Tag: Travel

Last Adventure in Denmark

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Our stay in Denmark is coming to an end, but there are still adventures to be had.

Liza’s favorite walk, for example, is along a particular stretch of the Horsens fjord called Elbaek Skov. It has an unusual sort of forest that could only exist in the protected environment of a fjord.

The huge trees that grow at the very edge of the water lean way out, looking for open sunlight. And since the waves in the fjord are almost nonexistent, the trees are not damaged or eroded, but just keep leaning and growing.

Like so any of the beautiful places in Denmark, this area amazingly accessible. A small parking lot leads to a gravelled path, which runs parallel to the shore. Without the sound of crashing waves you would expect, the feeling of peace and tranquility seeps slowly into your bones and when you are done walking, you feel better than you did when you went in.

We walked until we were halfway tired (as my Dad would say), then headed back home for lunch and more chat.

I know I have to go home soon, but I am sure going to miss these lovely people and this pretty country.

Love,

Grandma Judy

To Aarhus

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Except for Copenhagen, cities in Denmark are pretty small compared to those in the United Sates. Aarhus, just north of Horsens, (the little heart on this map) has a population of 295,000 and is the second biggest city in the country. But since it is also on the other side of the country from the capital, Aarhus also functions as a sort of regional federal office.

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We saw this clearly at Dokk1, a combination civic building and library on the old harbor in Aarhus.

It has dozens of offices where folks go for citizenship, immigration, and other business with the government, which saves folks a several-hour long trip across to Copenhagen. And, since this sort of procedure can take a long time, there was a delightful cafe with lunches, fruit, drinks, and sweet treats.

Out on the wide, sunny terraces, creative play areas kept young ones from getting restless and provided me with one of my favorite soundtracks: the laughter of happy children.

The Library was not a silence-shrouded collection of books, but a lively, light-filled collection that shares space with Lego trays, art supply bins, and broad areas for playing “Book Ping Pong” and “Book Dominos”. All this works because of the Danish sensibility of group responsibility and looking out for others.

Nothing was being broken just to break it. No one was yelling just to be loud. This place belongs to everyone, so no one wants to spoil it. It was civilized and delightful.

We walked and looked until we were worn out, and then headed home.

Tomorrow is another day with more adventures!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Off to Meet the Vikings

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

After the Forest Tower, we were all happily exhausted, but our day wasn’t over yet. There were reservation snafus and rearranging of expectations, which is a bit jarring, but always good experience.

We found a beautifully renovated hotel called Portgaarden in Skaelskør, had a delicious dinner, slept very well, and had a fabulous breakfast. Part of our morning was spent chucking rocks on the beach under the Storebaeltbor, the Great Belt Bridge that connects the island of Sjelland to Fyn.

This huge construction has a suspension part that is more than four miles long (more than twice as long as the Golden Gate Bridge). Then there is a lower causeway section hat is also just a bit over four miles long. It is an amazing accomplishment. We will cross that this afternoon.

But we were headed to see some old, old friends. The oldest friends in Denmark, in fact. The Vikings.

At Trellborg, we got to see the archeological remains of an actual Viking village, where hundreds of families lived, worked, raised children, and fought off enemies, starting in 980 A.D.


We saw their clothes, their weapons, and their graves.

Then we walked out into the round berm where they placed their houses, arranged for safety and society.


A model shows the overall view… some houses inside the berm, some outside for tending the sheep and the crops.

The outlines of these houses are still visible, covered in concrete to preserve them for future study. This is the best preserved Viking fort in Denmark, and there is still a lot to learn about it.

And it felt very real, very personal. These were mothers and kids, fathers and husbands, working together in a difficult situation, doing the best they knew how. From the archeological evidence, it looks like the fortress was built quickly and only occupied for about 15 years, then abandoned after a massive battle and fire.

The futility of all their work and vulnerability in a violent time leads me to think less about raiding Viking armies and more of the people who stayed home, keeping their society going. I have learned a new viewpoint. Travel does that.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Through Egeskov and Beyond!

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Besides the historic delights of Egeskov Castle there were more modern day things to see. The owners, over the years, have massed quite a collection of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and even planes!

These are housed in a wonderfully trussed barn just across the moat from the castle.

There were de-lousing trucks from World War I and shiny modern Jaguars. It was dazzling!

When we had seen all we had the stamina to see, we drove through some rainy, then sunny, then rainy again countryside. All this summer rain sure makes for green fields! We got to the coast ( I know, most of Denmark is COAST) and found the busy shipping and transport hub of Svendborg. David had booked Grandpa Nelson and I into The Best Room in Town at the Aero Hotel.

See that high turret? That’s us!!

