General News about Frederik, Mary and Family Part 15: January 2016 - August 2016

[Tarlita]

Thanks for all the links. Very pretty. Hope the family enjoy their Trend holiday.
Here in Queensland we have road side stalls outside little farms with their local produce. Great to see it happens in Denmark as well. An honesty system for people to pay.

[MidwestMom]

Thank you for posting all those lovely pictures, Muhler. Except for the style of the buildings, it could be the rural area where I grew up. It really is a small world. I also notice that all the roads are well-maintained - good infrastructure. The US should take heed.

I was amused to see the pictures of hills. There is a site on YouTube that features parodies of national anthems. The one for Denmark ends: ''we have no mountain or hill, our highest point, a windmill.'' Now we know that's not true.

BTW, the black and white cows are Holsteins.

[Valkyrie]

What a lovely travelogue, Muhler! This is the sort of inside view that travelers really enjoy but rarely experience. Especially, if one loves the rural areas and was brought up in the wide open spaces. Our Scandinavian tour (for the Denmark part) only consisted of a quick run through Copenhagen, Odense Arhus and up to Frederikshavn to catch the ferry to Gothenburg. Our guide was Norwegian and the tour was full of fun loving Aussies and New Zealanders. I can see we missed a lot of beauty. Loved the Limfjord sunset and the inn. Potatoes coming fresh from the ground sound yummy.

[Muhler]

You are welcome.

It really is surprising, as well as a pity, that so many miss what is no more than a couple of hours away. Not only here in DK but most countries.
However, the most scenic and idyllic place in DK is IMO South Funen and the South Funen Archipelago.
Not many outside DK know it - with the exception of Germans who come sailing and (this may surprise some) quite a few Americans, who have (hopefully!) very fond memories of this area, since they got married there.
Since M&F and Christian are very fond of sailing I can very well imagine them going there to sail. Mary is by now very familiar with this part of the country, since a number of their close friends the Wedell-Wedellsborgs and Ahlefeldts own manors and estates in that area.
And since M&F know it so well, I think I'll write a little about it later.

But back to Northern Jutland. Trend is one these places in DK where you are furthest from a sand-beach. If they go to the east coast, many beaches are full of pebbles but here and there are almost deserted sand-beaches. Because most people head for the west coast where there is a 250 km long sand-beach. So it's crawling with people! Germans, Dutch, Norwegians, Swedes and of course Danes. But also an increasing number of Italians and Spaniards, who have discovered that the temperatures are compatible with life here up north. So M&F wouldn't remain unnoticed for long.
But they could very well drive to a fishing town on the west coast to buy fish straight from a fishing-boat. And we are talking fresh fish! Fish the size of a dinner-plate picked up from the sea literally a few hours before.
On the way back they stop to buy fresh potatoes and parsley. While Mary may not be much of a cook, Frederik is a sailor - and a man, so he knows how to make parsley-sauce and flounders.
The great thing about potatoes just dug up, is that you of course rinse them, then you boil them with the skin on. And at the table, you skewer the potatoes with your fork and peel the skin off, in that way the taste (and nutrients) is even better. (Many prefer to eat the potatoes with the skin on). That combined with parsley-sauce and you will have even the most fussy child licking the plate!
Squeeze some lemon-juice over the fish and we are there! A simple and quick to make dish.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UjI_sPlNQS...0/IMG_0568.JPG
And of course to fish, you need a beer and a "bjesk" - a Jutlandic homemade schnapps, made from the weirdest things! There are countless variations. http://vhm.dk/wp-content/uploads/201...lasker-VHM.jpg

This is a recipe for parsley-sauce with crispy pork, our national-dish:
Danish recipe | Denmark's national food | Stegt flæsk med persillesovs
This is an all-time favorite with men! Each year there is an event in Aarhus, where they serve samples of beer alongside crispy pork ad libitum, fresh potatoes and parsley sauce. When I can get away and it's even possible to get in I go there! And of course you gnaw the pork from your hand.

