Le Petite Blog: Part 1 Denmark

Greetings and salutations. I am still slightly jet lagged from our latest adventures but felt that I should make a start on the billions of photos that I took in the previous two weeks. And post something...We had decided that this year as we were heading Europe way to the Isle of Man, that we would also go to Denmark on this trip and get to see relatives that we haven't seen for a while. This has generated quite a few photos and I apologise now, these photos are all taken from my phone. I realised on the way to the airport that what I had forgotten (always forget something) was my camera..so I winged it with the phone camera.

Denmark is a spectacularly beautiful place. Lots of landscape and sky! I love it there and I feel very at home. We were lucky enough to have been invited to stay with family and they live on the Main part of Denmark, Jutland. Here we enjoyed amazing views and great time with family. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with everyone, after not seeing them for eight years...in some ways it is a long time. But as always the passage of time is erased once you talk. I might add that their English is phenomenal and of course my Danish is nil...ok I can say 'thank you' for food but not 'where is the loo!' Luckily I didn't have to relie on my Danish at all!!!!!

The other thing that you need to know is that Danish people are renowned for hospitality and my family is no exception. We really were very well looked after and we of course can't wait to see them here in America or indeed travel back to Denmark.(You just did too good a job and not only do I want to come back, my boys are already planning their visit!)

But enough of that, here are the photos,

This of course needs some explanation...This is Frankfurt Airport and we had just stepped off the Transatlantic Flight from Philadelphia. We were greeted by ladies wiggling in bikini's and half clad men, all very lovely but wow what a sight at 9.00am. The noise and visual assault was quite hard to bear! But we mostly were confused about the whole deal. It took us a while to realise that the airport was celebrating countries of the world and of course this is Brazil! and Rio!!!!

Person in airplane costume..I have no explanation for this...just they were in the Airport and we needed food. As you can see Damian was eating healthy.....NOT and oblivious to this added entertainment.

This is tired boy one and two....I think these snaps, say it all....

This was the view outside the airport hotel, we had to stay overnight in Frankfurt, before getting the plane to Aalborg, in Denmark the next morning.

We have arrived in Denmark and are driving along the road to the North of Jutland and our first port of call, a town called Sindal. I noticed that across the road there is a steam train on the bridge. I have never seen anything like this in Denmark and it was a complete surprise. My photo isn't great but this is what we saw...

They also have lots of wind turbines...and as we whizzed along the highway I managed to get this shot.

We arrive at my cousins property and this is the road as viewed from his house. A lane really flanked by amazing farm land. My first morning walk and this is what I saw. Truly amazing and literally took my breathe away.

Down the lane from Alex's (this is my cousin who we were staying with) is a small herd of Jersey Cows. They seem to pose for me every time I went past on my morning walk! So I just had to take a photo. The funny thing is that the electric fence was really low and they literally could have stepped over it..so I didn't get too close and wasn't too sure that their expression was entirely friendly!!! My cousins daughter told me that sometimes they did get out ....no kidding

This is the Danish flag and these are flying everywhere and this style of flag is very popular..it's like an elongated flag and it flutters like a ribbon.

Here is one of my cow friends doing her pose for me!

Lots of lovely corn fields around my cousins property and these two close ups show it's golden quality and the hair like quality, as it sways in the breeze.

One of the things that I wanted to do while in Denmark and especially this close to the northern most tip was visit Skagen. A popular tourist place and for good reason. This is not just a beautiful place but also where the two seas meet at the top of Denmark and people love coming here. Also it is where artists have come for years and famously Kroyer an 18 century artist came and painted here. The light in this part of Denmark lends itself to artists and so also there is in the small town of Skagen, an art museum. So one outing and I could see art and the sea...works for me! So we packed picnics and off we went.

This crossing over of the seas is wonderful and in the shallow water you can see the meeting of these seas. I had to wait for this shot as there were lots of people there.

