Western Denmark

Hello again- I'm sorry this is coming so late (2 weeks later, in fact) but life has been very very busy since my short study tour (to Western Denmark) thanks to studio.  Ooooh architecture!

Anyway, DIS is designed specifically with study ABROAD in mind, and so our semester is set up to allow for 1 short study tour (with our core course), 1 long study tour (with our core course), and 2 weeks of travel break, where we can take part in DIS sponsored trips or go do our own thing.  Anyway, that adds up to almost 4 weeks of travel specifically planned into our curriculum.  Perfect.  So, the first study tour, the short one, is (pretty much for everyone... although, I heard of a few core courses that went elsewhere) to Western Denmark- specifically, Juttland (the peninsula) and Fyn (Funen in English... the island just to the left of Sjælland (Zealand, in English... that is, where Copenhagen is).  Each core course goes to see (unsurprisingly) things related to their field of study.  So, that meant I went out for 3 days and saw a LOT of architecture.  It was actually a very stressful 'vacation' because part of what we are required to do is sketch.  And I don't mean lazily or casually, or even relaxingly draw.  I mean speed sketching for accuracy and detail in a giant building, get sections, plans, elevations, perspectives, diagrams, etc etc ect- OH and don't forget to think about how you are laying out the page so there is some sort of organization to it.  You have 45 minutes- GO!  Not to be highly negative, but basically, you get to choose to SEE the building, SKETCH the building, or look at what's IN the building.  We went to a lot of art museums/galleries, and it came down to seeing the art or seeing the building.  Very sad, because typically (not always) they were both beautiful.  But, on the bright side, I think I have improved my drawing skills significantly, and my speed has probably quadrupled or more. 

Oh the places you'll go!

Ok, enough ranting.  (Although, now that you mention it- I'm very, very tired.  I have not slept much here.  But that's another story... mostly about studio, so you probably are not interested to hear it.)  Now down to business: the short study tour.  Essentially, I am going to briefly run down all of the stops we made, with one or two photos for each.  Like I said, if you want to know where these places are- go look it up yourself, you'll learn it better that way anyway.

1.) Orbæk Kirke, Orbæk, Fyn

Our first stop- a very, very traditional (and old!) church in a fairly small town.  Apparently, the sign of a church in Denmark is a stepped roofline.  Of course, new churches don't frequently do this, but being a few hundred years old, this was a good example of the style.  Apparently, however, it was not a static style, and traditional Danish churches typically underwent several constructions over the course of their lifetime- beginning with the basic nave (the long, tall part where people usually sit), then side entrances and spaces (usually making the building look like a cross in plan) as well as rooms for the priests, etc etc etc.  They are almost all white with a red tile roof, and- I learned this later, in Greve, but it's interesting anyway- the pulpet isn't at the front on axis as is typical of Latin or American churches.  The pulpet is off to the side in the middle of the congregation.  This means that people sit in front of and behind the priest while he gives his sermon.  Weird!  There were two things that I found especially nice about this church.  First of all, since Christianity was an imported religion (think of how far north this is!) the local peoples, who had their own sacred traditions, myths, and beliefs, interpreted the Bible and Christian ideals through the lens of their local worldview- aka, a world created by vikings, believing in Norse mythology, and having a very deep connection to the mystic and sacred forest.  The result of this is a very, very interesting translation of Christianity, which is apparent in the murals on the ceiling of the nave.  They include flowers, animals, the mother tree, and a really cool version of Jesus.  Secondly, the cemetery (and as I've learned, all traditional cemeteries in Denmark) was BEAUTIFUL!  I know, that is a strange thing to say, but trust me on this.  Each headstone got a little plot of land, differentiated by cute, short hedges, and then inside of the plot, there was room for personal decorations- flowers, vases, bushes, and even some ornamental trees!  So, it wasn't a field of stones, but a maze of intricate, person remembrances.  Some were very old, some very new, and you could always tell by the age of the plantings.  So cool.  I could have walked around and admired them for a long, long time,

Outside.  The stepped roof is the sign of a traditional Danish church.

