Skagen

It was my last weekend in Denmark and I was hell bent upon visiting Skagen - something which had been put away for a long time. How could I be in Denmark and not visit Skagen all this while? Thankfully the weather was kind and we did have some sunshine. So we gathered at the Aalborg Train Station and we got a discounted pass to travel to Skagen. The first train would take us to Fredrickshavn. From there we took another train to Skagen. The journey was fun with little talks, leg pulling etc.

Skagen station is an old but well maintained yellow building. Right outside the train station is the bus stop. We saw that the next bus to go to the beach was about 2 hrs away so we unanimously decided to hire bicycles. One of us didn’t know how to ride so we got a double bike for him and another guy. Got 11 bikes and pedaled off; in the wrong direction. It was not before 10 minutes when we realized we weren’t any closer to the beach. Change of direction.
The town of Skagen is beautiful. It is a part of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. Most buildings in the old town are distinguished as low yellow houses with red tiled roofs providing a perfect backdrop to this charming place. Like most Danish towns this is a quaint little place with well preserved medieval buildings, cyclists, people chatting at the café tables. The town of Skagen has been the abode of many a Danish artists, especially painters, writers and even music composers. The picturesque locales makes this place really inspiring for these artists. The 60 km long coastline of Skagen is incomparable. The sea, the light, the air, the sand - Skagen and the elements seem to be inseparable.
En route we had to take a stop as two of our cyclists apparently got lost and had a lot of ground to cover. We took a break near this lighthouse (above) which we used as a landmark for signaling our location to those two guys. So while they cycled to this point we snacked on cakes, biscuits and namkeens. Soon we were joined by the lost cyclists and they took a short break. Meanwhile the rest of the guys tried their hand at the double bicycle which had caught everyone’s fantasy.
There is another lighthouse at Skagen which was constructed in 1850. Resumed our journey towards Grenen (The Branch), which is the base point and parked the cycles. From here you can either walk or take a ‘Sandmobile’, which is nothing but a tractor pulling a trailer, to the beach. We decided to walk. Popped up a few beers and started walking towards the beach. The flags of the four Nordic countries Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway (Missing - Iceland) Just outside a cafeteria at Grenen.

From Grenen it would take about 15 mins till the ‘point’, which is the northernmost part of Denmark. It is also the meeting point of North Sea (Skagerrak – the strair that separates Denmark from Norway) and Baltic Sea (Kattegat – The strait that separates Denamrk from Sweden), which is what makes Skagen so remarkable.

You can stand at this ‘point’ and notice the oceancurrents and waves coming from your left clashing with the ones from you right and creating a sort of sand carrying mist.

Walked a little in the waves and then we found a good spot and had lunch. Lazed around for a while and then we started a game of football. It soon dawned that no one of us was in good shape and stamina. Still we managed to play for about 45 mins after which there was just enough energy left to get back to the rest of the gang and lie down and have some beer.

Although the water was cold, we noticed that the temp in the North sea was marginally warmer. So it was decided that we take a plunge in the North sea. The temp was such that only 3 people finally decided to venture inside water. The water was cold and with each step it seemed to be getting colder. We reached a point where there was a kind of sand bank. We sat there and soaked some more sun. Finally we decided to get all wet and swim. Surprisingly, after this the water didn’t feel so cold and we stayed in it for about 15 mins.

Out of the water and finally soaked some sun, chatted with friends, drank beer and watched the ships at a distance. I remember spending a lot of time quiet on this trip as this was my last weekend in Denmark and I was kind of capturing the impressions in my mind. Something like soaking the feeling of being in Denmark for the last few days.

Enjoyed a Café au Lait at one of the cafes in the old town of Skagen and finally took the train back to Aalborg.

I *heart* Denmark !!

You know you'v been in Danmark too long if...

