So it has been a while between trips and my itchy feet need to be soothed. This time Michelle and I are off to Scandinavia, specifically Denmark and Sweden. Cousin Marcus and his Partner Nina were our local contacts for our trip. Their hospitality was excellent and made our stay very memorable. I took a half day on Friday and we departed from Heathrow T5. On the way out we registered for the Iris scan border control, essentially it fast tracks our passage through passport control coming back to the UK, well worth doing and it avoids those annoying questions from border control. Got carried away doing crosswords in the terminal lounge and were the last to board the flight. Flight time was 70 minutes we arrived 20 minutes early into Kastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark. Bought train tickets to Malmo C and hopped on the train at 18:56. The trip to Sweden was very scenic across the sea, over a very long road/rail bridge. Marcus was there to meet us at Malmo C train station, he had a rental car ready to go and we took a long cut back to his apartment in Lund. First impressions of Lund was a quite laid back town with lots of students who liked to party. Nina was at the apartment with dinner all laid out. Nina had whipped up some burritos for dinner, they really hit the spot! Marcus and Nina’s apartment was a 1-bedroom unit situated in block of student accommodation; their apartment was tastefully furnished, with lots of ‘Kiwi’ items on the walls. After dinner we drove into town for a short walk around and a beer, we discovered first-hand how pricey Swedish beers were about 6 GBP or 15 NZD. We meet two of Marcus work mates randomly at the pub, they were celebrating one of their birthdays. We sat outside, it was very chilly! It was here I first noticed that bars and restaurants offer blankets for outside diners. Checked out the Lund cathedral before driving home.
Early start (for a weekend anyway). Had a delicious breakfast, of eggs, toast, cheese and cereal. After showers and we sat down and decided a course of attack for the day. Our plan was to explore S.E. Sweden, checking out some of the coast. The weather was a bit grey and it was hardly tropical but that did not deter us. The Swedish countryside is a bit like the UK, rolling hills and fields with pockets of forest. Our first point of confusion in the trip was getting lost in small town called Blentarp, but we got a few strange looks from the locals so we kept moving. Then we stopped at Lake Sovdesjon, and walked down the jetty and took a few photos, I jumped in an authentic 1970’s speedboat for a photo op. Back on the road and wasn’t long before we reached another lake (Snogelhomssjon) We stopped and took a short walk through some silver beech forest and looked at another jetty, it was very peaceful. Near the lake edge we saw some cute kittens frolicking and kids having canoe lessons. Back on the road, next we stopped at a small seaside town called Ystad where we had decisions to make about parking, eventually we took a pay park for 45 mins, walked through the town where markets were in the middle square, Michelle got some drugs from the chemist and we got a coffee at a small cafe, we also stopped at the supermarket for some fruit and cinnamon twists to satisfy my rumbling belly. Ystad was quite a busy town, with Swedes going about their normal Saturday. Just as we left the town Marcus had a panicked thought that he had left the coffee machine on from breakfast, and was so worried we drove 50mins back home to check, and yes it was off!! So we had our Picnic lunch back at the flat, was quite a funny situation in hindsight, but at the time Nina was not a happy camper! After lunch we headed due west for an hour to Simrishamn. We spotted the beach and drove to it doing skids in the loose gravel, the beach wasn’t really a beach, it was just flat bed rocks, so we stretched our legs and threw rocks in the sea. Then we bypassed the town and headed north up the coast. We went to the Stenshuvuds National Park, quite a picturesque spot, with open woodlands and trees covered in their autumn coat. We walked down to the beach, we took our shoes off and felt the water, brrrr it was absolutely freezing. Then we had a 20 minute bush walk up to the top of the hill, and we had a great view of the bay. Time for a view pictures at the top. Saw a random mouse jumping in the leaves, chasing after a lizard on the way down. Next we drove to the apple cider shop/factory in Kivik, We brought apple chunty (which was later confiscated) and a crate of apple cider which only lasted about 5 mins before the first bottle was popped open! Just down the road was a place called Vitemolla, it was there we caught the end of an apple festival. We saw an amazing apple mural of running horses (100 sqm, 35000 apples, 8 different varieties). Conscious of the car rental agreement we sped back to Lund, with the music blaring. Got home 7.30 then into town to drop car off and find somewhere to eat (in-fart sign). Italian for dinner, nice setting. Mich had chicken pesto tomato penne. And I had pork pasta. Walked home, supposed to take only 25 minute actual time 32 min. Lots of parties going on in student block. Started watching derailed, got too tired so flagged rest of movie. Up and atom by 8.30 ish. Same breakfast as yesterday, yum. Nicest cheese ever. Caught free bus to lund. Searched in vain for a souveneir shop, but the place was pretty dead on a Sunday morning. Church, square+photos, bikes, fountains, supermarket, bananas. Train tickets to CPH. Caught 11:17 train. Said goodbyes. Got in 12:10. Dropped bags in lockers, bought train tickets to Kastrup. Set off to explore CPH. Heres a bullet point version of what we did:
· Tivoli Gardens (closed). Art Museum – masks exhibition.
