Detour to India

Henrik succeeded in granting two month leave of absence from work, so we dusted off the backpacks and went off to India for a two month journey to experience the country while spreading the word about diabetes. The journey began 25th of February 2009 and we returned to Japan in mid April 2009 after the fierce sun in Rajasthan had proven stronger than us. India left a tremendous impact on us and we are already talking about when it might be possible to do a second trip out there. So much to learn.

For the full recap go here.

Blue Mountains (OZ part 5)

Blue Mountains is just a train ride from Sydney and where the bride and groom (G&C) grew up. We knew the place had to be special since G&C who had seen the whole world still choose to live there so we wanted to check this presumably paradise out for our selves.
After recommendation, we took base in an idyllic little town named Leura, named after the many volcanic stones found there (Lava means Leura in aboriginal).

Leura was a sweet little oasis. Grand old-fashioned Victorian inspired houses, lovely (in the word’s English sense lovely) boutique shops selling all these things you didn’t know you needed but totally need to own like luxury stationary, inspiring notebooks, handmade candles, art craft and a well assorted candy store, which we have heard can enchant people with all its candy, so they show up late for obligations, like a wedding. Oooh and Leura has a fantastic coffee shop: A wooden house with panorama views of the landscape all the way to Katoomba,- the neighbouring tourist hub.

Katoomba is a must-do place if you want to see the Blue Mountains landmark, - its grand cliffs named the three sisters. On a map Leura looked pretty close to Katoomba, we just needed to follow the canyon, so we packed a back and went hiking near the edge.
Blue Mountains was supposed to be really cold as it was winter, but we had more than 20 degrees most of the day. The hike was beautiful but much longer that expected. Midways we made a detour to find lunch and stumbled across a gorgeous place where families, dog walkers, business people and sightseers like us (though more refined than us in our hiking boots) were taking in the mild winter by eating lunch in the large sun filled garden with an amazing view of the canyon. Here we started to realize that Blue Mountains is indeed a special place on earth. So relaxed and blessed with beauty, natural and isolated, yet with all indulgences within reach…though the goat cheese tart was sold out. Could we live here? Indeed we could!

As the Blue Mountains is a World Heritage site, the area around the main sites are highly developed. A short, though steep train ride takes you down the cliff side through the green foliage where a web of trails leads you through the forest.
A cable “Skyway” with glass bottom takes you across the valley in 200 meter height and offers a breathtaking view. We spent great hours there with highlight of the day being watching the Australian native Lyrebird picking for worms (?) while speaking a sound we couldn’t quite decipher. The Lyrebird is famous for being able to mimic natural as well as artificial sounds from its environment.

The Three Sisters:
One evening we met G&C for a splendid dinner, H and G eating kangaroo – of cause. It was really great to have a little quiet time with them (can’t believe they made time for it the day before they were going on honeymoon!). Participating in the wedding was a beautiful experience and an important event, but to have relaxed quality time to catch up is invaluable. We are glad we had this opportunity.

Australian wildlife (OZ part 3)

We didn't get to see the Platypus :-( as they tend to hide during winter, but we did get to see a whole lot of different animals while touring the shores and the hinterland of Byron Bay. We always get a great kick out of watching wildlife in their natural environment.

The Rainbow Lorikeets were easy to spot with their bright colored feathers, - and if you couldn't see them, you could for sure hear them!:

Another of the many different kind of parrots in the region. This is a Galah:

From the beach we watched the Humpback whales make their journey to the warmer waters in the North. With a good will you can see the tail of one here (you might want to click pic. to enlarge):

...and the playful dolphins. A baby dolphin made an awesome whole-body-over-the surface- jump, but kind of hard to photograph, so this will have to do:

We saw two different kind of flying foxes, - a kind of fruit eating bats. This picture shows the Grey-headed flying fox. We also saw the black Flying fox. They sleep in huge colonies in trees, during the day, before they travel up to 50 km pr day to feed on fruit and pollen.
Just out side Lismore, there is a road lined with Ecalyptus trees. Here we saw the cutest koala bears:

We had encounters with three different kinds of kangaroos besides Wallabies and Pademelons. Can you think of a nicer way to be carried around by your mother?