The painted vaulted ceiling.  Now look very close to the center- this is Jesus. So completely cool.

2.) Fåborg Museum, Fåborg, Fyn

Quite obviously, a museum.  But specifically, an early century art museum, built by a man named (aptly) Fåborg.  He was good friends with a bunch of artists and sculptures, and he had a great deal of money. Unable to make it big elsewhere, they asked him to create a space to exhibit their work. And that he did.  It is designed in a very odd mish-mash of classical styles, using domes, vaults, arches, columns, long sight lines, level changes, and sudden turns.  It was sort of interesting to walk through, but also convoluted in a non-purposeful way.  The walls were especially interesting, because they were BRIGHT colors- bright blue, bright red, bright yellow, even black in a few places.  It was ostentatious in a minimalistic way.  I know that makes no sense, but it's hard to explain.  The art, in general however, was very beautiful, and the lighting qualities worked very well- particularly for the sculptures.  A few had very delicate lines which the direct light expressed quite nicely.  Post museum visit, we were invited to go explore the 'town' which was very awkwardly made so that it's only attraction (the museum) is on the other side of a long walking street from the town center where everything else worth seeing is.  Which meant with our limited time (and the slow steady rain outside) that most of us just stayed nearby and found a covered nook in which to eat our lunches.

I have no idea who this is a statue of, but he was so epic under this oculus.

Pretty typical of the museum- axial view to the distance and walls that are way too loud.  But, beautiful art.

3.) Trapholt Museum, Kolding, Juttland

This was one of my favorite stops of the trip- a modern Scandinavian furniture and art museum.  Like the Fåborg, constant level changes, and sudden and unexpected turns, but in such a clear way that it worked perfectly.  I felt to curious and playful the whole time I was in that building- I loved it!  Plus, the main axis (which was not a straight axis, but more of a bent line running across the site) was this amazing concrete vault that reminded me of the delicacy and understanding of Kahn.  As it went away from the main entrance, it got lower and lower (in response to the sight, sloping towards a large lake off in the distance).  The ceiling, however, stayed at a constant level- meaning that by the end of the museum, the vault is monumental- at least double height- and all the more forceful because the width has not changed at all.  The other rooms responded to this code, getting taller and taller as you move through the museum.  And, these rooms were all full of nooks and cracks and stoops, so that the furniture was incredibly playful with the building.  At times, the building becoming the artwork, and times the artwork becoming the museum.  I could have stayed there for hours upon hours.  But we only had 45 minutes there.  What a pity.  Some day I will have to go back.

The main spine through the building.

4.)  Glasmuseum Ebeltoft, Ebeltoft, Juttland

Just so you know- this happened on day two.  We got to Ebeltoft in the evening, found our hostel, was served a delicious Hostel mean (who knew!) and went to bed.  Early the next morning we packed up and were off again!  First stop was the nearby Glass Museum, which functions as an art museum which a permanent and rotating collection but ALSO as the studio for many local glass artists.  There are, therefore three main spaces- a rotating gallery, which is a new building, a permanent gallery, which is a very old (1920's) building which has been repurposed and linked to the new gallery, and a work studio, detached from the rest.  The buildings I thought were interesting at some level, but nothing really special.  It was the back greenspace and the artwork in the buildings that I really enjoyed.  The glass was AMAZING.  The rotating gallery contained a set of hyper-realistic plants- specifically, a cabbage field.  It was great.  In the permanent gallery, there were some great blown-glass pieces too.  If we hadn't been on a guided tour with a guide who was very adiment that we keep up with her, I would have broken off and enjoyed them.  The back yard was really nice too- especially since it had been raining on and off, making every color seem SO poignant.  The grass was amazing.  But what was really interesting was how geometric it was- with square plotting beds and very strategically planted trees.  It was such a change from typical gardens- it had the strong signs of human input.  At the end of tour, we got to go into the artist's studio where some glass blowers were making goblets.  I had never seen the process before and couldn't even believe that what they did was possible!  I love it.  This is something I really want to try myself now.

Those are the hyper-realistic cabbages.  On real peat moss.  See her diligently (er- frantically?) sketching in the background?

