"Our similarities bring us to a common ground; our differences allow us to be fascinated by each other" - Tom Robbins.

Honestly, I must say that I stole this quote. I saw it on someone's FB post and thought it was wonderful. Whoever you are, I thank you! What a profound thought to think about.

Well, with a bit of sadness we left Norway today. It was snowing again. Girold, our ultimate host, drove us to the airport. She is simply amazing - anyone making a trip to Tromso, should absolutely book Girold's apartment. She, her apartment and its location are the very best.

Our flight to Copenhagen included a plane change in Oslo. As we landed, it was nice to see clear skies and bare ground again with no snow. On the way to the next gate, we perused the Duty Free Shops. There and just like most duty free shops, they had fabulous things like Dior and Prada sunglasses and cosmetics by Chanel and MAC. Normally I pass up these things; even the chocolate is expensive there. Also the air in the shop is usually so heavy with perfume that it's unfit to breathe. We stopped however. I fell in love with the Dior sunglasses. They fit my face. They looked fabulous. In truth, I suspect the Duty Free Shops have magical, flattering lighting and mirrors that as you look at your reflection you begin to think oh, with these glasses, I will look like a classic queen, a movie star, or the princess of Wales. I began to fall under the spell and wanted to buy a pair but then my practical sense said no! Over four hundred dollar for sunglasses that I'm likely to leave on the next plane or leave on the table at the hot dog stand in Costco?? No! Walk away! I walked, but I'm still thinking about those shades.

We arrived at our gate with plenty of time. So, there we were, just hanging out, looking at email and Facebook when a loud alarm sounded. We all heard it but no one really did anything until the voice on the PA system said, "There has been a fire reported in the International Concourse. Please make your way to the nearest emergency exit." The crowd did, but very calmly and orderly I might add. We never saw smoke and we never saw fire fighters. We just had a few moments to hastand around with other travelers on the tarmac and get breaths of fantastic fresh, warmer-than-usual Norwegian air.

Even with the delay, our fight to Denmark resumed normal schedule. We were seated with a beautiful young woman traveling from Oslo to visit her husband who is living and working as a pharmacist in Cairo. They have lived apart for a year so far and must for about another year because he cannot immigrate to Norway until a whole litany of events take place. First, when a Norwegian marries someone from outside Scandinavian areas and they choose to live in Norway, the home spouse must prove consistent earnings of over 300,000 NOK for at least one year, apply and pay special immigration tax. Then, the spouse will be allowed to enter the country. He must go through background checks and police interviews. If he passes this, then he might be awarded temporary papers that are good for a year. After about three years with no incident, he can become a citizen. The process is much simpler for residents of other Scandinavian countries. These people can move freely about, work and go to school in each other's homeland. The immigration process is much less complex for Europeans wanting to immigrate and only somewhat more simple for people from America or Australia. Without a Norwegian spouse or some very rare, specialized skill or talent the country needs, there is no immigration to Norway. Interesting. No spouse, no immigration.

Finally we touched down in Copenhagen. We easily found the correct train to City Center and then bumbled around a bit finding the correct train to suburb, Taastrup, where our apartment is located. The first thing we noticed is that we did not need our heavy coats any longer but people told us this was their very first warm day. After finally finding our train, its ride gave us a glimpse into the area. In contrast to what we have seen so far, there are no mountains here. The flat land with rivers and streams reminded us of Arkansas.

We shopped for supplies for the stay, relaxed on the terrace watching children play, had wonderful phone calls with both our daughters, made a little dinner and called it a day.