A visit to a Glacier and a nap!

Our next full day in Norway was devoted to a visit to the Briksdal Glacier a tongue of the Jostedal glacier, the largest glacier in continental Europe. To reach the glacier, we had to pass around the edge of the fjord by our hotel. It was a beautiful drive as we passed through some of what little arable land that Norway has. This region is particularly known for its fruit. Near our hotel, there were several

Apples growing near Loen

farms with trees loaded with apples just ready to be picked. At the base of the glacier, which is within a Norwegian National Park, there is a well-developed center for tourists with parking, shops, restaurants, and toilet facilities. This trip has made me aware of just how dependent Norway has become on the tourist industry.

To get close to the glacier, there are two options: walk (a.k.a. climb) or ride in a troll car. Our tour arranged for us to go by troll car. A troll car is an oversized ATV that seats 7 passengers and the driver. I was lucky enough to ride shotgun with the driver. It’s quite a climb even in a troll car and

A troll car

there were times when I was hanging on for dear life, even with a seatbelt on! Even the troll cars can’t go all the way up. The last part of the trek has to be done on foot, so we dismounted and began walking. The trail takes you through some beautiful upland forest. Despite the warm, dry summer, everything was fresh and green because of the recent rains. The trail winds its way uphill for about 500 yards or so and then it opens onto an amazing sight. You stand in a rock-strewn clearing witnessing the moment when glacial ice turns into water, tumbles through a ravine and pours itself into a pond of glacial water that is like no other color on earth. It truly is breathtaking. I savored the experience for quite some time, before deciding to head back down.

Viewing the glacier

I walked back to the spot where the troll cars would meet us. A few of our group could not make the last stretch on foot, so they were waiting there as well. Little by little, other members of our group trickled back in. At some point, someone did the calculation and estimated that it would be at least 20 minutes before we could ride down. At that point, a few others and I decided that we would walk. It was a beautiful day and it was great to be out in the fresh air. Even going downhill, the walk was strenuous; but I’m glad I did it. About 2/3 of the way down, I passed a sign indicating that this is where the glacier had ended in 1920. This was a sobering reminder of one of the effects of climate change. It gave me a lot to think about. We reassembled at the bottom and went into one of the restaurants for a group lunch. All that hiking had worked up an appetite. J

We arrived back at the hotel around 2:30 and had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves. Again, I was grateful for some down time – and a nap!

Before dinner, we were treated to a 55 minute condensed history of Norway presented by two locals. It was both informative and entertaining. Following the talk, I joined two couples for a 3-course dinner at the hotels fine-dining restaurant. It was a very enjoyable evening with great conversation and great food; but by the time we finished, it was almost 10:30.  I was glad that I got that nap in!

I'm adding a few more photos of the Briksdal, because it was so beautiful.

The glacier, the falls and the pond

On the way up to the glacier

Norway - Day 3. The Fjords.

We left Bergen to begin our exploration of the fjordlands of Western Norway. We began heading up a major highway, but before too long, we found ourselves on a two-lane road driving through the Norwegian countryside. Our goal was to reach the town of Oppedal before 11:00 am so that we could reach the ferry to cross the Sognefjord. Road construction at one point threatened to derail our plans, but our very able bus driver, Eidar, got us there just in time to board the ferry. 

Crossing the Sognefjord

The trip across the Sognefjord, Norway’s largest, lasted about half an hour. It was our first exposure to the magnificence of the fjord landscape where steep mountains meet these deep inlets that were carved by glaciers. It is a landscape unlike any other, but one with which we would become very familiar over the next few days.

Once on the other side, we continued our journey to the town of Loen, where we would spend three nights at the wonderful Hotel Alexandra. 

Stopping for a photo

Along the way, we made several stops for photo ops. Everywhere you looked, there were breathtaking views. The countryside abounds in lakes, rivers, fjords ,farms and waterfalls. We would pass through rain showers, clouds, dappled sunlight and more rain. There was a constant play of light and shadow. I was transported back in time to those years of friendship with Sverre Gyberg and his family, who lived on our street when I was growing up. In those years my mind was filled with images of Norway that I acquired in their home. Everything I had heard about Norway as a young boy from the Gybergs seemed to come flooding back. Especially when we stopped at a gift shop for a pit stop and I saw the trolls that figured prominently in my childhood.

The view from my room in the Hotel Alexandra

We arrived at the Hotel Alexandra near the end of the afternoon. The hotel, which has been a tourist destination since the 19^th century sits at the end of a fjord. The current building is quite modern but retains much of the atmosphere of yesteryear. Despite the chilly weather, we had a dinner on the outside terrace. It was a long, but memorable day.

