europe 2013: day eight

This was our first full day in Bornholm and it was definitely one to remember. We had breakfast together in the hotel and then hopped in our cars and drove to Bodilsker, which has a small church (Bodils Kirke) that my 3rd-great-grandfather, Peter Nielson, was christened (we think).

The church itself was built in the 1100s (which still blows my mind that things are that old there) and there was also a bell tower which was built in 1610 with a bell in it that the caretaker still rings every day. He was so nice and let us all go up there and talked with us and answered our questions. It was really interesting.

taken by Stephen.

We were the only people in the church that day and my dad had brought some excerpts of his great-great grandfather, Peter's, diary. We each took turns reading a bit. I've never been a big "family history" buff, even though my parents have always told us interesting stories about our ancestors, but being where he lived and where he immigrated from made him very real to me. It was really special to have this experience.

taken by Stephen.

Something he said in his journal really made an impression on me. He wrote about how he and another man had made a business deal involving Peter owing this man his cart in a few months time. The man came to Peter several weeks before he was required to give him his cart per their agreement but the man was angry and "told him off". Peter wrote that after thinking about it, he decided that "it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong" and gave the man his cart. Just this simple story tells me so much about the kind of man he was and I am proud to be a descendant of his.

Then we drove to some of the beach towns and ended up at Dueodde Beach (the largest beach on Bornholm). The sand is bright white and is so fine (they use it for hourglasses) that it squeaks when you walk on it. It was really cold and windy, but sunny, so we hung out there a while and took pictures (I'm borrowing several that my brother, Stephen, took as well as my own).

taken by Stephen

taken by Stephen.

Dueodde has a few little shops and stands at the parking area that are probably really busy in the summer but we were some of the only people there. David got some nougat ice cream from Bornholmer Soft Ice and I thought their colors and logo were cute, so I took a picture.

I also took this picture of David in front of the Baltic Sea (which he later "polar plunged" into with my brother and brothers-in-law) and I love it so much that it is my iPhone wallpaper. I really love this guy and his cute, happy smile.

Then we all headed back to the hotel to change for dinner at Restaurant le Port in Hasle. I had found this restaurant on Trip Advisor and wrote to the owner, who wrote back with a delicious prix fixe menu. It was a lovely restaurant and we had a beautiful sunset with delicious food and the best company.

on the patio of the restaurant before sunset.

For those who care (and for me to remember), the menu was Norwegian lobster soufflé in a creamy turbot soup, veal served with morel sauce, new potatoes and vegetables (we also had some fish-eating vegetarians that got halibut and they said it was delicious) and white chocolate cake served with marinated rhubarbs and rhubarb sorbet.