Milan, Copenhagen, Malmo Sweden, Boulder Co, Sarasota FL, Boulder Co, Miami Beach FL, NYC, Nosara CR, Key Largo, Key West, Boulder Co, Halifax NS, Prince Edward Island, LA, Sedona AZ, NYC, Nosara CR, Miami Beach, Key West, Key Largo, Miami Beach, Malmo SE. That about catches us up from my last blog until now for those curious. It has only been about 2 years! Those who were asking for more have since given up asking. So, in typical Scorpio fashion on my own terms and without further adieu…
Since I last communicated the world has been changing so rapidly and it continues to be tumultuous and overwhelming for many, many reasons. We did not even go to Europe last year because of all the terrorist activity, instead we went quietly and safely to Nova Scotia and P.E.I. in Canada and they were lovely and remote. This year we headed for solitude again and in addition to the worldly problems are also more immediately escaping predators in our own backyard. There have been several black bears sightings in our neighborhood. Literally, a black bear in the preserved land out our back door as well as a black bear in a swimming pool less than 1/4 of a mile away. With bear sighting in the daylight it puts a damper on playing outside our home as well as the constantly looming infectious deer ticks and their daily menacing behavior ominous for avid outdoors people or people who just want to walk out of their house.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SWIMMING BEAR
On this years excursion first we took solace in our all familiar port of Malmo, the 3rd largest city in Sweden which lies across the bridge from Copenhagen. Even after being away for 2 years it still feels like a second home we can navigate easily and all the people even speak English. Not just enough words to communicate but fluent English. As a worldly world traveler I am not arrogant expecting to have others speak our language. I know enough to get by in French, Spanish, and Italian and Rick’s Italian and German are bellissimo. Once I tried to learn Swedish by audio tapes, I tried really I did but, my mouth betrayed me. I could not get the sounds to come out correctly no matter how hard I tried. So as he has been doing since 1989 Rick lead a Martial Arts seminar for his student Dan Johansson’s group MMA Alliance, The students there loved the lessons and Rick looks forward to reconnecting with the group.
After a weeklong visit we hopped on. I may have mentioned previously that I love water. Given a choice, Rick is more a mountain person and I the sea and salt water. Maybe you are picturing some palm trees and sand as we are here in the islands again, this time not in the Caribbean but in Scandinavia. We went remote, super remote and quiet – Ærø, Denmark. Denmark is made up of 3 large landmasses and 2 of which are islands and then 404 more islands! The island we chose is part of the South Funen Archipelago in the south of Denmark in the Baltic Sea only accessible by ferry. And oh, you better make a reservation for the ferry because when we rolled up in our car rental to the dock and strolled leisurely into the Tourist office to inquire about the ferry departure the nice woman looked panicked. We did not come prepared with a reservation and the ferries fill up between cars and trucks heading over to the island. With her assistance we get a spot for the next departure but upon arriving we did not get a reservation for our return at the time we had hopped for.
Being a green freak, I personally loved the idea of visiting this small island because it is near completely energy independent and up to a few years ago held the title for the world’s largest solar power plant. Ærø is only 22 miles by 6 miles but it’s 7,000 residents are very connected to nature and to the sustainability cause. Come on world, if a place that gets only approximately 50 hours of sunlight in December can do it what about the rest of us?
Speaking of sunlight, thankfully, Ilaria is a great sleeper at night because being so close to the Arctic Circle in the summer the sun rises at approx 4:30 a.m. and sets at approx 10:00 p.m.! We do engineer the curtains and rig extra darkening to make sure that deep sleep happens. We enjoy going for morning hikes but not too early!
Escaping from reality, it is a fairy tale island; truly, in the old town most of the houses are one story tall and the oldest (still occupied) dates back to 1645. The streets are lined with hollyhocks and roses. In the main town strolling through the streets I took a photo of a particular door we found intriguing and it turns out it is not only the oldest on the island but, the oldest door in Denmark! Ærø is 22 miles by 6 miles, with 7,000 residents. The kind of island where people sell strawberries, honey, jam, and potatoes in front of their houses on the honor system, that kind of sweetness. The nature walks were dreamy and surreal.
Given the quaint features of this stay (and if you know us well) you will be shocked to see where we are going next. It may be the antithesis! STAY TUNED
Here we are living and still living wherever we are.
Living Wherever We Are 