So, first of all - a
few technical problems. Not Scandinavia's fault. Wi-fi is available
(although at a cost. Typically £3 a night in a campsite). No, the
problems are all mine. My camera packed in, then started working
again, then packed in again. And the Netbook is being very grumpy and
slow and uploading to my blog seems to be harder than it should.
Although if this is online then I must have managed it somehow.
Denmark was fun.
Fantastic weather, almost too hot – especially when we got stuck in
traffic for an hour on the way over to Zealand. I wasn't sure if lane
splitting is illegal so I waited until another bike went past and I
followed him. Most of the cars we passed politely moved over for us
but it was noticeable that a few didn't. In fact they saw me in the
mirrors and actively moved into my way so I couldn't get past. This
seemed mean – even if what we were doing was illegal, they were
going nowhere, stuck in a tailback because of a fire on the bridge,
and what they were doing was likely to cause an accident. One
particular car really annoyed me. He moved over, after seeing me
coming and then moved over to the other side of the lane when I
thought about going the other way around him. And then back again.
Then another biker came from behind me and over took (on the wrong
side really) at which point the driver veered over, almost hitting
him. I took the opportunity to move up the inside of the car, as he'd
moved over to the left so much, pulled alongside the passenger window
and asked, politely, what his problem was. I didn't understand the
reply.
I only tell this story
as an example of how one small event or encounter can cloud someone's
view of a whole nation. We only spent two full days in Denmark but
unfortunately when I think of Denmark in the future it will be hard
not to think of this.
Which will be a shame
as we had a wonderful full day in Helsingbor, visiting Hamlet's
Castle. Kronborg Castle, a Royal Residence and tax collector's house
- as all shipping passing the narrow straights between Denmark and
Sweden had to pay a tithe. It was famous in the 16th
Century and Shakespeare would have certainly known about it (Indeed
he might even have visited). Hamlet is set in the castle and we
wandered around it on our own before joining a fun, light hearted
'Hamlet tour' as Horatio, our guide, took us through the play
(fortunately in 45 minutes!) stopping at key sites in the castle and
ending in the ballroom (where everyone dies in the final scene) which
was, in the 16th Century, the largest ballroom in Europe
(62 m long).
Next day we left
Denmark on a 15 minute ferry to Sweden. I couldn't think of another
place in the world where two countries are so close, but separated by
sea. Unfortunately it was raining and it didn't stop for a few hours.
This made the ride up the Swedish coast, along a motorway, a little
dull. But we ended the day in a lovely campsite, on the shore just
south of Stromstad. It was so nice we decided to stay the next day
and spent Friday washing, resting and sunbathing. Sunbathing in
Sweden! I'm not sure of our latitude but we must be north of Scotland
by now.
Tomorrow we get the
ferry to Norway.
I've had problems with
my Netbook and have had to type this blog out twice. I'm not sure the
photos will load but I'll try. Hopefully I'll work out what the
problem is and next week's blog will be better. But I am on holiday
and won't be spending all my free time trying to write a blog!
Top Tip so far. Danish
and Swedish petrol stations are often unmanned and only take cards –
no cash. And my Caxton visa card doesn't work in them. We did find
one Swedish one that took cash. Petrol is about £1:45.
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| Elsinore - Hamlet's Castle |
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| No comment |
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| In the 17th Century the Swedes stole the fountain! |
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| Biggest ballroom in Europe! |
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| Heidi on her second ferry crosing - to Sweden in the rain |
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| Sweden from Denmark. A ferry crossing every 15 minutes |
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| Sunny days in Sweden. |
Title of this blog refers to a Billy Bragg lyric just in case you still cared...
