16 to 20 June - A long delightful weekend with great friends in the National Park Centre of Denmark, Silkeborg

16 June  

The last night in Warsaw had been really hot, so we left the windows open when we went to bed.  We woke up at 5 am and saw that it had been raining through the night.  The air was still damp when we left the keys on the kitchen table as pre-arranged with check-in days earlier and headed downstairs to go to the Central Station.  Airport train was on Track 1 as signed.  It was an easy and uneventful ride to the airport.  On the way, we watched the countryside awoke to the day.  The airport was huge, largest airport in Eastern Europe thus far on our adventure, with shops in between check in lines.  There were at least 100 check-in lines.  Lines for security checks snaked through the airport.  Lucky for us, our check in line was painless and a young lady was smart enough to ask us to use our status on Star Alliance to get through the priority security line.  Apparently,”everyone” was going to Paris that day to support Poland in their Euro 2016 bid against Germany.  W-ifi was patchy at the airport.

The Malmo bridge that connects Sweden to Denmark

Our flight on a small plane was not too full.  They announced that in Copenhagen was raining.  Visibility was not the best from our window seat as it was grey and cloudy.  We were hoping to make some photos of the coastline and the Malmo Bridge which looked like it ended on an island in the middle of nowhere where it headed underground through an undersea tunnel to Copenhagen.  

At Copenhagen airport, we discovered that it was no longer possible to get a train directly from the airport to Skanderborg where we would have transferred to Silkeborg.  Due to the number of refugees making their way into Sweden, passport control has been resumed between Denmark and Sweden.  It has become necessary to go to Copenhagen H (Central Station) first, then change train to Skanderborg.  From there, we would board a local train to Silkeborg.  We bought our train tickets at the airport itself from the helpful counter staff who also helped us figure out our return journey for Monday.

Train to Copenhagen H was straightforward.  It was when we were looking for the track for our train to Skanderborg that it got confusing.  We were looking for the train going to Aarhus.  At the track, it was also necessary to know the coach where one’s designated seat would be and where that coach would be on the train.  The coaches were not lined up numerically.   Margate, a university professor who was travelling in the same direction (she had been teaching in Berkerly in chemistry for a year), noticed our confusion and came by to explain everything to us. We found us our seat and coach for Skanderborg.  We were by ourselves in what looked like a quiet coach.  It rained most of the way and visibility was restricted by mists and low clouds.  But the views along the way was great …. lush green areas broken up by numerous water bodies.  We had lost Margate for this leg of the trip but found her again in Skanderborg after we had changed tracks.  The track change was interesting as we went down the stairs but came up with the elevator.  There, we found Margate again thankfully as the train said Henning rather than Silkeborg (as it is only an in between station).  We enjoyed each other’s company chatting about Denmark and US in general.  Margate got off first at Ry, and told us that we have another two stations before Silkeborg.  This was probably the express train as the next announcement we heard was that we had arrived at Silkeborg.  We were a little rushed in getting our things together to get off the train as we thought we had time to prepare for disembarkation.

Antique staircase in friends' apartment

From the platform, we spotted our friend, Helle, with her bike.  What a nice welcome.  Helle had advised us earlier via SMS to sit on the left side of the train facing forward so that we could enjoy the best views.  We exchanged long hug.  Then we saw her husband, Jorgen, who was also hugging us, waving Danish and Australian flags.  We had no idea where they had managed to get those Australian flag.  It was really great to see our friends again.  It would also be really great to be totally relaxed and not have to constantly navigate or look out for our own safety for a couple of days.  Jorgen took our bag.  Together, we walked the small distance to their home.  It is located at the corner of a commercial space facing the supermarket.  They live in the penthouse on the 4^th storey.  Jorgen carried our bag up to the top floor through the antique stairs and balustrade.  He had restored this building so that it retained as much of its historical features as possible while ensuring that it is very comfortable for modern living.  At the top of the stairs, we were introduced for the first time to their furry child, Fernando, who welcomed us earnestly.  He is such a lovely little thing, taking immediately to us, asking to have his tummy scratched.  From there, we would be the best of friends.  We were to sleep in what was their son’s room so we took our stuff there.  Poor Fernando would have to learn German and English as my travelling companion started speaking to him in German as Danish sounded to be like a mix of English and German to her. 

