(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In my last post, I mentioned that I will soon be taking a very spontaneous and brief overseas holiday.  This was done using some frequent flyer points that I needed to use.   Read on for the big reveal!

I usually try to visit places during the “shoulder season”:  this ensures that at least some sights are open but also means that the crowds aren’t too bad and the prices aren’t too high.  Visiting Ireland in early June of 2014 was a prime example of smart shoulder season traveling.  However, for a November holiday in the northern hemisphere, pretty much everything is “off-season”.  Nonetheless, I am determined to make this work.

It won’t be easy.  Firstly, I am actually traveling even further north than my base camp of Kingston, Ontario.  This means that the days will be very short…I’m counting on darkness by 4:00 p.m.

Secondly, I’m quite sure the weather will be dreadful.  With temperatures probably hovering around 5’C, it will be cold enough to be uncomfortable (especially with the anticipated dampness) but not cold enough to have a delightful dusting of snow.

Thirdly, many of the sights (especially in the smaller towns) are closed for the season or have drastically reduced hours.  I found one that is only open from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. each day!  This will require some serious planning and a lot of creativity.

My arrival destination is something new and different for me:  despite having been to 30 European countries, I have never been to this one.  In fact, it is the only “western” European country (other than a few micro-states) that I’ve never visited.

So, despite some formidable obstacles, I am very excited to announce that my next destination is…Copenhagen, Denmark!  I’ve got some ideas to make the trip special; I’ve already got a ticket to a sporting event (in nearby Sweden) and will take advantage of the fact that Christmas is a pretty big deal in that part of the world.

Feel free to send me a private message (or post a comment on the blog) if you have any specific recommendations for this trip.  There’s nothing wrong with a little crowd-sourcing!  And don’t forget to check back here soon – it will soon be time for my Danish adventure!  In the meantime, this post is accomapnied by some previously unpublished photos from our 2012 trip to Helsinki, Finland.