Summertime in Copenhagen

Copenhagen definitely has a split personality....it is a completely different city in the summer as opposed to the winter due to the long summer days (in July the sun doesn't set until 10:30/11:00) contrasting with the dark, rainy winter days (with only about 8 hours sunlight...though one almost never sees the sun through the clouds). Therefore, there is a completely different vibe in the summer with people out happily enjoying the fantastic, humidity-free days with temperatures in the 70s. We get a couple good weeks in the 80s as well!

Some of my favorite summertime activities have been:

THE BEACH
At least once a week...usually more, I head to one of the cities many beaches either to run or meet friends for volleyball, frisbee, and swimming. My favorite beaches are Bellevue in Klampenborg -a great 30 min bike ride north, along the water, from my apartment- and Amagerstrand Beach - about a 25 min ride through the city.

Julia, Cecelia, Jan and I are usually brave enough to venture into the Øresund Straight which connect the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Many afternoons and evenings are spent playing beach volleyball at Bellevue.

Amager beach has a great path to run on along the beach, so I head there after work whenever I can motivate myself. It also has a great view of the offshore windmills.

One day there was a circus in town and they had the elephants out in the park next to the beach. Sure, the rope they had places around the elephants was electrified, but honestly I don't think that rope could have kept any elephant from charging if he/she had really wanted to!

THE LAKES

Copenhagen has 5 artificial, rectangular lakes that cut through the middle of the city. Apparently they used to be used as a water reserve, but now they are an excellent place for a run, a walk, to relax on a bench and read near, and to sit at one of the many cafes along the edges and enjoy the view.

SUMMER FILMS

Zulu Sommerbio takes place during August and there are free movies shown at night all over the city. Some are Danish, but many are Hollywood blockbusters like Casino Royal, The Departed, The Devil Wears Prada, etc. It's been great to meet up with friends for dinner and then head over to a park for an evening movie.

JAZZ FESTIVAL

Copenhagen Jazz Festival is held for 2 weeks in early July and jazz musicians can be found all over the city's many squares as well as in the concert venues.

Congratulations Steve and Anna!!!

On July 21, 2007 Anna and Steve were married in a beautiful ceremony at Christiansborg Slotskirke, a gorgeous Danish church right downtown next to Parliament.

I know Anna and Steve from church and was fortunate enough to be invited to share in their celebration. Anna, being a member of the Danish church, was able to have her wedding at one of the affiliate churches around the city which was absolutely beautiful.

Anna's dad walked her down to aisle to meet Steve and his brothers who were the groomsmen. I didn't understand most of the service, which was all in Danish since Anna and Steve are both Danish, though Steve grew up in Australia. Nevertheless, it was a touching ceremony with a choir in the uppermost balcony which made it sound like angels singing from above.

Following the ceremony Anna and Steve greeted guests outside ....many cars slowed down to see what was going on as we waved Danish and Australian flags..the princess of Denmark is Australian, thus they likely thought it was some kind of christening for the newly born crown princess!

Natasha, Austin, and I took some pictures outside the church.
Afterwards we went to a reception, which was originally scheduled for outside in the Royal Gardens, but unfortunately the morning was a little rainy and they moved it to the basement of one of the churches. At the reception Anna and Steve cut a huge, and delicious, cake for all the guests to enjoy along with tables filled with fresh cut fruit. Later that evening, as per Danish tradition, a smaller group gathered for the wedding dinner and a night of toasts!

Here are Steve, Austin, and the Nielsen boys (Matthew, Stephen, Thomas, Timothy, and Johnathan) who are the sons of Pastor Erik and his wife Kim.