As I wait for my daughter, Andee, to join me in Denmark, I’ve had some time to reflect on my GSE time here. There were so many moments to remember and I’m happy I spent time journaling so I can recall them. But these things seemed to stand out for me. I’m not the blogger the others are – not sure why the photos behave like they do…
1. Bicycles. During our first few days in Copenhagen I was blown away by how many bicycles were being used for transportation, not recreation. They were everywhere. There are special lanes for them that include their own traffic lights and even railroad crossing arms. It’s overwhelming in Copenhagen, but it’s common everywhere. And I loved the days our team got to ride bikes.
At the train station in Solroed
A side street in Copenhagen
Our bikes at the island of Omoe.
The bike lanes have their own traffic light.
2. Blonds. There are so many absolutely gorgeous people here, but I’ve never seen so many blonds in one place. Beautiful tow headed children and equally blond parents. Steve has commented about how noticeable blonds are in the US; since they are in the minority they stand out. Maybe I’m more noticeable here! 
3. Windmills. Actually all alternative energy, but the windmills are most visible. I’ve seen a biogas factory (scheet factory), Chinese solar panels, windmill blades being manufactured, homes powered by Hydrogen stored from excess energy from windmills, and other leading edge energy research in western Lolland. But I found the windmills dotting the landscape every few miles or so really pretty.
- Windmills here and there
Windmills in the sea
Windmills dot the sky
Windmills up close.
Scheet tank.
Scheet truck.
Hydrogen heats homes.
4. Beautiful, very old farms. Of course the perspective on “old” is immediate when visiting Europe, but the way the old farms have been maintained and often put back into use for something else impressed me. I was fortunate to stay in a few – even had one to myself for a few nights! The old buildings are neat, painted and usually very big. Many have been remodeled and have that Danish design feel inside, so the contrast with the very old building and the modern feel inside is cool. But even better is the way young families who are inheriting these farms are finding a way to put them back to work. Sometimes as a farm, but often with a twist, such as the organic dairy we visited. Or the microbrewery. Or even Borreby Castle that is restoring a building to use for theater productions.
Borreby owner Joaquim
- Borreby Castle
Patrick at his Krenkerup microbrewery
Just a small one to go
Brewery on the farm
Susanne at the Knuthenlund dairy
Knuthenlund Kid
You can watch them milk the sheep and goats
5. Gardens. Or maybe it’s the fresh food. But the flowers, too. Many times, the food on my dinner plate was in the ground or on the bush or tree just hours or even minutes before I ate it. Now that’s fresh food! But there were flowers blooming everywhere outside and several bouquets of fresh cut flowers inside.
6. Danish. No, not the pastry, the language; actually the three extra vowels. I was OK with the æ (ae), and even the å (aa) most of the time. But the ø (oe) remains a mystery. (My friend, Joe, thinks it was Garrison Keeler who said the ø was the international symbol indicating no native English speaker can pronounce it correctly.) Maybe I just don’t hear well enough any more to get the sound, but as I tried to pronounce it differently until I got it, I was always a bit surprised when the response was “that’s it!” I really couldn’t tell I’d said anything different from the other half dozen attempts. I love listening to it, though, and won’t give up.
3 extra keys just right of P and L
7. Candles. It seemed there were always candles burning. And plants in the windows. And fresh flowers in my bedroom and around the house. I remember when my friend, Trish, told me fresh flowers were not a luxury, they were a necessity. Maybe she’s part Danish. The real impact, though, is the contribution it all makes to that special feeling and atmosphere described by the Danish word, hyggelig. The best English translation we were given was “cozy”, but that really doesn’t fully describe it – it’s much more than just the things, it’s glad for being together, too. I can’t really put it into words, but I will never forget it. And I know our entire GSE team will also remember it forever.
Candles and flowers
Candles
Who needs electricity?
I’ve been waiting for this! Good job, DeAnn. These are my memories too. And you’ll never believe this, but I had tea both Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Just trying to hang on to my sense of Danish… Although, I had apple pie both days instead of pastries and you don’t get more American than apple pie!
Blond or not, you stand out wherever you go!
C ya soon!