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Scandinavian Tour, Day 2: Crossing the Baltic Sea

After an awesome buffet breakfast at our hotel, our bus took us to the first ferry of our tour. It was mostly a travel day with tiny pockets of exploration. We crossed the Baltic Sea to Norway, and got our first view of the magnificent fjords.

ITINERARY

This is what the TourRadar itinerary listed for the day:

Day 2. Viernes, 23 De Septiembre De 2022 – AARHUS, FERRY, KRISTIANSAND, STAVANGER 
Total distance: 420 km

Scenery: Attractive woodlands and mountains in Norway; first view of fjords.
Notes: The times of the ferries between Denmark and Norway often vary and so the times during this part of the circuit will depend on those changes. We recommend you wear warm clothing for the boat crossing. In Norway, the currency is the Norwegian Krone. We suggest your change your currency on the ferry.

08:00 h – Aarhus –Departure-. We set out for the northern part of Denmark, amidst attractive scenery. 

10:30 h – Hirsthals. We take a tour of this city and port before embarking on the modern ferry to cross the North Sea to Norway-. Normally our boat sails at 12.15 h. The crossing takes about three hours. We advise you to change your currency on the boat and have lunch.

15:30 h. – Kristiansand – We land and then continue our journey-.

17:00 h. – Flekkefjord –A town on a fjord, with wooden houses and tiny restaurants. Time to explore.

17:45 h. – Flekkfjord –Departure-. The scenery is even more attractive.

19:45 h. – Stavanger –Arrival-. Free time to explore this beautiful lively city next to the sea.

INFO:

Tourradar
Europamundo

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Tour of Scandinavia, Day 1: Copenhagen…

… or Our First Experience Being Led Around by the Nose

During our extensive travels, we’ve always been completely in charge of own travel itinerary, a process that involves extensive planning and research, and can be frankly exhausting. For our first big trip post-COVID, we decided to give ourselves a break from logistics and try an organized tour. We looked over the endless options, our budget in mind, and chose Scandinavia, a region neither of us had ever visited.

So in September 2022 we embarked on a three-week clockwise tour around Scandinavia, from Copenhagen to Helsinki, that incorporated buses, ferries, and fjords. All we had to do was pack, then hand our luggage to the bus driver.

We booked this tour through Tour Radar, which offers a huge selection of multi-day travel experiences for all budgets. Their tour operators take care of everything from logistics to meals to experiences to friendly guides. The operator of our Scandinavian tour was Europamundo. We’ll do a whole blog later about the tour experience. It was a bit of a whirlwind, so don’t expect a lot of details in these videos!

Our tour of Scandinavia kicked off with a walking tour of Copenhagen, followed by a bus ride to Odense, hometown of writer Hans Christian Andersen.

Join us as we visit the famous Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen (the book was written by Andersen, author of many beloved fairy tales), the Denmark Royal Palace, the romantic Copenhagen Town Hall, Andersen’s childhood home, and the Odense Cathedral. We ended the first day with a cozy outdoor dinner beside a scenic canal in the vibrant city of Aarhus, one of the oldest cities in Denmark.

Speaking of Andersen, you can do a whole vacation that centers around this beloved author, who in addition to The Little Mermaid wrote The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, and many others. (Link below.)

Our tour route

ITINERARY

This is what the TourRadar itinerary listed for the day:

Day   1. Jueves, 22 De Septiembre De 2022 — COPENHAGUE , ODENSE, AARHUS 
Distance: 315 km
Scenery: Pleasant hills in southern Denmark

At 08:00 h. we start out on a comprehensive tour of the Danish capital; the largest of the Scandinavian cities is a city of contrasts: its popular “Tivoli”; Christianborg Palace; the terraces of Nyhavn, and the mermaid… The visit ends at about 10:30 h.
11:30 h.– Copenhagen –Departure-. We will travel to the Jutland Peninsula, passing through pretty landscapes with hills and crossing the 20 km long bridge that connect Jutland to the island on which Copenhagen stands.
14.00 h.- Odense- Arrival. Free time to explore and have lunch in this pleasent city where you can visit its gothic cathedral and the house of Andersen.
16.00 h.- Odense. Departure.
18.15 h.- Aarhus –Arrival-. Free time. We recommend a visit to this pretty city, the Danish city with the second highest population.

INFO:

Tourradar
Europamundo
Copenhagen
Odense
Aarhus
Hans Christian Andersen Tour

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Second Day in Copenhagen: It just keeps getting better!

A daylong stroll around this pleasant city offered up some delightful discoveries, as we visited the Royal Copenhagen China store (it’s beautiful and expensive) and did some watch shopping. Our jaws dropped at the incredible bicycle culture – I wish they saved this much gas by using their legs in American cities!

The National Museum of Denmark was stunning. In the Kongens Have Garden, we found the Punch and Judy Marionette Theater and a statue of Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen’s most famous resident. And, of course, the obligatory European Castle!

