Denmark

We spent our last day in Odense walking along the river into town and looking around the centre. It was a peaceful Friday and here are some people rowing a boat up the river. This part of Odense has been used for boating and picnics for over 300 years.



There was a great park on the way into town, set on an island in the river. The games were all river themed with great big lily pads on springs which you could jump across, a tall slippery dip in a mountain and flying bird rides made from wood.



We set off late and had such a nice stop in the park so the museums were closed by the time we had finished lunch




but it was still good to walk the streets. We came across our third peaceful protest since our arrival. This one was preschool teachers requesting a wage rise.



The Danes love their soft ice - ice creams and our kids were very happy that there was an ice cream shop on every corner as well as vendors all through the parks and at roadsides.



Jasper asked me to document the B&B as he was intrigued that the choice of interiors in most Danish homes is white.


The walls and floors were white, unpainted or whitewashed wood was the main furniture choice and colour was introduced with artworks or rugs.





Here is the street where we were staying - a typical Odense street.



Jasper was really happy our last day here as a trampoline was delivered that morning and the boys (12 year old kids of the owners) who lived upstairs allowed him to help construct it and then have a jump!



We traveled into Copenhagen the next morning. Ely went home to Newcastle, UK and we walked our luggage (the great pile of it) into the baggage room at the main train station so we could walk around the city centre. Copenhagen was lovely and warm, the sun shining and people busy everywhere. We only had a few hours before our flight to Italy so we went to the Danish Natural History Museum. What a fantastic place!





We only got to see half of the ground floor and it was still wonderful. We saw Viking ships and bog people, amazing jewelry that still seems contemporary - gold, silverwork, coloured beads on long strings. Coins, baskets, pots, halters. Also there was a fantastic children's section were each part of the museum was repeated in small rooms where the kids could touch and feel, explore and experience. They tried on 19th century costumes,

Jasper the sailor and Sequoia the ballerina...




played in a viking ship with wooden swords and shields,

cooked over a hearth...Sequoia climbed into the oven, straight out of a Hans Christian Anderson story!



and sorted through a north african market.




We could have spent hours there but had to rush out and high tail it to the airport, a 25 minute train ride from Copenhagen, we hurried through security and raced to the plane, and flew out of Denmark, into Frankfurt, changed planes and down into Turin, Italy at 11pm. We were the last flight, the children were asleep in our arms as we juggled luggage and walked into a ne country and the welcome arms of Viv!