5.)  Design Højskolen, Randers, Juttland

Let me begin with some history (oh god, I know, not more history- I'm sorry, it doesn't make too much sense without it).  Once upon a time there was this very special Danish man names Nikolaj Gruntvig who did far too many things for Danish Enlightenment for me to go into.  He hated the way that traditional western schooling worked, and having seen alternatives in England, decided to develop his own.  He thought that everyone, especially common people deserved to learn about the world and study, in depth, so that they could experience worldly-, as well as self-, discovery.  So, he created this school in Rødding where people of any age (although mostly young people... and at the time only men... he wasn't THAT enlightened...) could go learn about STUFF.  It wasn't about grades, or tests, or competition, it was really preparing people to go out into the world.  It was called a folkhøjskole (this means "people's -aka common man's- high school"), and pretty soon they were all over.  Most Danish people who have just graduated from Gymnasium (there high school, essentially) go to one for about a semester before going on to further education (such as university, vocational school, or even
apprenticeship for a job).  There you can study whatever it is you want to study, with a GOAL in mind, but not exams, no grades, and no real pressure.  You have an open and equal relationship with peers and professors, and it's kind of like 6 months in an educational commune.  But, most people feel more prepared for the real world after it.  Anyway, they sometimes have themes.  The one we went to, for example, was a design school.  There were 3 fields of study to choose from- graphic arts, fashion, and architecture, and you spent 6 months there basically getting hands on experience about what it's like.  They say the focus is on process, not product, but there were some COOL things happening there.  The fashion students were hand screenprinting jackalopes.  Anyway, we were given a tour of the facilities, which I would say at least rival both my DIS and Cal Poly facilities (see- sometimes socialism works), and met a few professors and students.  It was a great place- out in the countryside on an OLD farm which had been converted (barn and all) into art spaces.  Loved it.  And to common facilities- like the cafe, central lawn, and lake were very nice as well.

The architecture experimentation room in the old barn.  Hilarious!

6.)  ARoS, Århus, Juttland

I will point out two things before I begin: 1, Århus is the second largest city in Denmark at 250,000 people.  2, Århus is pronouced "Or-hoos", which reminds me of the song "Our House" by Madness from the 80's.  And everytime I saw a sign that had the name the whole tour I got the song stuck in my head.  ANYway: So, ARoS is perhaps one of the more famous art museums in Denmark.  It's rather new, completed in 2004, and designed by the prominent Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL), who also designed the Danish Royal Library (the Black Diamond) in Copenhagen.  Anyway, it is a BIG BRICK BOX.  And really.  I mean all three with capital letters.  It was pretty fun to look at actually, the texture and the weathering of the brick was nice (although after 6 years, there should NOT be that much discoloration on those bricks).  Plus, when you go inside the feeling completely changes.  It is starch white, and the atrium goes from the ground floor to the top floor- 5 stories up!  To be honest, as a museum I found it quite stupid.  As a sculptural piece it was great- I was awe inspired.  But the galleries became something completely other, disconnected from the narcissism of the atrium- like literally separated by big, thick walls.  It was as if the art were an afterthought.  I will say, however, that if you are ever in the 'big city', you should go just to see it- even if you just walk through the atrium and leave.  But if you go in, go to the bottom floor, where they have a standing exhibition called (at the moment) de 9 rum (the 9 rooms).  I was told by a fellow student that the space gets re-divided every year, adding a new room.  So, soon it will be de 10 rum... although I'm only passing on what she said.  I don't know that for certain.  All I DO know is that that exhibit was INSANE.  It was like being in a haunted house- I have never felt so uncomfortable walking through a gallery ever.  There were hallways that led from room to room, but everything was so dark, and you had no idea if there were people around you or not.  It was just blind movement, hoping you would stumble upon something.  And when you did, you weren't sure if you should look or run past.  I went by one room which was fitted out like a 1950's living room, with a couch, tv, ugly throw pillows, the works.  And, two motionless people watching the tv.  There was about a 10 cm level change up to go into the room, so I didn't really know if I could go in or not.  And, not going to lie- the two people, pale in the tv glow and motionless looked like eerie wax figures.  So I stood and watched anxiously for like 4 minutes trying to decide if they were real.  In the end, they were actual human people, but the suspense killed me a little bit.  And... immediately after that, I ran away, out of the gallery, out of the basement, out of ARoS.  I had a very bad case of the jitters.