Proof that I was there

Norway - Day 2, Bergen

Our full day in Bergen began with a trip to the home of eminent Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg. It only took about twenty minutes to reach the home, which is known as Troldhaugen. In addition to the original house, the site now houses a small museum (with its requisite gift shop) and a marvelous small concert hall. Upon arrival, we learned that we were lucky enough to be there for a short concert. We took our seats and had the good fortune to hear a very talented pianist, Christian Ihle Haland. He played selections from Grieg’s Op. 17 “25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances.” This was a perfect choice and a great start to the visit. The pianist was phenomenal. The hall itself has

Concert Hall at Troldhaugen

wonderful acoustics and a great view. The same view that inspired Grieg when he was composing in his little hut.

Grieg's home

After the concert, they split our group in two, because the house cannot accommodate large groups. My group was ushered into the museum where I learned a lot more about Grieg’s life and career than I ever thought. All cynicism aside, he had a remarkable career. With good reason, he is revered in Norway as much as a patriot as a musician. The house itself was interesting as an example how a 19^th century bourgeois Norwegian family would live. The setting, too, is lovely.

Back on the bus, our British ex-pat tour guide provided a running commentary on both the city’s history and his own, including his two failed marriages. I could have done without the latter. The city pretty much owes its existence to the German Hanseatic League, which used it as an outpost for the dried cod trade. Though I had a vague idea of the league and its history, I learned much more about it while visiting Bergen. There is a Hanseatic Museum, which I visited later in the afternoon. We had the afternoon free, for which I was grateful. My capacity for organized fun while traveling is not unlimited.

My first stop was a visit to a pharmacy to get something for a cold that had developed. I probably managed to find the least helpful pharmacist in Europe. Not only was his English limited, he seemed constitutionally incapable of making a real recommendation, “well, you could try that, or you could try that.” Ugh. Fortunately, after complaining to my fellow travelers the next day, the really helpful things emerged from people’s suitcases. I spent some time wandering the pedestrian shopping area and grabbing a sandwich for lunch. 

City park in front of gallery

I then decided to go see the collection of Edvard Munch paintings in Kode 3, one of the four principal art collections in Bergen. In the same building, there was an exhibition of 19^th century genre paintings, but nicely displayed in rooms with period furniture. I enjoyed that exhibit a great deal. The Munch collection and the historical perspective that the museum provided was quite well done. Well worth the visit. After the gallery, I toured the Hanseatic Museum, which I found very informative. Last task of the afternoon was to get an umbrella. It rains a lot in Western Norway!

Art shot! Can you tell what it is?

Back at the hotel, I worked on this blog for a while and then decided to benefit from the hotel’s free evening buffet. I had hoped to be in bed early, but to my surprise, I found a fair number of my fellow travelers doing the same thing. Well, one thing led to another, and soon I was enmeshed in a lively conversation with two Australians and a Canadian couple about the current state of US and world politics. I’m not sure how the wine kept getting to our table, but it wasn’t the early night I had hoped for – but it was fun!

We're off to Norway

Today was essentially a travel day. We boarded our bus in Stockholm and headed to the airport for our midday flight to Bergen, Norway. Tauck had arranged a check-in counter just for us, which made things a little more manageable. I was surprised to see just how busy the airport in Stockholm was. Once through check-in and security, Tauck had also arranged for us to have something to eat before boarding the plane. It was a cafeteria-style place with both hot and cold food. I opted for the salad bar, since at 10:30 in the morning I wasn’t interested I roast beef and potatoes. The flight to Bergen was easy, little more than an hour and ten minutes. We landed on a wet and dark afternoon with a steady rain. Things were not looking great. 

Not so easy to see, but it's the yellow letters

On leaving the airport, a big sign greets one that says – BERGEN? That’s odd, I thought. As I learned more about the city’s history, however, I suspect it’s a jab at the name that the German merchants gave to the city in the Middle Ages. In Norwegian, the city’s name is Bryggn.

Our trip into the city was also uneventful. Bergen is a city that clings to the side of hills leading down to the fjord where the harbor is. Even under dark and brooding skies, one could see that Bergen was a beautiful place. By the time we pulled up in front of our hotel, the Havenkontoret, the rain had stopped. We were assigned our rooms; and then we had about an hour before we needed to reassemble to depart for dinner on an island in the harbor.

