen at the extreme right as you leave town. There’s an old, shut down air base, F14, which is nowadays a training grounds for the Swedish air force. It’s also home to the public airport, where flights to Stockholm leave with Transwede Airlines. Most likely, in the spring of ‘97 there will be charter flights flying from here to Turkey.

4. ”Allén” (The Avenue) is a long, straight stretch with trees lining the edges, often causing traffic problems. Especially when there are cyclists on the road, which make the travel way extra narrow. This is why Gessle tells us to watch out (his warning even includes tractors).

5. “Gamle doktorns hus” (Old doctor’s house) belonged to a well-known doctor in Halmstad. His name was Aronson, and all of the town’s citizens had heard of him; he cured all his patients by giving them a shot in the ass, whether or not it was necessary. Dr. Aronson is a legend in Halmstad, and his house can be found right when turning off the main road, and onto the smaller one leading to the Ringenäs beach. That is, if you don’t follow the sharp curve in the road that continues on to Gullbrandstorp. (What happened to MP in this curve is still an unsolved mystery, and even MP himself hasn’t cleared it up. At least not officially.)

6. ”Styrdal” is right before Gullbrandstorp. The world famous Tits & Ass recording studio is here, and so if you hear any music, it’s certainly coming from there.

7. ”Gullbrandstorp centrum” (Gullbrandstorp city center) doesn’t actually exist. It consists of only a few houses, some insignificant shops and a parking lot. In calling this a city center, Gessle has exercised an artistic freedom in connecting the song lyrics. And no one even notices “Mysingen”.

8. ”Lynga” can’t be seen from the road, either, unless you know precisely where to look. But there’s a beach out there on the horizon.

9. Then, you turn right and end up on the curved road which passes Harplinge. It isn’t big either. If, when driving past you were to cough, you would see nothing of the village. But nevertheless, it’s certainly become famous.

© 1996 Rune Häger for Elektroniska Tider!