Smorebord Day

Sunday 10th April – Smorebord Day

Jytte has been hard at work today as she is preparing all the ingredients and condiments that will make up a traditional Danish lunch of open sandwiches known as Smorebrod. There is smoked eel, a range of differently cured herring, pancakes with fish eggs, meats and tomato to name a few. Amidst all this preparation Jens, Alice and I bailed and went on a little road trip. Our first port of call was the seaside village of Havnso which is known for its production of apples. There were a number of large orchards but at this time of the season the trees were bereft of fruit. At the harbor which overlooks a nearby island locals were doing summer maintenance on a range of watercraft. A few of the campgrounds had an influx of locals taking advantage of the warm weekend weather which had climbed to a staggering 12 degrees. We continued travelling down country lanes which meandered in and around the farm holdings. We stopped at a picturesque folk high school at Vallekilde. The school is supposed to be the second oldest in Denmark and they are proponents of the Rudolph Steiner method of teaching. The school was founded in 1865 by the theologian Ernst Trier who worked in the tradition of N.E.S. Grundtvig who is seen as the spiritual figure behind the many folk high schools that were founded in Denmark during the second part of the 19th and the 20th century.The high school which in Danish is known as gymnasium is accommodated in a beautiful brick building and also has a church adjacent to the grounds.

Back in Ordrup it was time to commence the feasting. After the initial tasting washed down with an icy cool Tuborg it was time for the first “skol” of the afternoon. Our fiery but smooth drink was a Lysholm Linie Aquavit which is a product of Norway. Its claim to fame is that it is matured in oak sherry casks and then sailed to the other side of the world and back again. Twice across the equator has resulted in an aquavit that is a perfect balance of spices and oak aromas. Oh! What a dangerous combination. In between eating we were watching the Paris to Roubaix which is a grueling cycling race. By the way the winner who crossed the line half a wheel in front was an Aussie named Matt Hayman.

We finished off our day with the last handball qualifying match. It was another exciting game and Denmark is off to the Olympics in Rio. They did not have it all their own way and were given a hard match by the tournament minnows Bahrain.

Monday 11th April – Copenhagen

It really is a spring climate with the sun is shining and not a cloud in the sky. The trees are starting to show the first buds of green. We are heading south east today for some retail therapy in Copenhagen. Prior to hitting the shops Jens dropped us at Amalienborg Castles the home of the Danish royal family.  It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard. We were a little early for the changing of the guard but nevertheless the sentries looked immaculate in their uniforms. Just west of the castle is the imposing Frederick’s Church. It is popularly known as the Marble Church for its rocco architecture. Frederick's Church has the largest church dome in Scandinavia with a span of 31m. The dome rests on 12 columns.

Jens found a parking spot in one of the popular department stores and the girls headed off down the Strøget. It is Copenhagen's main artery and one of Europe's longest pedestrian streets with a wealth of design shops and international flagship stores. I don’t think they will have any trouble finding something to purchase. Jens and I took up residence on a seat in one of the squares and engaged in some people watching. Keeping us company in the square which was adjacent to City Hall was the equestrian statue of Absalom. There were plenty of Danes taking advantage of the sunny weather and it was difficult to find a spare seat to have a cup of coffee.

The girls finally made contact so we headed back to the car-park to await their arrival. They soon arrived and had plenty to show for their shopping experience. Jens ever the tour guide patiently drove us through the peak hour traffic and made a slight detour to show us where Alice and Lilian’s father Bent used to live. We arrived back in Ordrup at 6:00pm which gave us just enough time to have a pre-dinner ale. Tonight we are tackling the all you can eat dinner at the local restaurant. For DKK99 ($20) you can fill up on roast pork, baby boiled potatoes and pickled beetroot with a parsley white sauce. The food could have been a little hotter but was still delicious. As I started on my third plate, they were small servings, I could almost feel my arteries hardening. To end what was an excellent day we were entertained by a young deer that was rummaging around the backyard.

Tuesday 12th April – Local Tour

No breakfast for me this morning as I am still full from last night’s meal. What a difference a day makes, today the sun has decided to hide behind the clouds and the temperature has dropped to a cool 7 degrees. In an effort to shed some of my expanding girth I took a long walk around the neighbourhood. Apart from the main thoroughfares the streets are mostly gravel and lined by huge pine trees. Most of the summer houses are empty and apart from the occasional staccato burst of a chainsaw in the distance it is serenely quiet.