Restaurant Cornelius

At 5:45, we boarded a ferry that would take us to Restaurant Cornelius, a well-regarded seafood restaurant in Bergen. The ride across the harbor afforded us a chance to look back on the city and get a general sense of where things were. Shortly, though, we were docking and being shown into a 

lovely modern dining room with glass on three sides.

 Almost as soon as we were seated, the young woman in charge of the dining room informed us that there was a television crew on the premises from Norway2. They were there to film the owner who would be speaking to us for an episode of “New Scandinavian Cooking”. They needed our OK before the crew could start. Nobody had any objection. I think I may have been the only one of us who has actually seen the show, which sometimes appears in PBS’ cooking show line-up.

The owner speaking on camera!

 In a few minutes, the owner was speaking to us about the history of the restaurant and maybe a little too much of his own personal history to boot. The short version is, this guy perfected a method of farm-raising seafood, which features prominently on the menu. We sampled various some raw scallops and mussels before they served the actual meal. All of it was delicious. Somewhat surprisingly, a few people on the tour do not eat seafood at all.  I have probably eaten more fish since the tour started than any one time in my life; and I am enjoying it!

Pollock on a bed of pureed rutabagas

Stockholm - Part 2

Before I begin to describe the day, I want to vent a little. I have always been pretty allergic to “Massentourismus”, the way you describe in German the kind of touring done in large organized groups. I will readily admit to being a cultural snob on this point. This is why I generally prefer to organize my own travels. I had my reservations about this when I booked this tour, but my desire to see Scandinavia and lack of time won out. 

Today’s activities, however, reminded me of why I dislike this kind of “sight-seeing” so much. There is the physical aspect of being herded through spaces and being pushed and shoved by others doing exactly what you are doing. This has only been made worse by the need everyone seems to have to stop every ten feet and take a picture of God knows what, or worse yet, a selfie. The thing that really gets me, though, is being told what I should see, look at or notice. Background information is fine; but there is something about the abandonment of one’s own powers of observation that rubs me the wrong way. There I’ve said it.

Our first stop was Stockholm’s Town Hall. You might think that this is a somewhat unusual type of building to visit, bit it was well worth it. The “new” town hall was built in the early 20^th century. Besides being the home to the city’s government, it was meant to showcase Stockholm’s importance and rich culture. While it was built in the early part of the 20^th century, the architecture is more backward looking. It is described as the “National Romantic Style.” Built of more than eight million bricks, the town hall contains some stunningly beautiful spaces in which to hold grand public events. In fact, the Nobel Prize awards dinner is held in the grand “Blue Room”, which isn’t blue at all.

Overlooking the "Blue" Room

 There’s a nobility and graciousness to many of the spaces; and, fine examples of Swedish art and crafts populate its public rooms. I would have liked to have more time to admire some of these things, but we were forced to keep moving by the crowds. I found it to be a very handsome building and I am glad that the tour brought us there.

Following town hall, we boarded the bus for a general orientation to the city from the bus. We criss-crossed bridges and circled the old town, Gamle Stan, from the outside, since inside is a pedestrian zone.  Again, it was a beautiful day and Stockholm glittered under the bright Nordic sun. The summer holidays had just ended, so there was a considerable amount of traffic. That was not necessarily a bad thing, because the slow pace allowed us to take in more of the sights and to see the city “at work”.  Our final stop was the Vasa Museum, a museum built to house the Vasa, an ornate royal warship that sank just twenty minutes into its maiden voyage in 1628. The vessel lay submerged on the bottom of the harbor until the early 60’s when it was raised, restored and eventually put on display in the museum that was built around it. The ship itself is in remarkable condition. The other exhibits display artifacts found with the wreck. What I found most interesting were the facial reconstructions that scientists were able to make from the skeletons found on board. Once again, though, the hordes of people pushing through the museum were a torment.

The afternoon was free, so I set off on my own. The first thing I wanted to see was the Hötorgshallen, a food court and marketplace. In addition to seeing it, I had read good things about Kasias Fisk, a food stall that served excellent fish. The food market itself was rather small, but Kasias Fisk did not disappoint. I had some wonderful cod with hard-boiled egg and horseradish. You order at the register, pay and find a seat. You receive a number when you pay, and when your food is ready, a waiter comes out and shouts the number. Great fun and good people watching! After eating, I strolled along the main shopping street headed for the old town. It too was crammed with tourists. I didn’t spend too much time there; and, except for the German Church, I didn’t bother to go into anything. I went back to the hotel to rest for a bit, before heading out again.

