Update from Esbjerg

We arrived in Esbjerg, Denmark on the 20th and have been spending the last 4 days exploring the little town and the area surrounding it.  West Jutland, as the region is called, is a relatively rural area of the country, bordered on the west by the sea.  Esbjerg itself sprung up as a fishing port, and to this day it's fishing harbor remains one of the towns economic pillars.

A good friend of ours from Oregon, Maggie, has been living in Esbjerg pursuing her studies. She agreed to host us, and has been showing us that this sleepy little corner of the country really has a lot to offer.

Our first full day here Jenna and I set out on foot to explore the town.  Maggie and her 3 roommates live in a student housing complex on the edge of town, and the walk to the center of the city took us about 45 minutes.  We wandered through neighborhoods, admiring the architecture--the gingerbread-like houses had bigger roof lines than walls, and they were all made of identical red bricks.  The center of town held a giant ice skating rink that will open on Nov. 30th.  We plan to be there!

On the ferry to Fanø!

On our second day, Maggie took us to the local fishery museum.  Students from her school were allowed free admission, so she got us in without having to pay the extremely high $20 admission fee!  They exhibited restored Danish boats from the 18th century and a salt-water aquarium.  After the museum we headed to the town of Ribe (pronounced "Reeb").  It's a little town north of Esbjerg.  We stopped at a little cafe, had lunch, window shopped and meandered along the central square.  That day also happened to be Thanksgiving, and, as Jenna has already mentioned, Maggie roasted a couple of chickens, mashed some potatoes, and we, along with her many fellow-students who participate in a system in which each of them takes turns cooking dinner--had an impromptu, multi-national Thanksgiving feast!


One of my favorite experiences here so far is our day bike ride to the island of Fanø.  Jenna and I borrowed a couple of bikes and the three of us (with Maggie) rode down to the ferry and went across to the little island town.  The best word I can use to describe Fanø is "quaint."  The grass-thatched roofs covered in thick moss and weaving brick streets make for a scene straight out of Hobbiton.  We walked to the local brewery, and I ordered what has been the best beer I've had since leaving Portland (a delicious, full-bodied IPA).  In fact, the place reminded me very much of the type of places that are ubiquitous in Portland.  Even the labels on the beers were reminiscent of those you see in local breweries there.  It was nice to have a little taste of home with a good friend from home.

They put a bird on it!

In general, the language barrier in Denmark has been non-existent.  Almost all of the people here are proficient in English, so getting around has been quite easy.  We've explored quite a bit of Esbjerg and the surrounding areas, and it's fun and exciting to get to see a part of the country that most "tourists" never get to (most travelers visiting Denmark stay in Copenhagen or Ârhus).