When I returned everyone was ready for a drive around the northern district of Zealand. Our first visit was to one of Denmark’s oldest castles called Dragsholm. We had a look at the old stables but did not venture inside as we could not afford the accommodation rates or the price of a meal at the Michelin rated restaurant. From here we headed up to one of Jens’ favourite lookout spots at Veddinge. It houses a communications tower but the view over the surrounding farmland and Victory Bay is excellent. In a paddock adjacent to the tower there was a small herd of Icelandic Horses frolicking about. With their peculiar gait and shaggy coats they are a sight to behold.

Jens was travelling via all the country byways which brought us down onto Lyngvej. This road runs parallel to a beautiful stretch of beach and is home to many summer houses. In the middle of nowhere we stopped at a location named Dutterhoje. This is part of a series of burial mounds from ancient times. They date back to the late bronze age between 3800 and 3000BC. The grassy mounds were quite high and were covered with wildflowers and daffodils. From here we travelled through Hojby, Nyrup and Klint which is on the eastern coastline and nestled on the edge of Nyrup Bay. One of the things you could do in Klint would be to enroll in a course offered by the Martinus Institute.  www.martinus.dk

   

Martinus Institut

www.martinus.dk

Martinus Institut, Danmark



  They preach a third testament in what is supposed to be a logical and scientific way to analyse the living universe makeing it probable that an eternal, all-loving God exists, a God that has always been the source of religions and spiritual life. Martinus also shows how our consciousness, psyche and morality evolve through reincarnation and karma according to natural laws that in the course of time result in all experiences, both pleasant and unpleasant, benefitting the individual. With a doctrine like this how could you refuse a couple of weeks in a summer house on the Danish coastline. We were more interested in the small harbor and the area of Klintebjerg which had outstanding views of the sea.

Before heading home we dropped into Rorvig which had a great harbor for sailing boats and a new Aldi store. I had to constrain myself from checking out the weekly specials. On the harbor itself there were a lot of new apartments which overlooked the water. The design of the buildings was very Danish and seemed in harmony with the landscape and the sea. Our last stop was at a bedding store to purchase a double sheet for our citycamper.

Wednesday 13th April – Lazy Day

The weather is still overcast which makes even going for a walk seem like a chore. Jytte has given me a couple of small tasks to keep me busy. This entailed Jens and I taking a drive to the local hardware store in Horve to purchase a couple of items. Back at home I tackled my chores with enthusiasm and completed them to Jytte’s satisfaction.

With the day drawing to an end it was time to uncap a bottle of Seattle American coffee stout from the Thisted Brewery. I thought it was okay but the others gave it a thumbs down. Not to be deterred I followed up with a tall bottle of Jacobsen Brown Ale which admittedly did taste better. It also went well with the roast beef dinner that Alice and Lilian had prepared.

Thursday 14th April – Packing Day

Once again the weather is still overcast and looks like it will remain this way for the next few days. It doesn’t seem to worry the birds as there are plenty around the bird feeder in the backyard. My favourites are the brightly colored woodpecker and pheasant. On the lawn the apples that Lilian had thrown out for the deer remain untouched. They might be feeling a little skittish with all the Aussies in the household. The only good thing about the weather is that it is perfect for packing our bags in readiness of the road-trip that begins tomorrow.

After finishing my morning chores I finally packed my bags. To celebrate this momentous event I undertook to partake in some excise. To put it mildly, it nearly killed me. Alice and I decided to brave the bitingly cold wind and took a walk down to the beach. Out on the local jetty the water which wasn’t very deep was crystal clear. It looked inviting but when I dipped my hand it was like dipping ice-cream into chocolate. The water just about froze on my hands. The walk itself was pleasant as once again all we could hear was the chirping of the birds and the wind in the tress.

Back at home Jytte prepared the Danish version of Bubble and Squeak which is known as Biksemad Med Spejlaeg. It was delicious and went well with the schnapps and bottle of Willemores Porter. At 8.5 percent and with a colour as black as the ace of spades it has a taste that is rich and earthy. The girls are playing game of competitive Ludo which is laced with a French Riesling. Alice cannot throw a six and is being thrashed by Jytte and Lilian. Ah well it is a good way to end the night.