Day 5: A Visit to Aero Island

Can an accommodation color one's opinion of a place? That's a question I've been asking myself this week. I loved the Copenhagen Strand. It wasn't expensive yet our room had an expansive harborside view and we were only a ten minute walk from the museums. It gave me the impression that Copenhagen is a lovely city with canals winding their way through town. Last night on our way back from Tivoli, though  we saw another accommodation we had considered. Although very nice, it overlooked a very busy and noisy part of the city and I wondered if I would have had the same impression of Copenhagen had we stayed there.



This morning we traveled to Aeroskobing, an island in Denmark. Our three hour trip was by train, bus, and ferry. The island is very close to the German border. It's 22 x 6 miles with about 7,000 residents. The houses are brightly painted stucco with red tiled roofs. Many have tiny knick knacks in their windows and small gardens bursting with flowers. I always stop and smell the roses. It takes me back to my childhood days when roses bloomed along our white wooden fence.
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We took a short walk along the cobblestone lanes and noticed tiny mirrors attached to many of the houses so they can see who is coming by. Bicycles are everywhere and are used simply to get from one place to another. No trendy Lance Armstrong outfits here.



We spotted an old bicycle with a wicker basket filled with wild flowers and a sign pointing to a restaurant overlooking the harbor. It was nothing fancy, but we enjoyed delicious fishcakes and a salad served on a paper plate. From our picnic table we saw the evening ferry come in and people on small boats arranging picnic dinners on the pier.



Tonight we went on a night watchman's tour.  It was led by a woman in a night watchman's costume and her ten year old daughter who carried a lantern. We learned that this is one of the best preserved towns from the Middle Ages in Europe. As we walked through the town she sang songs that were once sung to let people know the night watchman was on duty. Her primary duty was to watch for fires. It was fun to walk down the streets lit only by the light of a lantern and peek into some of the houses.



One of the final homes we passed was our accommodation, Pension Vestergade No. 44.  Built in 1784 for a sea captain,  it has 8 rooms for guests. There are creaky wooden floors, antique Danish furniture, and a beautiful garden behind it.  We were warmly welcomed by Susanna, the owner who served us coffee and cookies in her cozy library. This place has shared bathrooms and it's nothing fancy, but it's just the kind of place I love.  Can an accommodation color one's opinion of a place? If this is any indication of life on this island, I think I'll stay.