We caught up with our friends whom we had just spent some time with in Brisbane earlier this year as they had been travelling all across the southern half of Australia.  We had originally planned to join them for the drive across the Nullarbor but work commitments made it too difficult to take all that time off.  We were glad to be able to spend time with them again.

For dinner, Helle made a delicious and healthy quiche, which we ate with salad outside on the terrace.  The terrace was a new addition to their apartment earlier this year and it offered great views.  After dinner coffee came from their excellent Bosch coffee maker.  We listened to the blackbird singing on the TV antenna of the neighbouing apartment block as we enjoyed the sun and the breeze.  After dinner, we all went for a walk with Fernando to the town centre where there was a man-made lake with cascades.  We had been lucky as there was there a heron that was fishing furiously there, accompanied by a kelp gull doing the same.

The picturesque town centre

Pictures of the heron and other birds fishing can be found here :
https://www.facebook.com/SylviaTanPhotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1119568348120386

We then walked along the picturesque river where Jorgen explained the things we would do the next days.  So much nature to enjoy.  Back at the apartment, we emptied our entire bag of all the items that required laundering.  And down to the basement, we went with Jorgen who showed us how laundry works at their place.  After hanging our laundry on lines next to the ventilation vanes, we made for bed.  We were asleep before 10pm.  It had been a long day.

17 June

We woke up at 7.30 am and there was not a soul in the house.  Helle was working half a day that morning.  Jorgen appeared a little later with Fernando.  They had gone for Fernando’s morning walk.  Jorgen made breakfast and showed us how to work the coffee machine.  We had this delicious unique rye bread (containing embedded grains) with local cheese (which we did not react to though we are lactose intolerant), local fruit marmalade and honey.  It was delicious.  After the leisurely and luxurious breakfast which finished around 10 am, we headed out for a walk to explore nature along the river.  Fernando stayed at home as it was a long walk and it would be too tiring for him.   

Beautiful lake

Jorgen took us towards Aqua, where an institution for the handicapped had been converted to a park that offered experience with nature.   We saw some of the stops where the Hop On Hop Off boat would pick up or drop off passengers.  There were more boats than usual at the moorings in the river between the lakes as they had started to come in for the following weekend when there would be the Riverboat Jazz Festival.  A couple of young paddlers were kayaking the river.  A couple of furry friends were playing in the river as they were being walked by their owner.  

Cottage and garden on a garden plot

The place was beautifully pristine.  We stopped by cottages where some apartment dwellers have their garden plots.  In these, the owners grow vegetables or flowers.  Cottages have no power but they have running water.  It was interesting to see how folks work in different places to have a bit of garden to potter in.  Here in Denmark, apartment owners can own or lease a plot a garden plot.

Vrad Station

Helle had booked us in for lunch at the Vrad Station.  It is a special place for them as they had gone there for her birthday earlier.  We made our way back to the apartment arriving just in time to leave for Vrad Station.  Helle recounted how Jorgen surprised her by bringing her there for romantic lunch for her birthday with his mini scooter.  On the way there, we saw what they called a "mousehawk".  We also passed a cooperative store with an interesting bronze statue outside.  Vrad Station is run by a young couple who cooked fresh delicious food.  We had a leisurely lunch then explored around the area.  Vrad Station was a old train station that has been repurposed.  There is an antique steam train that only run on specific days.

