Today Denmark was my classroom. I wasn’t confined by four walls, I was able to see how Vikings truly were. Or at least how we thought they were. It was a field trip kind of day.
We started off at Telleborg, in Slagelse. It is the home of a 1000 year old Viking fortress. The original boundary walls are still in pristine condition. None of the actual structures are still there, but there are stone markings showing where all of their long houses and other buildings were in the area. It was breath taking. For most of the year people come and look at the structure and take a peek in the museum on site. We were lucky enough to go in the summer when all of the Viking reenactors were in town! Hundreds of tents were set up with families on their summer vacation sharing their interests, hobbies, and craftsmanship with all of us. In Europe summer vacations are long and taken very seriously. It was very impressive, essentially a renaissance fair, but with Vikings! I could have spent the entire day there, but there was more to see.
We got back on our bus and drove through the Danish countryside to Lejre to spend the afternoon at a Viking Research Center. The countryside that the center was placed on was beautiful. We had the opportunity to walk around and learn about family life in the past, watch a group go through warrior training, learn about life in the Iron Age and so much more. The two locations were very similar, but Lejre was much more educational and had a hands on approach.
Both facilities were great reasons to get out of the city for the day to continue to learn about Viking history. The fact that these scholars and families can put so much of their lives into recreating history is so impressive.
When we got back to the city, we spent the night on a canal cruise. We made it in plenty of time (unlike last night). The boat took us all over the city. I knew there was plenty of water, but I didn’t know how connected the city was by all of these canals. The tour guide was fantastic, and it just added a whole new level of appreciation I have for Copenhagen. Post boat tour we stopped at Waffelbageren, the best ice cream shop in Nyhavn. I had a cone of black currant an banana/hazelnut. It was scrumptious!
Tonight is a bit of a late night because I got to call home. A seven hour time difference definitely makes communicating a little difficult, but it was worth it to wish my little brother a happy 14th birthday. I am sure he will be taller than me by the time I get home.
Another day of adventuring down, and so many more to go. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!