8/24/2023 0 Comments Sunshine island" During successive struggles between the kings of Denmark & the Archbishopric, the fortress served as a refuge for the archbishops, despite being conquered by the king's army on a number of occasions. “ Erected in the 13th century, Hammershus was Scandinavia's largest medieval fortification and is one of the largest in Northern Europe. Hammershus Castle: a strategic protection point. " The 'infamous' Nordstream gas pipelines, flowing west from Russia to Europe, cross the Baltic in the distance, running parallel to this north coast ." " Most rocky coves have a small wooden pier, a safe (enclosed) bathing area and a lifebelt in event of emergencies! Before breakfast, the Bornholm Danes can usually be seen walking down to the rocks in their fluffy dressing gowns and returning suitably refreshed - the water is seriously cold - for breakfast. The north of the island is formed mostly of granite & gneiss whilst, in the south, the base is sedimental, mostly sandstone, and has the best beaches. “ Bornholm's coastline reveals its origin from volcanic magma. Gudhjem: rocky coastline with swimming point . " Access to the rest of the island's coastal region was on quiet roads bordered on both sides by well-protected pedestrian walkways and cycle paths. ." " The rooms had stunning views out over the Baltic and the restaurant had the Danish equivalent of five gastronomic rosettes. Mostly of wooden construction, the hotel once boasted its own zoo - now derelict but still visible (just) in the woods behind. “ The Stammershalle Hotel was our home for a week. Stammershalle Badhotel: our home for seven days. © NIGEL BULLOCK 2022 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED " On the quayside are several Norwegian school brass bands entertaining the locals - an annual tradition that started after the second World War. " In the past, most houses had their own smokeries but, nowadays, curing is mostly done on a commercial basis in smokehouses combined with restaurants. In the distance, there are some typical "smokehouse" chimneys. “ Tejn is a coastal village of classic island houses with ochre-coloured paintwork and red tiled roofs. Tejn: a typical Bornholm fishing village . The Danes refer to Bornholm as their "sunshine" or "holiday" island. It is now clear why they regard it as such a gem - and were determined to reclaim it from Swedish rule many years ago. We all travelled to their island to celebrate our third grandchild's first birthday. Despite their medical background (he was a GP), neither of them has ever heard of Bornholm disease. My younger son's partner is half-Danish, half-Swedish & her parents live on Bornholm, an island belonging to Denmark but lying off the coast of Sweden in the Baltic. Since his retirement, he has edited the BAUS website. Sunshine Island formed the basis of later drug rehabilitation settlements still existing in Hong Kong.Nigel Bullock retired from Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge in 2010, having worked for 25 years as a Consultant Urological Surgeon. The work of the Sunshine Island community was supported by The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Hong Kong. Such cannot be achieved, or even understood, by those who are content to let the government fill their rice bowls for them." For this work, Borgeest was awarded the 1961 Ramon Magsaysay Prize, also known colloquially as "Asia's Nobel Prize". On a May 1956 visit to Sunshine Island one of the resettled refugees expressed the success of the project to then Hong Kong Governor Sir Alexander Grantham: "Sir, owning one's own land, managing one's own affairs, does something to a man. The opportunity provided by Borgeest's project helped many refugee families re-establish themselves after the trauma of fleeing to Hong Kong. Borgeest's method was to provide land, housing, tools, seeds, training and assistance to refugees and give them the opportunity to each start a small farm on the island. At the time opium addiction was endemic among many Chinese and the model farming community founded by Borgeest provided many mainland refugees and addicts in Hong Kong with a second chance. Friend (Quaker) Gus Borgeest, born in Ningbo in 1909, gave the island its English name and founded an audacious and successful resettlement and rehabilitation centre for Chinese refugees on Sunshine island in 1952.
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