Other differences besides the preponderance of licorice include the fact that the Danes are extremely quiet people - particularly on public transportation, but pretty much everywhere, they are quieter than us. And when I say "us," I mean our family. We're pretty much the loudest people in Denmark right now.
And they are pretty unabashed when it comes to public urination.
And it's light all the time here, but besides all those things Denmark is exactly like America.
Tuesday, June 30 - Den Gamle By and Stand-Up Paddle-Boarding
The problem with this adventure being such a packed whirlwind is that I don't take the opportunity to write things down. And then I forget out stuff. And when that happens, I pretty much just have to hit the highlights.
On Tuesday, we trekked back up to Aarhus, where we went to Den Gamle By, an open air museum where they've gathered something like 75 historic buildings from all over Denmark to create a realistic historical Danish town.
Afterwards, we headed over to the LYNfabbriken art center and the surrounding area of galleries and cafes that feed the artist population of an art school there. After grabbing ritual caffeine, we settled into a grassy area and ate our usual lunch of cheeses and meets atop good bread before splitting up.
Yes, Pam and I bid the teenagers adieu, as they walked off into Aarhus's concrete jungle. We were just two, before Pam lost me with her quick pace through gallery row, and I headed off to Aarhus's only English language bookstore.
We rendez-voused in time to make our 4:30 appointment down at the harbor for stand-up paddle-boarding (SUP). SurfAgency appears to operate out of a van down there (low overhead), and Finja and Michael do a great job at getting us outfitted and on the water with ease.
We paddle past the many boats in the harbor, advised to pay attention to the jellyfish. The white / transparent ones are harmless; it's the red ones with the tentacles that can be meters in length that we need to watch out for. So we do.
Actually none of swim, except for Rowan - very briefly, at the end of our journey. Despite my predilection for diving in the water, I don't want to test the potency of the jellyfish. We paddle and enjoy the scenery - the coastline, the Aarhus architecture and cathedral in the distance, the naked sunbathers on the pier.
Wednesday, July 1 - Lejre Experimental Archaelology Center
Road trip! On Wednesday, we headed East, out of Jutland, through Funen, and into Zealand, our destination - Roskilde, and the Roskilde Festival (www.roskilde-festival.dk) for which we held tickets for Thursday.
We landed in Lejre (pronounced like "liar" with a Boston accent) to take in the Experimental Archaeology Center there (www.sagnlandet.dk) where, for the low low price of 125 kroner apiece, we got to experience ancient life in Denmark. Pam and I toured an Iron Age village and watched a ritual sacrifice; the kids rowed a wooden dug out canoe and weaved wool into decorative bands. We had an excellent time talking with Amelia there who, at 26 years old was back in school for some sort of fabric / textile arts communication degree.
We landed in Roskilde for dinner, walking the street mall there, where signs of the festival were present in the form of orange bean bags, orange couches, and orange cow statues. Oh, and inebriated young people (not orange, though). An older drunk turned to compliment Rowan ("You are very young, but you are very beautiful..."), who I brusquely cut-off, hurrying her along.
Twenty minutes from Roskilde was our Roskilde Fjord-side cabin. It got high points from the parents on design and cuteness, but low points from the kids for the lack of wifi and small floor mattresses for them. All in all, not a bad night of "roughing it" prior to festival day.
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