Summer days

We took a one-week vacation to a campground on the east coast of Fyn (location) where we rented a small cabin. We were very lucky to get beautiful weather, the only rain occurring one night while we slept. The rest of the days were sunny and warm. At times, too warm. Vacations are certainly different with Anya, but we quickly settled into a routine which made everyone happy. Anya is an early riser, especially with the early Scandinavian sunrise. After an early breakfast and maybe a stroll around the campground we were off to the toddlers' playroom. After an hour of fun we were back to the cabin for a snack then off to the nice indoor pool for some swimming fun. Anya really enjoys being in the water. She could watch mommy and daddy going down the water slide and all of the other swimmers having a good time. After working up a nice appetite from an hour of swimming, it was back to the cabin for lunch then a nice naptime. Afternoons included a ride on the campground "train" and spreading out a blanket in the shade to watch the cars go by (bbrrrmmmm!). A walk around the campground and a swing in a shady playground wound things up before dinner. Our one day trip took us to Egeskov Slot, located about 40 minutes away by car.

The last week was Jazz Festival in Copenhagen. We went to three events with Anya. The Jazz for Kids performance we attended was excellent. I will forego any comments on the other two performances because they were free other than to say that the performers were enthusiastic.

Yesterday we had friends over to visit with their (nearly) one-year old daughter. Anya was not feeling well and slept much of the morning and again in the afternoon before turning in for an early bedtime. Today, to our relief, she was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and with no signs of what we thought was the cold that daddy brought home from vacation.

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.