As I reach the final day of this latest Danish adventure, I reflect back on the last 4 weeks spent here...
A combination of forests and beaches this time!
Each trip (3 in all amounting to around 9 weeks total) has been very different due to external circumstances and my own internal journey.
This part month has been a beautiful introduction into a Danish summer, how stunning the area becomes on a hot summer's day!
The long light nordic days and short nights reminded me of a Norwegian family trip when I was a child, the confusing midnight sun...
Though not as extreme down here, it's still a welcome contrast to the short dark days of winter that I experienced here back in December.
The summer solstice was an incredibly special experience with an amazing sunset and not another human in sight!
I had no idea how incredible the Danish beaches are and that's just the few I got to see in the Lolland Falster area...
Coming from Spain's Costa Blanca, which is simultaneously beautiful yet a stark sad reminder of what happens when greed takes over from conscious preservation of the natural environment, it was wonderful to see these well preserved, cared for beaches preserving their natural habitat.
I was heartened to see these endless sandy beaches lined with dunes and just a peak of wooden summer houses hidden behind the trees, not a skyscraper or luxury hotel in sight...
This is not to say they do not exist, simply they were well hidden from the beaches!
We explored beaches such as Marielyst or swam in the crystal clear waters of the Nakskov fjord.
I love the wooden walkways with steps down to the water, each with an area for leaving one's personal possessions and often a Sauna for combining the heat and cold dips!
Picture below.
It has taken some adjustment to not jump out of the very shallow waters each time the pink translucent jellyfish brush against me, fascinating harmless creatures. These are known as the common jellyfish here...
During this period, I became an avid rock and fossil hunter, learning that there are endless varieties of flint and stone not to mention the elusive Amber...
We did our research and headed out on many occasions though soon realising that possessing the correct tools would help as well as stormy weather which washes up this ancient resin on the beaches, certainly in abundance in more specific areas of the Baltic and North sea side of Denamrk, Jutland.
Still, I found endless amounts of Belemnites and other fossils and began to learn more about the history of the area and the country.
The following pictures are of Møn Klint, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, an absolute must see. It is located on the island Møn, just under two hours South of Copenhagen.
The white chalk cliffs of Møn are stunning and seeped in geological history. It is very popular for fossil hunting. The combination of white chalk and sunlight makes it breathtakingly bright and is known as the cold Caribbean.
I was transfixed by its beauty and powerful energy.
Another interesting place definitely worth visiting is the Dodekalitten art instalation at Kragenæ, Lolland, combining magnificent sculptures with sound and a stunning landscape, a breathtaking sensorial experience.
Unfortunately our trip was cut short due to bad weather but I would defintely love to return and spend some quality time. Nearby you can also visit ancient burial mounds...
I was curious as to why the Danish flag (Dannebrog, red background with a white Nordic cross) seemed to be visible almost everywhere including outside people's homes...
Given the debates surrounding the symbolism of the national flags back home in UK and Spain, I was curious as to the connotations of the flag here.
What I found out seems very different from the supposed toxic nationalism from other countries, here seems more of a national pride surrounding the ancient history of the flag said to be the oldest in the world and flown at every opportunity for a celebration, whether personal (birthday, anniversary, birth etc) or national. More symbolic of joy and sharing as oppose to the fear of a dangerous nationalism.
This was refreshing...
Now, I wouldn't exactly describe myself as a linguist but I was curious about the various Latin based words I recognised immediately such as billets, gratis and vin
https://www.ezglot.com/common-words?l=dan&l2=lat&lang=eng
A quick peek at Danish history sites revealed that historic texts were predominantly written in Latin until the Protestant reformation moving away from the power of the Vatican, aside from basic regional laws written in local Danish jargon so the people of the land (as oppose to Latin speaking aristocracy) would understand.
Until the 16th century Danish was a combination of dialects until the introduction of a standard language based on the dialects of Copenhagen and Malmo, though Latin and German continued to predominate until the 1700s.
Danish is a most complex language! If I were to spend more time here in the future I would bravely begin learning...
Below are pictures of Sankt Hans on the eve of the 23rd of June. This has alwways been one of my favourite nights of the year in Spain, the traditional San Juan celebration.
I was most pleased to see this is also celebrated in the Nordics and in particular locally, so we could wander down and observe.
A local clergyman was giving a laid back speech about the tradition and comparing some of the equivalent modern day witch hunts including the mainstream media! This information I gleaned from my translator boyfriend. It was a mellow event with song and laughter and the burning of the bonfire.
I have been used to some very enjoyable raucous San Juan celebrations on Spanish beaches but this was a much calmer softer version in a tiny village but still a very magical evening...
So to conclude, this has been a most memorable and special trip and leaves me wanting to return and explore in much greater depth.
I feel very blessed to have experienced these incredible places.
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