More spring

across from the library
photo by Mom

Most of the eranthis and snow drops have disappeared, but the crocuses are everywhere.  Guessing from the leaves, it looks like we'll have tulips and daffodils, soon.

photo by A.

København

The kids and I decided to have a little adventure in Copenhagen (the truth - I decided I was tired of sitting around the house while great adventure lay only an hour away).  I read in the English weekly about an exhibit of wax art in a variety of forms, which sounded different from the usual castle/national landmark/cathedral. We found the little museum near the center of town and it was definitely different from our usual outings. 

Kunstforeningen GL STRAND

R. and A. weren't so fond of the sexually humorous pieces, but others were of interest, including these.

On a lower floor, there was an exhibit of Louise Bourgeois's works, many of them made when she was in her 90's.  They reminded us of my sister's art.

Louise Bourgeois's flowers

Debbie's ravens

Because the museum was so small it didn't take long to visit all the exhibits.  We decided to return to the Danish Design Center, which we had visited once, but only long enough to see the beautiful gift shop.  This time we visited for a bit longer and I wish I could have experienced it with my parents-in-law.

Biomega Boston Bicycle

It was great to get out with the kids and I hope to be able to write about more adventures soon.  Maybe when more than crocuses are in bloom we'll get to the botanical garden.  Stay posted.

Fødselsdagsfest

Yesterday A. went to what he called a regular Danish birthday party. It started with a computer-made invitation received less than a week before the party. The host parents expect a call only if your child will not be attending. 

The pattern seems to be that the children play while waiting for everyone to arrive. The first activity is to open the presents, which have a 30 dkk limit (about $5+), but sometimes kids go in together to buy a more expensive present. A snack is next, usually warm rolls with thin slices of chocolate, called pålægschokolade. 

This is followed by birthday cake or pastries. Since the weather was nice (sunny and about 40ºF) the kids went to the playground for a while. When they got back they played with all the new toys before going home. A. received a bag of popcorn, which was consumed before he got home. Today the mother sent a thank you note through the school's intranet system.  Easy for the parents, fun for the kids, and not expensive for anyone - love it!

Language

When I take A. to the library to play Wii I usually do my Danish homework or read the English magazines and papers.  Today I was ready for something lighter and chose a beginner reader from the easiest group.  I was pretty surprised when I got to the last sentence of this set of pages.

Tour de France by Bent B. Nielsen

Yes, the angry kid is telling the other kid to piss off.  The librarian said this is not unusual language, but I have yet to hear it used at home.

Exchange rate

I can't control the weather, but I still look at the forecast.  I can't control the exchange rate, but I still watch it with fascination.

Most often I use this site.  Whenever I am tempted to buy a pair of clogs I don't need I just peek here.

Clogs

I am not sure what the norm is in Copenhagen or villages, but around here clogs are what you slip on to walk the dog or what you wear all day if you are a dentist.  Most homes seem to have a pair by the back door to slip on when you need to go to the shed for something.

Cheap clogs are sold at the department stores and even at farmers' market.  Based on what I see and what sizes they come in, black clogs are for men and white are for women.

I am sure there are exceptions, but I think I have seen a greater variety of clogs in the US than I see here, despite the Dansko (Dansk=Danish, sko=shoes) brand name.

Jante's Law

This advertisement, right across from Rådhuspladsen, is the essence of the Danes.  A big part of the culture is not bragging based Jante Law, which is part of a book written in 1933.  Not thinking you are special or better than others works to keep things homogenous, for better or for worse.

Paris

Two days is not long enough to see any major city, but A. and I did our best!  We were lucky to be in Paris during the low season and still have beautiful weather (partly sunny and 18ºC).

with the Seine and Eiffel Tower in the background

Highlights included seeing inside Sainte Chapelle and climbing to the top of Notre Dame.

posing by the Louvre's pyramid with the smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carroussel in the background

We visited the Musée du Louvre both when it was closed and opened.  I had been taught that museums are closed on Mondays so I was totally surprised to find the Louvre closed on a Tuesday.  But since we were in Paris all we had to do was cross the street and to see more world-class art at Musée d'Orsay.

In addition to visiting Mona Lisa (La Joconde), we were awed by the extravagance of Napolean's apartments and a bit unsure about the modern sculptures.

I am not sure if this is less scary than looking down!

on our way up

We saw the Eiffel Tower twinkle at night and went back the next morning to skip the long line and climb the steps up two levels.  From there we caught an elevator to the top, which was exciting, but not quite as scenic as the lower level.

