As week three approaches, I wanted to take full advantage of my opportunities this previous weekend. I made trips outside of Copenhagen to explore what Denmark has to offer. Although I have a long list of things to do while in Denmark, this weekend I crossed four things off my list.
On Saturday my adventure began with a trip to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark. Kronborg was built by Frederick II and is home to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It was neat to learn about the history of the castle and it’s importance to Denmark’s history. Though, I must confess I was most excited for the connection to Hamlet more than anything else. There is even a production of Hamlet Live that takes place on the castle’s grounds and throughout the castle! Characters included in the production are Hamlet, Claudius, Ophelia, Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, and, my favorite, Yorrick. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience to live the story of Hamlet at Kronborg.
You best believe I was one hungry girl after exploring the castle. In the mood for trying something new and preferably of Danish cuisine, I explored the city of Helsingør and discovered Café Kringlen. Here, I ordered 3 smørrebrød: æg (egg), kartoffel (potato), and frikadeller (Danish meatball). The egg also had cucumber, lemon, tomato, lettuce, mayo, and shrimp; the potato also had onions, fried onions, mayo, and tomato; and lastly, the frikadeller was accompanied by pickled onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. It was all extremely delicious and filling!
After lunch, I ventured south to visit Bakken and Dyrehaven. Bakken is the oldest amusement park in the world. Although I did not go on any rides, it was still exciting to walk around and see what the park had to offer. There were plenty of rides to choose from for people of all ages, a multitude of games to play, and umpteen food vendors, stands, and restaurants to indulge in.
Accessible and essentially attached to Bakken is Dyrehaven, a beautiful forested deer park that spans for many miles. There were many other people taking in the beautiful park and its calming, serene environment. I noticed people celebrating birthdays, painting, sleeping, and just enjoying the wonderful atmosphere. I was a little skeptical because I did not see any deer for quite a while, however, my patience paid off because I encountered a countless number of deer. Also, situated in Dyrehaven is the Hermitage, which is the Kings’ Hunting Lodge. It is a gorgeous building that sits on top of a hill in the park. The view from here is absolutely stunning, as you can view both the sea and the countryside.
On Sunday, Austen (fellow DIS student), Andy (fellow DIS summer writer), and I went on a giant hunt to find the Six Forgotten Giants. We made the ambitious decision to bike the entire route and I am glad to say we were very successful! It was quite the experience and we definitely were not in the city anymore, as was evident with the abundance of farmland, cows, horses, and sheep. A majority of the adventure was spent in areas with very minimal houses and maximal farmland. The scenery was gorgeous and the excitement of finding the giants was equivalent to a kid in a candy store. The giants are all made out of scrap wood and are situated throughout the greater Copenhagen area. Finding all six of them is a treasure hunt surely worth the trip. Quick shoutout to Austen and Andy, two new friends of mine, for this awesome trip and to Austen for navigating the entire way, as we most likely would have been lost without him!
Sadly, Session 1 is coming to a close in the next few days and I am sad to see some of my new friends go, but I will surely remember them and the incredible memories we made for a lifetime. I am blessed to be able to spend another session here in Copenhagen with DIS and look forward to the new adventures and opportunities ahead!
(Quote: “Adventure is out there!” is from the movie Up.)