Stockholm's old town - Gamle Stan

Stained glass from the German Church

Around 6:00 I set out again and went in the general direction of a restaurant I was considering for dinner. I stopped in one of Stockholm’s main department stores, half looking for a hat and maybe a scarf before we headed to Norway. It was supposed to be quite chilly.  I enjoyed browsing but in the end decided against buying anything. I made my way to the restaurant, Bistro Bestick, and went inside. It was small and every table was occupied. I asked the young lady who greeted me if there were any chance of my eating at the bar, which only had three seats –all of them already full. She said to me in an almost conspiratorial tone, “I think they will be done in about 30 minutes, if you want to wait and have a drink. I really wanted to try the food here, so I said, “Yes, that will be fine.” The staff was young and friendly and I soon had a glass of wine in my hand. It wasn’t even twenty minutes when the people at the bar left and my place was set. 

The veal at Bistro Bisteck

The menu was small but creative. I started with an egg baked with pancetta, chanterelles, chives celeriac and fried potatoes – not entirely Swedish, but they are allowed. The main course was fabulous, slices of veal scaloppini sautéed with broccoli, tarragon, Belgian endive, pickled mustard seeds and the thing that really made it special – grated foie gras. Oh my, was that good. Kitchen staff came out and chatted from time to time. I finished with a homemade chocolate truffle. In the time that I was eating, they must have turned away at least 30 people, so I felt very lucky to have gotten a seat. Sometimes it just works out.

Stockholm - Part I

After breakfast at Toftahalm, we began the trek towards Stockholm. We spent the better part of this day on the bus. We had a mid-morning break to visit one of the largest rune stones ever found in Scandinavia. It had been incorporated into the foundations of the local parish church and discovered, when the church was being renovated in the 19^th century. The inscription on the stone is somewhat enigmatic, but it seems

parish church with rune stone

to be a a kind of dedicatory inscription by a father to his dead son. The stone stands near the current parish church, which I would have liked to have seen, but it wasn’t open. Our tour director explained that there were remnants inside from previous church buildings on the site. Unfortunately, very little remains in Sweden of the pre-Reformation church.

We pushed on from there to have lunch in yet another manor house, Loftstad Slott. This was an estate of Axel von Fersen, a Swedish general, who served with the French in the American Revolution. Once again, it was a beautiful property, but we had no time to explore the outside. The last stretch got us into Stockholm at around 4:00. We checked into the Sheraton Stockholm and had a quick turnaround before heading out.

Loftstad Slott

I have to say that I had very little preconceived idea of what Stockholm would look like. As the bus drove to the hotel, I was struck by the openness and lightness of the city. I didn’t hurt that it was a sunny, warm afternoon and the people were out enjoying themselves. Stockholm sits on a series of islands, so there is water everywhere. The play of light on the water only adds the charm of the city that has many more gracious 19^th century buildings than I had imagined.

The first stop on the tour was the Royal Swedish Opera House.We had a fantastic guided tour of this late 19^th century building. Typical for the period, the building is overly ornate, but beautifully done. Since it was a royal opera house, we were treated to seeing the king’s box and his rooms at the opera, which were like a miniature hall of mirrors from Versailles. The tour concluded with a short recital by an excellent soprano and accompanist, who played and sang while we swilled champagne. It was all very grand. We dined in the restaurant that is on the lower level of the house and had another very nice meal. I was happy, though, to get back to the comfort of my room in the Sheraton. It had been a very long day.

View of Stockholm from my hotel room 

On to Sweden!

We had a relatively early start on Sunday morning. Copenhagen was hosting an Ironman competition and we had hoped to avoid it, but no such luck. Lots of streets were blocked. Eventually our very able bus driver, Jens, managed to get us to the Øresund bridge that leads across the sound into Sweden. Soon the Swedish border police had checked our passports and we were on our way.

Crossing into Sweden

 Almost immediately, I could tell that Sweden was different from Denmark. The landscape was more rugged, less manicured than Denmark. As we moved further north, we began to see hills. Something that you don’t see in Denmark, which our local guide liked to describe as “flat as a pancake”.



Our first stop was Sofiero, once a royal residence, but now a  museum and more importantly a park and garden. We had a wonderfully informative local guide

Touring the gardens of Sofiero

who gave us a great tour of the gardens, because there are 10 in all! The sun came out and it was a beautiful day for a tour. Sofiero stands on the Swedish side of the Øresund Sound; and, across the water on the Danish side, you can see Elsinore Castle, of Hamlet fame.  The tour was followed by a splendid lunch in the villa. The restaurant has a great reputation, and I can see why. We all had the same thing- a green salad with some confit chicken, a wonderful piece of fish with local vegetables, and mixed berries and cream with a crispy cookie. Then it was back on the bus.