Info:

Copenhagen
Map

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First Day in Copenhagen

We launched our first big trip (sort of) post-pandemic with a three-week tour of Scandinavia in fall 2023. We delighted in flying again; even the airport lounge was a novelty after lockdown.

We arrived a couple of days before the tour started to enjoy some time in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Danes rank among the world’s happiest people, and in Copenhagen, it was easy to see why. The lively city combines royal history, modern architecture and loads of culture with a mouthwatering restaurant scene. And bikes! So many bikes!

It was a little chilly in September, so far north. We were still wearing masks and not eating indoors for fear of getting COVID, so we did a lot of exploring on foot outdoors on our first day. We sought out outdoor dining experiences and were happily rewarded when we discovered a district of canal-side restaurants with warming fires, blankets, and Irish coffee – such a cozy way to enjoy a meal. But the best part of Day 1 was the disco taxi back to the hotel!

Info:

Copenhagen
Map

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Lucha Libre, Cancun Style

Lucha Libre is a peculiarly Mexican, over-the-top form of wrestling that recalls the WWF in the United States. Only it’s even weirder, with lycra-clad luchadores wearing colorful masks to hide their identity, raucous crowds, and a macho-man atmosphere.

The name literally means “free wrestling,” and the sport has been around since the late 1800s.

We went to see a show in Cancun while we were visiting. It wasn’t as loud or crowded as the ones we attended in 2019 in Guadalajara, but it was still fun. To really understand Lucha Libre, you might want to see the 2006 sports comedy film Nacho Libre, starring Jack Black as a would-be Mexican wrestling star. It was filmed in Oaxaca, Mexico.

LINKS:

Lucha Libre in Cancun
Lucha Libre general info
Film Nacho Libre
Map for Arena Cancun Lucha Libre TWS

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Exploring the Ancient Ballgame “Ulama”

Walking around downtown Cancun, Mexico, we came upon a ballfield on which a group of men and boys with painted bodies and leather loincloths was playing a very odd game of ball. They hit a heavy rubber ball by bumping it with their hips.

We learned from a knowledgeable spectator that the game was Ulama, a descendant of a 3,500-year-old pre-Colombian game called Ullamaliztli that was popular among the Mayan and Aztec people. Today, Ulama is only practiced in four small towns of the state of Sinaloa in Mexico. But it’s making a comeback!

It was fascinating!

LINKS:

About Ulama
Ulama Making a Comeback
Map

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Inside a Mexican Cenote

On our trip to the Mayan archaeological site of Chichen Itza, Mexico, we took a side trip to a deep Mexican cenote (pronounced She-NOH-tay) called X-Cajum (I have no idea how to pronounce that).

A cenote is a natural sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock at the ceiling of a cave, that exposes groundwater. For Mexico’s Mayan culture, cenotes were a symbol of duality, since they represented life and death. They were also a water source.

For travelers today, they are a unique swimming experience, providing astounding views, lovely snorkeling, and a great way to cool off.

We visited Cenote X-Cajum, which is very near Chichen Itza and is often bundled as part of the tour to the Mayan ruins.

INFO

Cenotes
X-Cajum Cenote
MAP

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Exploring Chichén Itzá and Valladolid

The archaeological site Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan Peninsula is one of the most visited locations in Mexico, so of course we climbed aboard a bus during our Cancún visit and headed there for a day. 

Rich in history and the center of pilgrimage for the ancient Maya civilization for over 1,000 years, this pyramid must be seen to be believed. Chichen Itza was classified as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and in 1988 was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lisa actually climbed up the steep steps to the top when she visited in the late 80s, but tourists are no longer allowed to get that close. Good thing, too. It’s steep!

On the way back to Cancun, we enjoyed a short visit to the magical city of Valladolid (pronounced Vah-YAH-Doh-Leed), which had a lively town plaza featuring Mayan dance, sport, and music, as well as a beautiful cathedral, and earsplitting birds!

LINKS:

Chichen Itza Tourism 
New 7 Wonders
UNESCO World Heritage 
Valladolid
Map

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A Day on Isla Mujeres

No trip to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is complete without a boat ride over to Isla Mujeres, aka the Isle of Women (pronounced ISS-lah Moo-HAIR-es).

Just a seven-mile boat ride east of the mainland across breathtaking turquoise sea, Isla Mujeres is known for its lovely beaches, world-class fishing, and spectacular coral reefs. There is also a lighthouse, the remains of a Mayan temple, and a sanctuary for sea turtles. We spent a day exploring the funky little village, and encountered a parade, snorkeled through schools of colorful fish on a tour with the marvelous Squalo Adventures, and discovered the MUSA, a fascinating underwater art museum.

We also had the worst pina coladas ever. (But everything else, we can recommend!)

LINKS:

Isla Mujeres Tourism 
Squalo Adventures 
MUSA (Underwater Museum of Art) 

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