The beautiful narcissistic atrium at ARoS

7.) The rest of Århus (in the middle of the street...)

So, I went out to sketch the building from the OUTSIDE and get rid of my dread of those damn 9 rooms, and met up with a fellow student, Helen.  The two of us strolled around the nearby buildings (the Music Hall, which was beautiful, the grounds, etc) and then met up with a few more students.  We actually had plenty of time, so we went into Århus proper.  There is a very nice walkable downtown area, and we headed that way, over the river through town.  We enjoyed a very cute sandwich shop/cafe and had some warm drinks.  We also bought our dinner (sandwiches) to take back to the Hostel.  Which we did- and then were told that the bus driver would take us back into the city to find dinner!  Oh well, we got to wander with portable inexpensive (for Denmark, mind you- it was like a $12 sandwich) meals.  It turned out the river we passed is actually very much a river walk like in San Antonio, Texas.  Although not quite as active (what can you do, this 'metropolis' is tiny, far from Copenhagen, dark, and cold... even in September), but equally as beautiful.  We also went ahead and just got plain lost in the city, finding the harbor and sea by night, as well as a night club (called 'Spectrum) on a CRUISE SHIP (we would totally have paid the cover and stayed all night if we hadn't had to leave the hostel at 8 the next morning). We then had an adventure navigating the bus back to bed.

Riverwalk.

Walking Århus at night (Linsdsay, Helen, Willa from left to right)

The harbor.

8.)  Århus Krematorium Kapel

I bet you can guess what this is.  But for any of you without intuition, that means Crematorium Chapel.  And yes, there were totally dead bodies in the building in the back room while we were there.  They basically just let us wander the small building for the hour we spent there- like they gave us a key in advance and never came to supervise the visit, and I went to the back room, which turned out to be the home of the filled caskets.  Ew.  But, aside from that brush with the dead, I really really loved this building.  It's definitely up there with the Trapholt for best part of the trip.  The chapel was really just one tall cubic room, which had a manipulated ceiling to create a beautiful stream of light onto the front wall and alter.  With the electrical lights turned off, and natural daylight streaming in I felt so at peace just sitting there.  I can imagine being there for a funeral and having that beautiful light bring life and clarity to the situation.  I'm sure for such a solemn occasion that is the perfect, perfect, perfect space.  A lot of people didn't seem to like it, but I feel like they were maybe uncomfortable with the sparseness and the simple, almost imperceptible detail.  The lines of the concrete in this project were so precise.  And the light- oh the light!  I wish I knew how to get a building to do that!  Anyway, the grounds were equally as solemn and soft spoken and beautiful.  The building was protected by the most delicate birch trees, swaying softly, and a change in elevation- a sinking below ground level.  Out in front of the chapel stretched the most enormous cemetery- with the same detailed plots and hedges as the other church.  It was such clean and formal and serene as a whole.

The amazing quality of daylight in this space- keep in mind that Danish light isn't that bright.

Even with the lights on, still beautiful.  Also, what cool chairs!

9.) Århus Rådhus (also spelled Raadhus, pronouced roll (with a gutteral r) hoos)

This one was pretty old- funny, of course we went to 600 year old buildings, and this, built in the 30's, strikes me as the old one- in a style so very familiar to anyone who has looked towards Germany.  This was a MODERN building, with prefabricated structural components, clear lines, and tons of glass.  At the same time, it has a very nice intimate and human interior- with so much detailing, and such amazing Danish designed furniture and fixtures.  As the Germans would like to call it- a Gesamtkunstwerk (a total work of art- look it up if you don't know the term).  Oddly, dealing with Germans, it was bombed TWICE during WWII and has somehow managed to survive unharmed.  Really, it's in great condition for a 1930's European building.  Anyway, it was so very open inside, with these massive atrium spaces and hallways that ran along side them.  I won't lie though, it was a little scary to be on the top level (4th floor) and look back down.  It was very high.  Again, I loved the grounds as well.  We were in kind of a hurry so didn't see them in depth, but there were some great copper sculptures of very classical women all over the walking spaces.  Also, the CLOCK TOWER was so cool.  I guess the original plan didn't have one at all but the people in the town were so adamant that there be one that the architect changed his mind and gave them an unfathomably cool modern one.  It looks like concrete, which would have won me completely over, but I guess it's actually just marble veneer which has become extremely dirty over the years.  Still cool in spite of itself.

