February 7th, 2010

Greetings from Port Macquarie where all 28 of us have just come together for our very first reunion. It is so wonderful to see each other again. It's almost like being back on the trip.

I'm hoping to catch Louis, our driver, on Skype tonight so we can all have a quick talk to him. We're about to go out to dinner now, all armed with bottles - but no medicine! We cannot get it in Australia. Very sad state of affairs. We are going to have to rely on our friends from Denmark to come and visit.

More later.

Friday, June 12 - FAREWELL DEAR FRIENDS

Late afternoon we all meet at the Blokhusmuseet. This museum is all about the many Danes who migrated to the United States ages ago.

Every year on the 4th July a big celebration is held out here in the hills. We are told the place is absolutely packed with people. Some are relatives of American Danes, others are descendants of Danish migrants who come back specially for the celebrations here.

From there we move on to the big shed where the party is about to start.

There is big excitement as a lot of the hosts from the previous places have also arrived for our farewell. The place is absolutely crammed full.

Dinner is yet another sumptuous buffet. I fear some of us will have a bit of 'Danish bacon' to get rid off our hips and tummies when we get back.

While DG Finn Munk gives a speech, a familiar face pops into the picture: It is Kurt from the Rotary Club of Rebild who was the GSE team leader last year.

There was some musical entertainment, the two presidents spoke briefly and we exchanged banners.

We had been told we should show our presentation tonight, but it doesn't look as if this would be possible. However, a few preparations soon change that. My baby laptop is at hand just in case, although I had discarded all hope of a good presentation.

But DG Finn Munk turns out to be the saviour. He brings his own laptop with Office 2007 and FINALLY, ON OUR VERY LAST NIGHT WE HAVE THE PERFECT PRESENTATION!!!

All is well that ends well, goes the saying, but couldn't we be given a chance to start all over again and have it perfect in every place?

Louis says he could easily put up with us for another two weeks.

Our team quickly gets to sing a few songs, including the fairly new song about the Danes and also a very new one we've just whipped up and never practiced. It is a tribute to Louis, called 'We love our mobile host Louis' sung to the tune of 'I like aeroplane jelly'.

And then it is time to say good bye to everyone.

This is so very sad!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, dear Danes, for everything you've done for us. We hope to see you all again sometime soon.

Friday, June 12 - very last day

This morning is all about windmills. No, we are not travelling around the country side to see them.

Instead, we visit Siemens Windpower, the factory where the blades for these incredibly elegant windmills are made.

By the time we have seen the presentation and heard a lot about them some of us feel we should be able to take a windmill home.

Then we are taken through the factory where the blades are made. Apart from a radio, we can't hear any noise. It is the quietest factory we have ever been in. That's because it is all hand work.

These blades of up to 52m in length are carefully laid in moulds. Layer upon layer of material goes into them, i.e. fibre glass and balsa wood, both of which keep them nice and light.

At this point I would love to explain the process in more detail, but unfortunately I would need to use my hands as I can't just put it into words. The process of shaping the blade takes several hours. Then the blade is pushed into a large vacuum press where it stays at little pressure and fairly low temperature for several hours for the materials and the two long seams to melt together. After a cooling down period the blade is taken out and the seams are carefully tidied up by hand with knives and sandpaper. Then it gets painted and voilà, a perfect blade.

One wonders why there aren't more windmills in the world.

Lunchtime is time for our next company visit: Gabriel furniture fabrics. Not so many years ago Gabriel had the wool mill right here. A few years ago the fabrication part was moved far away. These days the large halls where the huge noisy looms used to be have been transformed into airy offices. This is were the designing and marketing teams work.

One of the Rotarians accompanying us today remembers visiting when the looms were still there and comments on how much quieter it is now.

Perhaps the looms at work would have been very interesting to see despite the noise.

We get back to the meeting point fairly early for the hosts to pick us up. We are to have some free time before getting ready for the farewell party.

Thursday, June 11 - Aalborg

The weather is kind to us as we tackle our first day in Aalborg. We begin with a tour through the Utzon Center. This typical elegant Utzon design reminds strongly of the Sydney Opera House.

The pictures are more descriptive than words could be.