- You can say rød grød med fløde, Blåbærsyltetøj, and Angstskrig.
- You love salt lakrids.
- You think there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
- You cannot understand why not every type of meat can be put together on top of bread.
- You think it’s impolite to sit next to someone in a bus if there is a seat you can sit on by yourself.
- You honestly believe that the distance between Copenhagen and Aalborg is long.
- You can tell the difference between a Grøn Tuborg and a Carlsberg beer.
- The first thing you do on entering a bank/post office/pharmacy etc. is take a number. You accept that you will have to wait and take a number.
- When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that:a. he is drunk;b. he is insane;c. he is an American;d. he is all of the above.
- It no longer seems excessive to spend 800 kr. on alcohol in a single night.
- You know that “religious holiday” means “let’s get pissed”.
- You use “Mmmm” as conversation filler.
- The word “yes” is an intake of breath.
- Traditional dinners may not necessarily mean a cooked meal.
- You forget how to open canned beer.
- You can’t remember when to say “please” and “excuse me”.
- Your wardrobe no longer has suits… but blue shirts, mustard colored sports jackets, and lots of denim.
- You don’t mind paying the same for a 200-metre bus ride as you do for going 10 kms.
- You don’t look twice at businessmen in dark suits wearing white sport socks.
- You start to believe that if it weren’t for Denmark’s efforts, the world would probably collapse.
- You find yourself more interested in the alcohol content than the name of the wine.
- You know the meaning of life has something to do with the word “hyggelig”.
- You wouldn’t dream of coming even 10 minutes early to a party.
- You find yourself lighting candles when you have guests - even if it is bright and sunny outside and 20 degrees C.

I came across this article on the internet and saved it to post it sometime when I leave Denmark.

Well folks, its goodbye Denmark. Saturday I flew back to India. The onsite deputation which was supposed to be for 6 months, lasted for 26 months. In the
course of time I came across many new people, visited many new places, learnt many new things. Whatever time was spent there was amazing and will probably be
remembered for a long time.

The weather was exceptionally good the last week that I spent in Denmark. On the 4th of August I went to Skagen with a few friends and we cycled, walked,
played football on the beach, dived in the sea and had a great time. (Will put up a post about it later). Thursday was a lovely farewell party by some
friends in Aalborg. Friday was another farewell party at office. Though I regret not being able to meet most of the client people since they were away on vacations.

With this comes the end of a long & lovely chapter in my life.

Egeskov Slot, Odense

This weekend I was off to visit the Egeskov Slot (castle) near Odense, which is about 400 Kms from Aalborg. The journey of 3 1/2 hrs was filled with fun and masti in the bus with the typical games like antakshari, Dumb , a small breakfast and lots of beer.

Egeskov estate is spread over 1131 hectares, with the castle n parks amounting to 20 hectares, and is located in the south of the island of Funen in Denmark. The castle is Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castle. Egeskov's history dates to the 14th century.

Through his marriage to Anne Trihuus in 1545, Frands Brockenhuus took over a large farm in the village of egeskov. Acquiring large areas inside and outside the parish through inheritance n purchase and in 1554 the manor was replaced by the existing castle.

The castle is a genuine moated castle built directly on the lake. According to the popular legend the oak piles on which the castle stands gave rise to the name. Egeskov in Danish means oak wood. The Count's War during which many of the manors were attcked by the peasants was probably the reason why Frands Brockenhuus wanted to build a castle which was, to all intents and purposes, inpenetrable. Egeskov reflects a time of unrest. In 1986 Count Claus Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille opened the castle itself to the public.
There are about 8 rooms open to the public of which The Hunting Room is the most popular. It was used as Count gregers Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille's study and shows his great passion for hunting. Many of the game trophies are rare as the Impala below which has remarkably long horns (90 cms, while the normal is 50 cms). The room contains trophies brought back from British East Africa and the Congo - Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya of today.
From his jouneys in Africa, the Count brought back many souvenirs like these plus objects of ethnogrpahical interest like head dresses, jewellery and weapons. In The Hunting Gallery, many of the Count's trophies are displayed along with weapons from many countries. The Count was one of the most famous hunters in Denmark and one of the very few who were granted permission to hunt with bow n arrow. The trophies are displayed with the arrow that brought them down. In one corner is one of Egeskov's 'privies'. The castle was extremely luxurious for its time, with 17 lavotories.
The Victorian Room was furnished with typical items of furniture, brick-a-brac, curtains, carpets, upholstery from the Victorian period which were in the family's possession. The paintings and photographs show members of the family.
Titania's Palace is a palace made by English painter and officer Sir Nevile Wilkinson for his daughter. This palace took 15 years to build and has 3000 components collected from all over the world.

