Day 2, 10. July

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE TRAENA FESTIVAL

First breakfast at Traena consists of a freshly baked waffle and a brewed coffe on one of the improvised stands of a local along the mainroad, as we loaf towards the little harbour. It seems like the festival is actually the super important event  and highlight of the year for the Traena locals. They come up with inventive ideas, such as kids with hand barrows waiting for the tourist-packed ferry to offer them a hand with carrying the heavy backpacks.

During the 2nd Coffee we study the music program and wonder why we cant find the highlight of the festival: the concert in the cave on saturday which we got told from a norwegian couple the other day. The informations around the festival are not very clearly pointed out , so we pass at the info desk and got the answer: „well... then you got some more informations than me.“ That was kind of funny and lets us understand that we simply have to go with the flow without knowing and planing too much in advance.

We then spend very nice hours enjoying the sun on the warm rocks, diving into the breathtaking scenery. Behind our back more and more people arrive like ants looking for the perfect spot to plant their temporary home. All of a sudden within 15 minutes, the weather changes and the whole island gets covered with fog. A very mystic atmosphere which remains till the festival doors opens.

Then- like if Petrus has pushed a button- a blue sky gets revealed again. We learn that weather forecasting is an extreme challenge in that region, you actually have to be prepared for rain and storms eventhough the forecast says 100% sun.The festival ground itself is pretty small and clear with a mainstage, some foodstalls and a tent with a more club atmosphere. The band-selection is very versatile, of all genres, but mostly scandinavian artists. Some real jewels to descover. Our favourite is a finnish Dj who plays some spherical tunes with a sax and a drum. He seems to have landed from another planet indeed.

After the concerts and our traditional glass of wine on our private rock, we fall very happily asleep with wrapped sweaters around our head, trying to pretend a night-feeling while it is still eternally bright on this warm summer night at Traena.