Traveling often throws people out of their normal routines. Sue was surprised to find herself waking up far earlier than usual. At home, she's the one sleeping in and staying up late.

One morning on Ærø, she got up before the dawn and went for a walk around the town. She wasn't the only one. It was another perfect day. (Sven continued to work his magic). The morning light is great for taking pictures. Maybe not great pictures, but enough to give a flavor of the place.

Instead of the city sounds we had heard on other mornings, Ærø was hushed - but not mute. There were birds and the sound of bike tires on the cobblestones; the occasional dog barking in the distance; and the toot of the ferry horn, calling us away from our island getaway. 

Some interesting sights around Ærøskøbing included mirrored side-looker devices in many of the windows. Residents can look out and see what's going on down the street. Nosiness to the nth degree!

The town has a strict preservation code. Houses are required to be rebuilt rather than torn down and replaced. There were a few homes that were propped up, in seeming danger of falling over.  

On the edge of town was a pond with an island in the middle. Someone had crafted miniature Ærø houses and windmills and planted them there.

The Ærø Hotel glowed in the morning sun.

Ready for departure

Hard to say goodbye to Ærø!

We had a little time to kill in Copenhagen before we headed for Oslo. It was the perfect time to check out the Danish National Museum. Even with a map, it was easy to get lost in the labyrinth of interconnected rooms. We made it out in time to catch the bus for a quick trip past the Little Mermaid (just as unexciting from the front as from the back), and thence onto the big overnight ferry to Oslo. 

Traveling light does not lend itself to being fashionable. Sue is afraid that someone will call the folks from "What Not to Wear." (Black socks with shorts?!). Oh no, is that Stacy and Clinton around the corner?

This boat was HUGE. It was more like a cruise ship than any ferry we had seen before. We were greeted by the mascot of the ferry line, a large parrot. We were eager to check out all of the amenities. From the internet cafe to the spa to the expansive duty-free shop, this boat had it all. Only the staterooms left something to be desired. "Cozy" is a word that springs to mind. Comfortable, but not for the claustrophobic!

Welcome aboard!

Eventually, we figured out how to access our e-mail accounts. Sue was glad to find out that her husband had made it through his surgery okay. Traveling in the modern world offers the ability to stay connected that we didn't have when we traveled "back in the day."

This was our last opportunity to spend all of our Swedish and Danish money, which we couldn't use in Norway. Even at the duty-free shop, some items were still pretty pricey. Sue was happy to find the Norwegian cognac that her brother asked for - and all those little bottles of aquavit will come in handy for stocking stuffers. Or something like that.

Once we had settled in, the next item on the agenda was a lavish buffet dinner in the ship's dining hall. There was a huge amount of seafood, which we devoured with gusto. We might not have been so enthusiastic about chowing down if we had known what the night held for us. Pass the Dramamine!

©2007