OZ part 5 (OZ part 4 about Sydney is not done yet)

Lennox Head & suroundings – Lazy Paradise (OZ part 2)

The Wedding took place in the most eastern region of Australia, famed for hippies, surfers and a warm climate. June means winter in Australia – but we still had above 20 degrees in Lennox Head. Nice!
Due to Henriks work we were left with only 10 days for our first visit to Australia. Our main reason to go to Australia was to participate in the wedding, but since we were there, we might as well take a look around.
We booked an apartment for 5 days in a small costal town named Lennox Head, a somewhat lazy little place with a beautiful beach, and restaurants and delis that offered a great variety of healthy food. We found vegetable juices, fruit smoothies and chickpea salads not to mention a tasty date crumble made without sugar, wheat and milk. Heaven!
Henrik would do his morning runs on the beach, some days we would take walks there, looking at humpback whales or dolphins or just enjoying being close to the ocean.

One morning we spent near Lake Ainsworth, a brown colored lake, that got its color from the many tea trees surrounding it. The water is supposedly healthy for skin and hair, but we skipped the swim this time and instead enjoyed the rich bird life there.

The rainbow parrots are like color palettes.

One evening we meet up with G&C for an evening coffee, where we also got a chance to meet C’s friendly parents.

We had a few side trips from Lennox head. One was a tour with Byron Bay Wildlife Tours, which we cannot recommend highly enough. The owner kept all promises and we had an interesting day watching 5 different kinds of Kangaroos, wallabies, Pademelons, 2 kinds of Flying foxes, koalas, humpback whales and dolphins, all in the wild nature and not some kind of park. Also the owner/guide was a dedicated naturelover. He tried to do a difference for the endangered animals in the region like the koalas that are threatened by mining in Lismore and he also made us think twice in the future before investing in a house pet. Cats and dogs are a real threat to the wildlife. Not only because of their hunting, - but also because of the deceases they carry and spread.

Another side trip was to Byron Bay,- the most famed city in the region.


Known for its serious laidback hippie-surfer party culture, Byron Bay is a true gem when it comes to organic food and supplements, so we hailed everything from Goji berries to parabene free moisturisers down from the shelves. All to a fair price! The high prices on import goods in Japan can be hard to cope with.

We also went to the lighthouse in Byron Bay. THE most eastern point of Australia…or actually we tried to go there, we walked and walked, took one nature trail and then another, but we never made it there, but did end up at a point where we could see the light house from a distance. That must count too, right? Especially because we also saw a humpback whale.

OZ part 3

Adventurous souls tie the knot Down Under (OZ part 1)

During our backpacker trip in South America 2006 we met two wonderful people in a random hostel in the old Inca capital, Cusco in Peru.
The couple (G&C) did what we still only dream of; travelled around the world for a year (actually we dream of doing it for three years, but that's another story), and when we met them they had made it just about half way and were flying on a pink cloud of love as an engagement had fallen into place on the way.
They reminded us of important facets of what a relationship is also about and in that way they are an inspiration to us.
We met up with them a couple of times later on the trip (In Bolivia and in Argentina), but we haven't seen them since, so when they asked us to help them celebrate their marital ceremony in Australia this June, we didn’t hesitate to say yes.

