Where did I leave you?
Was it in Sweden? Denmark? I believe it was Denmark so please forgive me if I repeat myself.
I spent a week and a few days in the company of my cousin Carsten near Copenhagen. He generously invited me into his home, lent me his bike, and acted as both guide and translator as I visited all my family on my fathers side. He adjusted his work to make sure that I had a good time and for that I am really grateful (Yes I know I told you that already but I just wanted to make sure I got the point across). It was really cool to see family I never even knew I had and be invited right in without hesitation. The stories of my Dad's..hmm...adventurous youth...were especially entertaining.
Denmark wasn't all about family though. I also explored some of the cities in the area. I took a day trip up to Roskilde to see the famous Viking museum and church. We also did a short trip up to Elsinore to see the setting of Hamlet and saw the folk protector of this Scandinavian country. Don't let me forget Copenhagen! The city was beautiful, with so many landmarks I remembered from my first visit so long ago. The Little Mermaid perched on her stone forever waiting for her love to return. The friendly, but silent, guards at the Royal's residence. A statue of Hans Christian Anderson sitting beside the town square, waiting to tell another fairy tale. I could go on, but I won't. :)
Well time does pass as it is inclined to do and I moved on to visit an old high school friend in Karlstad, Sweden. Unfortunately my difficulty with converting international phone numbers into local phone numbers meant we didn't met up until about midnight the night of my arrival. But we were both ready for a night out and after stowing my back pack at a friends place we headed of to a local pub to catch up, watch a band, and drink. It was a fun night that ended up with us being invited to a Radio head concert in Stockholm the next day by one of the live band members and then figure out how to bike home with the two of us and my rather massive back pack. Two drunk people on a bicycle is actually quite funny...at least from my perspective. I can't image what we looked like swerving on the bike paths and giggling all our way back to his house.
Let me share a few things I have noticed about Sweden. First of all...they all seem to just love candy. Every store you go into has one area with bulk candy for sale. Probably at the dentists too. Another was that they are rather conservative...usually. Sometimes after a few drinks they open up a bit, but seeing a crowd of heads at a Radio head concert barely moving makes me think of them as conservative. Now these are not insults by any means. Just observations. Anyway after another week it was time for me to move on again...BACK to Denmark.
It was important that I go back to Denmark because on my way there I neglected a very important stop...Legoland!! How could I resist re-visiting this park after growing up on the stuff? Well, I had a great time though the park was a bit smaller then I remember it. 15-18 years can do that to you. I was only there a few days but I got to meet some very cool people in that time...they even gave me ice cream!! I just realized that I completely neglected to mention Danish Ice cream. Oh what a treat it is! Start with a waffle cone...the top opening almost as big around as your first. Then...fill it with various scoops of ice cream...let's say 5? Top that with some whip cream, cherry sauce and a crushed marshmallow cookie....hmm....that's a meal! I think I may have to break for lunch now...I'm suddenly feeling hungry!
Well since I had spent a bit longer in Scandinavia then I first expected too my trip had to be a bit adjusted. I skipped over Germany and Austria then headed right for Switzerland. I was not prepared for the mountains. I mean I knew they were there. I have seen them in pictures before, but to stand right beneath them and to look up...and up....and up...and see snow! With cottages amidst it. I was in awe and totally in love when I got to Interlaken. When I first arrived the clouds were partially blocked by clouds. I can't describe to you how I felt when I saw them all in the clear sun. I thought I was in paradise. That's probably why I'm still here after a week. I'm leaving tonight...I swear. I hope.
Back to Interlaken. It gets it's name oddly enough by being in between two lakes. But these are not lakes like I'm used to. For one, their clean (unlike lake Ontario). But also they are just so....BLUE. It's like they glow or something. It might have something to do with the ice still in the water but you look down into a river running into the lake and you'd assume the sides were artificial like a pool. Very cool.
Ok...so the mountains were amazing..the water very interesting. What else? Hmm..they have some pretty cool things to do here. Sky-dive into the alps. Jump into a canyon with a bungy around your legs. Heck, you can even go into the canyon and follow the rivers down. Or maybe you'd like to climb inside a big rubber ball and role down a hill? That's called Zorbing..for some reason. Hike, Bike, Scoot, or just chill and watch the sun settle behind the mountains. Eden. Then there was the craik at Balmer's...
Like all good things though it comes time to leave. Tonight will be my third attempt to get to Rome( I had to skip Greece :(). I was prevented before by an Italian rail strike. It tonight fails I'm heading straight for Paris. But that's all I have for now. I fly back to Canada in about a week. Let's see what I can cram into that! Until I have another story to tell I will leave you in this paradise that I found. It's approaching fall and still amazing. I have to see this place in the summer.
May your road lead you where you need to be and someday bring us back together.
Cheers,
David