Sunday And another VERY special day…

James’ birthday.  A relatively leisurely start 🙂 and then an efficient bus 61 into Odense with a pleasant bus driver who counted out the coins we are still not familiar with.  Into a cafe for a bought coffee and J had a panini …. yes we are spending today.  Downloaded a Hans Christian Anderson walk app so we could follow in his footsteps in the town where he was born and lived until 14.  And you do literally follow his footsteps for they are painted on the ground.

Two special men: James and Hans Christian Anderson

Little else in Odense to see and this is about the right length and the right amount of information.  We started at number 4 as it was nearest and soon found ourselves in the small house he lived in, in one room, with his shoe maker father and washerwoman mother.  The really pleasant lady took our money for both museums (did I mention we were spending today?) and explained a lot about HCA.  K mentioned that it was J’s birthday and on our way out she presented J with a printed sheet with loads of birthday graphics and an envelope with a bookmark.  Little acts of kindness that brighten up one’s day.

We did the main HCA museum which is broken down into rooms about the age he lived in, the man, his youth, education etc etc.  Found ourselves in a cafe / bar for a glass and then into a very pleasant restaurant in a very old building.  Had a starter and then a delicious choice ice cream made with Valharona chocolate.  We discovered this chocolate in Tain Hermitage, France some years ago when camping with Maddy and Dayna – top end and the factory had disks of the different types / % chocolate and you could taste as much as you wanted.

On the way back to the bus, spotted this mega pic n’mix store.  never seen anything like it – much bigger than the pic.

The super efficient bus back to our free camping, a bottle of chilled fizz and cheese for supper.  We have decided that as we no longer have a house that we live in and are trying to simplify, our birthday gifts to each other will be a good meal out.  A truly lovely day.

Monday

A leisure day driving down the coast south of Odense.  We did take advantage again of the motorway services and emptied and filled Chardonnay.  Assen a bit dull.  Faaborg pretty with lots of mediaeval building and we lunched on soup in the car park … not a spending day!

Assens

Faaborg Belfrey

Faaborg: Immaculaet church

Drove onto Svendborg and got the most amazing pitch: on the dock side, right next to the water with the sun setting over the town.  You would pay ££££s for a water front hotel with a view like this.  Arrived early-ish and did our weekly clean.  Including windows all of 30 mins.  🙂  Mum the hoover works fab and dinner has been in the 12 volt slow cook pot all day 🙂

Habourside pitch at night

Sunset over Svedborg

View from the cab in the morning – we woke up to this as we did not shut the front blinds

Pretty pleasant rolling landscapes.  Immaculate fields:  nice to see the fields being plowed and sown on our way up Scandinavia, and should the crops growing on the way back.  Thatched cottages.  Tables and chairs placed outside for coffee with planters around.  And PIGS – the first we have seen.  Given that pigs are supposed to out number the Danish population,  4:1, we saw our first small sounder (I googled this!) of pigs – free range.  Reckon the much reputed Danish bacon is intensively farmed in big sheds as not seen any evidence of them!

Notes on pleasant and efficient. Sounds a little patronising, but really not meant to be.  Denmark and the people are both.  They speak impeccable English everywhere and are really helpful.  Countryside is rolling and pretty, but not stunning.  Really civilised.   It is a very easy place to be and we will come back in a few years time.