The picnic spread

Helle decided that since it being such a nice afternoon, we should make a picnic and walk to Lake Sileonso.  What a great idea.  More exploring of nature is always welcomed.  We headed home to pick up Fernando as he would love to participate.  We prepared the picnic basket - Helle made coffee into a flask and Jorgen went to the bakery to get a cake.  We drove to Lake Silenso.  The picnic place had lots of mosquitoes but the environment was so pretty that it more than made up for that inconvenience.  There were many trails that one could.  We walked for a long time that day, making a full loop around the lake.  They have this system where one could for a fee used one of the canoes that are parked at strategic pick up spots to explore the lake.  When we were clowning around at one spot, an usually shy woodpecker came to check us out for a microsecond.  As it was not yet the weekend, we had the place to ourselves which enhanced the experience further.    Afternoon picnic with nice fruit cake and great coffee at such an beautiful spot – there were worse ways to spend a nice Friday afternoon.

Our furry friend, Fernando

In the evening, my travelling companion asked to go to the town centre again so that she can make some more pictures of this fishing heron so we took Fernando out for a walk again.  On the way, at Helle’s suggestion, we stopped for an ice cream at where the steamboat office was.  It was another productive evening for bird photography.  Back home, after collecting our laundry, we chatted with our friends till midnight.  It was great to have all our clothes clean again.  Fernando invited us to play a game of tug of war with his soft toys.  We chased Fernando around the house as he posed for us sometimes as a model.  At other times, he would snuggle with us as we sat chatting with his parents.

18 June

We woke up relatively late this morning … 8.30 am … At home, we had a great breakfast with eggs, rye bread, honey, cheese, local fruit marmalade washed down with cups of coffee.  We did not have to be anywhere until 12.45pm to start the boat trip with the steamboat to explore several lakes that made up the Silkeborg lake system.  Jorgen had specially booked this boat trip on the historic steamboat.  It is the oldest steamboat, still operating.

Around 11 am, Jorgen reminded us that we have to go to town to Latin street to get us some food supplies for our Russia trip – nuts and fruits .  He brought us to his local grocer -  Mamali’s shop - to get them.  Mamali is Iranian married to a Danish lady.  His son is working at the moment in none other than Tangalooma, the holiday resort outside our city of residence.  What a small world it is !!!  Mamali was very nice to us, giving us extra stuff and all.  On our way home, we had a look around town.  Jorgen pointed out the latest development and points of attraction.  We got home in time to leave for the steamboat trip

Greylag geese in the lake

Fernando did not join us on the steamboat trip.  We explored the steamboat when we boarded.  There is even a royal saloon as the royal family had been carried on this boat before.  The bathroom on board is actually located in the royal saloon.  To operate the steamboat, coal was hand shoveled into the gleaming steam engine.  One can observe how the engine works.  We chose a seat at the stern and enjoyed the view, bringing with us the long lens.  Jorgen advised that we were going to the end pier where we would be able to climb to the highest point where Himmel tower stood and enjoy the overview of the surrounding lakes. 

The steamboat at Himmel Tower pier

At that end pier, Helle found out that the 18^th June 1892 was when the steamboat was commissioned so it was the steamboat’s birthday that day.  No wonder it was a little packed in the steamboat.  We wondered if other celebrations were planned.  We walked to the top of the hill, then climbed the Himmel tower.  Swifts were nesting in the stairs to the tower.  We took a different route back to the jetty to maximise our coverage of the great views available.

Himmel Tower

Our friends had planned a dinner at a traditional fish restaurant.  As we had taken our time at the Himmel tower, we boarded the last boat that day to go there.  It was a different boat from the steamboat.  There are several boats serving this hop on hop off routes.  The restaurant was very posh.  We had the traditional fish platter and steamed apple dessert – all very Danish.  Our friends spotted the lawyer who did the paperwork for their apartment dining there with his family.   After dinner, we discussed the options for going home.  We could take the cab or take a leisurely walk.  In the end, a compromise was taken … we would walk to the next train station which was not too far and then railed home.  As Jorgen headed off to the bathroom before we left, Helle and my travelling companion decided to play a trick on Jorgen.  As soon as he entered the bathroom, we cleared the table and went out the back door.  It took a while before he found us and you should see the expression on his face.  We had been really really naughty.

