Örnköldsvik, Foppa's pearl along the High Coast

My hometown always gives me a special feeling. The town is so familiar: the ski jump in the middle of the city, the sea always close by, the forest close at hand when I feel the urge for a run, and the people in the streets stare at me just like they always have. Although it is very familiar, I feel like I have been away from here for a long while. I don't really know anyone when I walk down Storgatan (The Big Street). I am a nobody now. Sad but true.

Foppaland has changed a bit since I moved away to Uppsala in 1999. At least 50% of the population wears crocs, also called Foppa Sandals, since our BIG Ice hockey hero, Peter Forsberg, nickname Foppa started to distribute them in Sweden. The people of Ö-vik support anything he initiates so it is given that they will buy a pair although the shoes look absolutely ridiculous. The king has also sponsored the brand new ice hockey stadium here. 40 million Swedish kronor is peanuts for a bloke like him. He has also started a golf course here, he owns a racing horse, he wants to build a HUGE hotel by the water front and he even has time to promote safety vests. What a bloke! He is a true Ö-viking (Viking from Örnsköldsvik). The rest of Sweden refers to this region as Foppaland.

The king of Crocs



The king of Safety (he is Swedish after all)

Foppa's ice hockey arena


I wouldn't be this happy if it wasn't thanks to Foppa

I might sound slightly sarcastic regarding Foppa, but I must say he is the person who has manage to raise the profile of the town the most of all. People are now choosing to move into Ö-vik instead of away from the place. It is no longer Dö-vik (Death-bay) which I called it when I was a rebellious and bored teenager. At least some of it is thanks to Foppa.