Day 19 To Copenhagen

Another travel day, hopefully ending up in Kamilla’s Air B&B in Copenhagen. With a head wind and 30 plus pounds of top heavy gear we wonder if the cycle gods are with us as we peddle our 10 km. to Fri’s Bike Shop in Stege.

Our B&B operator had offered to take our packs to Stege if needed but we wanted to try ourselves. After a few revolutions our balance adjusted and we whirled into Stege with no problems. Fifteen minutes later we were on the bus headed to Vordingborg to catch the train to Copenhagen. An hour of train travel brings us to Central Station and we are poured into the swirl of city life. We jostle our way to the exit, ask a few pointed questions to strangers and soon are on a bus to our Air B&B. Our host Kamilla, will not be home for two days so has left the key to her apartment at a local coffee shop. A few google map consultations and we arrive and secure a much needed coffee. 

 We gather the key and soon arrive at her apartment. It does seem strange to wander into a stranger’s house and begin to spread ourselves out as if we owned the joint. Next step was to find a shop to rent bikes. We ended up encountering a delightful Italian fellow who had a repair/rental store.  He was extremely accommodating as Monday is a holiday and he did not take a deposit in order to allow us to drop off the bikes when he is closed. He was so trusting that he did not even take our names or contact information. You can see him here changing a customer’s chain on a cargo bike.

Note the fancy stump for holding up the bike.

After a coffee and cookie we are off to explore Copenhagen, the cycling Mecca. Soon the coffee started to work and we are forced into a paid stop. If you can guess what happens at this stop you can win the 5 Danish Kroner it cost to get in.

  Pretty cool folding bike at the Information Centre.

For supper we happened upon a fantastic Italian Pizzeria. Watching the skilled staff taking orders, spinning dough, spreading ingredients and shoveling loaded pizza into a wood-fired oven was fascinating. Perhaps the best pizza we have ever eaten.

Could this fellow ever spin pizza dough.

 

Day 18 MØns Klint

Ahhhh.. Another sunrise. My ticket for this morning’s show was for the 5:00 am sitting. Watching for a few minutes convinced me that ‘The Daylight’, accompanied by a symphony of birdsong, would soon tickle the ‘Darkness’ away and give us another day to celebrate.

Our B&B was created about 10 years ago from an old farm setting.  Our room is one of 8 developed from an old pig barn. The setting is ideal for us to explore the surrounding environs.

Our first stop included a delightful encounter with a local fellow who raised sheep and when they were finished with their skins he used them to make beautiful sheep skins.

He also had a collection of ancient coins and artifacts that he had collected from a local site and was going to donate to The National Museum in Copenhagen.  

  From there we coasted downhill with the wind (I know, I know… impossible on a bicycle!!) and arrived at a small fishing village.  It reminded us of our time in Branch, Newfoundland where we had a similar encounter with the local working people. Come to think about it some of the Newfoundlanders could have been speaking Danish for all I could understand.
  

The road onward led us past some beautifully decorated fields and pathways through wooded areas.

  Our main goal for the day was to explore MØns Klint a National Historic site.

  The chalk cliffs were impressive from above and below.

  The cliffs formed as ice from the last ice age melted and revealed these120 meter shear cliffs. The chalk is impressive when up close and rubbed with your hand leaves a white deposit. Cathy felt there was certainly enough chalk for the world to continue making sidewalk hopscotch designs for years to come.

A long hike up 384 steps (Cathy counted) to the cliff top and another sprint through a healthy hardwood forest that hugged the cliff brought us back to the Interpretive Center.

 We headed home to a welcoming glass if wine and some cheese along a winding rural road loaded with birds.

Day 17 Cycling the Island of MØn

3:30 am. The sun is slowly leaking over the horizon dragging the daylight with it.  I realize I am not dreaming so roll out of bed snap a couple of shots and try to get back to sleep.

Over breakfast we glean information from our hosts about bus schedules, bike routes, weather and a small village called Nyord. With backpacks ready we headed to the bus at the end of the lane, waited a few minutes and soon were at Fri BikeShop in Stege.  Two lovely bikes wheeled us along as we headed out to explore Nyord. It was about 13 km. from the bike shop along paved pathways and roads through forested areas dotted with vacation homes. Thatched houses appeared displaying a variation on the ones seen in The Netherlands.

