Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian NorthPfeiffer, Ida
History
Visit to Iceland and the Scandinavian North
Pfeiffer, Ida
Iceland -- Description and travel; Old Norse poetry -- History and criticism; Scandinavia -- Description and travel
At last, after having been nearly four days on the sea instead of two
days and a half, we arrived safely in the harbour of Travemunde on the
22d September at two o'clock in the morning. And now my sea-journeys
were over; I parted sorrowfully from the salt waters, for it is so
delightful to see the water's expanse all around, and traverse its
mirror-like surface. The sea presents a beautiful picture, even when it
storms and rages, when waves tower upon waves, and threaten to dash the
vessel to pieces or to engulf it--when the ship alternately dances on
their points, or shoots into the abyss; and I frequently crept for hours
in a corner, or held fast to the sides of the ship, and let the waves
dash over me. I had overcome the terrible sea-sickness during my
numerous journeys, and could therefore freely admire these fearfully
beautiful scenes of excited nature, and adore God in His grandest works.
We had scarcely cast anchor in the port when a whole array of coachmen
surrounded us, volunteering to drive us overland to Hamburgh, a journey
of thirty-six miles, which it takes eight hours to accomplish.
Travemunde is a pretty spot, which really consists of only one street, in
which the majority of the houses are hotels. The country from here to
Lubeck, a distance of ten miles, is very pretty. A splendid road, on
which the carriages roll smoothly along, runs through a charming wood
past a cemetery, whose beauty exceeds that of Upsala; but for the
monuments, one might take it for one of the most splendid parks or
gardens.
I regretted nothing so much as being unable to spend a day in Lubeck, for
I felt very much attracted by this old Hanse town, with its
pyramidically-built houses, its venerable dome, and other beautiful
churches, its spacious squares, &c.; but I was obliged to proceed, and
could only gaze at and admire it as I hurried through. The pavement of
the streets is better than I had seen it in any northern town; and on the
streets, in front of the houses, I saw many wooden benches, on which the
inhabitants probably spend their summer evenings. I saw here for the
first time again the gay-looking street-mirrors used in Hamburgh. The
Trave, which flows between Travemunde and Lubeck, has to be crossed by
boat. Near Oldesloe are the salt-factories, with large buildings and
immensely high chimneys; an old romantic castle, entirely surrounded by
water, lies near Arensburg.
Past Arensburg the country begins to be uninteresting, and remains so as
far as Hamburgh; but it seems to be very fertile, as there is an
abundance of green fields and fine meadows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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