Summer Fun In the States: Begins in Virginia

Our first week (June 16) home was full of scheduled appointments for doctors, dentist and eye exams and spending time with family. It was a whirlwind of activity. 

The first weekend (June 23-26) in the states, I went to Virginia to stay with my best guy friends Bill and Scott. We had a grand time....letterboxing every day, all day long. They took me to all of the battlefields and historic parks and landmarks in Fredericksburg and beyond. 

They shared historic facts with me that I hadn't known about the Civil War.  They are a wealth of knowledge!

Had a great time hiking the trails here, towards the end of the hike, we ran into a snake!

I loved visiting the Stonewall Jackson Shrine and learning the history behind the house where he was brought to after being shot and then later died in.
There was a really beautiful stamp carved and hidden in a letterbox nearby. So happy to add it to my collection!

Dinner at the Melting Pot

We went out to eat at the Melting Pot and had a terrific time. Bill and I shared a lobster feast...Yummy!! I have never laughed so hard in a long time and at one point we were laughing so hard that we were all crying and I thought the owner would come and kick us out. It was so much fun.

One of the days we were together, we ventured to McLean, VA and letterboxed the park where the watershed event was held the previous weekend. Laura (the letterboxer who hosted the event) was so sweet to leave the boxes out for us since coming from Denmark, I was going to miss the event by a week. The trails were nice to hike and the park was beautiful, especially hiking beside the Potomac River.

Bill and Scott

A beautiful area along the river.

As we continued to drive around Virginia, the subject of the immense number of mattress stores in Virginia was brought up.  We started noticing that they were EVERYWHERE!! When we saw this funny mattress guy, we just had to have a picture moment :o)

Mr. Mattress and I

One of my favorite places that we visited was Government Island.  This island is the location where stone was quarried and used to build the U.S. Capitol and White House in Washington, D.C. It was cut and loaded on ships that carried it on the Potomac River to it's final destination. There is a fabulous letterbox series on this island that we had fun discovering.

  

As we continued our adventure, we drove to the miniature Iwo Jima statue just outside the gates of the Marine Corps Base at Quantico, in Virginia. I have been fortunate enough to see the large version and seeing this smaller one still makes quite and emotional impact. Thank you Bill and Scott for taking me there! 

Our next stop was the site of the first Roman Catholic settlement. The crucifix was beautiful and surrounded by fresh flowers that people regularly bring and place. 

 The next day was just as eventful. A full day of letterboxing and sight- seeing. One place we really enjoyed was the Belmont Estate. It is located in Falmouth, VA and was the home of painters Gari and Connie Melchers. The landscape and gardens were like beautiful paintings in themselves.

Found a letterbox in the gardens

We continued on to Historic Fredericksburg and visited a bookstore and an Irish Pub. Bill and I enjoyed a cold beer and stamped into an awesome letterbox that is housed at this particular bar.

The boys took me to a nearby ice cream shop, Carl's, famous for its soft serve ice cream. People form lines that reach across and down the street!! We each enjoyed a cup of delicious ice cream.

Then it was on to Fredericksburg Battlefield...again, I must say how wonderful it was to have Scott and Bill with me to fill me in on all of the history that they knew about. I found the grounds beautifully kept and it was a wonderful hike on the trails to find letterboxes. Bill was able to do some maintenance and to retire some that were in bad shape. We even found a stamp that had alluded some...

You can see the troop trenches and the cannon areas

Scott tells me the direction of the troops that came up over the hill.

Meade's Pyramid

Letterbox that we found!!

Around 1897, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society wanted to place markers along the railroad, marking Civil War sites. The rail road was not opposed to the idea but was not fond of the wooden signs that the Society proposed. The railroad claimed that they would look too much like advertising. A better marker was chosen, a granite pyramid. The society used a 90 foot pyramid located in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery as the model. 

In 1898 the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Rail Road hauled over 17 tons of Virginia Granite to construct the pyramid. Today the pyramid, (officially known as Meade's Pyramid after General George Meade) still stands as a monument to the Civil War and is the only one of it's kind. 

Monday morning it was time to say good-bye. It was very difficult to say good-bye but knowing that Bill and Scott will be visiting me in Denmark helps!! I love you guys and thank you for everything...you are the most awesome friends!!

Mixed Emotions

This Saturday, June 16th, will be 6 months to the day that we arrived and moved into our new home in Denmark, and we will be departing the same day for summer vacation to the United States.

