Winter Cozyness in Laboe: Snow, Stove and a Birthday Chef

As winter bites hard in Laboe once more, we snuggle up close. Outside, the harbor is slowly turning white, and the thermometer will dip to -8°C in the coming days, but inside our floating cocoon, we hardly notice it. The diesel heater hums contentedly, filling the space with a dry, deep warmth that penetrates your bones.

Culinary Indulgence in the Galley

For Erna, the cold weather is the perfect cue to transform the galley into a Michelin-starred restaurant once again. There's no better place to shut out the winter than over a steaming pot. The aroma of fresh vegetable soup fills the cabin, while the whisk tirelessly works its way through the bowl to create a silky-smooth , fresh mayonnaise .

The highlight? Fresh catfish straight from the market, slow-cooked in a rich wheat beer sauce. It's comfort food at its finest, just what you need when the snowflakes are hitting the portholes.

A Special Year

This week of winter enjoyment also had a golden edge: Erna celebrated her 55th birthday!

Not a huge party with hordes of people, but exactly as it should be on a boat: intimate, warm and with incredibly delicious food.

Her age suits her; she still radiates endless beauty, regardless of the freezing cold outside.

Rosie: The Queen of the Snows (indoors, anyway)

And what of our faithful shipmate?

Rosie doesn't seem to mind the dropping temperatures. In fact, she seems to appreciate the winter atmosphere. As soon as she comes back inside after a quick inspection of the white deck, she nestles deep in her trusty donut basket .

With one eye turned outside and her nose in the warmth, she perhaps enjoys this serene tranquility the most.

"Sometimes the most beautiful journeys are not made by doing miles, but by simply enjoying the world while it turns white."