Holidays in Sydals near Sonderborg, Denmark

The view onto the wide open seas of the Baltic is just splendid. We spent a week here on the Danish Baltic Coast, and need to return once more. For once, we did not even get to try a smorgasbord! And there are many more reasons to go back…

Mammark, Denmark

There is much agriculture near the coast line.

We were encouraged by our hosts to pick some raspberries. Yes, that’s me right there.

Raspberries to pick at our rental home

Many times, we stopped at Migges Café on main street in Sydals. They have wonderful pastries and bread rolls. We often had coffee sitting outside, and just watched life go by. This bakery and Café alone would be another reason to go back there.

Danish Bakery display at Migges Café in Sydals

More about our holidays in my next post.

Holidays on the Danish Baltic Sea

Picking the Baltic Sea in Denmark for our holiday destination this summer came about in an interesting way. In my many years of downsizing our home, I had to revert to certain tricks to let things go. This actually applies more to my better half.

I told him to imagine we would move to a House in the Danish Dunes. If that were the case, would he take this item with him..? If the answer is no, then it is time to say good bye.

I spend my free time sorting and de-cluttering, and so the liberating expression, “Would you take this to Denmark?” popped up on a regular basis. Then, we could not help but actually book a holiday there this summer.

We spent a wonderful week in Sydals, near Sønderborg in southern Denmark, which was the first part of our leg (first week in July).

Driving around the countryside, we had never seen so many poppies before. If you thought bright sunshine would make a dashing contrast to the red color, try dark skies. This is much better.

Poppies in Denmark

This is the view from where I sat every morning. Our hostess explained that the sea lies hidden behind the tall canola field. I didn’t mind. Looking at the skies, feeling the morning breeze, and listening to the birds was all I needed. Well, add coffee to that.

Morning sky in Sydals, Denmark

Lucky for me, we had a Strandimbiss (beach snack bar) in walking distance. We came here almost every day – if not for a light lunch, then it could be for a small bottle of wine to go, or just to do laundry. The Danes are so relaxed and kind. No wonder Denmark rates as the country with the second highest happiness index (behind Finland).

Sonderby H in Sydals, Denmark

Here we stopped in Mommark for lunch, and enjoyed another great view of the open skies. You might have noticed by now that the skies are usually dark. We had daily average temps of 17°-20°, which is perfect for me. Without the constant wind, it felt much warmer though.

Mommark, Denmark

If we are on the seaside, then it had better be seafood for lunch. For my husband, not me.

More to follow in my next post.

Bike Race Through Oberursel on 1 May 2022

We long-term residents of Oberursel are familiar with this annual event. For the newcomers to Oberursel and vicinity, this might prove to be a challenge to get in and out of Oberursel on that day. Some roads will be blocked for traffic as early as 8:53, and some until 13:16.
From my experience, it is best to leave your home around 8:00.

These roads will be affected:

  • Waldlust-Hohemark
  • Im Heidegraben/Hohemarkstraße
  • Altkönigstraße/Steinmühlenweg
  • Hommkreisel
  • Oberhöchstädter Straße/An der Heide
  • Gablonzer Straße/Zimmersmühlenweg

For more detailed information, visit this interactive map, and you can plan your day accordingly. Click on ‘Anwohnerinformation’, then activate ‘Schleusen’. This way, you can see where and what time the bike race is coming through.

Edit on Sat, 30 April, 18:36: One of my friends pointed out that the bikers’ route might differ from the one above. See here: Hessenschau Conclusion: If you have the option to stay home, then do so...

Bike Race through Oberursel, 1 May 2019

Brockwell Park in London on a Fine April Day

Traveling is almost back to normal, but some things have changed for me. For one, I’m happy to stay home, and have our adult children visit me instead. Also, my last experience trying to book a flight with decent arrival and departure times, left me cancelling it altogether. In the end, I did not mind spending money on a round-trip ticket which I would not use. 37 messages and phone calls between the travel platform and me really took the fun out of any future travel experience.

Again, I was happy for them to keep the money, and I could stay home.

Nowadays, I prefer being an arm chair traveler, in the comfort of my own home. Fortunately, my adult children still get around, and share their photos with me.

Our son just moved to a new flat within south London, and discovered this beautiful park across the street.

Brockwell Park, London

I have been to London several times, but it was always for some event (graduation ceremony, concert, wedding, etc.) My next visit, if at all, will be to any park in London, where I can enjoy a picnic, observe nature, load up on vitamin D, take photos, and visit myself.

This has to be a British thing – I have never seen a clock installed in a park.

Being happy, when alone, is the greatest blessing one can have in life. – Venkat Desireddy

Cherry Blossoms in Washington, D.C.

For the past couple of years, like many of us, I have taken to mostly armchair traveling, and have few chances to take photos. But with both adult children living out of the country (London and Washington), I still get to travel a bit with the help of their photos. With their friendly permission, I get to post them here. Thanks, Margo.

Our daughter Margo took these photos after work in Washington, D.C, probably sometime between the end of a workday and Happy Hour.

When my husband and I looked at her photos, we both realized we had never been to the Washington Monument Grounds in springtime. In the early 90s, when we lived in Westminster, MD, we often took our international visitors for sight-seeing to DC. Family and friends often came during the hot and humid summer though… never in spring time.

In Germany, the best places to enjoy cherry blossoms are in Bonn, Hofheim i.T., Schwetzingen, Hamburg and some other cities.

To view the best 10 cities in Germany, visit: Japan in Deutschland Cherry Blossom Viewing

Washington Monument March 2022

Washington Monument Grounds in springtime

We experienced three seasons of Cherry Blossom viewing while living in Japan. The only difference between Hanami in Japan and cherry blossom viewing here is – most Japanese have blankets to sit on the grass, and they bring a lot of good food, and alcoholic beverages. Lots of it.

Washington, D.C.

Diese Webseite verwendet Cookies. Wenn Sie auf der Seite weitersurfen, stimmen Sie der Cookie-Nutzung zu. Mehr Informationen

Diese Webseite verwendet so genannte Cookies. Sie dienen dazu, unser Angebot nutzerfreundlicher, effektiver und sicherer zu machen. Cookies sind kleine Textdateien, die auf Ihrem Rechner abgelegt werden und die Ihr Browser speichert. Die meisten der von uns verwendeten Cookies sind so genannte "Session-Cookies". Sie werden nach Ende Ihres Besuchs automatisch gelöscht. Cookies richten auf Ihrem Rechner keinen Schaden an und enthalten keine Viren. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf der Seite “Datenschutzerklärung”.

Close