Swedish royals drop anchor in Guangzhou

Queen Silvia waves to royal fans in Guangzhou. Despite the wonders of modern technology she and her husband obviously retain a little bit of sailor's superstition, as they also found time to pay their respects at the temple of a 1,400-year-old god of the sea
Photo: © Getty Images
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Over 250 years after the original Goetheborg arrived in China, its successor sails into Guangzhou harbour
Photo: © Getty Images

SWEDISH ROYALS DROP ANCHOR IN GUANGZHOU

King Carl Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia have discovered just how far international travel has come in the last 250 years. The Swedish royals enjoyed a comfortable, stress-free trip as they flew into China to hail a group of their intrepid countrymen who made the same journey over two centuries ago under rather more challenging circumstances.

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The couple jetted into the city of Guangzhou this week to welcome the Goetheborg III, an exact replica of an 18th century wooden merchant ship that sailed from Gothenburg to what was then known as Canton in 1743. Built using the same materials as the original, the new vessel has spent the last ten months negotiating tropical storms and searing heat as it made its way from the Scandinavian country to China's southern coast.

Sailors onboard have enjoyed one or two of the modern conveniences their predecessors had to go without, though. Crewmembers on the replica vessel had access to showers and toilets and they were also spared the discomfort of having to share their space with livestock. Swedish car company Volvo meanwhile equipped the ship with five marine engines to help it keep moving in times of no wind.

The king and queen will no doubt be afforded every possible comfort as they continue their visit by travelling to Beijing, where they will meet with President Hu Jintao later in the week. Their arrival in the populous city comes just after Crown Prince Felipe and Crown Princess Letizia of Spain, who were in the capital to open an Instituto Cervantes cultural centre, head back to their Mediterranean homeland.

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