The center also houses an exhibition of Jørn Utzons daughter's art. If you remember her name, please remind me. She is a very accomplished artist and also a very productive one.

The waves of the roof line looking very good against the clouded sky.

We wander through the streets of the old part of Aalborg past beautiful big tudor buildings

and through charming little lanes such as this one.

Then we arrive at Helligåndsklostret, another former monastery which once upon a time even housed monks as well as nuns. It goes without saying that they lived in separate wings.

These days Helligåndsklostret is part museum and part retirement home.

It is a bit cool now, but at least it is not raining, good opportunity for a group photo. Stairs like these are a perfect spot for it.

From there we walk on to the City Hall

where we are received with glasses of champagne by the Vice Mayor Niels Bell who tells us a bit about the Danish Social System, before leading us to another large hall where lunch is served.

Surrounded by art, we enjoy another sumptuous luncheon.

After lunch we walk to Aagaarden Retirement and Nursing Home. While we are informed about the structure of the establishment, we are served coffee and cake.

Aagaarden has a retirement section where people choose to go. Then there is of course the nursing section where people live who need constant care. In addition to that, there is also a section for alcoholics.

We are taken through and shown the different sections. Some of the residents have even kindly agreed to have the visitors brought into their rooms.

Our hosts pick us up from there and we spend the evening with them.

Wednesday, June 10 - on to Aalborg

It's time to say good bye again and very befittingly it is raining again. From Hjørring to Sæby it never stops raining.

It is still raining when we get to the impressive Voergaard Castle. The castle is very old and has a mote right around it. No drawbridge, though. It was removed and the mote enlarged quite some time ago. We are given a very comprehensive guided tour through the castle. It is very old and has had lots of owners, one of whom was a not very nice lady who, as the tale goes, haunted the place for a long time. Eventually she was reburied with a stake through her heart. It must have done the trick for the haunting stopped. But we are told she is still trying to get back.

It is a very grand castle with lots of beautiful original paintings and furniture stretching through several epochs. There are also a few rooms, furnished in various styles, which are occasionally used to accommodate guests, as they had been designed to do.

It is still raining when we arrive at Asaa harbour where we are greeted by the Butlerclub of the Rotary Club of Dronninglund.

It turns out they are not just butlers, but they prepared the wonderful luncheon themselves as well. Once again we are being spoiled.

It is still raining on and off while we are having lunch and also as we continue our journey to Aalborg after brief visits to a marine museum and a gallery.

Luckily as we are greeted by our new hosts in Aalborg it stops raining long enough to get our luggage transferred to their cars without getting wet.

Tuesday, June 9 - very big day

Our day starts with a tour through the Vendsyssel Art Museum. The current exhibitions are primarily modern.

After leaving the museum Rotarian Kjeld Berg guides us on a walking tour in town, starting with the wonderful fountains by Bjørn Nørgaards. The fountain above is adorned with figures from the Nordic Mythology.

Unfortunately the fountains are having some maintenance work done and we can't see the water running which would have truly been a treat as from the big fountain the water then runs down through all these lower fountains to the bottom of the pedestrian mall.

Still, even without the water one can easily imagine the tranquility.

As the tour continues, we see many other beautiful works of art and historic buildings. When we arrive at the Church of St Cathrine, we are greeted inside by the famous organist Michael Austin - the piano half of the Duo Kænguru - who proceeds to play for us the most beautiful concert. What a special treat!

As we walk up the road and in through the little lane into the court yard behind Grethe and Jens Abildgaard's abode, we find another treat awaiting us: Strawberries and Champagne, some other nibbles and of course also some medicine.

Thus fortified, we keep on following our guide until we come to the Vendsyssel Historic Museum.

On a lawn beyond this lovely kitchen garden, a marqui has been erected and tables laid as beautifully as if for a wedding. A sumptuous luncheon, prepared by the Hjørring Rotary faeries is being served to us.

We continue by bus from Hjørring to Mårup Church near Lønstrup where the sand cliff keeps on eroding. The church used to be a long way off the edge, but now it is precariously close. Efforts have been made to take the church down stone by stone and rebuild it somewhere else.

That would save the church, but some graves have already disappeared and otheres are only just hanging there until the next shift in the sand. Very sad.

