07.29.07
Crafty vikings
Every summer 600 “vikings” from Denmark and abroad gather for the annual Moesgård Viking Moot Festival, Scandinavia’s largest and probably oldest Viking market.
It all started with some viking-style crafts courses in the 1970′ies and year by year the craftsmen attracted attention and more and more people made a picnic out it and came from Århus to watch. Today it has developed to an event that has 25,000 visitors during the weekend. The date is always kept close to the Saint Olai Day at 29th of July known as the traditional marketday in the old Århus (Aros).
As Moesgård is less than 8 km. away from where I live it´s an obvious opportunity to go and see what’s up. A unique source of inspiration within reach: A colourful and festive market just like it was more than 1000 years ago where you can meet and watch craftsmen, traders, warriors and riders of Icelandic horses acting out the life of the Vikings.
To most of the visitors the crowning moment is when the warriors engage in fierce fighting and when the riders show off their horse-riding skills, what they do twice a day – Saturday and Sunday – at 12 and 3 pm.
To me the highlight is the opportunity to enjoy all the varying crafts, especially the design of clothes, jewellery and tools.
07.24.07
Patch-on-patch
My absolutely oldest, most worn out patchwork/quilt made out of well used tea towels, dishcloths and my striped painter´s jacket has just been upgraded: washed and repaired. It’s not only a patchwork but a patch-on-patchwork!
For my book…
07.22.07
Summer
Spend the week at my mum’s place – it was time for our traditional family summer reunion at Samsø.
Every summer we meet to enjoy the holiday, the good company, the music festival and the beach – and to play, swim, talk and get a little up-dated about what everybody in the family’re actually doing, planning and thinking of life at the moment. Subjects and matters we don’t necessarily have the time to really talk about when we meet at birthdays and other occasions during the year…
And luckily the weather was very fine It´s a tradition too!
07.16.07
Marché aux Puces
Another highlight from our Paris-tour: visiting flea the marked and the antique dealer’s shops at Marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-Quen.
We cached the metro to Porte de Clignancourt and spend most of the afternoon looking around. I didn’t buy a lot though. Everything was wonderful and antique and very expensive! I didn’t find much junk to sort through witch is more my type of finds, but I watched – and I dreamed!
07.14.07
Impressions
Here we are back home again after two intense and exciting weeks in Paris. Having seen and experienced so much it’s almost difficult to decide where to start and where to end the telling. What was actually the best – most interesting – moments and sights?
Well, when all the impressions settle I think it’ll be the small and quite moments that stand out as the most valuable and long-lasting memories. I think of a great discussion while strolling along the riverside of Seine, a late afternoon break at a park bench behind Notre Dame or a cup of coffee served at a Braisserie by a young French waiter with just the balanced dose of charm, humour and efficiency that makes you feel welcomed. Or it could be the very sight – not of the Eiffel Tower and Arch de Triumph although it was very impressing – but of a slightly heavy Parisienne walking her tiny dog while wearing a perfect fancy dress and high heals. People in Paris are generally far more elegant dressed up than we are usually here in Århus and suburbs. And black seems to be the favourite colour even now it’s summer. However, we even observed this Paris chick lady running full speed to catch the bus, pet on leash, lipstick and high-heals in right position. What a sight – and do I have to mention, she got her bus of course!
So, my conclusion is that real highlights you can’t plan or read about in the tourist guide – they just occur!
When it comes to the best part from the tourist guide I’ll say Louvre without hesitation: Go there! Don’t expect to take the whole museum in one day – that’s impossible – pick a minor part. We choose to concentrate on the Denon wing with its Italian paintings (Leonardo Da Vinci´s Mona Lisa and more!) and at the ancient Greek and Roman sculptures. It was fantastic!
07.07.07
Paris
Paris is GREAT in every sence of the word.
Paris is art and culture in the grand scale and one can´t help getting carried away by all the impressive, beautiful and monumental buildings, boulevards, sculptures, sites, museums etc.
From our small but central residence in 2.nd arrondissment we take our daily turns: Walking, watching, talking are important ingredients… and breaks!
Breaks are vital in order to digest it all! The first days we forgot a little about sufficient breaks and got too exhausted. We´re beginning to slow down a little now – and find our own rhythm.