Our destination and overnight stop was Toftaholm, a country manor hotel in the Swedish region of Småland. We arrived in a light rain and were quickly shown to our rooms, which were very quaint

My room at Toftaholm

and old-fashioned. There was time to explore the grounds a little before our next event – a greeting and history lesson by the current owner and then a “folkoloric” presentation. The history lesson involved lots of family intrigue and quarreling. The “folkoloric” presentation turned out to be a performance by a local folk-dancing troupe and musicians. They were quite good and engaging performers. The last number involved audience participation; and, despite my efforts to hide, I was chosen. My partner took me firmly in control and made sure I did what was expected – and nothing else! Anyway, it was great fun.

Yours truly with the Swedish dancers

Dinner followed in the hotel’s restaurant; and, once again, the food was outstanding – not overly complicated, but just solid with excellent use of local ingredients. The standout that night for me was the rhubarb crisp, with rhubarb ice cream! Who would have imagined?

My rhubarb dessert

Copenhagen- Day 3

We were on the bus at 8:30 Saturday morning. We were heading out of the city to visit one of the most imposing structures in Denmark – Frederiksborg Castle. On the way, we had a chance to see some of the rolling Danish countryside. I think tidy is the right adjective. We arrived at our destination in about an hour and were fortunate to have a private entry into the castle before it opened

The entrance to Frederiksborg

to the public. The castle is a splendid example of Dutch Renaissance architecture, which the Danish King, Christian IV, adopted as his style. The castle sits in magnificent parkland, which is not so surprising, since its original purpose was as a hunting lodge. Again, I wish that we had more time to explore the outdoors, but we had to leave to make our lunch date.

We left Frederiksborg and headed for the coast. We were having lunch at one of Denmark’s royally licensed inns.  A royally licensed inn was one where the king and his party could stop and eat without charge. Only inns with good reputations and good food normally received this privilege. The inn was in Humlbaek, an important seaside town on the road leading north from Copenhagen. Upon arrival, one could see immediately that the inn possessed a HQ factor: HQ= high quaint. It was picture perfect. Inside it was cozy, almost too much so. We had to ask them to open the windows.

The inn at Humlbaek

Lunch was a typical Danish spread: two kinds of herring, fried flounder to start; liver pate, roast pork, red cabbage & cucumber salad, followed by some local cheese. As always in Denmark, this comes with delicious bread. The weather turned cloudy as we headed back to Copenhagen along the “Danish Riviera”, the posh seaside towns that line the road. We arrived back at the hotel around 3:00, just as the Gay Pride Parade was stepping off.

The rest of Saturday was free. I made one more attempt to try and connect to the internet, but finally I gave and decided that I wasn’t going to waste any more time on this tour trying to fix things. Included in the tour package was an entrance ticket into Tivoli Gardens. I figured that would be a good place to escape the craziness of the parade. What a wonderful escape it was! The park was filled with people of all kinds, but especially children, enjoying all that Tivoli had to offer.

In Tivoli Gardens

 The atmosphere was wonderfully playful and joyous. I ran into several others from our tour group and even identified a good prospect for dinner – Gymuse, a restaurant with a menu based on locally grown vegetables. You are allowed to leave the park and return, so I went back to the hotel for a shower and to put my feet up for a while. I re-emerged in the early evening to the make my way back through the aftermath of the parade for a quiet dinner in the restaurant. It was a very interesting meal. Then back to the hotel with another early start ahead  of us.

Copenhagen - Day 2

I got back to the hotel and it was still very warm in my room. I had left a few windows open, but it didn’t seem to have done much good. I wasn’t looking forward to trying to sleep under a down comforter. My worst expectations were realized. I woke at some point and tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. I finally fell asleep again at some point. I eventually got up around 9:00.

I spent the morning doing a little exploration of Copenhagen on foot. It was a beautiful sunny day and I think I fell in love with this city almost instantly. I don’t know why, but I imagined some place much smaller. I was surprised to see how built out even the older parts of the city were. For those of us who have grown up only thinking about Denmark as this little country in the north of Europe, it’s difficult to recall that Denmark was once a mighty military and maritime empire. Copenhagen is not just the capital of a little Nordic monarchy, but the capital of a once great superpower.