A. at age 7.5, several years before completing his first Tour de France

We also climbed to the top of the l'Arc de Triomphe l'Étoile so A. could get a view different from what he'll see when he finishes le Tour de France

. 

With all that walking and climbing we happy to find seats in Jardin du Luxembourg one day and Jardin des Tuileries the next.

notice the new bracelets - all shapes from Paris

And what would Paris be without baguettes, roasted chestnuts, a crepe, and a visit to the patisserie?  Oh la la!

Nudity

Even if you can't read the newspaper you can notice a significant difference just by looking at the ads.

If you could read the paper you would notice their choice of words includes several you wouldn't see in the Times, many of them spelled with four letters.

In general there is a lot more nudity.  People change out of their swim suits on the beach, people hang out in their yards in their underwear, and the locker rooms don't have private showers.

A bit more spring

On the way to school A. and I walked past a few light-green leaves trying to push through the heavy brown leaves in order to be exposed to the sun.  A. turned back, bent down, and moved the decaying leaves out of the way to expose the new leaves.  His sweet, nuturing body bent over the dirt almost melted my heart.  It must be time to read The Secret Garden.

Another sign of spring

Last week R. was at the Apple Store and noticed a very long line next door at Paradis, the ice cream shop.  They were celebrating their re-opening for the season and were giving away ice cream.  You could get one or two scoops for free, and three, four, or five scoops at an incredibly reduced price.  R. enjoyed her ice cream and was kind enough to get home to tell the rest of us before they closed.

This afternoon we were hanging out and heard a clanging, which sounded like a fire bell and had me worried until we looked out the window.  Right in our driveway was the ice cream truck (isbil)!  It is from the hjemme-is (home ice cream) company and they do come right to your home.

not my photo, but it captures the feeling of it being right at your house

I am hoping if ice cream is here, the sub-freezing temperatures must be on their way out.

Class meeting

I wish I could have taken better notes because tonight's meeting was like no meeting I have been to in the U.S.  To begin with, the meeting started on time and no food was served.

Here is a little background information that might help.  The kids' school is made up of grades 0-8.  The grades and ages of the kids here are a little different because they start grade zero at age six.  Some kids start a bit later so R. and A. are in classes with kids their own age and up to a year older.

Each grade has about three classes with about 20 students.  Each class is given a letter (1.a, 1.b, 1.c) and kids stick with the same letter and the same kids for nine years.  What has been unusual this year is that R.'s grade had two large classes last year and this year they split them into three groups (6.k, 6.l, 6.m), mixing up the kids.

The driving age in Denmark is 18 and the drinking age in 16.  I cannot find documentation, but I heard that very soon there will be new laws saying those under 18 can buy only beer and wine.  There is a strong drinking culture in Denmark and teens are known for drinking more often and more heavily than other European teens.

Tonight there was a meeting at school for the parents of the grade 6 classes (12- and 13-year-olds) to discuss alcohol.  This was not a talk about the evils of alcohol or to wring hands about teen drinking, but to discuss how to deal with the reality of the situation.  We discussed at what age is it okay for kids to start drinking with their friends and the consensus was 15-years-old.  What would you do if some kids want to drink and some kids don't?  The other parents said that it depends on the person because there are some kids who don't drink and are treated with respect and some kids who don't drink and are given a hard time, but drinker and non-drinkers are both invited to parties.  Even so, it seems that non-drinkers are thought to be a little different.

What I finally understood after a series of these questions was that the kids have parties and invite everyone in their class.  The different letter classes don't mix much, so when your kid has a party, the people invited are the ones you have known for years.  If there is a problem, the teacher can call the parents in for a meeting or post something on the class intranet.  It is a very small group of people who are known to each who are involved in solving the problem.

After the drinking discussion we went to the classroom for a general meeting.  This included discussing the class camping trip for the fall (like the one written up here) and which third language the children will start learning next year (German or French).

The whole evening gave me an understanding of how relaxed things are here and how life is different.  There is no worry about school kids drinking and driving because not only aren't they old enough, the price of cars and gas (>$8.70/gallon) are prohibitive.  There are obviously other problems with teen drinking in Denmark, but most people seemed to think that you drink as a teen, you make some mistakes, but then you learn how to handle yourself.  Afterward you go about drinking in moderation, with the exception of boys/girls night out, a wedding, someone's birthday, a holiday, the weather is warm, the weather is cold, etc.

