Bonfires and bridges (Båle og broer)

The last two weekends have had us traveling across Denmark. It's funny - one year here (after 9 years living in Texas) and we think a three-and-a-half hour drive is a long trip. We drove to Århus for a midsummer party held on Sankt Hans Aften. We met some new friends and got re-acquainted with people we met when we attended a wedding here two years ago. We warmed up with snacks out in the garden and a game of croquet followed by a BBQ meal. We noticed from two parties this summer that grilling here is very democratic. Everyone brings their meat (and/or veggies) and finds a place for it over the coals. This contrasts with the typical American approach of having the grillmaster with all his tools at the ready serving up the food of his choice. It all worked out. The weather held, with only a few sprinkles during the afternoon before it cleared up and gave us a beautiful evening for the bonfire. Afterwards the party continued. We lasted until 1am, but most carried on later into the night.

This trip was our first experience with the Great Belt Bridge which connects the islands Sjælland (where Copenhagen is located) and Fyn. This was for a short time after it was completed in 1998 the longest bridge in the world, surpassed by a bridge completed shortly after in Japan. It was a bit unnerving, but we enjoyed the experience. It was also the largest toll I've paid (DKK205 each way, approx. $35), though I understand that the bridge to Sweden costs more than twice as much. One of our favorite songs that the choir sang in the spring was "God Morgen Lille Land," which was written for the dedication of Storbæltsbroen (Danish for The Great Belt Bridge). We sang the song in the car on the way up the long span of the bridge.

Last weekend found us on Fyn again for a four-day mini-vacation. We went camping in Bogense, located on the north coast of the island. The campsite was in a good location close to the beach and marina and an easy walk into town. There was also a supermarket close by and nice paths for walking and biking along the coast. The weather did not cooperate so well (as can be seen in the photos), but we brought our rain clothes and the tent held up, so it didn't turn out too bad. An Irish friend at work says there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. On Saturday we went to a old-time street market fair in Bogense followed by a Celtic folk music festival during which the weather gradually improved to the point where I picked up a little sunburn from sitting out at 7:30 listening to the music. We also took a 10km bike ride Saturday afternoon in the rain along the coast and then back to town on some country roads. Bogense features the world's oldest windmill built solely for electric power generation (see picture). It was built in 1942 but taken out of service in 1953 after the town switched from DC to AC power.

On Sunday we visited Harridslevgaard Slot located 3km outside of Bogense. This is a privately-owned castle from 1606 which hosts weddings and is open for visitors. The funniest part of the tour was when we walked up to the great room and saw in the middle of the floor two miniature greyhounds curled up together. I guess it is their house too.