Thursday April 29, 2010

We started our day with a walking trip around Rudkøbing.  We got to see the German headquarters during World War II, a local art gallery, one of the oldest streets in the town, and the old square.  There is a joke that it is the largest square in Denmark because if you stand in the middle, on one side of the square is a sign that says "Scandinavia" and on the opposite corner is a sign that says "Washington". 

From there we took the ferry to Ærø and got to see and learn a little about the town of Marstal.  We went to visit the solar power plant (Marstal FJernvarme A.M.B.A.).  The total area covered by the solar panels is 18,365 square meters.  At present it is the largest in the world.  The solar collector system covers about 30% of Marstal's heating requirements for approximately 1,450 customers.  Each year Marstal saves a consumption of approximately 820,000 liters of oil.  This equals 2,200 tons of CO2 annually.  Window cleaning is not necessary because the panels are cleaned by the rain.  When the panels become too hot it is necessary to cover them with a white paste so that the water does not boil over. 

We also visited the art gallery of Rita Lund where we were able to relax in the garden and enjoy some coffee and strawberry cake.  From there we moved on to the Søfartsmuseum (Maritime Museum).  The museum is home to approximately 250 ship models, which tell about the history of seafaring from its origins in sailing boats to today's modern coaster fleet.  We also got to see the wheelhouse and skippers saloon from a Marstalcoaster.  The museum also houses many pictures by the well known marine painter Carl Rasmussen.

The day ended with giving a small presentation to and eating with the members of the Marstal Rotary Club. 

-Krystal-