DK13 in a nut shell

Her Perspective

DK'13.... That's a Wrap!

For several years, Frank & Jill have asked us to come on one of their trips 'home'. Aalborg, Denmark is where Frank grew up. Although he left over 25 years ago, they return often to visit family and friends. We have declined their invitation for several years, not wanting to take away from his family time.  After traveling to Sweden & Finland with them on previous trips, it was time to make the trip to Denmark.

DK'13 has been our mantra for much of the past year. We crowned Frank our tour guide & he took it from there, doing a fantastic job. Earlier this year, we had a slide show with commentary & pictures presented to us. For my birthday, my presents included a Denmark market bag. Time grew closer...emails flew back & forth. Flights, hotels & cars were all discussed & decided upon. 

Finally, on a very warm Texas summer day the trip began. First stop for us, a very warm & humid Atlanta ....where we were greeted AT THE GATE by Frank & Jill jumping up & down & waving. It was GREAT (or....a little awkward) to have someone meet our flight.
We saw them off on their flight & waited for our next flight. Many hours later, after changing plans in Dusseldorf, we met again in Copenhagen. The non rev Gods were not on their side & as we boarded the final flight to Aalborg, they headed to the train station for their last leg.

We arrived in Aalborg very tired & hungry.....and short one suitcase. Mine. Yes, I know, we never check bags. This was required as we were on a very small plane.  I did have enough to survive for several days in my carry on bag if necessary.
Fortunately my suitcase arrived by early afternoon the next day. 
The (sort of) funny thing is, we saw the suitcases from the plane window. Of course we were very relieved...and then the baggage cart drove off. WITH MY SUITCASE (oh, and many others). Apparently it happens often as the plane was not big enough for all of the baggage. 

Aalborg was quite warm. Not as bad as Texas, & not the humidity of Atlanta. With no a/c & temps well into the 80's, it was uncomfortable. But we were finally in Denmark & with Frank in charge, the fun was about to start!

After checking into the First Hotel (never saw the Second....), we headed out to find food. We were able to sit outside & eat the first night. That is just one of my favorite things to do....great start! Then it was off to bed & the promise of a busy day on Saturday.

At breakfast I discovered Danish morning cake. A wonderful ooey, gooey must have every day kind of cake. Yum! After breakfast, we headed out to see the city. Among the important sites....Frank's first home (including the location his pram was placed in the courtyard for naps), Frank's bank, Frank's Church & Aalborg Man. Confusing because in this case it was a statue. I was under the impression FRANK was Aalborg man. 

Let's call it Aalborg Man X2

At a local street market we picked up hummus, bread, fresh peas & cherries. We walked with our picnic to Aalborg Tower. At the top, we were able to get a great view of the city. Down below, in a beautiful park,we enjoyed our picnic.

Dinner Saturday night was one I will never forget. As I told Frank (over & over), it was possibly the best meal I have ever eaten. First, we took a boat to Egholm Island where the restaurant was located. A boat, to an island, for dinner? I am IN! 
At Frank's suggestion, we ordered Stegt flæsk. The best way to describe it is fried bacon. It came with a sauce that I did not use, parsley potatoes & pickled beets. IT WAS A M A Z I N G! After dinner on the island, we made a brief stop to visit Frank's Dad at his fjord side apartment. 

Sunday we were up bright and early. Bright because the sun was shining brightly into the room very early........at around 4:00 a.m. Because it was so warm, we left windows open and the curtains too. The sun was a great wake up call!

We headed out by car on Sunday. First stop, Den Gamle By in Aarhus. This is an open air town museum consisting of buildings of homes, shops & businesses. 

The buildings are decorated to represent their original era. In some of them you see people working as they would have in by gone eras. 

After wandering for a few hours, Frank opted to drive back roads where we ended up at Mariager for a snack in the town square. A little walk & the tour continued. Next stop, Rebild, a beautiful national park. It is known for hosting the biggest 4th of July party outside of the United States. We were able to walk around a bit but due to the late hour, we did not spend nearly enough time at this beautiful site. 
Heading back to Aalborg, we stopped near Nibe. The view of the water was spectacular. Frank pointed out bike paths along the way where he had once trained. 

