Archive for 'Culture'
Bright Nights Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Aug 8, 2011
Looking at today’s kalender I couldn’t help feeling a bit of nostalgia as it informed me the lyse nætter were coming to an end. Lyse nætter, literally ’bright nights’, usually rendered in English as white nights, are the hallmark of a pleasant summer in Denmark. From about 5th of May till 8th of August there is literally nothing between dusk…
Vikings oho! Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Aug 2, 2011
This weekend, mysterious forces brought the Vikings back to life in Denmark. Between seven and eight hundred persons from all over Northern Europe had put on their Viking costumes, sheathed their swords, saddled their horses and set out for the wide fields by Moesgård Strand (beach) near Århus. Together with a friend I entered the…
Strawberry Time Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jul 6, 2011
Sommer (summer) has come, and it is strawberry season in Denmark! Although some people take pride in growing their own strawberries in their haver (garden lots), most jordbær are gathered in special fields in the countryside. The island of Samsø, situated between the peninsula Jutland and the main island Zealand, has a particularly rich soil…
Roskilde Forever Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jul 3, 2011
As I write these lines, the 2011 Roskilde Festival is drawing closer to its end. The last koncerter are culminating on the six scener (’stages’, scene in the singular), sending the vibes of electric guitars, passionate vocals and the cheering of the crowds into the damp night. For many hours the more than 75.000 participants…
Sankthans: Denmark from the Fireside Posted by Bjørn A. Bojesen on Jun 24, 2011
Let’s start this plunge into Danish language & culture with two short words: øl and bål. The first one is very frequent, and you’ll hear it in any Danish bar and indeed most places where people socialize… If you thought ”beer”, you are absolutely right! The ø is the same as German and Swedish ’ö’, or French ’eu’…