See the cool mural in the back?  Naked people.  Also, this is the vertigo top floor of the atrium.

One of the great statues on the lawns- dripping with dew. And the awesome clock tower behind.

10.) Koldinghus, Kolding, Juttland (yes, again... on the way back home)

By this point, I want you to know that I was tired- very tired.  But I liked the building anyway.  It is actually a very old castle (at least from the 1600's but maybe earlier).  I guess what happened was that Denmark was fighting with someone (one upon a time they were a very large country with lots of land and fought just about everybody) and the Spanish decided to help them out for whatever reason.  They came and stayed in Koldinghus... and through Spanish sleepiness of something, they managed to accidentally blow up the whole building.  Well, that was the end of the Danish ever asking the Spanish for help with anything ever again.  But so yeah, the castle became a pile of ruins, and layed dormant for some time.  It was later discovered by Danish artists, and became a common place of discovery and experimentation, and a common icon in Danish painting.  Eventually, however, they (whoever they are) decided that they wanted to restore the castle, and began a process that took a hundred years or something similarly ridiculous.  The final installment of this renovation just occurred within the last 20 years, so you can read many different time periods in the walls.  The best part of the place was that Great Hall, which had been completely blasted to pieces, and had entire walls missing.  In the most recent renovation a very distinct thin wall was put for the rest of the facade... almost like a mask.  It is read from inside and outside, but makes for a very interesting space inside, when coupled with the circulation and structural solutions.  Structure- amazing GIANT glulam trees, which stretch up above the space and hold up the applied ceiling.  Circulation- a series of hanging red catwalks which guide you from the upper floors down to the bottom.  Happily, the space isn't just a tribute to itself.  It is actually a gallery space!  At the moment, they were having the end days of a Beatles (yes the band) tribute.  There were posters, clothes, memorabilia, music, etc.  It was hilarious.  In the middle of Denmark.

Me at Koldinghus.  The picture you send home to Mom to show what her money paying for.

11.)  So after that, we SHOULD have gone straight home.  BUT we made a surprise stop in the middle of no where.  And when you are tired and hungry and expect to make it back in time for a delicious Danish dinner consisting most likely of pork and potatoes, you get grumpy.  Which we all were.  But we stopped in the middle of no where and they told us to get off the bus (without sketchbooks!).  They then proceeded to make us climb over a barbed wire fence, and walk a great distance through a green field.  At the end, we found a longhouse.  Yes, like a Native American long house.  Except, that it was a Viking long house.  Inside, it was cold, dark, and damp.  There was a tiny window, and a long bench.  On the bench- shot glasses full of hard liquor.  This, it turned out, was a surprise celebration stop!  We toasted, which in Danish is called "skol!" Everyone raises their glasses (or shots) at once, makes eye contact with others, and cries "skol", then takes the shot en masse.  It was terrible alcohol if you want to know the truth.  I have no idea what it was, but bad was what is was.  Fun anyway- i mean, taking a shot in a viking longhouse? Yes please.  Then, we walked out and were told to wander.  Wandering took us to a bigger field which had big round stones hammered into the ground, making the oblong shape of a longhouse in the ground.  These, it turns out, were the burial site, so to speak, of past longhouses.  Past the initial burials was a circular earthen wall which gave way to a circular valley which contained 16 more burial sites.  In the end, this place turned out to be Trelleborg, in Slagelse, Sjælland.  It is a the best example of a Viking city, and very well preserved. It was breathtaking is so amazing to see, even when tired.  The ages were weathered into the stone, and the earthen wall, and the grass, again, so green.  Plus, sheep were grazing casually all around, and it was the most picturesque and Danish end I could imagine for this long (but short) adventure.

