Christianso & Bornholm Islands, Denmark

After calm sailing all night with westerly winds at our stern, we were very lucky this morning to make a landing at Christians Ø, named after one of the many King Christians of Denmark. The bastions are still lined with front-loading cannons. Seventeen-fifties barracks colored with the traditional yellow pigment and red tile roofs form two quaint streets.

Herring is the popular fish that use to be fished here, however, today the fishing industry is nearly extinct because of EU regulations and overfishing. Today the year round population is approximately 96 people. You have to admire the small, well-kept gardens full of beautiful flowers and occasional mulberry trees with ripe sweet berries. There were small houses, lit up with flowers and gardens, laundry outside in the sun, and plenty of local berries and honeysuckle to eat off the plants. The island still has a fairyland feel, and you really know you are in the middle of the Baltic Sea with the stiff breeze, warm sun, and puffy clouds. Today, over 80,000 visitors come to these small islands each year. We were lucky to get there early before the main tourist who come via ferry arrive.

After lunch we headed west for the island of Bornholm, famous for its Round Churches and Hammerhus Castle, the largest fortress in Scandinavia, built in the 13th century. The ruins perched dramatically over the seas. Between the Danes and the Swedes, it has changed hands many times, and it was eventually destroyed in the later part of the 18th century. We walked through what still remained with our local guide and heard about the role it played in Baltic’s history. After a nice hike up the hill in the glorious sunshine, I sat in the grass below, put on my head phones and just breathed in the fresh hair and ambiance.

After I was let on a long hike, which turned into a run, through the forest from the castle ruin down to Allinge. Eventually I ended up back at the main town,  the small fishing village, Allinge, and stopped by one of the best smoked mackerel houses, “Allinge Rogeri.” There we were treated to local smoked mackerel, Danish beer and aquavit. I did not enjoy the smoked herring, but others did. The restaurant had a nice view of the water and a beachy feel with no floor, just sand, and walls you could sign with chalk. Of course, I climbed aboard a chair and signed my name proudly.