Fredensborg Slot og Slotshave

If you find yourself in Denmark during July, on a day that the sun is shining go to Fredensborg Palace on Lake Esrum. During the month of July, one is able to take a tour of the inside of the palace, as well as the private gardens of the royal family. Throughout the rest of the year this is not possible. So while I had been to Fredensborg several times before, it was always walking the trails outside at quite a distance from the Palace itself. In July, it had been set it up so that one could take a tour of the palace, and then an additional tour of the gardens, including the "Orangeri "

Understandably, they do not allow people to take pictures inside the palace, since it is one of the Royal residences. I liked walking through this palace. While I tend to say that about the majority of palaces due to the sense of wonder they invoke, this one I liked due to the feeling of living. From the Queen's bowl of biscuits for her dogs, to the personal family photos scattered around, you get a feeling that this palace is a more 'livable' space than most. While I personally could never see myself living in such grandeur, to see signs that people were in fact living at Fredensborg allows one to connect to this palace on a more human level.

While I was unable to take pictures of the inside of the palace, I was able to take pictures in the private gardens and the 'Orangeri'. It was a gorgeous day outside for a tour through the gardens. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sun was shining and many of the flowers were in bloom.

With Flora the Goddess of Flowers in the middle, I am sure this island covered in roses is a beautiful  sight to see out one's window.

The garden has far more treasures than Flora's island, such as the rose garden. The rose garden was originally created for the Queen's mother. For the Queen's 70th birthday, she was given a present of roses by the government and parliament so as to renew this garden. So with the artistic flare of the Queen this garden was given new life, and is quite nice today.

The final stop on our tour of the private gardens was the ' Orangeri '. Under lock and key, one can not go into the walls of the 'Orangeri' without being on a tour. Within the walls myriad plants are kept, including the vegetable garden for the palace, favorite royal plants, citrus plants and flowers galore.

To see Fredensborg in the summertime was quite unlike other times I had visited. The colorful treasures of the palace grounds make it a wonderful place to visit. I understand now why this is a summer residence of the Royal family.

Dyrehavsbakken Og Cirkusrevyen

On a perfect summer day in the Copenhagen area, it is a great idea to go to a park and enjoy the weather. An even better idea... go to Dyrehavsbakken. The name in English, Deer Park Hill, doesn't sound extremely enticing, but for you who have read about previous adventures in Denmark, you may recall that I am quite enchanted by this place. A walk, bike ride, or carriage ride here is always thrilling to me. An area planned for royal sport hunting, now the woods here are home to many red, fallow, and sika deer. Yet here is also what is arguably the oldest amusement park in the world, Bakken. In Dyrehavsbakken on a warm summer day, a leisurely picnic in the woods can be followed by the whirl of a ride, or the sweetness of an ice cream. Dyrehavsbakken has a little something in store for everyone.

On the 30th of June, we got to experience a gorgeous summer day here. Shortly after arriving, we headed out on a long horse drawn carriage ride. Suffice it to say, when I was a little girl I loved the mere thought of horses, and as a result taking a horse drawn carriage ride is still extremely special to me. To be able to take a horse drawn carriage ride around Dyrehaven was an incredible treat. 

After disembarking from our carriage, we took a stroll around Bakken. Since it was such a lovely day, Bakken was quite crowded. However, when in an amusement park the hustle and bustle is part of the experience as kids of all ages walk around with their amusement park treasures in hand and big smiles on their faces.

Though I myself did not go on any rides, I did take the time to watch part of a show put on by Bakkens Pjerrot.

This is as the composition of the audience suggests, a children's show. Which is great for me, since the Danish tends to be spoken slower. Bakkens Pjerrot has, for over 200 years, entertained Danish children, bringing a smile to the face of all.

After dinner in the warm of the sun came the real reason why we were in Bakken that fine day. Located in a tent in Bakken is the theater performance Cirkusrevyen. Cirkusrevyen is a yearly comedy show created in response to events which took place in Denmark and around the world during the past year. Sitting in the first row of a show like this was nothing short of amazing. It really pushed my Danish comprehension, and it was a funny show none the less.

From riding in a horse drawn carriage, enjoying the amazing weather, experiencing the energy of Bakken,  catching the laughter of Pjerrot as well as the laughter that Cirkusrevyen, it was a wonderful day spent in Dyrehavsbakken.