Egeskov's wooden man lies under the spire. Its is said that if he is to be removed from the cushion , Egeskov will sink in the moat on Christmas night. Because of this legend the family never used to celebrate Christmas at the castle. Traditonal Danish rice pudding is served to the wooden man so that he can share it with the castle elves and the human occupants can celebrate Christmas in the other rooms.

The Vintage Motorcycle Museum carries a collection of old bikes. A must see for any auto enthusiast.

The gardens around the castle are to enjoy the warm sunny afternoons with a picnic spread and to marvel such beautiful surroundings.

The picnic also had people from our comapny spread across Denmark. About 150 in all. A delicious Indian lunch followed by not so delicicious sweets and finally a group of 25 people returned back to Aalborg.

Weekend Pleasures

The weekend started disastrously with the trip to Skagen being cancelled because of rain n overcast sky. Now why would anyone want to visit a beach on a day it is raining??? (Though one remembers a rainy evening spent at Sankhumugham Beach, Trivandrum very fondly). Anyway, so the plan for Skagen was shelved and with long faces the day kept passing until it was evening and the sun decided to give a little peek. We jumped to the occasion and headed towards Fjordparken near Egholm with beer in our bags.

The next few hours were spent sitting on the bench watching the boats sail by, people kanoeing, jogging, cycling, talking about n number of things and drinking beer. Sitting there I felt a strange kind of calmness and the feeling of being at ease with myself, my surroundings, my pals and the world at large.

Copenhagen, once more!!

Back after a long hiatus. Blame it on the increasing workload or my procrastination. Apologies for not being regular. OK.... coming up some pics from my trip to Copenhagen recently. If u remember I have already covered Copenhagen in two posts earlier (Copenhagen I and Copenhagen II). Having seen most of Copenhagen city I decided to go to the outskirts and discover some of the beautiful sites surrounding this city. So off we begin on our journey.

From Copenhagen Oc...

I don’t know if it happens only with me but the sky was again overcast and slight drizzling had occurred that day making it a bit unfortunate but overall it was still very enjoyable. The ride till the castle was marked by some beautiful spots here n there.

From Copenhagen Oc...

First stop Kronborg Slot(slot=castle). It is is situated near the town of Helsingør. This is the Øresund region and the water body seperating Denmark and Sweden is the narrowest here, merely 4km wide. You might associate the region with the world famous Øresundsbron (Oresund Bridge)

This was an strategically located castle in those days when dues were collected from all vessels passing by. It also enjoys being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kronborg acquired its current name in 1585 when it was rebuilt by King Frederick II into a magnificent renaissance castle, unique in its appearance and size throughout Europe.

Kronborg during its times was considered the strongest fortress in Europe. From 1739 until the mid- 19th century, it was used as a slave prison. The inmates were guarded by the soldiers in the castle. From 1785 to 1922, the Castle was completely under military administration. During this period, a number of renovations were completed.

From Copenhagen Oc...

The castle had been invaded and conquered by the Swedes in 1658. The hostility remains no longer but the canons are still pointing towards Sweden.

However the most important point about Kronborg is that it was the setting for much of William Shakespeare's famous creation The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark which is arguably the most popular of Shakespeare's plays. It is def the longest play and from which are derieved the famous words “To be or not to be”.

Kronborg is also the resting ground for the Danish mythological character Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane). According to folklore the statue will come alive when Denmark is in great danger, and Holger Danske will save the country.

From Copenhagen Oc...

Next stop Fredensborg Palace. It is the Danish Royal Family's spring and autumn residence. The palace was built in 1720-1726 and is one of the most used of the Royal Family’s residences. Didn’t spend much time there but was able to catch the change of guard.

From Copenhagen Oc...

From Copenhagen Oc...