We had a bedroom, and then this delightful breakfast room in the turret, with a chandelier and great view of the ferry landing below. Grandpa could have watched for hours.

After we got moved in, we walked down the way and had dinner at Jette’s, a family favorite, and then walked around the harbor area.

It was a funky combination of working, slightly rusty harbor and newer, painted tourist area.

We had a great time just being silly!

The next day had enough adventure that it should get its own post. So, see you tomorrow!!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Across the Lillebro

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

We have started our three day road trip across Denmark! There is so much to see.

We started our drive in the pouring rain, heading south from Horsens. We crossed over from the peninsula of Jylland to the island of Fyn over the Lillebro, or Little Bridge. As you can see, it is only little compared to the Storbro, or Big Bridge, which we will see later on our journey.

The weather went from rainy to blustery, with amazing clouds and a good stiff breeze.

We found the castle of Egeskov, which Auntie Olga calls “The Castle-iest Castle in Denmark.” She is so right! Surrounded by a lake-like moat, lovely gardens, a maze, and lots of land, it has been named Europe’s best preserved Renaissance water castle. It has stood here since 1554 and is currently owned by the latest in a long line of sons, Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, but operated by the Danish government as a historic landmark.

Inside are generations of historic dresses, furnishings, weapons, and portraits. There are toys and kitchen tools displayed in the attic. It is a huge amount of stuff. Imagine if your house still had your great great grandma’s dishes, and all the rest of her stuff. Plus your stuff. Oy.

There is also a said-to-be- haunted doll in the attic which no one moved for a few hundred years, for fear the castle will fall down if they did. They all seem to be over it now, but the doll is still there.

Out in the grounds, we wandered the rose garden, maze, and water garden.

Everything was a photo opportunity! So I took lots. I love watching Uncle David explain things to Liza. Most of what I learned about the mechanical world came from my dad, so I value this sort of learning.

But there is MORE to Egeskov, and that will need to wait for tomorrow.

zlove,

Grandma Judy

Walking on the Beach, Walking in The Woods

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Cousin Liza took me for a long walk down the beach by her house the other day. I had been there before, but it’s always fun to hear her take on things.

It was a sunny, chilly morning, and the light was sparkling on the water. The fjord doesn’t have waves, just little laps on the beach it is perfect for boating. Liza has started taking sailing lessons, and she posed by the boat she uses. All the boats are stored upside down in the boat yard. There is no fence around anything. “Stealing isn’t as big a thing here,” she said. I realized how much of our energy is the U.S. is spent keeping our stuff safe from thieves.

Further down the beach, we sat in huge wooden chairs that can be rotated into or out of the wind or sun. A very nice spot to perch!

We found two of Thomas Dambo’s trolls, called Laura and Julian, playing tug of war with a slack-line that you can walk on. We decided against it.

There were hammocks, which we rested in and watched the trees dance over our heads. We took pictures and messed around with color editing as we cuddled in the hammock. It was so nice to have quiet time with my youngest grandchild.

We got tired and hungry and headed to her place, where your Uncle David made everyone quesadillas. Then it was time for a short drive and a delightful walk through the Bollerskovene Klokkedal Skov, which is a national park just across the fjord from Horsens.

Broad, flat paths and burbling creeks made for a pleasant walk. We found a small bridge and I taught Liza how to play Pooh Sticks.

That lead to some engineering under the bridge to release the sticks. Engineers play differently than other folks, for sure. It was wonderful to see David and Liza having fun together!

And, as we walked back to the car, I got all three of my Danish family to pose. Aren’t they adorable? David drove us back to town and we all had naps and then a snack-ish dinner together.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Wild Flowers, Rune Stones, and Deer

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

For our second day in Horsens, we headed out of town to Jelling. Of course, there is always a snag, and David’s Tesla needed charging, so we had a layover.

Liza and I enjoyed the massive wild flower field by the service station, and had a fine time identifying and photographing them. With the rain and long summer days, flowers grow really well here, even when no one takes care of them.

At Jelling, we met Auntie Olga’s friend Dennis. He is from Russia and getting used to life in Denmark, too.

The rune stones are rough, stout stones about seven feet high, carved all over with symbols. They were placed here, between two burial mounds, by the Danish King in the year 965 A.D.

This one, which shows a very stylized Jesus on the cross, was carved to show that King Harold Bluetooth (yes, really) had converted to Christianity. It is called Denmark’s Baptism certificate.

In case you were wondering, Harold’s initials, written in Danish runes (ancient letters) is the symbol we now use for Bluetooth wireless technology. Bluetooth was invented by a Dutch engineer while working in Sweden, so I guess it makes some sort of sense? Cool, anyway.

