DAYS 124 & 125 - From Poland to Denmark

July 21 & 22 - Tjaereborg Houses & Flowers

Going from Poland to Denmark isn't that easy, but we did it.  I look exhausted, don't I?

I feel like a "blue blimp" with jacket, snacks, computer in my front pack and souvenirs in my hand.

 We had several train changes and what was the oddest thing is hearing the Polish tongue, the Czech language, then German (low & high dialects) and finally-  Danish all in one day.  Also, the different types of trains were very evident as you crossed the borders.

 Fields & fields of sunflowers, but I just couldn't capture them very well as the train sped along.

It was so hot on the train we all hung our heads out the window.

Is this Poland or Czech Republic?  Maybe it's Germany?

Very scenic train ride, but hot and humid...very crowded, too!  Hot bodies...eeww!

   It was warm in Poland, so the trains felt it.  The Denmark trains were clean and luxurious with more plush seats.  The other trains were dirtier (especially the bathrooms on the train) and the people were much different.

Poland trains have a booth-like compartment.  (I'm always organizing photos)

Such a refreshing change going into Scandinavia.  The air is cleaner, the water is great, and the people are fair-skinned, and reddish/blondes.  We saw the cutest family on the fancy train coming into the country.  The train had a table between each pair of seats, so the four children ages 4 - 10 were playing games and eating nutritious food talking the most interesting language.

12 hours later - We're HERE in Denmark!

Our host met us with dinner in the oven - baked chicken and vegetables.  GOOD!

After a good night's rest, and a typical Dannish breakfast....

Bread, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and cold meats.

....I went for a long walk around this village of Tjæreborg, with population 2,500, while Rich visited with our host.

Tjæreborg church 
This is a richly decorated church, built about 1200 of ashlars and tufa.

Most houses were built with a name engraved in front

 I really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the different red-bricked houses built mostly in the 1600's.  They were so different than anything else I had ever seen.  The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period.  With little access to stone, brick became the construction material of choice, not just for churches but for fortifications and castles, as well as houses.  The brick was always red.

Notice the grass-type roof (thatched-roof).

 Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge, rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof.  Thatching methods have traditionally been passed down from generation to generation

I like the original red brick, but some of the people would paint over it with white....mmm

Mikkel was a single dad who had his girls on certain days, so we didn't have the opportunity to meet them.  We got to know a lot about them, however, as we stayed in their bedroom.

I should have taken a picture without the bed being put down.  It was so cute with a desk, and other "girly" things.

His little house had a lot of history.  It was on the corner where everyone drives by.

He showed us a book that had a picture of his house 100 years ago. (top photo) and the bottom one is in 1991.  Note how they would paint over the beautiful brick.

He was so proud of his girls, Malou and Maika.(ages 7 & 10, I think) This was on the front door.

Living room area with drawing area, library, and more

Darling country kitchen so tidy and clean

Beautiful dining area with skylight.

 Mikkel is such a good dad - you can tell.    He has everything they need and he was always telling us stories about them. 

I never saw him wear shoes - he says he feels close to nature and has better arches with no shoes on.

Right across the street from Mikkel lives an older lady who loves to grow flowers.  In fact, she opens her home up every Sunday to anyone who wants to come look at her garden.  Trouble was...it was Monday.  I went ahead and knocked on the door and she let me come in.  We didn't understand each other, but our love of flowers helped us to communicate.

Her darling little house had beautiful flowers EVERYWHERE!

Her puppy was the cutest thing

My little camera took some pretty good pictures - almost as good as Keukenhof where Rich took all the photos.

 

I think my favorite are still yellow roses.  I guess I still remember winning Prom Queen at Broomfield High School my Senior year and getting one dozen yellow roses.  Oh the memories!

Wasn't this just the BEST?