Traditional fish restaurant on the lake side

Helle wanted to walk a little more so she suggested the next village of Sejs but there was no train station there.   So we walked to Svejbaek where we caught the train.  The ticket machine there did not take foreign credit card so our friends had to pay for us.  Walking back from the station, we spotted young people heading out to their friends’places for the evening.  Jorgen explained that weekends in such smaller towns are better spent at a friend’s home though there are pubs around town too.  It was relatively quiet in the town centre.  On the walk home from the station, Helle said we should get home made organic ice cream from Okkels.  She bought a huge tub home. 

Train arriving at Svejbaek

The rest of the evening was spent curled up on the sofa, looking at the pictures we took and chatting.  Helle and my travelling companion were the last to retire that evening, staying up to chat.  Both Jorgen and Fernando were asleep long before they went to bed.

The plan for the next day was an early rise for my travelling companion and Jorgen as they were going to explore a boardwalk that had been recently completed.  They would do that before brunch.  Helle and Jorgen’s daughter was coming to brunch with her fiancé, Jimm and their baby Carl-Emil.

Sunday, 19 June

The boardwalk

We awoke at 7 am and found Jorgen making morning coffee.  We joined him for a coffee too before we all got dressed warmly for the walk.  We had driven as far as Risenboro when we saw what we thought was a hawk.  Jorgen stopped the car near the path to the swamps there.  This path had to be rebuilt every year after the annual bog flooding.  We had found the other entrance to the boardwalk.

Singing bird

Family of mute swans in the bogs

It was really windy, but beautiful walk between the bogs.  In front of us, an elderly couple walked with two dogs.  And that was all there was.  There was no one else there.  We chatted as we walked.  We saw herons, looked for what the locals referred to as mousewigs hawks.  We found many swans with some cygnets, ducks, coots, and some singing birds … a bull finch …. the pipe singers among the reeds ….. We walked till the end to where our friend rents storage space from a farmer near the other entrance to the bog walk where he had originally intended for us to start this walk before we turned around as it was the end.  At that point, Helle called to advise that we were booked into brunch at a restaurant by river in the town centre with Tanja and Jimm at 11.30 am.

Unfinished green roof
and wildlife corridor

On the way home, Jorgen showed us the new highway with its green roof and its wildlife corridor.  The Danish had made sure that the wildlife were not cut off from their usual movement routes by building crosswalks for them.  The preservation of biodiversity of wild life is heavily considered in infrastructure construction in Denmark.  Tanja and Jimm arrived next with Carl-Emil.  The baby is so cute.  He is the happiest and most grown up baby we have ever met.  It was fun. 

We walked down to the restaurant for the typical Sunday family brunch.  It was really great to meet the other members of my friend’s family.  We feel like we were all family then.  We observed Jimm’s extreme patience with his young son.  They had cut his sandwich into tiny cubes that his fingers can handle and Jimm handed them to him one at a time so that he could not make a mess in the restaurant.  What a fantastic idea.   Brunch was really nice too.  It was a buffet but they bring it to you.  You can asked for more of anything you like.  Food was not wasted at all and always fresh unlike some other buffet arrangements. 

It was a nice warm sunny Sunday afternoon, so after brunch we went to have a look at the flee market that takes place every Sunday.  Jorgen thought that it was a good day to go for a ride in his antique open door Corvette.  He took off to fetch it out of storage.  The plan was that we would meet back at the apartment.  We had been back at the apartment a while but there was no sign of Jorgen.  We wondered what the reason could be when Jimm received a call to rescue him as he had run out of gas on the way to the apartment.  The fuel gauge needed attention.  He finally arrived with a superbly restored and maintained red antique Corvette with plush cream leather seats.  My travelling companion felt like a princess entering her carriage as she got in, with blankets to keep her warm and a cap to keep the winds out of her hair.  The engine roared to life and Jorgen took us for a spin around town.  It is a great car.  Jorgen’s toy.