The last item on the agenda was a drive by Frank's childhood home & elementary school. Dinner on a boat, at the harbor ended our day.

Monday was also an early start. Destination.......the beach!!! Once again, we headed out by car. First stop was Den Tilsandede Kirke, the sand church. This church was covered by sand over many years & then taken down by order of the king. The tower is all that remains. 
A walk on the beach in Grenen gave Wilson the opportunity to pose with jellyfish & Jill & I the opportunity to send Mom a video beach hello (as is our tradition). 
The four of us walked out onto a piece of the beach known as The Stick, the northernmost point in Denmark, where we posed for pictures.

Standing @ the juncture of 2 seas

Lunch was in the picturesque town of Skagen. I finally got to have a Stjerneskud (or Shooting Star) open face sandwich. This fish sandwich has one piece of fried fish, one piece of steamed fish, shrimp & caviar among its yummy ingredients. So fresh and so good! After lunch, we wandered Skagen, stopping at the glassblower, admiring some Skagen watches & looking through other small junk shops.  
For dinner, we were invited to Frank's sister & brother in law's home. Also there were his Dad Thorkil & Thorkil's companion, Jetta. We had a very nice meal, again outside. Thanks Susanne & Henrik!

Last summer when we were in Breckenridge with Frank & Jill, they became Great Aunt & Uncle when his niece, Vibeka gave birth to Sophia. For a year, we have heard all about her, seen pictures & gotten to know her through them. 
On Tuesday we finally got to meet Miss Sophia (as well as Mom & Dad, Lasse). They live in Silkeborg, about an hour and a half from Aalborg. 
We took a boat ride to Himmelbjerget (Heavenly Mountain) where we enjoyed getting to know more of Frank's family at lunch.

After lunch, Frank thought it best to try to kill Bob & I with a walk to the top of the mountain. 

Heavenly Mountain. Nearly died going to the top of it.

Just the three of us, slowly ascending, in the heat, I might add (that seems to be a theme for me...the heat). The view from the top was spectacular & it really was not a bad walk up. OK....maybe it was...but going back down...no problem. 
A boat ride back to town, good byes all around & we headed back to Aalborg. 

A picnic dinner at the harbor was our evening destination. Several bottles of wine, cheese, bread, wine, meat, wine, fruit, wine, cookies, good company, wonderful conversation....excellent evening all around. 

Wilson also enjoyed dinner

And it may or may not have included just a little too much wine. 

On Wednesday morning we had a very special invitation to watch Frank's Dad at work as a blacksmith. He works once a week with other local craftsman, all with a different specialty. 

Men at Work

After visiting the craftsmen, we took a (very warm) bus to Lindholm Hoje to see the Viking graves. According to Wiki, some of these date back to the 5th century. Regardless, it was a very interesting to see & unlike anything I had ever seen before. Next up a few hours for a nap/reading/downtime.
That evening, we met Thorkil & Jetta, as well as Frank's nephew Morton for dinner at the Princess Juliana. This beautiful ship (permanently docked) was a lovely setting for a very nice evening.

Thursday we wandered Aalborg in the morning before taking a bus to Thorkil & Jetta's apartment for a wonderful lunch. The view of the water from their deck is spectacular. The wonderful company and great meal made for a memorable afternoon. Instead of taking the (yes, very warm) bus back, we opted to walk. Frank & Jill wanted us to see the summer houses nearby. Best described I think as a small community of very small (summer) houses, it is interesting in a 'I don't think I would want to stay there but thanks for showing us' kind of way!

Because we had not walked enough, Jill & I took off in search of shops around the hotel. Nothing of interest but we had a good time wandering. 

Our evening adventure included a walk through the former castle grounds where we quickly found we were not supposed to be & oh, by the way we were now locked in (had to walk around where we started to get out). After unsuccessfully looking for a place to snack, we ended up at the hotel with nachos & wine, very late in the evening. 

Friday morning came very early for half of us as Frank & Jill determined their best shot at a flight to Amsterdam departed at 6:30 a.m. With plans to meet up Starbucks inside Schiphol, we enjoyed a little more sleep, breakfast, leisurely packing & a later departure.

Goodbye Denmark, Hello Netherlands

And now we are back in one of my favorite countries in the world. 