Barnevogn, the Danish Pram

I have seen only a few strollers, baby slings, or baby bjorn carriers.  It is also uncommon to see the bucket car seats that can be taken from the car and clipped into a stroller. 

The pram is ubiquitous and can be seen fully loaded at the grocery store, covered up and out in the rain, being pushed with a sibling riding on an attachment, placed by the window outside the restaurant so the kid can nap in the fresh air, and on the train in the bicycle area.  No NYC Maclaren or umbrella strollers here.

my neighbor's pram, only partially loaded

more fully loaded, Christmas tree included

   What I haven't figured out is how the parents carry all the stuff once the child outgrows the pram.

ready for rain

When the weather is good the top is put down and older babies can sit up, sometime with a little seat belt, but without back support.  It seems that once the kids are a toddlers the pram is put away and they walk, are put on the back of bikes, or use a balance bicycle (small, light bike with no pedals).

It probably won't surprise you to learn that the prams are also popular with the homeless.

Given the size and price (and the lack of need!), we won't be bringing one back to the U.S.

Fastelavn

The Sunday before Ash Wednesday is Fastelavn, a holiday formerly related pre-Lent celebrations, but after becoming a Protestant country Denmark turned it into a non-religious holiday.  Several people told us it is like Denmark's Halloween.

At school the younger children come dressed in costume.  In A.'s class there were two cheerleaders, several devils, Spiderwomen, and one kid came dressed up as a member of the Mafia, authentic sounding machine gun included.  Our neighbor's sons are teenagers, but they still have some great costume pieces, which A. was happy to wear.

a barrel in the school's hall

The original tradition was to put a black cat in a barrel and strike it until the cat was knocked out.  Barrels made of plywood are sold in the stores, along with lots of candy, which long ago replaced the cat.  Anyone in costume may take a turn striking the barrel and the first one break it open becomes the Queen of Cats and the person who knocks the last piece of candy out is the King of Cats.  The classes gathered in their rooms and then went to the main hall where about a dozen barrels were hanging.  There was singing and then the kids got to take a whack and were rewarded with a chocolate coin.  On Saturday several cities hosted similar events and on Sunday many families or neighbors get together for one more round.

another barrel

The only traditional food is fastelavnsboller, which are sweet rolls, sometimes filled with cream.   May all new holidays be so delicious.

A beautiful day

Any day that I have time to run and I am healthy enough to run is a beautiful day, but today was special because it was above freezing and the sun was shining.  For the first time in months I was able to run in Boserupskov, a forest a few kilometers west of town.  The route there passes through the harbor and along the southwestern edge of the fjord before turning west into the forest.  I saw more deer than people (1-0) and the sun shone into the forest without letting the wind in.  I loved the sound of the birds in the forest, the sound of the swan flying right overhead (was the sound from the wings or its vocal chords?), but I didn't like the sound of the ducks flying out from under the bridge as I ran over.  I knew I hadn't fallen in, but it sure sounded like it!

After breakfast the boys went to indoor soccer, which involved some drills, but also some competition.  A. got to come out from goal today and had two goals and one assist.

Wii at the library was the activity for A. later in the day.  R. strolled to the fjord before getting ready for a birthday party.  After tuning up his new bicycle, David is off to toodle around town.

As requested, here the Pedersen bicycle in action.

Danish Bicycles

A guest contribution from David -

One of the attractions of coming to Denmark was the idea of a cycle friendly society.   We brought bikes, bought used bikes here, and have been “car free” all year.  What I had hoped was that this would be common here.  While we are certainly not the only “car free” family we know, there are many more cars here than I anticipated.  This is despite the fact that cars are very expensive here due to extra high taxes.  The real differences lie in the fact that cycling is the norm here for many people of all ages.  In particular I am consistently impressed by the number of  older cyclists who I see on the bike paths around town.  Cycling is not so much the recreational activity, but the everyday transit for many people.  Most of the bikes here are fairly upright city bikes, with a smattering of racing bikes and a reasonable number of mountain and cross bikes.  The stereotypical Danish bike has a 3 or 7 speed internal hub gear with a front hand brake and a rear coaster break. R. rides a such a bike.  Many bikes have what is called a roller brake, which like a disc brake is more effective in rain and snow than a rim brake.   The bike we have for J. has roller brakes front and rear and an internal 7 speed gear.  A. and I have been riding bikes that could easily blend in back home, his is a 6 speed derailleur mountain bike, and I have a typical 3x7 front and rear derailleur cross bike.