You are right, Valkyrie, with guided tours you don't see even half of what is worth seeing.

True, MidwestMom. Our highest hill is IIRC some 179 meters high. The pylons on the Storebelt Bridge are higher... But nevertheless a testament to the force of glaciers.
And it is indeed a small world. Someone else contacted me yesterday to say how much the landscape reminded her of home.
One of the places I should very much like to go, once we've kicked the children out, would be going south along the east side of the Appalachians. It's an area drenched in history! And I'm determined to spend two or three weeks going there one day.

[MidwestMom]

For those who want to see more of Denmark without leaving their computer, I recommend the YouTube series ''Rick Steves Europe.'' Just add Denmark to the title, and you'll get several, most of them about half an hour long. Very enjoyable.

About the Little Mermaid: she has apparently been the victim of much vandalism. Since she is such a treasure, why is she in a place so easily accessible?

[polyesco]

Muhler your links (along with your comments) are wonderful. It really seems like the place that Frederik and Mary along with their 4 outdoorsy children enjoy.
I think you got quite a few readers here hooked on visiting Denmark

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by MidwestMom

For those who want to see more of Denmark without leaving their computer, I recommend the YouTube series ''Rick Steves Europe.'' Just add Denmark to the title, and you'll get several, most of them about half an hour long. Very enjoyable.

About the Little Mermaid: she has apparently been the victim of much vandalism. Since she is such a treasure, why is she in a place so easily accessible?

You are welcome, Polyesco.

Thanks for the suggestion, MidwestMom.
I will recommend this very brief video from the island of Ærø, in the Southern Funen Archipelago that I told about earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epAgSVzMaoQ

The area is full of such islands, one more tranquil and scenic than the other.
If you come here and are stressed, you sit down on a bench and never want to get up again. Except to go to the next bench...
Many years ago I met an American, through his daughter actually, who had come to the island of Samsø, sat down on a bench and didn't get up again. He suffered from PTSD after having been shot down over Vietnam and now he lived off his pension and savings. The calm and the slow pace appealed to him and probably also the fact that he didn't understand much Danish, so he lived in a kind of cocoon. There was only one TV-channel back then which he probably didn't understand much of except for the odd American film. Perhaps that helped too.
He came over several times a year when things got too much at home, and lived for a few weeks in a little cottage he had rented. And sometimes his wife and daughter joined him.
How on earth, he as an American, had found the little hamlet of Brundby on Samsø I have no idea! Even today they almost put it in the local paper if an American tourist come to Samsø!
His daughter told me that once he was on the ferry to the island his nerves calmed down.

Well, The Little Mermaid is supposed to be accessible and there are years between cases of vandalism, and in most cases it's a "happening" by "artists". Normal vandals usually leave her alone.

[Roskilde]

Thank you a lot, Muhler, for your wonderful and very descriptive post about North Jutland and especially the area near Trend

I can only echo the many members comments - and I think we all underway reading your post almost felt that we were there ourselves.

There is no doubt that F&M and children adore Trend and Northern Jutland, and we very rarely see them travel abroad on summer vacation. They seem to find Jutland to be 'the place'.

Husband, children and I have also in recent years dropped to travel abroad in the summer vacation, and instead drive to Jutland. There is lovely, and (although Denmark is a small country) quite so different from here on Zealand.

21 June - today is the national day of Greenland.

Frederik sends a greeting on the DRF's Facebook :)

"A warm greeting to everyone in Greenland on the national day.

HRH The Crown Prince sends a greeting and this photo that the Crown Prince had taken
during his visit to Ilulissat earlier this year."

https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...215008/?type=3

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you Muhler for sharing the fascinating pieces of information about Jutland. I enjoyed watching your video; the countryside looks gorgeous! And the town itself looks pretty, I love the different coloured buildings.

