I do not wish to sound over-melodramatic or anything but I am beginning to wonder if I am facing the future. Not in any ordinary sort of “tomorrow is a new day and we never know exactly what it holds” kind of way but more in the sense of “is my career as a [...]
Filed under: Translation, Trials on September 30th, 2008 | 4 Comments »
This is another book I read recently in translation. Originally in German, it was translated into English by Carol Brown Janeway.
The central story revolves around a schoolboy aged around 16 and his older lover (36). Part of their relationship revolves around his reading to her in bed and he opens up new worlds to her [...]
Filed under: Books on September 29th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
This is another book with a Scandinavian backdrop. I picked it up in my local second-hand bookshop before I went to Denmark but decided not to lug it over there with me in the end.
The novel, translated into English by Joan Tate, was called Anna, Hanna och Johanna in the original Swedish. This probably [...]
Filed under: Books on September 26th, 2008 | Comments Off
I schlepped this book over to Denmark with me for several reasons:
1. It was recommended by an author in a review as ideal holiday reading
2. It was set in Denmark
3. It was quite thick and so would take the place of having to lug another two or three with me.
4. It had won the Whitbread [...]
Filed under: Books on September 24th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I think that’s probably how you say “A Danish wedding” in Danish. And it was to attend such an event which was my main reason for my trip. And not just any old nuptials, gentle reader, but a family wedding – for BigBruv was tying the knot for a second time.
The day before was spent [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Family, Postcards on September 23rd, 2008 | 3 Comments »
In no particular order:
I now know why many Danish women seem to have very short hairstyles. It is very windy and if you have hair like mine which is not long enough to tie up, you end up looking like a haystack pretty much all of the time.
I had no idea that I would be [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Postcards on September 17th, 2008 | 4 Comments »
I left Skagen the way I had come, by train, and travelled as far as Fredrikshavn where I alighted and made my way to the ferry port (about 500 metres – which was lucky). My destination this time was the island of Læsø, a 90-minute journey from the mainland.
After checking into my delightful hotel with [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Postcards on September 11th, 2008 | 2 Comments »
At the end of the 19th century a group of artists made Skagen their summer residence. This was mainly on account of the unique light conditions up there. The artists painted local scenes so the main themes are fishermen, boats, beaches, etc. Although the Danish impressionists’ works are perhaps not as world famous as those [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Postcards on September 11th, 2008 | Comments Off
The natural surroundings of Skagen are really quite remarkable. Hans Christian Andersen (he of fairytale fame) described the area thus: “a desert between two roaring seas…an aspect of nature which will give you a picture of Africa’s desert, of the ash heaps of Pompeii and of the sandbanks in the great ocean above which birds [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Postcards on September 10th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
After staying overnight with BigBruv, Big Lad and Northern Star, I set off for the railway station. I purchased a ticket at a very reasonable price (in spite of having forgotten to bring with me my BahnCard giving discounts in countries outside Germany) – destination Skagen (pron: Skai’n). This town is a mere 100km from [...]
Filed under: Denmark, Postcards on September 9th, 2008 | 1 Comment »