· Wandered along canals taking in city, towers, statues, the harbour
· Music bands on boats
· Classic cars
· Water front walk, modern buildings and old colourful buildings.
· Stately gardens, fountain.
· Guards at Amaleinborg Castle
· Large church.
· Gardens – I went for a leak
· Jumping photos at the royal park.
· Stopped to pick up a bite to eat on the go
· Tower with view of city (Rundetaarn) , internal ramp
· Left then right, roads to main square. 15 degrees celcius. Very busy
· Caught 3.43pm train à Kastrup 3:55pm
· Flight out 18:05
Good flight finished book on way home. Fast track through passport control with Iris scanner. Good to get out of London and see two countries over a weekend. Marcus and Nina hospitality was top notch. Had a great time.
Early start (for a weekend anyway). Had a delicious breakfast, of eggs, toast, cheese and cereal. After showers and we sat down and decided a course of attack for the day. Our plan was to explore S.E. Sweden, checking out some of the coast. The weather was a bit grey and it was hardly tropical but that did not deter us. The Swedish countryside is a bit like the UK, rolling hills and fields with pockets of forest. Our first point of confusion in the trip was getting lost in small town called Blentarp, but we got a few strange looks from the locals so we kept moving. Then we stopped at Lake Sovdesjon, and walked down the jetty and took a few photos, I jumped in an authentic 1970’s speedboat for a photo op. Back on the road and wasn’t long before we reached another lake (Snogelhomssjon) We stopped and took a short walk through some silver beech forest and looked at another jetty, it was very peaceful. Near the lake edge we saw some cute kittens frolicking and kids having canoe lessons. Back on the road, next we stopped at a small seaside town called Ystad where we had decisions to make about parking, eventually we took a pay park for 45 mins, walked through the town where markets were in the middle square, Michelle got some drugs from the chemist and we got a coffee at a small cafe, we also stopped at the supermarket for some fruit and cinnamon twists to satisfy my rumbling belly. Ystad was quite a busy town, with Swedes going about their normal Saturday. Just as we left the town Marcus had a panicked thought that he had left the coffee machine on from breakfast, and was so worried we drove 50mins back home to check, and yes it was off!! So we had our Picnic lunch back at the flat, was quite a funny situation in hindsight, but at the time Nina was not a happy camper! After lunch we headed due west for an hour to Simrishamn. We spotted the beach and drove to it doing skids in the loose gravel, the beach wasn’t really a beach, it was just flat bed rocks, so we stretched our legs and threw rocks in the sea. Then we bypassed the town and headed north up the coast. We went to the Stenshuvuds National Park, quite a picturesque spot, with open woodlands and trees covered in their autumn coat. We walked down to the beach, we took our shoes off and felt the water, brrrr it was absolutely freezing. Then we had a 20 minute bush walk up to the top of the hill, and we had a great view of the bay. Time for a view pictures at the top. Saw a random mouse jumping in the leaves, chasing after a lizard on the way down. Next we drove to the apple cider shop/factory in Kivik, We brought apple chunty (which was later confiscated) and a crate of apple cider which only lasted about 5 mins before the first bottle was popped open! Just down the road was a place called Vitemolla, it was there we caught the end of an apple festival. We saw an amazing apple mural of running horses (100 sqm, 35000 apples, 8 different varieties). Conscious of the car rental agreement we sped back to Lund, with the music blaring. Got home 7.30 then into town to drop car off and find somewhere to eat (in-fart sign). Italian for dinner, nice setting. Mich had chicken pesto tomato penne. And I had pork pasta. Walked home, supposed to take only 25 minute actual time 32 min. Lots of parties going on in student block. Started watching derailed, got too tired so flagged rest of movie. Up and atom by 8.30 ish. Same breakfast as yesterday, yum. Nicest cheese ever. Caught free bus to lund. Searched in vain for a souveneir shop, but the place was pretty dead on a Sunday morning. Church, square+photos, bikes, fountains, supermarket, bananas. Train tickets to CPH. Caught 11:17 train. Said goodbyes. Got in 12:10. Dropped bags in lockers, bought train tickets to Kastrup. Set off to explore CPH. Heres a bullet point version of what we did:
· Tivoli Gardens (closed). Art Museum – masks exhibition.
· Wandered along canals taking in city, towers, statues, the harbour
· Music bands on boats
· Classic cars
· Water front walk, modern buildings and old colourful buildings.
· Stately gardens, fountain.
· Guards at Amaleinborg Castle
· Large church.
· Gardens – I went for a leak
· Jumping photos at the royal park.
· Stopped to pick up a bite to eat on the go
· Tower with view of city (Rundetaarn) , internal ramp
· Left then right, roads to main square. 15 degrees celcius. Very busy
· Caught 3.43pm train à Kastrup 3:55pm
· Flight out 18:05
Good flight finished book on way home. Fast track through passport control with Iris scanner. Good to get out of London and see two countries over a weekend. Marcus and Nina hospitality was top notch. Had a great time.
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