Where are Ron and Ellen?
Summer 2002
Langeland, Ærø, and Egeskov
Dear family and friends,
Having arrived in Odense, we'll now tell you about our time on Langeland and Ærø, two islands that are part of the large group of southern Danish islands. We loved our time there, and decided we could easily have spent 10 days in the same spot rather than the 5 we did spend.
One day we (and our bikes) took the ferry from Rudkøbing, where we were staying, to Marstal on Ærø. During the hour ferry trip we met a couple who also had bikes on the ferry, one towing a small trailer. It turned out that they actually live on Ærø in Marstal, and were coming back from a concert on the northern tip of Langeland, where they had camped overnight. They invited us to their house for tea after we landed. In touring their beautiful enclosed back garden we discovered they were world travelers: they have plants and trees that they had grown from seeds and cuttings brought from China, Tibet, and other places. We shared travel stories, and they suggested a route for our day's bike trip. They described themselves as "dinosaurs" because they have no car and no driver's licenses (living on the island bikes and ferries work just fine), and no home computer (they are both teachers and have a computer account at the school). We really enjoyed our time with them -- kindred spirits.
On Ærø, we biked to Æroskøbing, a town where most of the old houses are beautifully preserved -- and very tiny. Neither of us are particularly tall, but we would have to duck our heads to go through many of the front doors. (In Rudkøbing where we stayed, we talked to a green grocer who came originally from Copenhagen, and lived in Æroskøbing for two years. He moved to Rudkøbing because he said his house was too small -- the entire house would have fit in his shop in Rudkøbing, and it was not a large shop!)
We visited Voderup Klint, a series of huge grass-covered banks dropping down to the water like giant stair steps on the south side of Ærø. We climbed a hill to a dolman dating from 3500 BC (where Ron got two thorns in both tires, so we had a tire-patching break), and explored the recently discovered site of a 13th century church, torn down at the time of the Reformation, and now just a depression in the grass. The church site was surrounded by a high semicircular bank that was a defense fortification used between 600 and 1300. The entire setting was in the middle of an empty wind-swept field just a few feet from the bank dropping down to the water. It must have been an impressive sight when it was a real building and fort. There were signposts with diagrams showing where graves (about 75) had been found, where the different parts of the church were, etc.
Another day we biked all the way to the southern end of the island, through small villages and farmland. There are several nature preserves and bird sanctuaries there, and it was very beautiful. There are great sweeps of grass going down to the water, and wonderful woods with little narrow trails running through them.
There are many power-generating windmills scattered over the island. At one high point we could see 17, all turning in unison. When you are very close to them, you can hear a sort of regular whooshing sound, almost like a heartbeat.
Leaving out bikes behind, we took the bus one day to Egeskov, a beautiful castle built in the center of a lake. Looks just like something out of a fairy tale. We toured the castle and wandered in the extensive grounds and gardens, but perhaps the most amazing thing was the huge museum of vintage cars, motorcycles, fire engines and ambulances. It was housed in huge long stone buildings that would have originally been stables and cow barns, and there were just rows and rows of beautifully restored or preserved vehicles. Then there was the attic, the upstairs (probably originally used for hay storage) that was filled with unrestored vehicles of all kinds.
The thing we find most disconcerting about this trip is the light. Dawn at this time of year is at about 3:30 a.m., and the sun doesn't set until about 10:30 pm. We are constantly surprised at what time it is!
Yesterday we went to the Odense zoo, one of the nicer zoos we have been in, and to Hans Christian Anderson's house, which has extensive exhibits on his life.
Love to all,
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Last updated: 20 July 2002