Jorgen, Jimm & the Corvette

On the way back to retrieve his daily ride, we drove to where we had spotted several herons near this property on our way to Sileonso two days before.  We saw another hawk as we passed an ancient 1752 church.  After the short spin, we made for home to spend time with the rest of the family.  Tanja and her family lives about an hour away.  After Tanja left for home, we left with Jorgen to put the Corvette back in storage.  It was a good that we brought along our long lens as we found a yellow finch at the storage place and another mousewick

"Mousewick"

Finch

on the way home.  Jorgen took a different scenic route to show us another aspect of their beautiful home town. 

Jorgen cooked some sausages for supper which we ate with ryebread and strawberries.  Not that we needed any more food after the hearty brunch.  We did a last load of laundry.  We also met Helle’s mom and her husband who lived in a lower floor apartment in the same building.  They had been at their summer home until then.  It was a quiet evening.  Our great stay with our friends was almost over.  We have had such a great time with them.  It was so great that they were able to spend so much time with us.  Everyone in the house was getting ready for Monday.

Monday, 20 June

It is already end of our stay in Denmark.  Unbelievable.  We awoke at 5am.  Helle was already awake and in the bathroom getting ready to go to work as we got into the kitchen.  Jorgen told us he was taking Fernando out for his morning walk.  We made coffee and some bread and cheese sandwich for the journey to Copenhagen.  It was too early to eat.  Fernando came back and wanted us to play with him; handing us his pink pig.  Poor Fernando would have terrible time missing us today as we would him.

We said goodbye to Helle as she continued with her morning rituals.  Jorgen walked us to the station and put us on the train.  We would really miss our friends.  It had really been great to be able to spend some time with them and experience their lives.

The train ride to Skanderborg was more relaxing than the other way around.  At one of the stops, two gentlemen got on, one with a bike and had to stand with the other sat.  My travelling companion made a funny comment.  They laughed and were soon chatting with her.  Danes are generally friendly in spite of their at times austere demeanours.  At Skanderborg station, the guy with the bike sought us out and advised that we check the platform for the trains as these are not fixed.  That was great advice as it saved us from the stairs that we would otherwise had to do.  Our train would came to the same track.

Skanderborg to Copenhagen H (Koperhavn H) was relaxing as it was the terminal station.  I found my seat which the occupant vacated.  We had reserved seat.  Many commuters, especially locals do not bother with reservation, so they sat wherever there were empty ones.  A lady who works for the State and going to Copenhagen for arthritis treatment sat next to us.  She was a great travel companion on the trip although she too looked a little stern initially.  She works for the forest department and her husband helped build those nature corridors on the highways for wildlife.  Along this leg of the trip, we ate the cheese rye bread sandwich and drank my great coffee courtesy of our friends.  We were already missing our friends and Fernando.

The rest of the trip to the airport was uneventful as was the check in at the airport.  On the propeller plane bound for Riga, our seat mate was a military officer of the Danish army in full uniform.  He was going to Riga to hand over matters and he is now back based in Denmark.  He had served in Latvia (NATO) and Afghanistan.  We had a great time chatting about our earlier visit and things to expect in Latvia.  We note that there were not many Chinese visitors in Silkeborg.  He advised that they were in Copenhagen.  His wife  runs the restaurant of a hotel in Copenhagen.  Our conversation then drifted to Chinese visitors and their contribution to the economy of the countries they visited.  Chinese visitors are peculiar as they asked for hot water to cook the instant meals they brought.  They do not eat local food unless it was a buffet.  At buffets, they were bringing their own takeaway containers and loading them up for their feed for the rest of the day.  They caused problems with other visitors as it became impossible to estimate the amount of food required.  Oh dear.  What an embarrassment.  We need to ensure that we were not mistaken for a Chinese tourist!!!

Our little escapade from travelling had ended then.  We were back to travelling on our own again.  It was a nice break.  Next stop would be the last stop in Europe before entering Russia Federation.