When we arrived, life was a whirlwind of things to do... There was the moving in and unpacking, setting up house and learning the locations of important places like the grocery stores, the post office, and the closest bus/train station. We learned how to use the Danish currency, Skype, and military time as well as the time difference between our new home and the one in North Carolina.

Over time, we ventured out, explored, learned how to use the mass transit system, travel to school, shopping malls and specialty stores as well as exercise and dance classes, after school sports and the like. We began to travel not only outside of our city but to other countries!! All the while, returning to our Denmark home in Bagsvaerd.

It is home to us now...the white walls of the house we moved into holds pictures of family near and far. It has been filled with the beloved and cherished things we brought from NC and has been transformed into our home...a place where we gather for family dinners, to discuss the daily happenings, whether it be school, job or just to share our day. Even my furry daughters, Maggie and Balcony who were at first very nervous and anxious, have settled in and are right at home.

Expats are often warned that they may experience a period of "romance" with their new home and those feelings eventually pass as they settle into life and the everyday routines. I indeed have fallen in love with Denmark, but the feelings have not passed and now with our home leave trip just days away, I find myself having a whole range of feelings. On one hand I am excited to travel to the states to see family and friends, but I have feelings of sadness about leaving Denmark. I will be returning in July and even knowing that and the excitement that will bring, I can't help but feel that I will be missing and longing to get back to my home in Denmark (as well as my furry daughters).

This country is very special. It has been summed up well in the article linked below...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/06/world-happiness-report-2012_n_1408787.html

I am not a world traveler...YET...but no where else have I seen such a sense of community, family and the appreciation for family togetherness, self respect and respect for ones neighbor, equality and acceptance of all. The people of Denmark are warm and friendly and very, very humble.

I am an American... I am an American who has relocated to another country for 3 years. For the 3 years that I live here, Denmark is and will be my home and I will treasure each day! I will enjoy my visit to the states, I'm sure of it, but I will also be looking forward to returning to my Denmark home.

Cycle here, cycle there...

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

~ Charles M. Schulz 

Bicycles are the indicator species of a community, like shellfish in a bay.

~ P. Martin Scott

If bicycles are the indicator species of a community as Mr. Scott claims, I would say that Denmark is quite a healthy community. Everywhere one turns, there are bicycles!! Denmark is one of the leading nations in everyday cycling!!

There are special paths and lanes set up just for cyclists and there are even smaller versions of the traffic lights in some of the lanes.

Most children start cycling to school when they begin school, at age 7/8. There are cycling classes taught in school when they reach 10-12 years old. They are taught traffic rules, behavior, and regulations much like when the US offers drivers education at school.

There are special cars on the trains and metros for bicycles. You can ride to the station, take a train with your bike and then finish your journey by bicycle. If you choose to leave your bike parked at a train station, there are plenty of bike racks provided, even several double-decker bike racks. 

This kind of reminds me of the sea of baby penguins on the shore awaiting it's mum to return with a meal. How does the mum know or even find it's own baby out of the mass of thousands that look just like it does??  How does one find their own car in a Wal-mart parking lot after shopping the day before Christmas?? I have to believe that sometimes one may go home with a bike that looks an awful lot like the one they rode in on...Hmmm.....

All in all, getting around Denmark whether it's by bicycle, train, bus or foot, they are all very convenient and friendly. I have not missed my car, I feel healthier, and I like to think even if it is a very small amount that I have helped the Earth to be a little healthier by not using a car and gasoline.

All Work and No Play...

As much as I love to garden, and have spent many days over the past couple weeks working on the yard, today called for a day of "play"...


This morning was gorgeous, sunny, with a light breeze. Randell and I walked to the lake and took a path we hadn't explored before. With 6 miles of paths around a huge lake, it will be a good while before we get to see them all :o) I saw 2 beautiful swans on the lake, close to the shore in one of the coves. We set our sights on them and began walking the path in their direction. We walked close to a mile but never could get close enough for good pictures because of a marshy area between us and them. They were magnificent to watch from afar, so very graceful. 