The Wedding celebration was split over 3 days, starting of with an informal dinner at a beautiful old pub in Bangalow. We are sorry to realise that we don't have any pictures from there, as it really was a cool place. Never the less we had a great time chatting around with a lot of people. Australians have great people skills and they did a great effort to mingle with us.
The second day was when the ceremony took place. All guests were picked up by bus and transported to a beautiful French inspired castle, which made something clear to us. Despite what some Danish politician thinks, the thing is that when you pick up your feet for a while and plant them in another culture, you don’t put your old culture behind you, instead the new culture tie knots with your old culture and thus you now have two cultures close to heart. The thing is that G&C have spent months in France due to his work so choosing a location like this French inspired place as their venue, seemed like France has left a pretty important impact on their cultural paradigm…or maybe they are just very romantic ☺ What ever reason, it made us reflect about the fact that certain Brazilian and Japanese cultural aspects will be following us naturally for the rest of our lives, as the Danish culture will.

It was a beautiful wedding. All powers seemed to have decided to work together to commemorate the love of G&C. The sun shined from a clear blue sky and the energy of the people was summing and warm.

Special moments and details in random order from the day: the way the sun rays spread warmth’s on the walls during the ceremony, the sense of detail wrapped around the whole setup, the sincere feeling of joy and happiness everybody shared. The overwhelming candy table with hand made beautiful boxes, people dancing around with ties around their head (opposed to around their neck), smiles and laughter, the special glow you only find around a very happy newly wed couple, crowds of people on the dancefloor, the delicious appetizers served before dinner, the rings in the shell wandering from one guest to another before the ceremony picking up wishes of love and happiness to the couple. The romantic energy of the wedding enhanced by everyone and everything. Perfect. Beautiful. Relaxed. Momentous. When we were back at the hotel, a little tipsy and with tired feet after a whole night dancing, we looked back at a super evening.

The day after, everybody met up again at G&C’s apartment for a recovery Barbie. (Barbie is not to mistaken for a Mattel product, but just the Australians way of saying BBQ. red.) Really relaxed. Think lots of yummy salads and meats and laid back conversations. A perfect final.

For us participating in the 3 day festivities became an extraordinary experience. During the three days we had had immensely fun with G& C, their friends and family. They were relaxed, chatty and curious and so we had felt welcomed, comfortable and home. Home. Home, as we have only felt one time during our so far 1,5 year in Japan (and that was when we had a Danish Christmas lunch for a bunch of mostly western friends). ‘Home’ as in Denmark. We had sort of forgotten how that kind of home felt.
Living in Japan, expose us to many wonderful experiences and wonderful people, which we would never be without. Every day our cultural understanding is challenged and widened. We treasure it. We have made good friends and mostly embrace the challenge of nurturing new friendships.
Having said that, the cultural barrier is high. Japan and Denmark has so little in common in so many aspects, which means we always must stay alert, – both to understand correctly and to be understood correctly.
A place like Australia with deep roots in European culture makes it easy to feel at home. You don’t have to be alert. You speak the same language, figure of speech. The encounter with the open arms and familiar western mindsets of G&C’s family and friends was something, we realised, that we had longed for.
The encounter had an even stronger effect, as it was a knot tied group of close people who had known each other for what seemed like forever. They relaxed in each other’s company. It is something you can only experience with your own family and dearest friends. We miss that kind of qualitytime with our friends and family in Denmark and Brazil.
Thanks for a wonderful experience G&C. Thanks for letting us borrow your wonderful friends and family while our own are out of reach. And thanks for letting us take part in your love, - and a great party. We are really glad we had this great chance to meet up with you again and hope it won’t take ages before we meet up again. You are two wonderful people that together form a perfect couple.

The picture is from the Wedding ceremony. The mothers in law were asked to tie the bride and groom's hands together. An ancient tradition that really touched us.

P.S.: Now, we are SO ready to see our own friends and family for Christmas!!! (Yep we will be home for Christmas and part of January). Mata néee.

OZ part 2

First visit to Japans big neighbour

It was with big expectations I went to China to visit my colleagues in Tianjin and Beijing. China is in many ways having a hard time and it was interesting to get a first-hand experience with this so criticized country.

The first that struck the eye, was the differences in infrastructure and ‘driving-culture’; where Japan is maybe one of the safest and organised countries in the World to drive a car, China has a much more aggressive traffic.

