Life Events Part 7LL Sweden and Denmark During spring break Jenora and I went to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. We didnt go with a tour group, which as a rule I didnt care for, even though I made two exceptions in the interest of expediency when I went to the Holy Land and Russia. For our Scandinavian trip, we depended on public transportation. During that trip there was another anomaly. I found Sweden of little interest. I must not have known where to look because some of my favorite contemporary novelists are Swedes who present the country as a place of beauty and intrigue. Jenora and I had one interesting experience in Stockholm. We walked up a small hill to get a closer look at the royal palace. While we were standing by the wall at the end of the large courtyard in front of the royal palace looking at the city that was spread out below us, a chauffeured car with a small crown on its roof entered the courtyard. We waved at the king and queen of Sweden and they waved at us. Visiting Denmark was definitely an interesting experience. We, of course, paid homage to Hans Christian Andersons Little Mermaid. There is a whimsical statue of her perched on a rock in the Copenhagen harbor. We spent an evening in the Tivioli Gardens where we found the great array of flowers and the plethora of twinkling lights of more interest than the amusement park. How could I not go to the castle that served as a model for Shakespeares Elsinore Castle, After all, Hamlet is my favorite literary character. As I stood on the rampart of the castle that offers a glimpse of Sweden across the Baltic Sea, my imagination took flight. All those ill-fated people were there in my memory. On a less grand note, Jenora and I attended a concert in Copenhagen featuring the Andrew Sisters, who did not seem to realize that they were no longer in their prime. Dont Sit Under the Apple Tree With Anyone Else But Me is the song that stands clear in memory. Oddly enough, something else has a strong hold on my memory.Their dresses amazed me. They were a pale lime green and were made of a material unknown to me that provided distracting movement. The bottom of their skirts gave the appearance of vertical accordions on which were being played especially rowdy music for a polka. I have a special affection for the Danes because of their response to the Nazis during World War II. In addition to offering a haven for many Jews living in Denmark, their response to one of Hitlers edicts is noteworthy. When Jews were ordered to wear an armband featuring a yellow star, non-Jewish Danes followed the example set by the king and wore a yellow star, thus thwarting Hitlers attempt to make the Jews easily identifiable.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 19:48:05 +0000
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