The city was awash with late season tourists and revelers who had gathered for Copenhagen’s Pride Parade. I had an enjoyable few hours getting oriented. I needed to eat something before setting meeting our group, but I was surprised to discover just how difficult it was (at least for me) to find just plain old Danish food. On a hunch, I followed the main road away from the center and found what I was looking for. A shop that made Danish sandwiches. All the sandwiches were named after famous women. I opted for the Hillary C – roast beef, with tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and sauce. Yum! That was good. Now, back to the hotel to begin the tour.

Our bus was waiting outside the front door and I boarded with just a little apprehension. I have never been on an organized tour like this; and, now that it was here, I wasn’t sure.  that I still wanted to do it. We had assigned seats, and, as a single traveler, I was alone. Quickly though conversations sprang up and soon we were on our way.

Our first stop was the Amelienborg Palace, the residence of the Danish royal family. Being August, however, the queen was not at home. We didn’t go in, but the visit also served as a brief introduction to some of Denmark and Copenhagen’s history. Our walk back to the bus took us through a rose garden, where I managed to pick up a honeybee that was behind my ear. When I went to brush it off, it stung me! Fortunately, no reaction other than what you feel from a bee sting.

Our next stop was the Little Mermaid statue. By this time, it had begun to rain in earnest, so it was a very brief stop for a photo op! Our next stop was Rosenborg Castle, another royal palace in Copenhagen. This residence started out its life as a summer palace, but evolved over time. It is also where the Danish crown jewels are on display. I would have liked to seen the gardens, but the weather and our schedule did not permit that. It was back to the bus for a quick turn-around at the hotel before the group headed off for dinner. Prior to dinner, there was a welcome reception for the group in the hotel, where we introduced ourselves to each other. It seems like a congenial group. Dinner was in a well-known restaurant on the edge of Tivoli Gardens. The food was tasty, if unremarkable and then it was back to the hotel for an early evening. The following day we had an early start.

The Little Mermaid (and me!)

Copenhagen - Day 1

My visit to Copenhagen has been off to a good start. The only hitch is the wi-fi in the hotel, which does not seem to want to play nice with my laptop. I keep getting these brief spurts, but then it cuts out. As a result, I have not been able to post to the blog for 48 hours. This has been very frustrating, since writing the blog entries has become a regular part of my day. So I’m going to try writing off-line with the hopes of getting connected in the morning.

Getting here from Ireland went very smoothly. Fr. William was there and ready to go to take me to the bus at 7:00 am. The bus itself was fine, but fairly crowded. I ended up in the back seat with a family of 4; and, by the time the two-hour trip to Dublin airport was over, I was feeling pretty cramped .Check in was interesting, because, for the first time I my life, I was behind a group of people who were checking guns onto the plane. Obviously, they were headed for the hold, but still, I was amazed to see how involved the process was. The flight itself was relatively short, less than two hours. Flying over Ireland is a thing of beauty. When the clouds part and you can see the crazy –quilt patchwork of fields dappled green by the sun; it evokes such a response in me. I don’t want to pretend that it calls forth some long-lost memory, but it does have a very real effect on me. There was cloud cover most of the way that broke just as we approached Denmark. Looking out at the tidy (and quite brown) fields below me elicited nothing more than interest at best. We landed, I met my driver and soon I was being deposited at my hotel.

Be forewarned . . . The food report is about to begin.

The first order of business was to find and ATM and at the same time, possibly somewhere to eat since it was already close to 6:00. The hotel is fairly close to both the central train station and one of the commuter lines; and, from my window, the neighborhood looked fairly active. A friend of mine had given me the name of a restaurant not far from my hotel, so I thought I would locate it. I did, but it was pretty full and it was still just a little too early to eat. Additionally, it was rather warm and I’m not sure that I felt like traditional Danish food.

I kept walking and eventually found an ATM that looked safe. As I walked down a side street, a saw a place with tables outside. The sign said: Øl & Brød, which I knew meant Beer and Bread. I seemed to recall looking at this place on the Travelocity website, so I walked a little closer and checked out the menu. Seemed like modern, Danish farm-to-table cooking.  It seemed interesting, so I went inside, and, as luck would have it, they could take one solo diner. This was a good start.

The place was small and decorated in the style of a farmhouse kitchen. The wait staff were all young, female and pretty – which seems to be the rule here in Denmark – and spoke impeccable English. Once I had the menu, I realized that this place was associated with a beer bar I was interested in visiting. I had a nice IPA to start.