Skol!

One of the entrances into the valley through the earthen walls.

Noteworthy Adventures (Part III and Part IV)

And now- the exciting continuation of my overly long blog post!

Adventure number three: Greve Strand.  Greve, as you know, is the village I live in.  Strand, in Danish, means beach.  So yes, this is the local beach.  I've been told that nowhere in Denmark is more that 20 km from the water- be it a sea or strait.  At first, I found this kind of an amazing thought.  But there were too geographical facts that need to be kept in mind.  First, Denmark is composed of a series of small islands, as well as 1 peninsula (Jutland).  Of course, with this shape, proximity to water is a given.  Also, the scale of this country is astounding!  I always think of European countries in terms of what I learned in French class- "La France est à peu près la même taille que le Texas." Aka: France is about the size of Texas.  The is also true of Germany, Spain, Poland, etc.  But Denmark?  Denmark ranks somewhere between West Virginia (on the bigger end) and Maryland (on the smaller end).  It is a TINY country.  In spite of all of the islands and distances between areas of the nation, to travel to Jutland takes only a few hours- thanks to the AMAZING bridges that have been added, including the second longest suspension bridge in the world, from Sjælland (pronounced Zee-land, where Copenhagen is) to Fyn (pronounces Foon, the island just to the West, which separates the capital from Jutland and the rest of Europe).  Anyway, this is a small place with a lot of beaches.  And, given the short distances to the water, the beaches are well used in the summer.  By this time of year, people have mostly given up on them, except for the polar bears (called Vikings here!).  Not that the beach is so cold, but the water is icy.  Anyway, my village, Greve, is only 5 km from the Strand, and so I hope to take advantage of it as often as possible.  You see, there is an incredible biking culture here, and most roads come equipped with either very nice, wide bike lanes, or separate bike roads all together.  Getting to the beach is pretty much a straight shot, right past the Greve Train Station.  I was briefly introduced to the Strand with my parents when we came to have dinner with Henning, Inga, and Katrine.  But it was very quick, and late in the afternoon.  So, I had to go back.  I decided that I could probably handle a 5k on my own if I took my time, and on Sunday morning, jogged out there- and made it successfully!  (Bolder Boulder, here I come!)  Unfortunately, it was difficult to document how beautiful it was... I don't typically bring my camera or my sketchbook out on my runs.  So, I came back the next morning (yes, somehow I got Labor Day off again this year!) by bike.  It's really amazing, because you can't see the water at all until you are RIGHT there.  This is because a natural thin layer of forest grows right up along the coast here- it is dense but, like I said, maybe only 30 feet deep.  Just enough to keep the beach invisible from an unknowing observer.  

My bike at the edge of the 'forest'.  The beach is just about 30 feet to the right through the trees!

Once you get through the narrow trails of the forest, the wide expanse of the water opens up before your eyes!  The sand is very, very fine and incredibly white, and in the morning, the semi-low fall sun makes the still water glimmer playfully.  Because this is a strait, not open water, there are few big waves, just a gentle ebb and flow of the natural tide.  On this particular bit of beach, right as you pass through the trees, there is a tiny little pier meant for sitting and descending into the water, if one is willing to brave the cold.  As you walk onto it, there is the most bizarre feeling that you are not walking on a solid object, like a pier, but rather some invisible force like a cloud, holding you suspended by just a few feet over the water.  And it feels that if you keep walking, you could walk the same way, all the way to Sweden, which, by the tiniest hint of a black line on the horizon, and a few even tinier vertical lines like boat masts, seems to be waiting somewhere far off.  To the left of the dock, one can see the gray silhouette of a power plant, with a trapazoidal main building, and thin, sleek wind blades turning slowly and silently.  On the right, a small jetty, where boats have been tied up on either side.  Off behind it, the silhouette of further coastlines.

The view to the South.