When I first made plans to come here I thought I might buy a bike here that I would take back to the US with me.  I was thinking about a folding bike, and tried to find one I would like.  I concluded if I wanted a folder it would be better to buy it when I was back in the US. 

The other type of bike which is surprisingly common here is the three wheeled cargo bike.   This is hard to describe without a picture.  The riders are very upright with one wheel behind and a cargo box with two wheels in front.  In the US, you might associate such a bike with an ice cream vendor, but here they are personal vehicles for carrying children, fishing gear, lumber, etc.  The bikes were developed and first manufactured at Christiana, a controversial “free town” created by hippie culture in the 70s in Copenhagen on a former military site along the waterfront.  Christiana has been in the news as legal battles continue over its right to exist.  It is a car free neighborhood, and the cargo bikes developed there have taken a foothold all over this region often as a family bike.  While these bikes are definitely Danish, I have felt no desire to own one. Recently the production of these bikes has moved to the tiny Danish Island of Bornholm, which is a popular summer cycling destination.

There is another distinctly Danish bicycle that has a connection to Christiana, although its roots are much older.  This bike is the Pedersen, which was developed by a Danish inventor at the end of the 19^th century.  The inventor, Mikael Pedersen was a Dane who had great success as an inventor, making major advances in the mechanization of the dairy industry with a continuous cream separator, and many other useful widgets.  He actually lived and worked in Roskilde, before he moved to Dursley England, where his business boomed.  He was a renaissance man, with a keen interest in music, inventions, social events, and bicycles.  He was said to log 5000 miles/year on bicycles but did not like the rough ride of the seats on the safety bicycles of the day.  He designed a new bicycle seat which is a bit like a hammock, and then followed this by inventing a bicycle frame to support this unusual seat.  The bike was mass produced in England and it has been suggested that if he were a better businessman this type of bicycle would have become extremely common.  Pedersen also patented 2 and 3 speed internal gear hubs, as well as building tandem and triple and quad bicycles.  He and his workers entered bicycle races and developed racing bikes that they tested on a track behind his home.  He played in orchestras, organized a town choir, and was a high profile person who supported his workers better than most in that era.  Sadly, he lost his fortune and had sour end to a fascinating life.  He died in poverty in Denmark in 1929.  

A quad Pedersen pacing a single racing Pedersen.  The bikes were used to set many cycling records at the time.

I had never seen a Pedersen bike in person, but I had seen many pictures.  I admit that my addiction to cycling has continued to grow, and the opportunity to buy a used Pedersen while I am here had a strong appeal.  The modern Pedersen bikes were built in Christiana by Jesper Sølling who hand built about 6000 bikes over 30 years, similar to the estimated 8000 bikes make in England in the early 20^th century.  Current bike frames are manufactured in Czech Republic.  I started looking for a used bike, admittedly encouraged by a recent article in Bicycling about a similar experience.  Today I saw a Pedersen bike, rode it, and bought it within a half an hour ride from our home here in Roskilde.  Here is a picture of my new-to-me bike, a Copenhagen Pedersen.   I know there are a few items I need to fix.  I still have that pride in a new possession with a bit of the requisite guilt for self-indulgence.  Tomorrow I hope to go for a ride and visit my friend’s bike shop and show him my new toy.

More about the library

This is the machine I use to check out and return books.  Two of the six machines have an English option, but after learning the routine I can use the ones that have only Danish.

To return books, press the correct button on the right, slide the book along the metal plate on the bottom. There is a slight opening just below the machine where the barcode is read.  If the book is being held or needs to be returned to another library the message on the screen will instruct the patron to push the book through the slot below the screen.  If it stays at this library the screen will show a message instructing the patron to put the book on the correct rolling cart (fiction, non-fiction, other).  A receipt is printed at the end of the process.

To check out books, I press the correct button on the right and then put my library card/health card in the slot just in front of the screen.  I type in my PIN, and then slide the book across the metal plate.  When the library card is removed a receipt is printed.

This is one of about eight shelves filled with material that is on hold for a patron.  An email or text message that contains a date and number is sent to the patron, who brings that information to the library and finds the book/dvd/game with the matching number.

The slips of paper sticking out of the books have the number in fairly large print and the rest of the information in smaller type, making it easy to locate the item.