Scientists have discovered that the stone were originally painted!! Over a thousand years the paint has worn away, but tiny traces remain, and a replica of one of the stones has been created with what they think the original colors were. I was stunned. With the color, they look almost Mayan.

After some delicious ice cream, we said good-bye to Dennis and headed to our last stop of the day, the Deer Park outside of Vejle, south of Horsens. The deer were very gentle, of course, but not always cooperative.

One little girl followed the small group around with a handful of grass and kept offering it. She may have a long term strategy, but while we were there, the deer weren’t having it.

By this time, we were all pooped and drove ‘home’ for a well-deserved lay down.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Finding the Unexpected in Leiden

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

Walking through Leiden, we kept coming across wonderful quirks that reminded me of Portland. First, there were these little mosaics, each the size of one paving brick, in places around the city.

There were enough that I stopped taking pictures of them, yet never so close together as to be boring.

There was also a lot of public art, mostly in the form of bronze statues; a series of young men selling things, like flowers, fish, and fabric. I suppose this was a celebration of Leiden’s history as a market town.

Some of the statues are also draped with string, and one had a key placed at his feet! I wonder what the hidden message was, and for whom.

Some things, we may never know.

Another bronze statue, near the main entrance to the University, was designed to encourage public voices of dissent. This podium, with a little riser behind it, has “Protest” and other words carved on the front. Student challenges to the status quo is celebrated. Hooray for young ideas!

Finally, we happened to be in town for the annual Parade of Boats. It was described by our waitress as a yearly party where “drunk people in boats make a show for drunk people on land.”

A few dozen groups like dance classes, choirs, clubs, or just groups of friends, rode through the city’s canals in decorated boats, playing music and entertaining the crowd. It was clear that many of the paraders, as well as many of the audience, had had a few drinks. But, as far as I could tell, no harm done.
Our hotel room on the second floor gave us a front row seat.

And it was a magnificent party!

Well, that’s all I’m going to tell you about Leiden for now. Tomorrow is our flight to Billund!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Hortus Botanicus and Other Delights

Dear Jasper and Kestrel,

I am writing to you because I will be seeing Liza very soon. So, hello, Portland!


We woke up Friday in Leiden, hungry and ready to explore. The city center wakes up pretty slowly, but we found a shop, called Vooraf en Toe, that sold us coffee, juice, and the best apple pie I’ve ever had. Notice my restraint: I didn’t have the whipped cream!

Once we were fed, we walked through town and across canal bridges to the Hortus Botanicus, one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe. It is in the grounds of the University and is a teaching facility for students as well as a delight for visitors of all ages.

There were tiny mulched trails through forests for a fern garden.

There were signs all over explaining about the really cool details of botany that my Momma got me interested in…. Spores and seeds and Linneaus, biomes and bees and calcium-rich soils.

And when we had looked and read and smelt everything, it was time for lunch. The cafe had a wonderful zucchini soup with fresh baked bread, which I slurped down like a starving woman (which I was!).

Grandpa Nelson is always good company in gardens, museums, and walking around cities. But like most of us, he’s happiest when he has a place to sit and a cup of coffee. Here he is, looking particularly handsome.

I’ll tell you more about Leiden tomorrow!

Love,

Grandma Judy

Into Leiden

Dear Liza,

After the usual disorientation of an overseas flight and time adjustment, we are in Leiden, the Netherlands, and seeing all sorts of lovely things.

We are staying at a hotel called CTY Books, which is a modern place built inside a really old book sellers (from the 1700s). In a perfect blending of new and old, it has super nifty electronic locks but traditional Dutch stairs; AC for the hot days but is perched on a centuries-old canal.


The parts of Leiden we have seen are busy, modern city businesses that work in a very canal laced geography. This giant windmill sits beside a canal on the way from the train station.

Canals are common in The Netherlands because the land is low and swampy, so for centuries the people have dug canals to drain the water away. The canals also make for nice transport, to and from the sea as well as around town.

Our first day, we found De Brucht, which is the remains of an old castle.

It was originally built up as a high place to escape flooding, but when foreign armies threatened, they put a castle on top.

in in the midafternoon we started drooping from jet lag, and went up for a nap. Three hours later we were fit for more site-seeing, and wandered the neighborhood. The old, well maintained buildings and canals make everything look like a fairy tale.

De Landstrader, the restaurant just below our hotel, serves wonderful French fries, as well as salads and dinners. We stopped for some food and wine before heading back in for the night. We ate inside as the canal side tables were getting noisy and we like our conversation un-shouted.

The sunset was stunning at almost 10 p.m. as we headed up to our cozy room.

Tomorrow will be another full day!

Love,

Grandma Judy