Originally Posted by SLV

Please stop posting those pictures Muhler! They are too beautiful.
*starts dreaming about a holiday to Denmark*

Haha, it was TRF which made me put Copenhagen on my bucket list, but now perhaps there are more places in Denmark that I shall have to discover one day!

Originally Posted by Roskilde

21 June - today is the national day of Greenland.

Frederik sends a greeting on the DRF's Facebook :)

"A warm greeting to everyone in Greenland on the national day.

HRH The Crown Prince sends a greeting and this photo that the Crown Prince had taken
during his visit to Ilulissat earlier this year."

https://www.facebook.com/detdanskeko...215008/?type=3

Thanks for sharing Roskilde, I saw the same photo of Frederik on Instagram this morning but didn't realise that the DRF were posting about the Greenlandic National Day. It seems that they have a particular fondness for Greenland, but that's understandable, because it looks to be a beautiful country. Happy National Day to the Greenlanders!

[polyesco]

Here's the link to Frederik's interview with Dansk Golf magazine. It's in Danish so maybe some of our danish members can give us some info on what he says
Starts on page 38, looks like he mentions Mary too
Dansk Golf 3 2016

if anyone can make golf look interesting it's handsome Frederik

[Tarlita]

Now I feel hungry after all that talk about good food. Many thanks for that. Every country enjoys a special little piece of paradise, so naturally we need a local to tell us about it. Tak.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by polyesco

Here's the link to Frederik's interview with Dansk Golf magazine. It's in Danish so maybe some of our danish members can give us some info on what he says
Starts on page 38, looks like he mentions Mary too
Dansk Golf 3 2016

if anyone can make golf look interesting it's handsome Frederik

Thanks, Polyesco.

A very brief summary:

He talks mainly about golf now becoming a part of the Olympics and indirectly hints he has had his role in that.
But especially about golf in DK and the many golf-courses he had tried here.
He doesn't have time to golf as much as he perhaps would like to. As such he may not be a good golf-player but not incompetent either.

It was his mormor, Queen Ingrid who introduced him to gold when he was a boy and who brought him along to golf-courses, partly to play but also as a caddie.
Later on he played golf while studying at Aarhus University.
He has learned that being in good shape helps him concentrate when he is about to hit the ball.

Mary played some gold in Australia, but not so much here in DK. Frederik label her a golf-sleeper. I.e. she's presently in a kind of hibernation in regards to golf.
Frederik is the only one in his branch of the family who play golf. Neither his parents nor Joachim play golf.
And it was after meeting Mary Frederik began to play a little more than previous. (His time in the Frogman Corps, and the Sirius expedition took up most of his time, I imagine.)

He has brought Christian with him to golf a few times, but he doesn't seem to have picked it up.

[Roskilde]

Thanks for the translation Muhler

I also like the little (but good) detail that Crown Prince Frederik arrived to the interview just after he had dropped off the children to school. It again tells how much 'hands-on parents' F&M are and that they deliver and pick up their children from school and kindergarten on daily basis. Always nice with a little innocent inside into their daily life.


***

Three days left to our Danish school children's summer holidays begin.... Christian and Isabella have their last day of school on Friday (24th June) and then they have six full weeks of summer vacation. Vincent and Josephine still are in kindergarten, so they are more free, but I'm sure they held summer vacation in the same weeks as Christian and Isabella. That's how we do it on our family. F&M usually take all six weeks free to spend the summer holiday with their children. This year it maybe seems like F&M have slowly already started their summer vacation.

We know that the Crown Prince's family will spend three relaxing weeks at Gråsten (as last year). The rest is free to Trend, Tisvilde or something completely else ..

[Muhler]

Right. Today M&F and children embark on a tour of the Southern Funen Archipelago. This is the IMO opinion most scenic part of DK and in contrast to the more unspoiled Northern Jutland very much child-friendly.