These houses also look as if they might not be on the top for much longer.

Not very far from there however, is Rubjerg Knude, the white hill in the distance, where the light house has at times been almost completely covered with sand building up. It is no longer being used now.

Some energetic members of the group take a quick walk up there, but most stay around the

little town of Lønstrup as we have only little time before driving on to the afternoon tea that the good faeries have organised for us.

Our next stop is Børglum Kloster where we are taken on a wonderful guided tour by the present owner Hans Rottbøll. The Rottbøll family have owned the ancient monastery for several generations now. One young male member of the family was murdered during the war for being a patriot - if I understood that sad story correctly.

When the young man died the windmill was stopped with the wings making the sign of a cross and has never been used again since.

Our last stop for the day is Den gamle Smedie (the old smithy) just behind the windmill where we are served a medeaval dinner with some entertainment.

The table decoration is all edible consisting of fruits, berries and nuts and loaves of bread. The meal is huge and sumptuous.

Hjørring is our shortest stay, but they have certainly crammed a lot into the last two days.

Monday, June 8 - Top End

We have a big day ahead of us and the weather is absolutely perfect. This is important today for our various activities. Our first stop is the big sand dune called Råbjerg Mile which we all climb to enjoy the view. One of us is just a little disappointed that despite it's name (bjerg = mountain) it is not steep enough for a slide down on the bum which would have been good fun, of course.

The dune keeps moving steadily as the wind blows the very fine sand along. They reckon that in about 200 years it will be by the main road. Who knows if roads will still be used then.

Shortly afterwards, we pull up by this little hut were morning tea is being served. This consists of Danish Pastry, Coffee, Tea and Dr Nielsons! You see, the partying starts early in Denmark.

Our next big treat awaits us in the Museum of Skagen where we see some absolutely incredible paintings. I could fill a page with photos, but I chose the one above because it shows how the fishermen used to pulll the boats ashore. Although the boats were obviously a fair bit smaller, it still looks like a pretty rough job.

For lunch we drive down to the harbour front. The restaurant is very unique. It is absolutely full of galleon figures of every shape and size. The one above is the largest. Above the tables on the walls there are little thumbsize ones neatly poking out of wooden frames. Very original.

The highlight of the day comes after lunch when we drive out to The Tip, this being the tip of Denmark, where two seas, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat meet.

The Sandormen, a tractor pulling a wagon, is moving people out to the tip through the dunes. Once there, we can take our shoes off, hitch up our pants and walk right out for the feeling of one foot in each sea. The Kattegat actually feels a little warmer.

The waves coming together are actually quite obvious, but perhaps not on the photo.

Our stay in Hjørring is our shortest one. Tonight is Rotary meeting and presentation night.

We have been assured that tonight would definitely be all ok. Even Louis has been assured and he does not bring his laptop.

Luckily, I still have mine with me as this is all we have in the end. The poor little thing is not meant to do big jobs and it starts by refusing to talk to the projector. A kind man who says he is definitely not an expert gets on the phone and has somebody talk him through some setup procedures. Eventually, it is all set up and ready to go.

Little Hurdy Gurdy plays the music as well as the slideshow, working so hard that it starts to slow down the presentation. Before the job breaks the camel's back, I quickly slide a couple of saucers under it to stop it from overheating so much. It makes a little difference, but is by no means good. The audience is very patient and still appreciative even though the ones right up the back probably can't see a lot as the room cannot be darkened properly.

The Bryghuset is the Rotary Club's regular venue, it is above a small local brewery. At this point I would love to tell you the whole story behind it, but the notes are tucked away.

If any of the Hjørring Danes reading this could please help me out with some details it would be much appreciated. You'll have to become a member of the blog in order to be allowed to leave comments.

A much better performance is given by these two gentlemen playing the piano and the clarinet. They call themselves Duo Kænguru.

The kitchen deserves some congratulations as we are served a very special meal with pickled duck breast. That's Muscovie Duck (also known as canard de barbarie or Southamerican goose), very meaty and very red meat. One has to travel far to get this served, and very far to get it so well prepared.

The evening ends with beers all round in the brewery downstairs.