This time we have opted for a week in the country before heading into the city for our final 2 weeks. We have rented a house in Edam & have spent time exploring the area known as Waterland. 

Friday afternoon we took a taxi from the airport to Edam. A few last minute directions from the homeowner & they were off. The house is located at the end of Edam. The dike on the Markermeer is out the front door. Surrounding us are sheep, cows, ducks & chickens. 

Just across the dike from the house

Oh, and flies, mosquitos & other flying creatures that have a habit of entering the house when windows are open & there are no screens. So it is kind of like camping....or at least the only kind of camping I will ever do. The location is beautiful & worlds away from the Holland we know....city life.

First up, groceries. With a vague idea of where the market was located, Jill & I took off on bikes to find sustenance. A few minutes into our journey, the chain came off of her bike. I sent her home & bravely continued on! OK, the place is so small even I could have trouble getting lost. A short time later, I had found Deen's (must say, it impressed me almost as much as my Jumbo & Albert Heijn markets in Amsterdam) & I was heading home with food. Frank & Jill headed out on bikes & came home with not only ice but wine. Go team!

On Saturday,Jill & I confidently headed to the market again. This time in search of food for an afternoon BBQ. Our friends Allen & Bruce, as well as family members of Bruce all made the trip to Edam, despite the occasional rain. 

Bruce fanning the flames

We pulled together a nice meal, enjoyed visiting & ended the evening very late with our new game...iTunes Charades. Again, there may have been some wine involved.

Sunday morning, the four of us, along with Allen who stayed over, headed to town. After enjoying the sites of Edam, we had lunch at DeFortuna, our favorite spot in Edam. We sat outside, had a lovely lunch & then saw Allen off at the bus station for his trip back to the city. 

In a burst of energy, the four of us decided to ride bikes to nearby Volendam. It was only a few miles away & a very nice evening for a ride. Edam is a sleepy, quiet little village. Volendam on the other hand was filled with cafes, people & music. 

One of the best moments came when Jill & I were able to convince Frank & Bob to have their pictures taken in 'traditional' Dutch costumes.. Let's just say that picture will be framed & on the shelf in my living room very soon. It also may be part of a Christmas card...so many options.

After a round of Name That Tune with Spotify,it was time for bed. Early Monday morning we said good bye to Frank & Jill as they headed home, stopping in Zurich for the night.

 And then the house got very quiet...well, except for the rather large black & white bird that decided to come inside. Yeah, that was not fun. Fortunately, he flew out as easily as he came in.
We spent Monday exploring the extraordinarily beautiful village of Broek in Waterland. I felt like I had gone to hydrangea heaven as we wandered through the beautiful streets of this very small village. 

They were huge, in all colors and in every direction we looked. Gorgeous! We stopped for savory pannekoeken before heading back to Edam.

Tuesday morning we rode bikes to the grocery store, knowing rain was coming. Good call. For most of the afternoon & evening, it rained. We had a quiet afternoon, dinner at home & plenty of time to catch up on email, reading, laundry & sleeping!

Wednesday during the summer there is a cheese market in Edam. The cheese is transported to market by boat or horse drawn carriage, as it was in the past. There is a market set up on the square with cheese vendors (not surprisingly!) as well as a few other vendors. 

From the canal boat to the market

There are also big crowds. After wandering through the crowds, seeing very little of the show & getting a few pictures,we decided it best to leave for the day. 

We took the bus to Volendam. From there a boat for the half hour ride to Marken. We wandered Marken for a few hours, had a snack & took the bus to Monnickendam, slowly making our way back to Edam. 

Marken houses, harbor side

And now, two more sleeps until we head to Amsterdam & 'our' apartment. And yes, I do feel like a kid at Christmas. Edam has been charming but I am SO excited to get back to Amsterdam!





His Perspective

Believe it or not,  there is not much for me to add. Nancy covered everything quite well. So, I'll serve in my capacity as CAO of Travel by Bubba and add some details. 

I had a bit of personal angst, in that we did not fly AA this trip. Even more so when I realized that we were traveling to Aalborg, whose city code is AAL, as in American Airlines. Even more angst was piled on when Frank picked up the rental car. Nice car, but spooky plates.

Come on, AA plates?