The "

consumption"

One of the options was the chef’s choice: appetizer, main and dessert of the chef’s choosing. There was nothing on the menu that I wouldn’t eat, so I thought, “Why not.” That turned out to be a very good choice. My appetizer was a tomato consommé (billed as a tomato consumption in the English version of the menu J)  with bits of cherry tomato, mozzarella, basil oil and raw mackerel. I was rather like an insalata caprese soup with sushi. I was a bit wary of the mackerel, but everything combined wonderfully; and it was the perfect starter on a warm evening.

The pork

My main course was sublime. It was pork shank with asparagus, peas, and mushrooms in a sauce that I can’t quite describe. It was, without a doubt, one of the best things I have eaten in a long time. Dessert was thinly sliced strawberries in a white chocolate and ginger cream with toasted rye – I’ll call them mini-croutons- for lack of a better word.




You get the picture.

Hey everybody! I am back on-line. Give me a little time and I'll catch up.

Hi everybody! Greetings from Denmark. I am having major computer difficulties and cannot connect to the internet, that’s why I haven’t posted anything since I arrived. Everything was working fine in Ireland, but ever since I tried to log onto the wi-fi here in the hotel nothing has worked. I’m not sure if I can do this all from my iPhone. I guess I’ll find out. Very frustrating.

Celebrating the Assumption

The recently renovated abbey church

Today's activities were centered around the celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady's Assumption. As you would expect in a Benedictine monastery, it was marked by solemn and beautiful liturgical celebrations. The high point of which was Mass today. Here at Glenstal, they expertly combine Latin Gregorian chant with the Roman rite in English in a dignified and prayerful way. At times, the singing seemed quite other-worldly. It's hard to know what the untrained or uninitiated would make of this. I am fortunate to have lived for many years at Sant'Anselmo in Rome, where this style of liturgy was 'normal'. Clearly, though, this is not every day liturgy or every parish's style of celebration. Still I couldn't help reflecting that it is important that the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church still may  and should be celebrated in this way in some places. The human psyche today desperately needs these important rituals precisely because they take us out of they everyday, and remind us Christians that we are also part of a world beyond the one we can see with our eyes.



In fine monastic tradition, after feasting at the Eucharistic table, the community gathered for a festive meal in the monastic dining room. There was a palpable feeling of joy in the human companionship at a shared meal. . . and some wine . . . There was general agreement that the next order of business was a siesta!  Who was I to argue with the customs of my host community?

The Lady altar at Glenstal

The morning had been dark and rainy, but during Mass there had been some breaks in the sky and the sun actually came out. When siesta was over, the sky had brightened considerably and I went for almost an hour walk. The air was fresh and breezy; and the walk did me good. On my way back, as I got closer to my donkey friends, I could see their ears sticking straight up in anticipation. I knew it wasn't me. Then I saw Abbot Patrick approaching with a bag of what I could see were small apples. The donkeys definitely knew who their friends were! As he was feeding the donkeys, a family of three generations came up with small children. It was so cute to see how they were eager to join in the feeding! I left them to their fun and made my way back to my room. I needed to get ready for tomorrow. It's off to yet another airport (Dublin) and on to Copenhagen. Next report from Denmark!

Abbot Patrick feeding the donkeys.

It has been a quiet day here at Glenstal. It's been a kind of recovery day from travel. I slept fairly late, which was good. The monks have been quite insistent that I should rest and not feel that I have to join them. That is, however, exactly what I did for the rest of the day. The rhythm of the monastic day just carries one along, if one's schedule permits- which mine certainly does. The community here celebrates the Eucharist at 12:10. This is followed by the midday meal, which, as I pointed out yesterday, is the main meal. This is over by 1:30, so there is a fairly big chunk of time before the next hour of prayer at 6:00. I worked in my room for the next two hours on a translation project from German. This really tired me out, so I took a nap.

Near Glenstal

After my nap I took a brisk 45 minute walk both on and off the grounds of the abbey. While walking, I made the acquaintance of two donkeys, severals bulls who were gazing longingly at the heard of cows across the way, and, a very friendly Labrador whose owner had left him loose to guard that house, which he wasn't doing particularly well.

I returned to my room in time to get ready for Solemn Vespers for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. The abbey recently installed a new set of 4 bells. Up until today, they had only been hearing three of them. The fourth was to be added on this feast. I wasn't sure whether it would be before Vespers or not, but before too long I received the answer. At 5:45 the bells began pealing, first one, then two, three, and yes, then 4! It was a glorious sound. We sang Vespers and re-joined for the Tuesday evening cold supper - an assortment of salads, cheese and other cold foods. It was quite delicious.I managed to spill the tea - I didn't realize the pot was that hot! They were all very polite about it. There's no reading at this meal, but there is recorded music.  Because it is a solemnity, the monks prayed Vigils at 8:30, which was enhanced by some beautiful polyphonic singing by a smaller group of very talented monks! And so, today comes to an end.