Det Sydfynske Øhav, as it is called in Danish, consists of Southern Funen and three major islands, Langeland, Ærø and Tåsinge, as well as loads of smaller island, most being uninhabited.
Here is a map: http://www.detsydfynskeoehav.dk/imag...0u%20ramme.jpg

The area has pretty much been saved from wars and floods, so many houses and farms are easily 200-300 years old.
It was a pretty affluent area, with agriculture, countless small family owned coasters and not least sailors sailing the high seas and bringing back treasures, money and tall tales. That is still very much the case, even though tourism has become the perhaps most important trade. In the summer the area crawls with German and Swedes as well as Danes!

Okay, imagine M&F come driving from Copenhagen, dropping by at Tranekær Manor, owned by one the Ahlefeldts. http://static1.squarespace.com/stati...g?format=1500w
There are more than a 100 castles, manors and estates in this part of the country. Of course all of them have at least one ghost. - (They sign 300 year contracts).
Before moving on to Egeskov Castle: http://event2000.dk/data/media/IMG_0505.JPG
Owned by another of M&F's friends an Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.
Ahlefeldt and Laurvig are noble families going back to sometime in the 1700's, but Bille is a medieval family-line. Probably as old as the DRF itself.

Then on to the town of Svendborg. An affluent little town due to shipping over the centuries and that can be seen on the houses.
http://www.hcandersen-homepage.dk/wp...ndborg-163.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._Svendborg.jpg
These houses were owned by seamen and their families and they did well! http://www.madenimitliv.dk/wp-conten...013/07/101.jpg
Perhaps out little family will explore one of hidden cafes: http://www.b.dk/sites/default/files-...axo-photo.jpeg

But they have to move on. Down to the ferry and here they'll ditch the car. Because it's much easier to move around on bicycle from here on: http://ærø.dk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_9317.jpg
For the short trip to the island of Tåsinge. Docking in the town of Vindinge. Which was also an affluent town with sailor-families: https://www.storebaelt.dk/files/uplo...%C3%B8bing.jpg
There is plenty of scenery on the island, but it's also a tourist-trap, so our family will soon move on.
https://www.vitus-rejser.dk/sites/de...?itok=s_HgJvRA
http://www.turist-erria.dk/Bustur%20...%C3%B8%203.JPG
But perhaps they will stay up late to follow the nightwatchman on his patrol through the town: http://hclykke.dk/Ferie220704Vaegter2.JPG
Armed with a ferocious looking morning star the nightwatchman walked the streets at night, basically being a living fire-alarm. So on the hour every hour he sang that the clock is now so and so and that all is well - and may God keep it that way! - However, one of the duties of the nightwatchman was to test the beer at the various inns... So around midnight, he often had problems remembering what he was supposed to sing, what the time was and what planet he was on... Never mind, he often sang another song instead. The lyrics were however often not suited for children, ladies and small dogs!
Here is a video demonstrating the required skills of a nightwatchman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ldlKe4fXzs

But Tåsinge also has it's own true tale of unhappy love.
Back around 1889 a Swedish officer and Count, Sixten Sparre https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...0px-Sixten.gif fell in love with a "circus-princess", Elvira Madigan https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...aMadigan01.jpg
Alas, their romance was hopeless. A circus artist and an officer!! Good heavens. Impossible!
But they wouldn't give up their love. Sixten Sparre deserted from the army and together they eloped to Denmark. But where to go from here? Penny-less, no family and in a foreign country, so one day they went into a grove. Here Sixten Sparre first shot his beloved Elvira with his service revolver and then himself. To this day a stone is standing on the place they were found: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/o...l/76180369.jpg
And they were buried at the local cemetery, side by side, which I think was a decent touch: http://www.elvira-madigan.dk/Artikel...Kirkegaard.jpg
Elvira Madigan's real name was the less exotic Hedvig Jensen.
It has now become tradition that brides married from this church place their bridal bouquet on her grave.