She missed reporting on a big one in Denmark. I think it was arrival day in Denmark when we 1st noticed what looked like a prison break. People, primarily women, dressed in horizontal black and white stripes. Stripes everywhere, every day. A chain gang maybe?

This guy must be on parole

Jill mentioned that Danes seem to seize on a fashion trend. All of them at the same time. We must have seen them all in stripes.











Aalborg is Denmark's 3rd largest city, with about 250K inhabitants. But it didn't seem like a big city. We never saw any traffic to speak of, no crowds of people walking the shopping streets. Maybe we missed rush hour? We shouldn't have, as it was hot in Aalborg, our room faced east and you were baking by 6AM with the sun coming in the open window (Nancy's side first). Aalborg seemed nice and peaceful. Could it have been the tour guides?

 Nancy's favorite meal was Stegt flæsk, thick slices of brined, fried pork, with crackling skin. I had it also, and was truly delicious, albeit potentially lethal. 
My favorite meal was our harbor picnic. Several bottles of wine, herring, cheese, bread, etc. sitting alongside the Lindholm Fjord watching the boats queue up for the draw bridge, the water skiers, the pending sunset (around 10PM) with great peeps. As the saying goes, it don't get much better than this. The only thing missing was Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" (which I would have guessed during our Name That Tune game).

FrankenJill gave us a wonderful trip in Denmark. Seeing his old haunts, 1st apartment, baptismal church, schools, the former family homestead and meeting the family was great. Not to diminish the trips to Grenen, Skagnes, Den Gamla By (Old town) in Aarhus, the country roads, Egholm island to name just a few. 
Frank drove us all over the northern part of Denmark. It's a bit different than driving in the US. While driving in Denmark you look for Viking graves rather than Burma Shave signs on the road side.

Watching his father beam when we went to see him at the Haandvaerkerforening could have been a MasterCard ad. Ditto with our lunch at his place, and his handmade gift to me. 

Our stay in Edam is different from our former trips to the Netherlands. A week in a house along the Markermeer at the seaside end of Edam. A Dutch country locale with enough room for all who wanted to join us or visit. No car, just feet, fietsen (bikes) and busses to get us around. We took the 30 minute bus ride from Amsterdam to Edam several years ago and found it to be a charming village. We've come back to Edam almost every trip we have made to Amsterdam since. 

We saw this house when we were here last March, when it snowed and rained almost every day. The owner picked us up at our favorite restaurant to show us the house, because it was too cold and wet to walk. 
We wanted to be near the water. Check. 
We wanted some space. Check. 
We wanted a more rural Dutch experience. Check.
We signed up

Fast forward to the end of July. A tad warmer, it's 88F outside, 84F inside as I write this. It's nice to have cows in the pasture across the small canal in the back yard, the large hen in the back yard next door, and the sheep on the dike across the street (many of which went to the lamb chop factory a few days ago). 

Just over the front yard dike

Very picturesque. What we forgot to take into account was that these picturesque creatures have lots of winged friends. Lots of them. Flies of all sizes (not as big as Texas flies of course). 
We wouldn't expect a house in northern Europe to have A/C or screens. There is rarely a need. So the flies and assorted bugs join us inside. The flies are a bit slower here than at home. I've nailed 6 flies and a bee on the window while writing this. Success!

But enough of the bugs. The house is on a large lot, with lots of room. It served it's purpose of being a base to see Waterland and surrounding villages and towns. 
We were honored that our Amsterdam friends joined us over the weekend, although I think Bruce thinks we are border line traitors for not staying at the apartment this week. 
We rode bikes to Volendam and the market! And neither of us fell off. I hadn't ridden a bike in over 30 years.
We went to the village of Broek in Waterland, one of the most picturesque villages I have seen, and hydrangea heaven for Nancy. This area has hydrangea hedges.

Broek in Waterland

Broek in Waterland

Ditto, our boat trip from Volendam to the former island (a dike and a road was added in 1959) of Marken for a great lunch on the harbor. 

And the Edam Kaas Markt, held every Wednesday in the summer for the tourists.

Delivering cheese to the Edam Kaas Markt

A great stay. But it's time to say good bye to the flies and quaint villages of Waterland and hit the 'dam reset button at the apartment in the city.