Hello Denmark!

Welcome to the land of trust! I'm staying on the island called Læsø in Denmark where nobody locks the doors of their homes and cars. They even leave the car key in the car day and night. There may be other social aspects and habits I will discover with time but the key situation was the first I learned of.

The second was that the bus service runs for free on the whole island for both locals and tourists. And the third thing was that there is a spa within walking distance from where I will be living for the next few months.

The municipality, Denmark's least populous, covers Læsø and neighboring small islands for a total area of 114 square kilometres, and has a total population of 1,793 (2017). wikipedia.org

There are only 3 towns on the island: Byrum, Vesterø Havn, and Osterby Havn.

Læsø has the most hours of sun in Denmark. ☀️

For further information, you can browse on www.visitlaesoe.dk

MY FIRST IMPRESSION?

Everything is so GREEN after the dry and sandy Fuerteventura (you're still number 1 in my heart, don't worry!). Lots of trees, forests, and green pastures cover the whole island. It doesn't matter where you are on the island there are forests and grasslands in the neighbourhood everywhere. The birds are chirping all day. Rabbits, deer, and pheasants turn up regularly in our fenceless garden. The air smells nice and fresh. The beach is within walking distance from our cottage so I get to smell both the salty sea and the trees around me.

ICELANDIC HORSES and cows are popular on the island. I am most in love with the horses! They look so pretty, smart and powerful.

According to www.britannica.com: "Next to its well-educated labour force, the soil is still Denmark’s most important raw material. About half of the land is intensively exploited and extensively fertilized. More than half of the cultivated land is devoted to cereals, with barley and wheat accounting for a large percentage of the total grain harvest. Domesticated animals are an important feature of life in Denmark. Dairy cattle, pigs, and poultry are raised in great numbers to supply both domestic and foreign markets. Fur farming, especially of minks and foxes, is economically important as well. The fishing industry remains economically important, and Denmark is among the world’s largest exporters of fish products. Herring, cod, and plaice (flatfish) account for most of the total catch; other important species include salmon and eel."

🚲 Everybody has a bicycle. It's easy and convenient to cycle on flat paved roads and the most wonderful as well because you get to cycle under the trees or next to the green fields and creeks. This place is also perfect for running, jogging, kayaking, and other outdoor activities like yoga.

THE SPA

Læsø Kur spa resort is built in the shelter of a church tower. In Advent 2003 the church was taken out of service and was sold for the symbolic price of 1 Danish krone! It was the first time that a church in Denmark had been "sold" for private purposes.

While the outside of the building is still undergoing construction, it is open to the public. Admission to the centre gives access to salt baths, saunas, steam baths, and an outdoor jacuzzi. There are also opportunities to sit and relax indoors in the spacious, warm lounge while snacking on some fruits, and carrots or sipping a hot coffee, tea, or wine. To find out more about the spa click here.

HOUSES/ ARCHITECTURE

Black-painted homes and holiday houses stand out from the green environment. Imagine the contrast in wintertime when the snow falls, that must be very a pretty view too.

The traditional seaweed homes in Læsø have been standing since the 1600s. The roof is made from a seaweed called eelgrass. "Because of the high concentration of salt in eelgrass it doesn't burn and has a very long lifespan. A seaweed roof typically lasts 200 years, some have lasted as long as 400 years." naturalhomes.org/seaweed-house

I also discovered some houses have stone roofs or grow a little garden on the roof. I don't know if the latter is on purpose or out of negligence but they look really sweet.

I can't wait to discover more of this beautiful place and share my experience with you!

Thank you for reading!

Until next time ♡