But they are not the only bridal-couples to visit this grave. Americans come here too.
American servicemen in Germany wishing to marry a German face a lengthy process and a lot of red tape, so many take the trip to DK, where it only takes a couple of days. And Ærøskøbing, on the nearby island of Ærø, is one of the towns where most such weddings take place. It's of course a civil wedding, but still very romantic: http://fynsbryllupsfoto.dk/wp-conten...4-DSCF0275.jpg That also include gay-couples.
However it's not only Americans and Germans who come here, other nationalities come to DK as well: http://a.bt.bmcdn.dk/media/cache/res...yllupsen-r.jpg

And thus ends the first part of our odyssey.

[Muhler]

(Second part)

Now our little family will go for a cruise among the many islands.
Say aboard this one: http://www.mikkeltours.dk/files/3314...6231/Helge.jpg
Or perhaps boarding one of these two ferries, an old and new ferry: http://svendborgavisen.dk/wp-content...%C3%A5dene.png
But how do you get on and off such a thing? http://images.fyens.dk/85/2427785_12...496_2529_2.jpg

Because the water here is shallow and calm, making it an ideal place to sail and at most times you can see a veritable forest of masts and sails of all sizes. Many schools ships come here, because it's relatively safe.
http://www.hk.dk/~/media/images/om%2...2&la=da&w=3888
200 years ago, such coasters were the lifeblood of the islands.

There is plenty to look at and you can just relax and let the islands and life pass by. http://ohavet.øavisen.dk/wp-content/...tfoto-2012.png
http://i.boliga.org/ss/x1400y933/bss...100w0/5635.jpg

Most of the islands are uninhabited, except for cattle. They are being "swimmed" across to an island to grass on their own and after a a few weeks they are picked up and shipped to the next island.
Here is a cow-ferry: http://images.fyens.dk/9/227009_1200..._1940_1091.jpg

Perhaps our family will explore some of the smaller island, the population there often not exceeding 50 people. https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bars%C...rs%C3%B8.3.JPG
http://www.naboosterbro.dk/wp-conten...kipperbyen.jpg
People here are on first-name term with their neighbors chickens and as such many really have little idea of what a door-lock is!

Perhaps our family will rent a few horses, because that is one of the best ways to get around cross-country and also close to the countless sea-birds nesting on the islands, not to mention seals. http://turridning.oestrup.dk/wp-cont...eb-72dpi_4.jpg
http://www.outdoorarea1.dk/wp-conten...ed-vandetb.jpg
https://dansknatur.files.wordpress.c...undsoere_1.jpg
And if they do not keep their distance they will be dive-bombed by nesting birds!

But supplies, we must not forget the supplies and especially maintaining the balance of fluids. So our family descend on an old-fashioned grocery store: http://lyø.dk/wp-content/uploads/bfi...43teg1z400.jpg
Traditionally this is where the local old men sat and kept a watchful eye on who came and went. And this was also where gossip was exchanged! They expression "They say so down at the grocers", is still used to emphasize that a piece of gossip is... must be... probably is true.
Well, inside M&F need something to keep them warm... http://www.maritimtcenter.dk/Pakhusbutikken.jpg
In the meantime Vincent is climbing: http://docplayer.dk/docs-images/13/3...mages/10-0.jpg

After having tucked in the children for the night, M&F will go for an evening stroll and if they are lucky experience the phenomenon called "black sun".
http://vadehavskysten.dk/media/1270/...96652160000000
When hundred of thousands of starlings swarm and black out the sun. It also happens in daytime:
http://a.bimg.dk/node-images/860/5/2...-til-arkiv.jpg

M&F as well as Bella and Christian are keen swimmers, so why not put on a snorkel and explore a wreck?
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ixNH89H1ms0/maxresdefault.jpg
It's simply a retired ferry.