Wooden slabs hold down the roof cap.

The village has about 40 permanent residents. We met a few of them as we explored the open shops.  This is a delightful town with historic buildings 300-400 years old. We spent a happy few hours poking around.

A gorgeous display of vinegars and cider from Sicily.

Whiskey, Rum, Schnaps and other potent drinks available for consuming on the spot or taking home.

Help yourself and leave some money.

A pretty path and flower garden along the road.

 We spent some quality time in this lovely shop admiring this artisan's work. She completed a button by melting a colored glass rod.

Melting glass rod to make a button.

We spotted this rather out of place tropical bird flying around a back yard.

 

  Shortly after leaving the village for our return trip we stopped for lunch at a bird viewing area.  These Barn Swallows were cooperative when asked to pose for a portrait.

 

Throughout the day we noticed some very large Hares hopping in the crops and in the woods. I watched one coming across a field and as it popped up over a hill I was waiting with my camera.  The instant it heard me it turned and took off as fast as it could.  I suppose it is no wonder it heard me with those ears.

Day 16. A Travel day.

Travel, travel, travel… Walk, train, taxi, fly, train, bus, walk… It seemed like a marathon but somewhat to our surprise we ended up on the Isle of MØn in Denmark. As we walked up the lane to The Bakkelund B&B we were surrounded by serene fragrant air infused with the scent of flowers, bird song all around and a cozy bed to plop our heads. One thing that completely surprised us was the crops and terrain we were traveling through.  The yellow crops decorating the fields as we travel along are Danks Rapsolie or as we know it Canola.  It was in full flower and growing on rolling hills that reminded us of Vermillion area in Alberta. The surrounding area will be fantastic for cycling.

 

Day 14, 15

OK so where am I? Time has crunched up in a bit of a vortex over the last couple of days. We had breakfast at Gallery Yasmine, left Bruges in Belgium on the train and ended up in Groningen in northern Netherlands.

Cathy getting breakfast at Gallery Yasmine.

Our intent was to stay two nights and then continue on the train to Denmark and our cycling B&B on the island of Møn. We stopped at the ticket wicket to buy the next leg of our trip and after many attempts to explain what we wanted the agent politely said “You can’t get there from here”. Armed with this information, minor dehydration, hypoglycemia and train fatigue I narrowly avoided panic by taking some deep breaths and forging ahead to our hotel. Once here we encountered one of those human beings who transcends the ordinary state of helpfulness and elevates to an art form.  Dominique, the hotel clerk rapidly figured out that since there are indeed no trains from The Netherlands to Denmark our best solution was to take a train back to Amsterdam and then fly to Copenhagen. This would enable us travel to our destination from within Denmark and avoid confusing train travel through Germany with numerous transfers over a couple of days.  Presto, problem solved and Trent can breath again.

Today presented some challenges and some delights.

We headed out to rent bikes and finally found a place that parks, fixes and rents bikes.

Double-decker bike storage parking lot.

Coming up the ramp from the rental place.

Ready for a day of riding.

  A helpful lady at the tourist center suggested a 25 km ride in the country south of Groningen.  The signage for this adventure was excellent and enabled us to travel on paved pathways through small villages around a lake and end up back in Groningen.  We occasionally lost our way but after 20 times of losing our way we rediscovered it 21 times.  The weather was stormy with off and on showers, downpours and sun.

Thunder and lighting off in the distance.

  Our rain gear worked well and we had a delightful time.

Garbage bin cleverly designed to make you want to 'make a basket'

A somewhat bedraggled White Stork, preening it's feathers.

Arriving back in Groningen we happened upon a market and spent some time discussing these marvelous German and Dutch made bike powered vending stations.  Very ingenious.

Designed by this Dutch owner this unit folds up and runs as a bicycle to move to the next venue.

Built in Germany this beautifully designed and constructed unit sets up as a traveling coffee center.