If you want to hear the bells, here's a link: https://photos.google.com/u/1/album/AF1QipM2EMJ0z061htnYAFR4lZe-0OD8QQ-pxhmylnVs/photo/AF1QipO4YB13UBFkutp-TIlrX-L69ReiKC_GZZ5wbQ46

The next adventure begins!

Like my trip to Australia, the start of my European sojourn did not begin on a high note. Despite the predictions of thunderstorms, Northern New Jersey seemed relatively calm on Sunday evening. As we approached Newark airport, one of the monks commented,"It's a lovely night to fly." Maybe as the weather goes . . . Apparently other airports on the East Coast were not so fortunate, so there were numerous delays. The plane bound for Lisbon that was at our gate, didn't leave until after 9:30 pm. We were supposed to take off at 9:55. Even after that plane left, the passengers from the incoming flight from Shannon didn't start coming into the terminal until about 10:30. It was then that United finally decided to post that our new departure time was 11:30 pm! Shame on them! They must have known that. Anyway, we finally did start boarding around 11:00 and we did eventually take off.

I was dead tired by this point and was probably asleep before we reached our cruising altitude. I roused myself when the food came around because I was hungry. Had I known that we were going to be so delayed, I would have eaten in the terminal. There's now some decent food to be found in Terminal C. Instead I had a ration of vegetable baked pasta, which was overcooked, but palatable. The glass of white wine helped put me back to sleep quickly. There were quite a few bumpy spots in the crossing, some of them enough to wake me up. The bottom line is that on a 5 1/2 hour flight, I might have gotten 3 1/2 hours sleep. The next thing I knew, the cabin lights were on and we were preparing to land in Shannon. The pilot announced the weather conditions as 59 degrees, overcast with light drizzle - welcome to Ireland! After the sultry weather we've been having, I was ready for the change. A break in the clouds allowed me to catch my first glimpse of the patchwork of green fields that is the Irish countryside. "I'm here!" I thought, ready to begin this next chapter.

I was met by a monk of Glenstal, Senan Furlong, whom I have known since my days at Sant'Anselmo in the 90's. It's always great to be met by a friendly face when arrives in a foreign country. Soon we were on the road and headed to the abbey. We caught up on things in the car and before long we were pulling onto the long, handsome drive that leads from the road to the monastery and school.

The "castle"

Glenstal Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in County Limerick on the south-west coast of Ireland. A 500 acre estate with streams, lakes and woodland paths, surrounds a castle built in the romantic Norman style.Glenstal is also a very beautiful place with rich, lush vegetation. It's also a working dairy farm, of which the scented air left no denial. I was happy to be back in a place that I have enjoyed visiting before.

I was shown to my comfortable room, where I had a chance to shower and change before joining the monastic community for the mid-day meal. Even though this is their principal meal, it is informal and talking is permitted. I had a chance to say hello to many of the monks whom I have gotten to know over the years,either at Sant'Anselmo, through the exchange with their school, or during my prior visits. I was greeted on all sides by the very Irish phrase "You are very welcome"; and, indeed, that's how I feel.

I crashed after lunch and had a nice siesta. I rallied around, 4:00 and went for a walk around the property. It felt good to breath fresh air after all those hours in the terminal and in the airplane. I walked down "the lane"and back and enjoyed being greeted by a "Hi'ya" from my fellow walkers, of which there were many. I rejoined the monastic community for sung Latin Vespers in their recently renovated Abbey Church and it was a wonderfully peaceful experience to stand in the monastic choir and sing those timeless Gregorian chants. It amazes me that it has been 17 years since I have sung those psalms with any regularity; yet, they were still alive and fresh in my memory. I looked around and saw not a few of the monks singing them by heart. That is, of course, what St. Benedict wanted - that the monk should interiorize the words in such a way as to pray them with the heart, not just the mind. A simple supper with a reading from a biography of Benjamin Franklin followed. In tonight's reading, he was, among other things, experimenting on electrocuting turkeys! Who knew? After supper, there was an interesting conversation with several of the monks in their community room. Now, it's time to turn it. Day 1 of the European adventure is over.

If you want to know more about Glenstal, you can watch this short video which they have posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlenstalAbbey/videos/2022483954451467/

The entrance to Glenstal Abbey