On the horizon I could see the shipping lane and this is a fraction of the traffic...I recon there were at least twenty ships that I saw, huge containers...all off to the Balkans.

This is a special sculpture at Skagen and this chain reaches up into the air leading to no where or maybe that we can link...explanation can be yours. I just think that it looked quite fab! The group in the distance is the family finding a good place to eat the picnic

Once installed on the sand dune Isaac and the rest of us ate lunch and the caption should be...'hang on a minute I've seen this can's logo somewhere before!' or alternative caption 'it has what ? in it'

Just some of the folks at the meeting seas

I recognise these lovely people! This is Isaac and two of my cousins children....lovely lovely girls Sarah and Emma..I just love that they are laughing and Isaac's face is priceless..

Yes that is one proud dad and son!

Here is the town of Skagen and just a little example of the housing style very much repeated in Skagen the yellow paint and red roof. The red house is also typical.

But what do we have here! The chairs outside the house are a very recognisable American design, know as a Adirondack Chair! Now I wasn't expecting that.

What's totally fab in the Skagen museum is that you are allowed to take pictures! So I did, and this is the first set that you see of portraits. I think it's wonderful and my favorite one, was the guy in the middle looking at you.

They also had some modern stuff in there and Sarah and Louie are discussing the merits...have to say, I did feel quite naughty taking the pictures....but it was fun!

They were at the time we visited doing an exhibition on 'home' and these paintings really appealed to me

This is also a famous picture from the Skagen museum and I rather liked it.

This is a self portrait of Kroyer and part of the home exhibition.

This is one of Kroyer's famous pieces and Emma told me part of a school painting art project, she had to paint this....

Think that this piece was called 'the art critics'. I love Kroyer's work, it is known for the realism that he used on subjects and style of painting. Showing people and life as it was at the time.

On the way home we went for ice cream and this was mine...liquorish flavor and pineapple...let me tell you, it was fantastic!

Emma is enjoying what we call in the states marshmallow fluff.....I didn't know that they have it in Denmark. !!! OR that you put it on ice cream. It is like soft marshmallow.

We were looking at some chairs as Alex and Bente have some great outside furniture and so we were taken to the place where they bought it. I loved the furniture and of course this was a favorite, they said that they were sure we could take this as carry on!

OMG that is another version of the great American classic the Adirondack Chair!

We also went to the fish steps where there is steps for the salmon to jump up and we saw this lovely house...again that familiar yellow paint on the house with the red roof. Quintessentially Danish.

I just loved the canoes parked in the field of flowers

Part of the salmon river

Denmark is famous for trolls and you can well imagine them in this landscape!

I did manage to get into a vintage shop!!!! I was totally excited about this and it was literally up the road from Alex's and the other thing about that is that there is nothing near them...I did well to spot this.

Some of the decor was curious and this guy seriously needs some trousers!

They had quite a lot of this

And hello another weird mannequin....fab placing of the hat though.

The shop had the most amazing goodies, I could have filled a freight container with this stuff!

We went to Hjorring to buy me trainers...morning walk being essential and I thought that I wouldn't need to walk on holiday...well I did need my walk and it gave us a chance to visit the town. We were there all of twenty minutes but I got some snaps...cobbled streets and street art

Now that's what I call accommodating...beans sacks for people and of course Louie ...

This could be a post card. I don't normally take pictures of random people, but that small child was perfectly placed and showed how street art is for people to enjoy!

We could make up these guys conversation...I love their faces so simple yet expressive

How about this for cool old fashioned design

These are just great carvings and again the faces are priceless

Poor guy he does look a bit funny

But what about the fabulous lion!

This is a small car, in the town....not sure what for but super cute!

