SUMMARY Another great day! Beautiful blue skies and cool but warming temps. First thing is a walk to the beach (we only get into to our knees this time). Breakfast with sea view. Jakob drives Grith, the two of us and dog Hugo to an estate where we walk in the beautiful gardens. Next we meet Oskar and Matilde for smørrebrød lunch. We drive to neighboring island. We see but can’t visit a big yellow mansion (Krenkerup) with beautiful grounds and the caretaker’s house where Jakob’s mother and grandparents used to live. Beer is made on the property. We share a four beer sampler in the beer garden. Next stop on our busy schedule is Fulsang Manor, a mansion turned tearoom and restaurant. They’re not open for dinner yet so we get to have a glass of wine out on the back veranda. Then, off to dinner at a not-fancy, but delicious restaurant which consists of maybe 7 tables on a deck overlooking a pretty harbor. They had 60 person waiting list and were booked out for months. We felt very lucky Grith was able to score us a table. - Karen
DETAIL I lift my eye-mask and realize it’s daylight. My watch says it’s 6:47. I’m delighted at having slept so long. I rub my eyes and look again. It’s actually 5:47. Oh well. It’s perfectly silent and still. Out on the lawn a deer sits, chewing its cud. Karen gets up an hour later, we make coffee and open the house. It’s delightfully cool and clear outside. Doves coo and bathers walk by periodically on their way to walk the beach for swim in the Baltic.
A message from Grith invites us to go swimming. We do (up to our calves, this time). Hugo goes all the way in and brings back a dead fish. A small halibut. Neighbors tell Jakob that a few days ago bales of cocaine washed ashore a short ways down the beach. Exciting place!
We walk back to the house and Hugo stays behind. He’s trying to figure out how much trouble he’ll be in if he goes back in the water.
Cleaned up we head to lunch with Hugo in the back of the car. He fits but just barely, being a big dog. He doesn’t complain but does shift every so often.
On the way to lunch we stop at a beautiful, huge estate and grounds (Corselitze). Decades ago it was built by two brothers who made their fortune manufacturing and selling the big weapons of war. The metal came from Norway and governments would buy lots of these weapons. From that came all the money and this palatial estate. What didn’t come were any children, and so the house, and land, became a foundation with the estate and lots of surrounding land. The endowment of so much money and productive farmland makes up an endowment that’s self sustaining. Now you can visit (the land and upper floors of the residence) for free. Only the head of the foundation, and the queen (who’s involved), can use the building’s 1st floor and the tennis court.
We drive on to lunch at Pomle Nakke. It’s a cute place, on the water, on top of a big cliff overlooking the same Baltic that Jakob and Grith’s place does. All around are beautiful forests that are also part of the land of the foundation. They have great walking trails.
We sit outside and their kids Oskar and Mathilde join us. We enjoy more delicious smørrebrød for lunch, with beer. Eventually the kids take off with Hugo and we adults drive for more explorations. We’re headed from the island of Falster down to the Lolland island (“lowland”, meaning ‘to the south’).
We visit another amazing estate (Krenkerup) for beer tasting but also to see the caretaker’s house where Jakob’s mom and her parents lived. During the war the Germans took it over and enjoyed its comforts while they were coordinating the take over of more and more of Europe. The estate also has a big stable of beautiful horses used for playing Polo on the grounds across the road, just beyond the allée of huge trees. Soon we’re off to yet another estate (Fuglsang Manor), this time for wine and another long walk. Grith’s water color teacher has finagled to have the class paint on these various estates.
Right on time we show up in Nysted on Lolland for dinner. The restaurant we’re at is named Ö. That is, of course, ‘island’ in Swedish, and we are on an island. In Danish, their word for island is Ø. Such kidders.
The sign out in front of the restaurant says they’re fully booked for the next four weeks. Translation? Don’t ask if there’s a free table. Grith wasn’t able to book a table when she first tried, then the owner emailed her saying “Contact me in the next five minutes and I can give you a table”. She did and he did. Prix fixe and truly delicious. Their staff? Husband and wife. She cooks and he waits the seven tables. We’re outside and the weather, and views, are delightful. We’re there for a long time and get to see a beautiful sunset. Grith drives the long way home, in the dark. This isn’t something we’re used to (the dark) but she does a great job. But we’re exhausted from such a full day.
Photos
Karen and Grith sit on the beach of the Baltic at dawn and contemplate life being good
Hugo gives up on the dead halibut he found in favor of playing some more 'fetch' with Jakob.
Our first chateau of the day (Corselitze). Only the queen (and foundation head) can use the first floor (and nearby tennis court).
The grounds were gorgeous. Hugo's favorite part was the injured bird he tried to hid in his mouth. (Bad Hugo)
Lunch with the kids (and Hugo under the table). The weather continues to cooperate.
Lots of delicious smørrebrød for lunch. We though we might get tired of it, but no, it's so varied, light and fresh
Jakob showing us where the recent big storm ate away at the 500' cliffs we're standing on. On the beach (out of the picture) are a half dozen huge trees that fell down as their soil was washed from beneath them
Krenkerup chateau
We tried a flight of beer. All good, one lightly smoked.
The caretaker house at Krenkerup where Jakob's mom (and his grandparents) lived, until the Germans temporarily kicked them out
Fuglsang Manor is beautiful, and with amazing grounds
Grith's favorite tree at Fuglsang Manor. It maybe takes up an acre all by itself.
One of the many delicious courses at the restaurant Ö.
Sunset at Ö
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