Next stop - Frederiksborg Palace in Hillerød, was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV, and is now known as The Museum of National History. It is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia. The oldest parts of the palace date back to 1560, and were built by King Frederick II, after whom the palace is named. Most of the current palace, however, was built from 1602 to 1620 by Christian IV.

From Copenhagen Oc...

In 1850s, the palace was again used as a residence by King Frederick VII. During the night of December 16-17, 1859, while he was in residence, a fire destroyed a large part of the main palace's interior. Reconstruction was funded by public subscription, with large contributions from the King, state and the prominent philanthropist J. C. Jacobsen of Carlsberg Brewery, who also provided funds to establish The Museum of National History that now occupies Frederiksborg.

From Copenhagen Oc...

Prince Joachim (younger brother of the Crown Prince) and Princess Alexandra were married in the Palace Church also known as Chapel of orders. Various Coats of Arms adorn the walls of the palace church and the spiral staircase that leads you to the top of the four storey building.

From Copenhagen Oc...

Copenhagen/København II

Copenhagen Part I

Picking up from where I left....It was almost 3 in the afternoon by the time I completed all the earlier said things and grabbed a bite.... So post this, was the stroll on the Strøget, which claims to be the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe. It starts from the townhall and goes right down till the new harbor. If u r stand facing the Town Hall then look at your left, it's the one between the Burger King and 7/11. Shops, restaurants, cafes, ice cream parlors, pubs, street performers, museums, churches, squares... its got everything including some big names in the fashion world like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Marlboro, Boss and more. Strolling along the street u cant help but notice the multicultural mileau of the city. Danish, Indians/Pakis, Lankans, Moroccans/Algerians, Chinese/Koreans/Japanese and people from many other places. Copenhagen is a metropolis.

A little down the street, in one of the bylanes, is something called Rundetårn (Round Tower). Its something like a city observatory which isnt too high for that matter. Seven and a half 360 degree turns and a flight of few steps leads you to the top of the Round Tower. As I mentioned earlier its neither too tall or spectacular but the view u get from the top is def worth a visit. Maybe so, beacuse all the buildings in the vicinity arent very tall themselves. We are right now in one of the oldest part of the city, with red brick roofs, cathedrals, cobbled streets and a lot of history attached.

Halfway down the street there is a beautiful water spouter at Gammel Torv (Old Square) called Storkespringvandet. In earlier days the midwives used to hold hands and dance around it after graduation. Some medieval fertility ritual it sounds :-). I saw something similar in Munich, only that the butchers used to dance around that fountain when they completed their apprenticeship.

Towards the end of the street is Kongens Nytorv. The equestrian statue of King Christian V stands tall n proud and has witnessed many a young people dancing around it when the matriculate. (Whats with all the dancing around things and the Danes??). The monarch rides over a prostrate figure of a man, who symbolises envy. The statue was made of gilded lead which meant that the horse began to collapse under the king, and repairs had to be carried out from time to time. If u look closely then the man who is lying down is supporting the horse with his knee. Finally, in 1946 it was considered necessary to replace the lead sculpture with a new one cast in bronze.

At Nytorv there was an exhibition of Steve Blooms phototgraphs.. all of them relating to wildlife shot all over the world India, US, Canada Africe, Europe, Australia and they were beautiful. This poster adorns my bedroom walls.

Just ahead of Kongens Nytorv is Nyhavn (New Harbor). This is one of the liveliest area of Copenhagen. Brightly colored buildings on either side of the water inlet with lotsa cafes, bars & restaurants and lotsa people hanging out there. Nyhavn in olden days was the heaven for sailors, who after their long months at the sea came to get 'fresh' here. But all thats passe now and what remains is def way better. Cruises start from Nyhavn every hour which take u on a 1 hour trip and show you around the place. Its good for my tired legs who have carried me around the whole day.
It also allows you to see from close quarters the Royal Danish boat, which is always ready to set sail if the need arises.
And now it was time to bid goodbye to Copenhagen and return to the good old Aalborg. One thing to note is that most of the attractions in Copenhagen are within walkable distance, so if u r in good shape it shouldnt be tough to see around. For others theres the tram, the buses and the metro. Maps to these n the city along with pamphlets of the major happenings n attactions are available at the tourist office which is bang opposite the Hard Rock Cafe - Copenhagen. Start walking left when u exit the Central Station and its on the first traffic light.

