Exploring the Tranquil Peninsula of Fyn by Bike

OFF TO DENMARK!!!

AFTER MUCH DELIBERATION WE CHOOSE AS THE DESTINATION OF OUR TWO-WHEELED ADVENTURES ONE OF THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES... DENMARK.

THE TOUR INVOLVES AN INTERESTING CIRCUIT OF THE PENINSULA OF FYN, TO THEN CONCLUDE THE ADVENTURE IN THE DANISH CAPITAL, COPENHAGEN.

THIS TIME THE TEAM IS COMPLETE, IN FACT BESIDES MY FATHER (LUCIANO) THERE IS ALSO MY UNCLE (ROBERTO), WHO IS VERY FIT.

WE SET OFF FROM FIUMICINO ON A DIRECT FLIGHT TO COPENHAGEN, LAND AND IMMEDIATELY BY TRAIN TO ODENSE, ALL AS PLANNED. WE ARRIVE AT THE HOTEL BUT HERE WE IMMEDIATELY HAVE A PROBLEM. THE BIKES THAT THE TOUR OPERATOR WAS SUPPOSED TO DELIVER TO THE HOTEL CANNOT BE FOUND. THEY ARE DELIVERED TO US LATER, BUT THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE HANDLEBARS AND COME WITHOUT PANNIERS. BY NOW IT HAS GOT DARK AND WE HAVE NO CHANCE TO PEDAL.

SO WE START TO VISIT ODENSE, AFTER HAVING ARGUED ON THE PHONE WITH THE ORGANISATION (DUE RUOTE NEL VENTO) ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.

WE WANDER AROUND THE CENTRE, TAKING OUR FIRST DANISH PHOTOS, OF THE STRANGE SCULPTURES BELOW THE CATHEDRAL AND THE TOWN HALL, THEN WE HAVE DINNER IN A SQUARE AT A DANISH PLACE, AND WE IMMEDIATELY REALISE THAT WITH THE CASH WITHDRAWAL MY FATHER MADE AT THE ATM SHORTLY BEFORE WE CANNOT EVEN PAY FOR A SANDWICH... IN SHORT, DENMARK IS VERY EXPENSIVE!!!

THE TOUR BEGINS UNDER LOVELY SUNSHINE (WHICH WE WON'T FIND AGAIN...), WE VISIT BEAUTIFUL MANORS AND CROSS GREEN LANDSCAPES.

WE ARRIVE AT MIDDELFART, WHERE WE GET A DRINK AND TAKE A FEW PHOTOS WITH A LONG BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND, WHICH LINKS FYN TO JUTLAND, THEN WE ARRIVE AT THE HOTEL, WHICH IS SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL. SO WE DINE IN THE LUXURIOUS ROOM FOR ABOUT 1000 KRONER (A FORTUNE!... A LOT).

THE SECOND LEG BEGINS IN THE RAIN; WORRIED, WE SET OFF, BUT SOON WE GET USED TO IT. THE KILOMETRES FLY BY AMONG LANDSCAPES WHICH, TO TELL THE TRUTH, ARE NOT AS BREATHTAKING AS THOSE OF IRELAND OR SCOTLAND, BUT PEDALLING ALONG ROADS FREE OF TRAFFIC AND AMONG THE WOODS IS VERY PLEASANT.

WE VISIT THE VILLAGES OF, ALL CUTE BUT AT THE SAME TIME ODD, BECAUSE CLOSE TO EACH ONE OF THEM THERE WAS ALWAYS AN INDUSTRIAL AREA WITH A BUILT-IN CHIMNEY THAT ISN'T A GREAT SIGHT.

THE TRIP TO THE ISLAND OF AERO, REACHED BY FERRY FROM SVENDBORG, WAS PLEASANT, ITS CLIFFS INTERESTING.

VERY PARTICULAR WAS THE VISIT TO THE MANOR... DURING THE LAST LEG, AND THE STOP MADE AROUND THE GIANT STONE FOUND AMONG THE STRETCHES OF DANISH LAND. A REAL MYSTERY THAT WE COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO OURSELVES.

THE TOUR TAKES US BACK TO ODENSE, WHERE WE RENTED A FIAT PANDA. WITH IT WE WENT TO EGESKOV CASTLE. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CASTLE IN DENMARK. INTERESTING ALSO FOR THE LOVELY COLLECTION OF THE 'COUNT' MADE UP OF AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF VINTAGE CARS AND MOTORCYCLES, AND FIRE BRIGADE VEHICLES ('FALK'). IN SHORT, A STOP NOT TO BE MISSED!

THEN WE DEDICATED THE LAST TWO DAYS TO COPENHAGEN. AN INTERESTING CITY AND NOT EVEN THAT SMALL. HERE WE VISITED THE MOST FAMOUS PLACES. THE CHOICE TO TOUR THE CAPITAL ABOARD THE LOVELY BOATS, WHICH STRANGELY ARE VERY CHEAP, WAS EXCELLENT.

ON THE WHOLE THE HOLIDAY WAS BEAUTIFUL BUT ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE; MOREOVER WE EXPECTED SOMETHING MORE IN TERMS OF LANDSCAPE, AND I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD FIND SUCH RUDE PEOPLE.

NOW WE ARE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT ADVENTURE,... WALES OR NORTHERN FRANCE? WHO KNOWS.

GREETINGS FROM THE TRAVELLERS CLAUDIO LUCIANO AND ROBERTO.

DENMARK (5 - 13 JUNE 2010)