However, after arriving well in TEDA (the development district outside the 14-million habitant mega-city Tianjin), I was met by luxurious cars and brand new buildings. And where have all the bicycles gone?

I spend the two days in China visiting my Chinese and Danish colleagues (expatriates) talking a lot about all the differences and similarities between Japan and China. It is fascinating how two neighbours can develop so radically different, but at the same time shows many identical cultural characteristics.
One example is the thing about saying “No”, which is almost non-existing in both countries. In Denmark it is very easy to say “No”, and if you get a “Yes” as a Dane, you would expect it to indicate an agreement, but here it most likely means “Yes, I hear and understand what you say”.

Beijing was a fantastic experience; literally I walked in wet cement! The Olympic city was bustling with thousands of cranes and construction sites to prepare the city for 2008.08.08 08:08.


We spent the late afternoon visiting the Tiananmen Square, the outer parts of the Forbidden City and at a traditional acrobatics show in the heart of Beijing. All in all a very good, however short trip that awoke the appetite for visiting this magnificent country again.

ROK #7: Taekwon-do

In the homeland of taekwon-do, we were fascinated by the excellent skills and the perfection by the Korean fighters.
By coincidence, we found a 1½-hour demonstration in front of one of the palaces.

Jumping this high must have been difficult for even Michael Jordan:


This fighter has just walked several meters blindfolded (!) and is kicking of an apple from the tip of a knife!


This kicking technique speaks for itself:


The stills also show the immaculate technique of the Korean fighters (click to enlarge):





On the first photo you can see the whole apple before the kick and on the second photo it is possible to see the pieces of the apple scattered in the air, the sharpe knife and the board that was to be broken in the same kick.

Read much more about taekwon-do here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taekwondo

ROK #6: Palaces

Since the founder of the Joseon Dynasty moved the Capital to Seoul in 1394 many beautiful palaces have been built.
We visited four of them: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyenggung and Gyeonghuigung. They all had many resemblances, though the 'newest' one had western furniture and an old Lincoln parked. Feng shui had an important role in deciding the location of the palace.

At the Gyeongbokgung Palace we watched the change of the gate guard as it was done in the 15th century, which gave us an idea of how colourful the Korean culture was during the Joseon Dynasty.



The drum is used to coordinate the guards’ actions.








The main gate to the Gyeongbokgung palace:


On the roofs of the most important buildings in the palaces are located animal figures. The more animals, the more important is the building:


The animals, led by the Monkey King protect the building against evil forces:


A palace consists of many buildings (one palace used to have more than 300 buildings!). These buildings include residential areas for the royal family (the king and the queen slept separately), administrative buildings for both the king and the government, minor palaces for the queen and the crown prince etc. Many of the buildings were lost during the Japanese occupation.


The inside decor of one of the palaces:


The roofs round shape was chosen to create a balance with the surrounding nature:




The 'secret garden' was only for the royal family, and nobody was allowed in there without the Kings permission. In the garden the King relaxed and regained his energy in a small pavilion for relaxation/meditation, on the pond in his fishing boat, or he studied in a library:

The pavilion:



Henrik in the kings garden:


At one palace, we saw a beautifully dressed couple having their pictures taken. A woman noticed we were looking and explained to us that it was a wedding couple. The woman on the picture is the bride:


Sitting in the palace court - absorbing the place, was a moment we treasured:

ROK #5: Korean Food

The food culture in Korea is quite different from Japan, - whereas food in Japan tend to be mild and delicate and mainly consist of fish, the Korean food is indeed spicy and can be very meaty. The most famous dish in Korea and unavoidable no matter where or what you eat is kimchi, which is spicy pickled cabbage. It is always served as a starter and comes in endless varieties.

The photo shows a Korean set menu. The kimchi is in top left corner.

Korea is also famous for their barbeque. You receive thin slices of marinated raw meat, and grill it yourself at the table, then roll them up in freash lettuce and voilá!. This dish has become quite popular in Japan as well and is Henriks favourite.