Some other pics from the trip:-

Copenhagen / København I

Surprisingly even after a year in Denmark, I hadn't seen the city. Well not a surprise considering that after staying in Delhi for 23 years I haven't seen the Qutub Minar. Copenhagen gets its name from it's Danish name København which literally is formed due to the amalgamation of the words Køben n Havn which means Merchant's Harbor. The city is a welcome break from the small town Aalborg where I stay. Of the 5.3 million inhabitants of Denmark 1.5 stay here. Well its neither too big nor too small... just the right size.

I started my day by going to the city hall the Rådhus and the square in front of it Rådhuspladsen (the Town Hall Square). It is the perfect place to start your tour of Copenhagen. It has the main bus station, hotels, restaurants and is in close proximity to Tivoli, Strøget (shopping street) and the tourist office is just about 200 mtrs down the road on Vesterbrogade.
The building was built at the start of the 20th Century and since then has been the political centre of Copenhagen. Its quite big and majestic from the outside and if u wish u can go in and have a look around n inside. The clock tower stands at 106m but the clock was placed in the tower in 1955. What purpose did it serve prior to that???? They also offer guided tours in the hall but I didnt atend one. Oh...and free washrooms as well.
On the right side of the building is Hans Christian Andersen Boulevarden and a statue of the great writer who gave us fairy tales like The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes and many more.

The bronze statue has shining thighs due the no of people who insist on sitting in it's lap and getting themselves clicked. Thanx to those bottoms at least something is shining.
Next up was the Amalienborg Palace. It consists of 4 seperate buildings, Christian VII, Christian VIII, Frederik VIII and Christian IX's Palace, built in rococo style and is where the Danish Royal family live. The equestrian statue in the middle of the square is Frederik V, the founder of Amalienborg. The Armaliemborg palaces have been home to the royal family since 1794 when the Christianborg Palace burnt down.

The Palace is guarded by the royal guards in their furry bear skin hats and once a day there is a changing of the guard at noon. The Royal Guards leaves the Rosenborg Castle at 11:30am in route to Amalienborg. Aftewards, the guard returns to Rosenborg. If the Queen is in the palace there is a band which accompanies the guards. Sadly, the Queen chose to be away when I paid her a visit... Can you believe that??? :-D
On one end of the square is Frederiks Kirke (Frederik’s Church) and on the other end is a beautiful fountain which overlooks the water front.On the other end of the water front is the Copenhagen Opera House designed by tbe Danish architect Henning Larsen (BTW Sydney opera House is also designed by a Danish architect Jørn Utzon).
The next thing I visited is a symbol of Denmark and something u would have def heard about - Den Lille Havfrue or The Little Mermaid... now fellas... the key word here is 'Little'.. believe me... its hardly noticeable..blink-and-you-will-miss-it types.
The little Mermaid sits at the waters edge with her back to the sea. This statue was inspired by The Little Mermaid fairy Tale by Hans Christian Anderson. The statue, made by artist Edvard Eriksen using his wife Elaine as the model, is made of bronze and was erected in 1913. A gift from the brewer Carl Jacobsen, of Carlsberg fame, to the city. The little one has suffered a tough life I must say. She has been decapitated twice and been covered in paint several times. Did someone say 'Living Dangerously’?
The next stop was Vor Frue Kirke (Church of Our Lady). This church is one of the most sober and simple one I have visited so far and yet so beautiful and impressive. The present church is the sixth to be built on the same site. After the fifth church was burned down during the bombardment of the town in 1807 the architect Christian Friedrich Hansen created the present classical building in 1811-29.

It has a two-storeyed interior. Behind the altar is Thorvaldsen's figure of Christ and along the walls the Twelve Apostles (on plinths). The church has witnessed many royal weddings and crownings, the latest being the marriage of The Crown Prince Frederik and his lady love (now the) Crown Princess Mary on May 14, 2004.

To be continued....