Egeskov

When young, without exposure to an actual castle, one imagines them as a fanciful labyrinth of ornate rooms, hunting trophies, banquet halls, a draw bridge granting entry, and ample amounts of beautiful gardens to stroll in after a feast.  Many actual castles that one can go and visit do not match this fairytale description while others meet the description with 66 castle rooms, four garden mazes, and a five meter deep moat. The castle, and estate that I speak of is Egeskov.

The castle was built in 1554 as a defensive home to Frands Brockenhuus. The castle and extensive estate have been home to a several families. It was the ancestors of the current owners who renovated the castle and grounds in order to open the estate to the public. 

The estate now contains so many activities and sights to see that it is a challenge to fit into a single day. From myriad gardens, mazes, a tree canopy walk, a castle tour, horse drawn carriages, toy exhibits, clothing exhibits, and an extensive car collection, it is impossible not to find something of interest here. On the 21^st of July we spent the day at Egeskov touring through the various collections and the grounds. 

From vintage automobiles, a collection of carriages, motorcycles, and bicycles, Egeskov is one of the places to go if you are a fan of things on wheels. It was a great to see all that Egeskov has to offer, despite the summer rains looming overhead on that day.

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.

Midsommer -Sankt Hans aften

On June 23rd, I was able to see a tradition in Denmark that I had not heard a lot about beforehand. At one point I remember having read that Denmark and a few other countries celebrate the summer solstice, but I did not think it was as big of a tradition as it is. In some countries, such as Sweden and Finland many people take a long weekend off from work in order to celebrate.

The history of Sankt Hans aften, or midsummer, or solstice celebration in Denmark goes back to the time of the Vikings, though it has changed considerably since then. It used to be on this day that people would visit healing wells, light bonfires to ward off evil spirits, and collect herbs needed for healing in the next year. The tradition involving the wells has slowly disappeared over time, as well as the collecting of healing herbs due to the coming of modern medicine.

Now the day is called Sankt Hans aften, or Saint John's Eve, referring to Saint John's day on the 24th. What has remained of the traditions is the bonfire, though at some point between 1880 and 1920 there appeared a new element - Witches (Heksene). Don't worry, when I talk about these witches I mean ones made out of spare clothes, and masks, so just a representation. They put a witch, which represents ill-fortune, at the top of the bonfire. When the bonfire burns so does the witch. The saying is that, with the burning the witches fly to Bloksbjerg in Germany, taking with them the ill-fortunes.

In 1885 a mid summer hymn or Midsommervise, was composed for the occassion by Holger Drachmann. Called "Vi Elsker Vort Land" (We love our country) it has been sung around bonfires since 1885.

In more recent years, a new Midsommersangen (mid summer song) has become popular. This is a remake of the old song by the group Shu-Di-Dua. Their Midsommersangen came out on Shu-Bi-Dua 7 in 1980, and has been extremely popular. When we had the radio on in the days leading up to Sankt Hans aften, we quite frequently heard Shu-Bi-Dua's Midsommersangen.

The evening of the 23^rd we went on the train to Hillerød, where they usually have a bonfire near the lake at Frederiksborg castle. When we were approaching the castle it was crowded with families, some with ice cream, some with beer, but all with big smiles and laughter was widespread. There was a DJ, food trucks, play stations for the children, and even an area where children could ride a pony. 

In the center of the water was a huge pile of wood, on the top of which was placed the form of a witch, made out of what appeared to be a large black cape and a mask. As the time approached ten, the appointed time for lighting, people crowded the edges of the lake. With great anticipation from the crowds the bonfire was lit at 10, burning the ‘witch’ with it. 

Such is the tradition, the witch – with her evilness and spells, is now gone from Denmark.

See You Again Soon Florida!!

It was fantastic spending time with my family in Florida. Home is where the heart is, and for me that is always where my family is, despite me not being there on a regular basis anymore.

I had mentioned previously that I will be studying for my Masters degree at Maastricht University in The Netherlands. The program I am in starts during the first week of September. I made the decision to go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the remainder of the summer, before continuing on to Maastricht in August. So for now, I am saying "See ya lata Alligator" to Florida. I'll be back soon, I am sure, but until then I will continue my adventures in Copenhagen and Maastricht.

I am excited for my new adventures, and will be keeping you updated on what transpires!

As always keep on the look out for new posts.