Danish blue, Danish yellow…

While cycling the small roads of Denmark I always stop at the churches and I always walk around the churchyards. Often I’ll have my lunch on one of the benches. The Danish churchyards are always immaculate, always interesting, beautiful and peaceful. I could do an entire photo essay on the trees in Danish churchyards. They are magnificent in all seasons. This photo is one of my favorite churches. It is at the west tip of the island of Ærø, in the harbor town of Søby. Like most Danish churches, this one has the hanging sailing ships and the chandelier. I love knowing I will see those in every church I step into. What I love in this small church is the deep blue sky of the ceiling and the intense yellow wheat of the pews. They reflect the surrounding fields of Æeø.
Søby is not a “cute” town, but I love it. I always stayed at the B&B of Dres and Karla Johansen.  Søby is an honest working town.

Danish Musings….

We are returning to Denmark this August & into mid-September.  Returning to favorite places and seeing good friends….it is years between visits so nothing is being taken for granted.

Every site and sound, every person, every meal – all will be deeply enjoyed and appreciated.  We depart from Sequim, Washington, on August 23rd, shall skip past Copenhagen, and make Aarhus our home for 7 days.  Then we’re off for Faaborg, Ærøskobing, Svendborg, and Odense, with one day spent in idyllic Kerteminde.  This journey has been long yearned for.

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I’ve moved…

My two blogs, Danish Musings and Accidental Weaver can now be found under:

danishmusings.wordpress.com

and

accidentalweaver.worpress.com

 

Thank you!

Kristiana Nielsen

Market Day Music

Svaneke, on the Danish island of Bornholm, is picture-perfect.
A small town pressed against a hill, with the Baltic at its edge, and small, twisting streets… will take one to Market Square. Every Saturday is Market Day – an amazing array of artwork, cheeses, crafts… and accompanied by live music! It’s a delight!

Early morning in Ærøskøbing

A parade of one woman in early morning light… slowly walking along sun-silvered cobblestones. Moments of stillness abound in rural Denmark… and as a traveler who chooses to slow down enough to immerse in these mini-events, I am constantly rewarded with scenes such as this one.

Dansk Stokroser

Hollyhocks, or Stokroser, are as Danish as the red and white flag and beer. Every small street in every town will have summertime Hollyhocks growing in profusion. These street plants are expected to grow from a tiny patch of earth, tight against a wall and bordered by pavers. And grow they do! Six feet tall and more and in exuberant colors. These are preparing to bloom, but before they do I love the bright green against the yellow ochre. Later, I’d just see the ruffled blooms. Both are Danish perfection.

Dog Information

There is almost always a place outside a shop where you can safely leave your dog. There is a place to loosely tie your dog to a post, there will be a water bowl, and often a shelter in case of too much rain or too much sun. Rarely is there too much sun. It’s also rare to find a sign specifically for your dog to read. This one translates as “Quiet now! It’ll only take five minutes.”
Like the Danes themselves, Danish dogs also have a plethora of rules. At this shop it’s up to the dog to behave until its person returns, hopefully with an appropriate treat. “Vov, Vuf!”

I know where I am…

I’ve walked my cycle down this alleyway in Ribe many times. There’s so much I love about it… the Danish tidiness of clean-swept bricks, the white and ocher buildings with black half-timbers, the unlocked bicycles leaning against the wall… and the boats on Ribe River just across the narrow lane. When I get to the end of the alley, I turn right and there I will find one of my favorite restaurants in all of Denmark: Sælhunden. If it’s a warm summer day I will sit at a small table set out on the cobbles along the river. If it’s chilly, I can stay cozy inside. Best of all is to be there on a warm day or evening and after a really great meal of Skipperlabskovs or Biksemad with beer. I’ll finish it with the best summer dessert possible: Rødgrød med fløde… Red Berry pudding with cream.
Ribe is out of the way for most of my jaunts in Denmark, but I’ll make my way there for a few special days in Denmark’s oldest town – just for a meal at my favorite restaurant. Mange tak, Sælhunden!

My trusty cycle…

I’ve cycled many miles on this Raleigh bicycle. I bought it new on one very cold January day in the Danish town of Rønde…at “Bike Fever” (www.bikefever.dk) What a great shop! On this bicycle I could easily ride up any hill… long and gradual or short and steep, I never had to get off and push.
When first cycling in Denmark. years and years ago, I would buy rickety old bikes and give them away when I left. A couple of times, I rented bicycles. That system worked for a long time. Eventually, I bought a brand new bicycle in Denmark in 1992. It was the roadster of cycles: heavy, 3 gears, great seat, high handle bars. It’s still there, in a barn, but quite a bit past its prime. I rode it for many years to every corner and along every shoreline of Denmark. This newer bicycle I have ridden from January through April in 2011. It’s still in Denmark, being ridden by my friend, Cecile, as transportation to and from school. I’m hoping to borrow it next August for a memorial ride to my favorite sites. Cycling in Denmark – it’s the only way to travel!

The other “White” of Denmark…

There are the churches… and the swans. You will see both everywhere you go in Denmark. Both are pristine white. Seeing either one while on my cycle jaunts causes me to pause and enjoy the quiet beauty of each. Swans are seen on lakes, in streams in fields, and in the sea… more adaptable to changing environments than the Danes themselves seem to be. I often wait for swans to paddle close to the shore, enjoying their elegant beauty and calm demeanor. This quickly changes when they clumsily leave the water – at four feet tall with an immense wing span they can be immediately threatening. I’ve been known to rapidly retreat from an advancing swan. One spring evening, I waited patiently for a group of swans to slowly paddle along the seashore, heading for the brilliant path of golden light laid down by the setting sun. It was worth the wait. As the sun set, they glided through the light, and then darkness fell. I cycled away in the dark, with the forever memory of swans drifting into gold.