Travels with Spaniels: Farting about in Denmark

Middelfart has been on the route plan for some time, for the simple reason that I identified it early on as our first laundry stop. The marina here has fully serviced motorhome spaces for about 15 vans, and it provides all the facilities needs by visiting yachts, including a couple of washing machines and dryers. We were so keen to make sure we got one of those spaces, that we were here by three o'clock, having crossed the border from Germany at about one, just in time for lunch. It had been a fairly dull and overcast morning, and there was a spell of heavy rain. But as we crossed into Denmark the sun came out, the sky cleared, and our first view of the sea was a breathtaking blue broken by the white sails of yachts bobbing about in the Lillebaelt (Little Belt) straight.

Elsa is working on her highlights

We found the marina without trouble, which left us little to do but unfold the chairs, feed the laundry to the washing machine, and peg out the spaniels. Or some combination of the above. We didn't even have to withdraw any Danish Krone - everything here is done by loading a plastic card, from the laundry to filling up with water.

Later we had a lovely chat with the neighbours, a Dutch couple with a teenage son, who are travelling a similar route to us as far as Bergen, but have only a month for their holiday. It was great to swap motorhome lore, van details, and information about travelling with dogs. And since he was wearing an All Blacks shirt, there was also some some discussion about rugby, which he had played for 25 years.

Ready to lounge in the sun

It's good to finally be in Scandinavia, although we enjoyed our three days in Germany, and are looking forward to spending more time there next spring - on the way back north. The landscape in the north is fairly flat, and parts of it were very industrial. But we founds lots of lovely places to walk the spaniels. This morning's walk was through a small forest in Neumunster, which opened out into a glade ringed by memorial stones to the local people who died fighting in the Second World War. It was simple and moving, started after the First World War, and continued and enlarged after the second. A large plaque in the centre of the circle called for an end to war and fascism. We are so used to seeing Commonwealth and Allied war memorials, but seldom see those of the other side. Their families want to remember their loss too, and most of the combatants were individually powerless. It's interesting that such a powerful memorial is hidden away in the forest, and it reminded me a little of the Katyn Memorial on Cannock Chase, where we were just a week ago. It seems very far away now.