There were so many families out at the lake today, taking advantage of the beautiful weather and the weekend. Many were biking, walking, kayaking, and rowing (I believe small outboard motor type boats are allowed, but no big fishing or water ski type boats). I love seeing the families together in Denmark, there is a REAL sense of appreciation for family here. I can tell that they all enjoy being together and how important family time is to them. One family caught my attention as they passed by on bicycles. The father rode a bike with a baby in a carrier strapped to his back, while the mother's bike had a cart hooked to the back of her bike. Inside of the cart was a toddler and 4 of the sweetest black puppies!! Mama dog, with her breasts full of milk, ran alongside the cart. She looked like she was so happy to be out with the family enjoying the chance to run but knowing that her pups were close by. That whole scene really spoke to me...."FAMILY".


I have completed one of the areas in the yard that I was working on this weekend and have added some before and after shots.

Before: Rock garden- full of weeds (3 piles of weeds pulled), overgrown and needed updated & expanded

After: Weeded, expanded, rocks re-positioned, weed barrier added, flowers and plants added, mulched

My garden gnomes 

 I planted thyme and hosta, there is plenty of room for more

Verbena

Hosta

Lantern added

Tomorrow is a new day...Hmmm.....will it be WORK or PLAY??

Memorial Day weekend in Denmark

On Monday, Memorial Day, while Americans are remembering those who serve/served, the Danes are celebrating Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday. It is the Christian holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost Sunday which is known as "Whitsun". The name "Whitsun" refers to the white garments worn on Pentecost by the newly baptized. 

While I love my new home in Denmark, I will still be thinking of, praying for and remembering those in the United States and abroad that serve and protect my mother land....

A special "Thank You" to:

Col. Robert E. Tucker

Capt. Robert Eugene Tucker

LCDR Charles Frederick Tucker

Major Gregory Fester

John Massung

Liz Dickey

Dwight Thompson

Jennifer Thompson

...and to all those who have served and continue to do so as well as those who served and lost their lives to keep America free.

The Round Tower

Today was a beautiful day for getting out and exploring. I have been working in the yard now for a couple of weeks, along with the boys (when they were available) and it was time for a break!! We took the train into Nørreport, walked past my favorite cafe, Paludan's (great vanilla lattes). This is where I often meet my friend Micki for coffee and girl talk. Within sight is The Round Tower.

The Round Tower was built by King Christian IV between 1637-1642. The tower was the first part of the Trinity Complex, which united three of the most important facilities available to 17th-century scholars: an astronomical observatory, a student's church and Copenhagen's first university library.

As you approach the tower, on the outside near the top is a gilt rebus designed by Christian IV himself. The rebus can be interpreted as: Guide God, proper learning and justice into the heart of the crowned Christian IV, 1642.

Cameron is peeking out from the alcove

As you enter and begin your ascent upward, you follow a unique spiral walkway, which is 686 feet long and corkscrews 7 1/2 times around the hollow core of the 114 foot tower. The boys had a blast running from bottom to top and hiding in the alcoves which must have housed plants or statues in their day. It was Christian IV's wish to be driven by horse and carriage from bottom to the top of the observatory. The Round Tower is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe.

Situated halfway up the Round Tower is the library that once housed over 10,000 books. The books have been moved to new premises and the library area is used for changing art and cultural exhibitions. The one that was open today was a "hand on", "please touch and feel" exhibit. Everything was very textural and interesting. 

We learned today that not only did many famous scientists and astronomers use this tower, but many scholars and writers did as well. Hans Christian Anderson frequented the library and he even mentions the Round Tower in his story "The Tinder Box" in 1835, where the brave soldier met an old ugly witch, who told him about the old hollow tree with the three loaded money-chests that could make him rich, but were guarded by tree dogs - one with eyes as big as saucers, one with eyes as big as mill wheels and one with eyes as big as the Round Tower of Copenhagen.


The tower walkway ends at a spiral staircase that takes you up to the viewing platform, or observation deck that surrounds the outside of the tower. You can see for miles in every direction which is magnificent. The following pictures were taken from different areas on the deck. 

 Old Latin Quarters

Church of Our Lady (far right), Tower of the Town Hall (center)

Christiansborg Palace (right),  Nikolaj Copenhagen Contempory Art Center (left)

Marmorkirken (Marble Church) 

The deck is surrounded by an elaborate wrought-iron lattice from 1643. There are many different sections, but one that I found interesting (and is pictured below) is Christians IV's monogram and the letters RFP, which is the kings motto: Piety strengthens the realms.

It was a fun outing, followed by Sunday dinner with Randell (who rested up at home for 3rd shift tonight).