“Outside of getting to see and know a new corner of Denmark I went into the trip with no expectations but open to whatever would come. I knew that Bornholm was going to be beautiful and full of nature and it did not disappoint, the landscape really was more impressive than I imagined it would be. The nature on Bornholm is stunning, when I think back on the trip, I am immediately brought back to riding a bicycle in and out of forests and along the coast line. It really has a dream like feel as you cruise along the scenery. I spent the whole time on the bike and was able to get anywhere I wanted quickly and in amazing scenery. Being in nature like that felt healthy and inspiring.

The history of the island however is what made the strongest impression while I was there and had the strongest impact on me. I created a new painting on canvas for the Jaunt print. I painted the piece as soon as I returned to my studio and all my thoughts were fresh. I used some literal reference from the island and trip, such as the Hammershus ruins, the prisoner in stocks, and others, but I think the biggest impression from my trip is reflected in the over all theme. During the entire trip I was thinking of how many kings and Lords have come and gone throughout time, along with their rule and wars, yet the average people have continued on through it all. They always suffer from some outside influence of power and politics but they continue to survive while consistently improving their situation. It goes to show how ridiculous and short sighted the pursuit of individual power is. Together we can achieve more for all, and our power structures should reflect that. History has shown repeatedly that the wealth hoarders and power hungry people just make a big mess of the world.”

Travel diary

Monday, June 22, 2020

1 bus, 1 ferry, and 1 Christiana bicycle took me from my neighborhood of Vesterbro in Copenhagen to the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea today.  

We arrived to Rønne, an old harbor town that goes back to the year 1000 and looks like it is still in the 19th century with tiny houses and narrow streets. I am always fascinated walking in streets and steps that have been traveled by others before me for hundreds of years. I can’t but wonder who built these houses, what was their life like?  How many lives have come and gone in front of these indifferent buildings? 

Now I am checking in from a 18th century farmhouse which will be my base for the week. It is quite simple and comfortable, which is very Danish style. The only sound here is birds chirping and the swaying of trees and tall grass. 

After all the travel today has otherwise been about getting a feel for the immediate area I am staying in. I went for a bike ride through farmland and found the closest town to get my groceries. 

Tomorrow I will start exploring the rest of the island on the bike and am looking forward to more nature and learning about Bornholm. 

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Today I picked up the pace a bit and went to the northern tip of Bornholm to visit Hammershus, Northern Europe’s largest medieval castle ruins. 

One of the great things about Bornholm is it’s set up for cyclists. I took a breathtaking ride on a dedicated bike path along the coast and through forests to the ruins with a few stops in local villages. It was a great way to make the trip and a perfect day under the sun here. 

The Hammershus ruins were truely fascinating to me. There is still a fair bit of the actual fortification remaining, almost a thousand years after it was erected. The history is gruesome but typical, lots of blood was spilled over the centuries to claim that hill on this island. Different rulers came and went, countless peasants and strangers served, and now it’s a tourist site. No doubt that hill meant everything at the time to those inside but history and nature eventually won it over. I find the story of Hammershus is so similar to that of man, progress and accomplishments hindered by constant conflict and greed. I hope we humans don’t meet the same fate as the castle, but I know one way or another nature will take it all back in the end. 

I ended the day at the beach to cool off after all the riding and heat. I made it about knee deep in the Baltic and no more, it’s still too cold for my style! Regardless, it was a nice way to the cap the long day before heading home for a heavy nights sleep after all the riding. 

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

I started the day on a mission to see Ekkodalen, a large Rift Valley that is a popular attraction here known for its echoing rock walls. It is located in the Almindingen forest and can be accessed a number of ways but I chose to take forest paths on the bike. 

I never made it to the famous echo walls but spent a good part of the day cycling and hiking in the forest and valley, wandering random paths and putting over 60 kilometers on the bicycle with all the back and forth riding. I ride my bicycle every day at home in Copenhagen but I realized today I’ve actually never ridden a bike in the forest before.

 Maybe because the weather was perfect or that it’s summer and everything is growing, but it was almost dream like cruising through tree canopied trails with no one else around and the constant soundtrack of birds and nature sorrounding me. It was... peaceful. Cliche but true.  I struggle with finding peace within myself every single day and after the ride I realized I had no moments of stress, nothing else was tugging at my brain and trying to grab my attention. I was just in that moment and place and completely satisfied. There is no other time outside of when I am painting that I feel the same. I’m a city boy and always will be but I  realized today I really need to make more of an effort to be in nature and work on my connection with it directly more.

After the forest I went down to check out a town called Aakirkeby, home to another 1000 year old building, this one a church that was most interesting to me for its ancient rune stones. These stones were carved at the end of the Viking age when Christianity took hold here, the two cultures meeting and mixing, to help make the new ways more palatable to the locals. I wonder how many of those locals thought their old ways would last forever and their gods would always rule. But they don’t. Gods seem to be just like nations, they come and go no matter how set in stone one may think they are. 

Thursday, June 25, 2020

I thought I’d make today a chiller day and go to the south of the island for some beach time. 

Along the way I stopped at Arnager, a small fishing village, for lunch at a traditional fish røgeri (smokehouse). 

It was a much longer ride than I anticipated so it turned into a full day trip. It was a hot and sunny day, the kind where your head feels like a fried egg by the end, so the beach ended up being a great destination. 

The beach I chose ended up being an active military shooting range, so even on my chill day to relax I found myself facing another reminder of the complexities of power and control of Bornholm.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Last day on Bornholm today. I spent the morning on the farm house grounds before making the ride into Rønne to catch the ferry back home. 

I took the opportunity in Rønne to wander around the old town again and have a little lunch at a cafe on the town square. A nice way to end the trip. 

I will miss the forest rides and silence once I get back to my busy neighborhood in Copenhagen. Bornholm was just overflowing with raw nature and beauty and really impressed me. I know I will be back many more times and am happy I got to know this special slice of Denmark. 

Yet as amazing as the nature was it was the history that truly has me inspired and thinking. A charming little island in the Baltic Sea that is a tourist destination to most but in reality is a rocky fortress in a strategic location, fought over for as long as history can track, a reminder things are rarely as they seem. From Viking chieftains to German and Russian occupation in WW2, the island has suffered and enriched itself under the hands of many rulers. This of course is nothing unique to Bornholm, it’s pretty much the story of every land on our planet, but it is perhaps more evident when viewed through the story of one small island that is so well documented. Bornholm's story is a reflection of mans nature and constant struggles but one that may offer hope. Today it is peaceful and focused more on renewable energy and sustainably than invaders and sieges. So here’s to hoping that stays and the island serves as an example of the future we all move towards; peaceful, natural, and cooperative. 

I’m looking forward to thinking more about that as I get to work on my print back in the studio. Thank YOU for following along and thank you to the Jaunt for the opportunity to discover Bornholm and know Denmark better! 

KC