Visitor Programme 1

Arrive in Copenhagen - VISIT SKÅNE

National Aquarium in Copenhagen.

Everyone knows that Copenhagen is a major airport hub but few come to think of that SKÅNE is only across the bridge of Öresund - with direct access from the airport. If you are in for a break in Scandinavia / Copenhagen why not combine this with a visit to Skåne. Opportunities are numerous from magnificent golf courses to cultural events and natural beauty in a tranquil setting along the entire shoreline - the selection is yours. The program for our cherished young quests this time was:

Day 1: Copenhagen sightseeing

Day 2: Hässleholm Museum and the Zoo of Skåne (Höör)

Day 3: Åhus Eel festival, Forsakar and Havängen Nature Reserves 

Day 1: Copenhagen

The famous Nyhavn in Copenhagen.

Our quests, Mr. T Jr. and his fiancée Ms. S, landed early at Kastrup airport so when we arrived they were ready to go. Train connections to the city centre are frequent and we purchased a 24-hour pass. The prescheduled preliminary program was abolished as our quests also wanted to visit the National Aquarium that we had not been to either. Opposite the railway station is a useful Visitors Centre that provided us with details on how to get there and other information. If you really do not know what you want to do on a specific day, go to this centre and shop for ideas. We once picked up the idea of taking a coastal train to the picturesque city of Helsingör in Northern Sealand (see the blogpost on the Region of Öresund). 

Copenhagen by sea.

From the Visitors Centre a short walk through Ströget, the shopping street, takes you to Nyhavn that in itself offer photogenic scenes. After a stroll along the canal we choose one of the sightseeing service providers for a one hour tour in the harbor area and the canals. The tours are more or less the same with different service providers but differences do occur. On our tour we missed out the old war time Torpedo Boat sheds that now have been renovated for other uses and interesting to see. After the cruise considerable time was spent in one of the restaurants at Nyhavn. After some reconnaissance we found a restaurant that offered traditional Danish Smörrebröd (sandwiches). This went well down with local schnapps and beer. We then got up, walked a short distance to the Metro station of Kungens Nytorv to catch "the tube" directly to the Aquarium at Kastrup, near the airport. 

The colorful National Aquarium of Denmark.

The award winning architecture of the Aquarium is spiral-like offering different programs; the lakes of Africa, the rainforest, the ocean and its coral reefs and much more. From the terrace you can also spot the the bridge of Öresund at a distance. For daily programs see their website denblaaplanet.dk With this visit the day was full and we returned to our car at Kastrup airport to drive home for a pasta dinner.

Day 2: Hässleholm museum and the Zoo of Skåne

Hässleholm Museum (of transportation)

Mr. T Jr. is interested in military vehicles and seems to possess some information related to these. On our way to the Zoo we therefore stopped at the Hässleholm museum that display different kind of historical vehicles be it military, fire protection or old carriages. We had an hour to take pictures, mostly in HDR, of the military vehicles, and details of them, this time. The fire engines were presented in our earlier blogpost. During the last Saturday of August the Museum organizes a big gathering for military vintage vehicles and reenactment (www.mollerod.se). The ladies preferred to use their time shopping and were picked up for the continued journey. 

The Zoo of Skåne in Höör.

The Zoo of Skåne is specializing in Nordic species and, with some 75 of them, is largest of its kind in the world.  Mammals like otter, wolf, bear, wildcats, fox, lynx, elk, deer, wild boar and many more can be seen. Besides their daily (feeding) programs it is possible to prebook a close encounter with some animals and also organize special activities like tree climbing. 

Before this day was over we spent the evening in the city of Åhus and the Pråmen restaurant enjoying salmon, pulled pork and fantastic desserts. We drew through Kristianstad to show our quests the city and what it had to offer.

Day 3: Eel festival at Åhus and Nature Reserves at Forsakar and Havängen.

Forsakar beech forest.

The Eel Festival

The Eastern cost of Skåne is known as the Eel coast where eel still today, in a smaller scale, is fished using special nets. Åhus and the surroundings are known for their Ålagille (Eel-partys) and a special Eel festival is organized early August every year when selected Ålabodar (Eel huts) offer eel for tasting accompanied by musical programs. We wanted to get a taste of this event and joined the crowd at Åhus market place for the coronation of the Eel King of the Year and after that visited one of the huts called the New Revhakeboden to taste smoked eel. 

Promotion of the Eel festival. One of the simple eel huts and a net drying up in the wind.

Forsakar Nature Reserve

Forsakar was also described in a previous blogpost and this, together with Havängen, were the highlights of the program this time. Also Mrs. T was amazed of the area of Forsakar that seemed to take us into a wilderness with its dense vegetation and the water falls. The above picture was taken at the initiative of Mrs. T and I have to give her credit, again, for her eye of the beautiful. It is possible to climb the water falls and our guests wanted to do so. 

Forsakar water falls during the dry season.

Finding and getting into Forsakar is very easy and the experience so stunning that one visit does not seem enough. Distance to walk is short and the path easily approached with photogenic scenes all around it. All in all this part of Skåne in Degeberga, Brösarp and Kivik has much to offer. We now only had time for the natural beauty at Havängen, a short drive from Forsakar. 

Enjoying ourselves at Havängen Natural Resort, Eastern Skåne (tents only suggestive activity).

With the visit to Havängen the day was coming to an end and as the windy conditions did not tempt anyone for a swim we returned north to Östra Göinge and home base where meat balls "à la Mrs T" was waiting for us. The three days where packed with program and as often is, the best of it tends to come last. We utterly enjoyed the visit of too rarely seen quests and welcome them soon again as Skåne has so much more to offer.

Arriving by flight to Copenhagen and, in this case, returning by train to Stockholm and the ferry boat to native Finland.

Hope you have enjoyed our three day program as much as we have. If interested in the activities in Skåne do visit the website www.visitskane.com for events and happenings. Our own blog will give you some ideas of exciting places to visit if you come this way.

Take Care and All the Best!

:-)