I sat on the pier for some time, sketching for my Visual Journal class.  Although, when I first arrived on the beach, there was already someone on the pier, and from the experience I had had the day before, I wanted to be able to approach the water and follow the path to the terminus on my own.  So, I sat in the sand for 15 or 20 minutes on my own, taking pictures, pondering, and beginning my drawings.  You can imagine (given the Danish way of dealing with strangers) my surprise when the woman who had been on the pier approached me, speaking Danish, and smiling.  I explained my lack of proficiency in the language (I am working on that, I promise!), and so she began to speak somewhat choppy English to me.  She asked me what I was doing (I showed her my sketchbook) and why I was here.  I explained that I was a foreign student, and we then determined where, in the city, I went to school.  She then asked where I lived, and I was, happily, proficient enough to properly pronounce "Greve Landsby" (again, pronounced Gray-veh Laands-boo.  The word Landsby means "village" and differentiates where I live from the Greve Strand, as well as the new community that has developed near the station, adopting the name of Greve).  She, apparently, had a relative living in the village, so we happily drew a map in the sand showing roads, the Greve Museum, the local church, the village store, and my house. 

Our beautiful map in the sand.  My house is the big circle in the upper right corner.

The woman, Linda, then happily explained that her relative, Susanne, lived very close to me- in a yellow house!  And... just as quickly as she had approached me, Linda was gone, running off to receive a phone call.  After she was gone, I finished what I was sketching, and because the pier was finally vacant, approached it again.  And yes, it was as magical the second time as it had been the first.  The same sense of floating, the same amazing openness. 

The pier.  I swear, some magic power would take me all the way to Sweden.

Happily, I sat at the end of the pier and sketched and took pictures.  But, surprisingly for a Monday morning, the beach was actually fairly active.  In fact, people came and went, most of them coming onto the pier at one time or another.  And despite the very solid construction, every time someone walked down the catwalk, the entire pier shook in a mini earthquake.  So it was when a quiet old man, wearing a purple robe and using a walking cane, came out to the water.  And... imagine my surprise when the old man, completely without hesitation, put down his cane, threw off his robe, and completely naked jumped into the water for a quick swim.  I did my best not to look, but he definitely wasn't wearing anything.  And again, with the same straightforwardness as he had entered the water, he climbed back up the ladder, put on his robe, picked up his cane, and went walking back towards shore.  Next came a woman to swim (thankfully, she wore a bathing suit), and just as she was finishing up her routine, a large group of people- mostly young women about my age, but of all ethnic backgrounds (it was incredibly diverse for Denmark) came through the trees onto the beach.  They walked around looking like this was a new and splendid wonder, and so, it seemed to me that they were foreigners.  The woman must have thought the same, and said to me something in Danish, ending with a chuckle in the word "turister", which means tourists.  I chuckled too, knowing what she was thinking, and muttered the only word I could think of in Danish- "ja".  Quickly, the swimmer went her own way, and I, ignoring the tourists, went back to my drawings.  

Back to shore and the North from the pier.

Until, of course, I was approached again.  This time is was a man- probably 35 or 40, bald, with olive colored skin.  He spoke to me in Danish (which surprised me, because he was part of the tourist group) and then, again, I had to explain, embarrassed, that I don't speak Danish.  So, he switched to English and asked me what I was doing, and where I was from.  I explained (again) that I was a foreign student from the United States, studying architecture, and was drawing for one of my classes.  He replied with two comments which I found equally surprising.  First, he told me that he had thought I was Russian.  (Random!) Second, that he was Afghani, and that he loved the United States, and that they were doing very good things for his homeland.  Honestly, I have NEVER been told by a foreign person that they a. liked the US or b. thought they were we doing good work in the Middle East.  It made me really happy, because I had gotten used to being sort of silently disapproved of here.  Well, after that I had to head out.  I needed to do some shopping at Wave, the second largest mall in Scandinavia, in Hundige (pronouced Who'n-dee).  

Waves!  Beautiful but eerily empty.

