I love the rain!

The flight from New Delhi to Munich was uneventful, taking about eight and a half hours. Lufthansa has “on-demand” video, which to me at least was rather novel! Watched the movie “Flawless”, which starred Michael Caine, to pass the time (and I'd recommend it!). Arrived in Munich, where it was 4 degrees and raining – I took the opportunity to go outside for a a few minutes to breath in the cool crisp air and luxuriate in its freshness! “God I love the rain!” I said to myself, having come from a very dry and dusty place – It rinses the air clean and you can SEE for more than 800 metres. It washes the dust away and the grass is GREEN. I resolved never to complain about rain again at that moment.

From Travels

My flight to Copenhagen was on a small turboprop, and before I knew it I was on the ground in Denmark. Marianne and Ejnar meet me at the airport – surprised at how fast I have been “processed” – then whisk me into Copenhagen. They then depart to visit for the first time their third grandson who has been born that very day!, and I take the opportunity to relax. I have sole use of their basement “apartment” – the only problem with it being that the ceiling is 185cm (about six feet!) – so when downstairs I have a permanent stoop….

Thursday afternoon I catch the metro into Copenhagen and go “window shopping” as I discover that the NZ dollar buys only 3.3 Danish Krone! I had bought a small bag of sugar roasted almonds from a street seller and belatedly discover that they cost the equivalent of NZ$8!! I consequently savour each nut!

Friday I travel by train to Sonnerborg to visit Inger-Merete and Calle – Inger-Merete is Ejnar’s sister and they had been to our place in Wellington in 2007. They were very keen to reciprocate my hospitality and rued that I could only stay one night. Dinner was roast duck with sugared potatoes. One of the things that visitors to Denmark should know is that you should only take the smallest of portions to start with – as the more “seconds” you take the higher in regard and esteem you are considered to then hold your hosts! One of the rudest things that you can do in Denmark is to not take second helpings! Conversely Danes have been “caught out” in New Zealand by taking a small first helping – then starving when no seconds are then offered!

Saturday sees me catching the train to Arhus to visit Susanne (my Aunt) and Uncle Hans. The train arrives early – I spend 15 minutes waiting on the front steps of the station while Susanne waits on the platform…. That evening another wonderful meal of many servings, this time salmon, awaits me!

Sunday – the three of us catch the ferry to the island of Zealand for a family gathering....