The pride of all food products might be the Red Ginseng, that only grows in Korea, Northern China and Siberia. It is a slow grower - best harvested after 6 years and is therefore quite expensive. It is said to be effective against stress, some types of cancer and diabetes type II. The red ginseng comes in tea, capsules, liquids, fresh and dried slices etc, and is found all over Seoul.

The Koreans also use the above products (chilli, kimchi and ginseng) in chocolate. Different!

Our most local food experience in Seoul, was at a restaurant in the Nandaewon area, where we each had a soup with a whole (!) chicken in, stuffed with rice and ginseng - with a ginseng-'whiskey' on the side of cause. See, now we are talking :-)

As in Japan, the Koreans eat with chopsticks, but made of metal instead of wood.

Tea takes up an important role in the culture as well. Korea has their own tea ceremonies and teahouses are a common sight. The variety of tea is much more abundant in Korea than in Japan, with teas made of jujube, aloe vera, ginger and rice, just to mention a few. The Koreans believe teas made with seasonal ingredients provide elements our bodies crave at particular times of the year thus the tea assortment varies through the year.

Korea gave us a good opportunity to explore another Asian food culture, which was very nice. Only one evening we had Japanese kaiten (sushi from a conveyer belt) in Seoul... Kaiten has become our Danish rugbrød - the one thing our body crave when we are abroad.

ROK #4: Traditional music

Drums and gongs with the “samul nori” tempo, dominate the Korean traditional music, which we got several chances to experience.
The music is widely used as entertainment, in Buddhism and traditionally in the farmer villages to ensure a good harvest.

This is an example from the taekwon-do demonstration:

The fierce looking women demonstrated an amazing rhythm:



This drum really takes a beating at the guard change ceremony at the Gyeongbokgung palace., and judged from looking at the little boy seen behind the drummer, the sound is quite loud:

One evening we went to see the performance “Nanta”, or “Cookin’” as the play is called when they perform in Western countries. Nanta takes all the traditional rhythms and make a breathtaking show that takes place in a kitchen, where pots, pans and everything else in the kitchen is used to make the music. It was quite entertaining - but the Korean music is best enjoyed made with a drum than with kitchen knifes, pots and huge jars of Kimchi.

ROK #3: Religion in Korea

Buddism takes up an important part of the Korean culture. There are more than 9000 temples and 11 million followers.

In Seoul we found a whole road dedicated to Buddhism where colourful lotus lanterns, monk clothes, prayer beads, Buddhist writings, drums, incenses, music for meditation and so one is well represented. It is a kind of weird browsing through these shops, but in a fun way.

On this road is also located one of the few temples in Korea that is not located in the tranquil mountains. This temple, the Jogyesa Temple, is the centre of Zen Buddhism in Korea.

The main temple building, is about 500 years old and colourful decorated. The lotus flower is one of the most common used symbols in Buddism as it stands for awakening to the spiritual reality of life.

Many people prayed and meditated in front of the great Buddha statues while we were there. We chatted with a friendly Korean guy who told us that he had learned about the Danes, Grundtvig and Dalgas at school, and we talked to one of the people working at the temple, about the upcoming lotus lantern festival and the temple stays. Both could be cool to take part of one day.

Our final stop down the road of Buddhism for now was at the restaurant Sanchon. A former monk started this restaurant which serves vegetarian food mostly made of ingredients from the mountains and inspired by the temple life. Temple cuisine emphasis on fresh vegetables and herbs reflects a tradition of Korean cooking of closeness to the nature. That evening we had more that 20 different dishes ranging from the Korean traditional pickled cabbage to different roots and mushrooms.


We also tasted the home brewed wine, which were quite different than any wine we have ever tried. So were the colour and the decanter.





Religion is not really taking up a big part of our lives – but after a couple of days in Seoul, you cannot help feeling a bit more spiritual.