In case you are wondering, I bought a headband (short hair and strong winds do not mix!) and a scarf for 120 DKK (kroner), approximately $24, at H&M.  The mall itself was very big, and really quite beautiful, very open and clean-cut and light.  But, it was also sort of depressing, because it opened 3 years ago, in the midst of a financial meltdown... and I've got to say, it really hasn't gotten that much better.  Large portions of the mall were closed or empty, and all of the walking space was being taken over by signs of "unsalg" (sale).  After getting what I needed, I didn't really stay that long.


My fourth adventure was a family outing- the annual DIS Housing Picnic.  It took place at Staunings Plæne (plæne means lawn) in Klampenborg, a city just North of Copenhagen.  It was a really beautiful park RIGHT on the beach, amptly called a lawn, because the grass was amazingly green and very expansive.  

Across Staunings Plæne to the beach.

I came with Inga and Henning, and we brought this really cute picnic set- a green backpack full of plates, knives, forks, napkins, and a really classy thermos, plus a picnic blanket- an American flag one!- as well as a barley salad to share with everyone else (we all had to bring something to share) and pork cutlets and sausages to grill.  We also got one free drink each (of course I got a Carlsberg... I mean free beer.  Really?  Who would pass that up?).  Everything was delicious- fruit salads, pasta, couscous, bread, and the sausages!  Mmmmm.  Plus, we had these mini chocolate chip cookies (the cute round packaged kind) to have with coffee at the end.  How Danish!  What was also really nice was that it was an institute-wide picnic, so I got to see a bunch of people with their host families or Danish roommates.  

My many many salads at the picnic!

 Eva, for example, has a VERY cool older (like 30's) guy roommate, who I think is the editor of a magazine.  Also, Kelton, who is from Boulder (went to Fairview) and goes to Cornell (studying architecture too), introduced me to his host family.  I guess his host dad loves pizza, so he went to Italy to buy an Italian pizza over, disassembled it, shipped it all to Denmark, and reassembled it in his back yard!  They, obviously, have pizza parties with it, and I (hopefully) will be invited to one in the future!  And finally, I met a girl named Tally, who sat down with her host family right next to us.  What was funny about this is that our host parents (and her host sister) recognized one another immediately.  They live in completely different areas of the Copenhagen region, but I guess their daughter went to school with my host sister, Katrine, and they are really good friends.  Katrine wasn't there because she is already at school, and this girl was about to leave in a few days I think, also.  But to run into these people, who were also very nice, was pretty cool.  

Look at all the people!!!

After we finished lunch (before coffee) Henning and I went down to the water to walk around.  And what did we find but a bunch of kayaks brought specifically be someone (I'm not sure who... I think a host parent) for DIS students to use in the water!  So, I got to suit up in a life jacket and sea kayak for a few minutes.  I hit a bunch of SUPER big waves because I boat had just passed by- it was so fun.  It was even more fun because there were 20 or so kayaks in a very tight space, so everyone kept running into everyone.  Not great for the kayaks, but kind of a fun bonding activity for us.  Not that I will ever see those people again, but the sense of group good spirit was very nice.  

Action shop of me at the end of my kayak adventure!

 Finally, maybe the highlight of the day for me, even above the great food or kayaking, was sitting and drinking our coffee to the music of the fødselsdag (birthday) song.  As opposed to English, where we all wearily sing a very boring song off key, the Danish birthday song seems to make everyone smile.  Why?  Because it's ridiculous, that's why!  Basically, I gathered that the song entails naming the birthday person (ex- Tiffany har en fødselsdag)in song, and then naming an instrument (also in song).  You then proceed to sing a little jingle in the voice of that instrument.  The song starts again at the beginning, and goes on as long as the song leader continues to choose instruments.  I think we heard a piano, a trumpet, and a trombone.  It was super funny.  The girl who's birthday it was laughed and laughed.  I would have too.  And, her cake was basically a giant gingerbread man cake covered in icing and licorice.  Oh, and Danish flags.  They like those here.

Inga, me, and Henning at the end of our wonderful picnic day!

Well, I leave for Western Denmark and Jutland tomorrow morning at 8.  And by 8 I mean I leave here at 7 so I can be at the bus in Copenhagen at 8.  I get back Saturday afternoon, and should have lots more to tell!