As we were honoured guests the family gathered for us, which was lovely and we got to see this side of the family. There was fantastic preparing by Bente who is an amazing cook. Her roast pork is to die for and she made these lovely rolls....me and Emma were left in charge...phewee we didn't burn them..they were as delicious as they look. The other family members that came to see us all brought food, and it dispelled any dream I had to live there. They are all phenomenal cooks, I wouldn't be able to keep up and as for the fish soup that Malena made...gorgeous!!!! flipping Tak Fer Mel thanks for food Danish rellies.

My cousin Alex and his youngest Emma...love that smile. She hated me taking her picture and was tolerant of me annoying her.

Gilberte my Aunt and Isaac and Damian...I think that Damian must be showing her something cheeky from her expression. But knowing her she would enjoy it. She is so lovely and of course she thinks Damian is wonderful! We all love her very much and her one liners are second to none.

Lovely Uncle Stafford and adoring Louie....more computers and I think he is showing photos...

My cousin Andrew's daughter playing quietly to one side of the gathering got an unexpected visitor...neither can speak the others language but they had a good time with the lego. It was very sweet.

Me torturing Emma again

and Damian again showing something to someone

and he kept gathering victims

Now he has Melonie and Andrew...my other cousins watching....

Being on holiday is exhausting and at times a good stretch is required....well lets hope it's that....it could be them reproducing a form of the three legs of Man!

Louie was lucky enough to travel in Alex's Porsche.... and one of the dogs looks on

and here is the other with Isaac....

Lovely fields around Alex's farm and on my last day I managed to walk to the near by small town of Sindal

Great properties new and old

Rather an imposing church but beautifully appointed

So with happy sad feelings we said good byes and went on to our next port of call and my cousin Christina. She kindly put us up in her lovely home and I just loved the design of this place. It used all your heat, sweat and breathe to keep the house at an ambiant temperature and it was completely sound proof...amazing. The design was a new project and it was great to see it and stay there. It had everything you could want and was compact and efficient, the most smart way to live.

Here is her son Phillip..he doesn't like his picture taken so I was feeling honured that he let me!

and here is Pennie, she is the same age as Louie and of course they got on like a house on fire. It was lovely to see the kids as they had been staying elsewhere and took time out to see us.

At Uncle Nick's house in the woods for the second of the family gatherings. As you can see Damian didn't get a second to relax!

Louie and Pennie having lots of laughs

We managed to borrow Sarah from the other side of the family and she joined us here, Isaac and Sarah were a great pair and it was wonderful to have some more time together for our all too brief stay..they were two peas and I couldn't believe they co ordinated on color too!

Uncle Nicky's and Aunty Sonja's garden is a marvel...this is the veggie patch!

This is me and Christina

Uncle Nicky's and Aunty Sonja's cabin in the woods, they built themselves and it literally a place on earth that is a slice of heaven. It was so peaceful there and the property sits in the woods undisturbed and just a haven!

That pair again...such great buddies...this was the best thing about the holiday the connections that we all made! and Isaac and Louie connecting with their cousins was just magic!

Ah lovely cousin Leonard with laughing Mr Fozard...Phillip is keeping well out of the goings on.

This has to be Damian story telling with Nicky ready to jump in with the punch line

Near by is a park and the kids had lots of fun, playing together and not being able to speak ones language was fun to see them having so much fun together.

This was a dandelion I saw on the way to the park....it is massive!

Louie doing that Leonardo Da Vinci thing!

More fun times talking and sharing

Outside and again the most amazing food and wonderful veg from the garden! Damian is really listening!!! In the back round you can see the lovely family gathered to see us. It was so wonderful to see them and see the kids! they have all grown a lot since last time!!!

One happy gang!

Managed to capture Phillip one more time!

Meanwhile Pennie and Louie had sneaked off...I tracked them down and found them in the spare office room. We all love this great roof space. I beggsey staying there next time!

It was hard to say goodbye to Denmark. We all had found wonderful connections and spent time with family we have often thought of and missed. Being able to see everyone was truly special and I thank all the respective families for taking the time to host us and visit with us while we were in Denmark. We really made some very special memories.