But now it's time to head for Langeland. Being a long narrow island you can in most places see or at least sense the sea.
But there are plenty of beaches: http://voresvilla.dk/wp-content/uplo...-Langeland.jpg
Opportunities for going fishing: http://pralhalsen.dk/sites/default/f...2012--(20).jpg
Spot wild horses, yes we do have real live wild horses in DK. And they are doing fine, thank you very much. Breeding as if they were paid for it! http://voresvilla.dk/wp-content/uplo...-Langeland.jpg
Or looking at history like this 4-6.000 year old burial mound. There are several thousand of them dotted all over DK: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...b%C3%B8lle.jpg
Or perhaps Mary will air her camera?
http://picture.feline.dk/get/7b95063...1b6b22a1_3.jpg
https://countryqueers.files.wordpres...fers-house.jpg
Or meeting a local: http://subsite.fyens.dk/wp/wp-conten...bellen061.jpeg
There are many alternative types living on these islands!

Here they will team up with PET who have been driving across a bridge and making a pit-stop at Valdemars Slot, owned by their good friends the Juel-Brockdorff, it's time to head off to Gråsten Manor.
http://images.fyens.dk/16/1792616_12...888_2187_2.jpg

And that should be enough for today.

(And the links have now been checked and corrected).

[royal rob]

Thank you so much it looks so beautiful and the houses oh I love them !


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

[MidwestMom]

Thank you so much, Muhler, for the lovely pictures and narrative. You're a good ambassador for Denmark!

[Muhler]

My pleasure.

Of course in the winter months nothing happens! Okay, many people like it that way.
And as so many other smaller communities and islands many young families have moved away, but that now seems to have been stopped.

[polyesco]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Thanks, Polyesco.

A very brief summary:

He talks mainly about golf now becoming a part of the Olympics and indirectly hints he has had his role in that.
But especially about golf in DK and the many golf-courses he had tried here.
He doesn't have time to golf as much as he perhaps would like to. As such he may not be a good golf-player but not incompetent either.

It was his mormor, Queen Ingrid who introduced him to gold when he was a boy and who brought him along to golf-courses, partly to play but also as a caddie.
Later on he played golf while studying at Aarhus University.
He has learned that being in good shape helps him concentrate when he is about to hit the ball.

Mary played some gold in Australia, but not so much here in DK. Frederik label her a golf-sleeper. I.e. she's presently in a kind of hibernation in regards to golf.
Frederik is the only one in his branch of the family who play golf. Neither his parents nor Joachim play golf.
And it was after meeting Mary Frederik began to play a little more than previous. (His time in the Frogman Corps, and the Sirius expedition took up most of his time, I imagine.)

He has brought Christian with him to golf a few times, but he doesn't seem to have picked it up.

Originally Posted by Roskilde

Thanks for the translation Muhler

I also like the little (but good) detail that Crown Prince Frederik arrived to the interview just after he had dropped off the children to school. It again tells how much 'hands-on parents' F&M are and that they deliver and pick up their children from school and kindergarten on daily basis. Always nice with a little innocent inside into their daily life.


***

Three days left to our Danish school children's summer holidays begin.... Christian and Isabella have their last day of school on Friday (24th June) and then they have six full weeks of summer vacation. Vincent and Josephine still are in kindergarten, so they are more free, but I'm sure they held summer vacation in the same weeks as Christian and Isabella. That's how we do it on our family. F&M usually take all six weeks free to spend the summer holiday with their children. This year it maybe seems like F&M have slowly already started their summer vacation.

We know that the Crown Prince's family will spend three relaxing weeks at Gråsten (as last year). The rest is free to Trend, Tisvilde or something completely else ..

Thank you Muhler and Roskilde for the summaries. Much appreciated.
I remember a picture of a young Frederik with Queen Ingrid and some golf clubs. Nice that he started to pick it up again after he met Mary.

From Muhler's many links I have no doubt Frederik and Mary enjoy their summers in Denmark with the kids.
Hope we see them again at the horse riders parade in Gråsten

[Tarlita]

Thanks for all the links and information. I appreciate you taking the time.