2014.03.20 - Houston + DK

Houston rodeo and Danish spring weather

The travelling continues.... after returning from Australia only a few days passed by before I was on my way west. A long flight (or several actually), a 6-hour meeting and I was on a loose leash. Houston was pretty much what I expected. Without a car you are nothing. I decided to walk down the street to the nearest shopping area for some serious shopping. Nearest but not near. It turned out to be a good 5km and many bypassers' surprised looks down the street. You are definitely the pariah if you're on foot! Anyway, I had a look around at the bike shop, the scuba shop, the pet shop, the outdoor shop, Target etc. but I quickly realised that I just don't need anything. A gift for Peo and some medicine for Paula (!) was all I managed. Then a long walk home again. Close to the hotel I noticed an Iranian restaurant called "Kasra's Iranian Grill". Thinking of my friend Kasra I could not pass it by. And good thing I didn't .... it was a fantastic meal!

The 6 hours on foot and the 1:30am jetlag-induced early morning had me worn out and in bed by 22:30. The up-side of that is that there was no jet-lag the next morning!

Between the two choices of the Houston Rodeo Parade or the Space Center, I chose the parade. A combination which must qualify as the quintessence of American culture.

Madi Gras was just around the corner

Texas above and beyond

There were floats ....

... but it doesn't get more American (North American) then this

.... and here for the Mexican intermission

I found out that Spanish was the first language in Texas

Downtown Houston is something to be missed though. At least on a saturday after the parade. It was difficult even to find a coffee place that was open. Back to the hotel and then ready for a date with Val and John - friends from our first trip to Korea in 2007-2009. They took me to "A taste of Texas" - a proper steak house with proper Texan portions! It was so good to see these old friends again and to see that they are still having maximum fun.

Val and John with three big steaks

I reckon this statue was modelled on John!

When it got time to go home again, I was rather disappointed to find my flight from Houston to Dallas cancelled due to ice in Dallas. This threw off my connections and I had to get rebooked via Los Angeles and Seoul for departure 10 hours later. Off to the airport hotel and then back to the hotel after a good long sleep. My cell phone had no reception at the hotel, at the airport and in Los Angeles, so Paula was well freaked out when I finally got through to her from the Korean Air lounge in Los Angles - the first place I could connect to the internet. Gotta love Iphone....

One good perk of flying Airbus 380 - the Absolute Ice bar

I thought about bringing back some tea for Paula, but she didn't really need any more tea - this is her tea cupboard in Ulsan

Back on Tuesday and Saturday we left for Denmark. Airplanes weren't on the top of the list of my favourite things! But of course it was worth the hassle :-)

In Incheon (Seoul) airport it is still Christmas

Malmø Espresso House

Paula and Jack

Robert, Sixten, Paula and Linda. We also got to see Jackie and Tue, Heini, Laura, Shirley and Sven while we were in Malmø

Paula in front of the Swedish Church in Copenhagen. We had an errand in Cph and just decided to spend half a day lounging around in the lovely spring weather

The little mermaid ... and the statue of the little mermaid !

Jutlandia - Denmark's contribution to the Korea war. A hospital ship.

Christianshavn where we had a lovely lunch before continuing to Fyn

Just a perfect day ...

Jesper, my sister Merete and my dad at Jesper and Merete's farm in Jutland

Merete's 4 Icelandic horses having a field day

Peter, Gitte and two very happy dogs. Also on the agenda was a trip to Juelsminde to see Vanda and Peter

MTB racing in Middelfart. I didn't join :-(

It looked like a good arrangement though

The current was fierce in the Little Strait (Lillebælt)

Mom, dad and me

Paula is slowly coming out of vegetarianism !

We had a great time with fantastic weather 7 out of 8 days, but as we left for Korea the weather left with us. Thanks everybody for a great time in Sweden and Denmark