My late Grandmother (on my late Father’s side) and her siblings were all born on a very beautiful and rather isolated island by the name Læsø in the North Sea bay of Kattegat in Scandinavia. This is where they grew up and this island became a wonderful place for holidays from my early childhood and when I get the opportunity I still go there. The size of the island is 118km². Last time I visited Denmark (2019) Peder and I went for a visit together with my Mother and my Aunt. On this island you will find unique houses with thick layer of seaweed as roof and it is only found on Læsø nowhere else in the world! Læsø is known for these old houses. That’s awesome. At the time of writing this article there were 19 remaining seaweed houses on the island and 11 of them are preserved. I learned … [Read more...] about Down Memory Lane
culture
Narathiwat the Residence of Wise People
Welcome to Narathiwat, deep in the south east of Thailand not far from the border to Malaysia. I can’t remember if anybody actually did welcome us. However here we are. It is a most beautiful day and from early morning till lunchtime is spent being bumped around in a small public bus with see through wooden floor boards feeling claustrophobic lots of entertainment as vendors are getting on and off the bus selling smelly food, gooey snack and deadly looking drinks. It is not a trip for the faint-hearted person and I am utterly exhausted by arrival. Well, just dust off your feelings and residue chook manure from the bus trip. In this part of the world anything and everything gets transported on buses as long as it can be carried on board so we have a few chook passengers and old mum … [Read more...] about Narathiwat the Residence of Wise People
It Takes Two to Tango
More than often we have travelled in countries where we did not understand the written or spoken language. You get use to it and become accustomed to the situation like you acclimatise from living in Eskimo country and that of the hot tropics of down town Mareeba. (I just thought something brilliant! Is Esky called Esky because the Eskimo invented such a box?) I usually tell friends and fellow travellers that it is not a problem not understanding a different language. Language consists of many aspects. There is always a way of explaining your situation and your needs. If you can’t get your message through me automatic switch to and add body language. If no good I start drawing on a piece of paper or if really desperate in the sand of the desert. Then if that doesn’t help I use my … [Read more...] about It Takes Two to Tango