The future is female

The walls of cities are their voices. -RS

The Order of the Elephant

The Order of the Elephant (Danish: Elefantordenen) is the highest order of Denmark.The Danish monarch is the head of the order. The order is worn by members of the royal family, and may also be bestowed on foreign heads of state. South Africans might recognise one of the former foreign heads of state's names on this plaque which was put up in Fredriksborg Castle, Hillerod after he received his order. -RS

Falkoner Allé

Falkoner Allé is is a street in Frederiksberg, connecting Åboulevard and Gammel Kongevej and built around 1670. This street is known for it running past Frederiksberg Centre, Frederiksberg metro station and the head office of McDonalds. -RS

Of pagans and Christians!

The Viking Ship Museum and the Roskilde Domkirke feature in this photo. Every year the Viking Ship Museum is visited by 130,000 guests. In the summer months the museum puts some of their ships to water and one can have open boat trips on the Roskilde Fjord a daily basis or special trips for larger groups. -RS

Hot Rod Bikes

In a city populated by bicycles it is great to see some individuality amongst the usual brand names. There is a great trend in Copenhagen of late: to have hot rod inspired bicycles. -RS

Investing in the future

Children paint on the wing of a wind turbine on the Town Hall Square. A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind, also called wind energy, into mechanical energy; a process known as wind power and Denmark is considered a world leader in the field. -RS

Burn witch, burn!

In medieval times, wise men and women spent Sankt Hans Aften gathering herbs for healing the sick during the coming year. Until 1770, it was an official holiday. And in accordance with the Danish tradition of celebrating a holiday on the evening before the actual day, it takes place on the evening of 23 June. In the 1920s a tradition of putting a witch made of straw and cloth (probably made by the elder women of the family) on the bonfire emerged as a remembrance of the church's witch burnings from 1540 to 1693. Today, it’s another excuse to drink and have barbecues around a bonfire in a country where the beer doesn’t seem to stop flowing. -RS

A place for kids of all ages

On the initiative of the Egmont Foundation Denmark's Experimentarium Science Centre was established in 1988 and Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Henrik, inaugurated Experimentarium on 9th January 1991. Since then a myriad of exhibitions have enthralled more than 6.7 million visitors of visitors of all ages. Experimentarium is situated in Tuborg's old bottling plant in Hellerup, close to Tuborg Harbour. -RS

Racing at Carlsberg

An annual event which brings many motor enthusiasts to Denmark is the annual International Racing Festival and Vehicle Exhibition, usually held in April. The festival is organized by Thorkild Thyrring and proceeds go to the Red Cross. -RS

In contrast

The 20th of June was the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Denmark the sun rose at about 4:25 and set around 9:58 last night. The day was about 17 hours, 35 minutes long or 10 hours and 30 minutes longer than it was on Dec 21. The picture was taken on the winter solstice. -RS

Recycle, or...

Since moving to Denmark I have realised just how big an impact Westerners have on the environment. Even with a major drive to being green a recent survey showed Denmark to being a huge consumer of resources. I guess this message is being drilled into the populace! -RS

The corner shop

The corner shop or kiosk is one of the quaint aspects of living in Copenhagen. These sell anything from vegetables to essential household items and is, in a sense, protected by law as most big shops are only allowed to be open for business a limited number of Sundays a year , allowing the small shop owners a chance to survive. This aspect of daily life is both surprising and frustrating to expats who live in the city. This shop is on Vesterbrogade. -RS

Leave your bike

One of the many great things about Copenhagen is the access one has to places without having to rely on owning a vehicle. Although expensive there is a great public transport system and one can cycle with great ease. At Valby station I came across this bicycle rack in which owners of bicycles had clearly stored but never collected their bikes! -RS

Just watch it, shorty!

There is a very active Land Rover community in Denmark and the Series forum invited me to Knuthenborg Safaripark park a while back. Knuthenborg is northern Europe’s biggest safari park, with totally unique things to see and do for both children and adults. They have, to name but a few, Siberian tigers, camels, deer, lemurs, antelopes, ostriches and zebras. All of these you can come to very close. Funnily enough everyone stays away from the rhinoceros family! -RS

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Castle (Danish: Rosenborg Slot)was originally built in 1606 as a country summerhouse for Christian IV. It was built in the Dutch Renaissance style. Architects Bertel Lange and Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger are associated with the structural planning of the castle. There is a permanent exhibition of the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia located in the castle. A Coronation Carpet is also stored there. -RS

Love you!

Just because this is the end of the week and being frivolous should be allowed now and again! This photo was taken at the State Art Museum where someone had scribbled a message to a loved one. -RS

Royal Life Guards

The Royal Life Guards (Danish; Den Kongelige Livgarde) is an infantry regiment of the Danish Army, founded in 1658 by King Frederik III. It serves in two roles: as a front line combat unit, and as a guard/ceremonial unit to the Danish monarchy. The Royal Life Guards provide a permanent guard at the Amalienborg Palace, Kastellet (part of the old fortification of Copenhagen), Rosenborg Castle/garrison of the Royal Life Guards in Copenhagen and the garrison of Høvelte. -RS

New Metro website

The Copenhagen Metro has launched a new website where all the junk is cut away. This applies to both content and design. The design process has meant the total elimination of the main menu. Instead, a route map now the primary navigation. Also, the English version seems to have done a disappearing act! -RS

Round and Round

Although walking it is everyday, many attempts have been made to conqueror the top of the Round Tower. In 1902 a German tourist used his powerful German Beaufort car and drove it up and down the spiral ramp. Beaufort was a German manufacturer of automobiles, which existed from 1902 - 1919 -RS

The Dragon Fountain

Dragon Fountain (Danish: Dragesprinvandet)at City Hall came about due to an inspiring collaboration between Thorvald Bindesbøll and Joakim Skovga. Interestingly enough, this design was submitted for the competition eventually won by the Stork Fountain on Amagertorv, referred to in yesterday's post. When the monument was completed in 1904, with only its bronze basin the press was full of criticism. This was silenced, however, when the bull battling with a dragon finally was put into position in 1923. Today's version is significantly different from that envisaged by the artists with the larger dragons moved to the steps of the City Hall and its outer granite basin with bronze baskets removed. -RS

What bird is this?

The Stork Fountain is located on Amagertorv in central Copenhagen. The history of this popular meeting place stems back to the 19th century. In 1888, the Society for the Beautification of Copenhagen announced a competition for a fountain on the prominent square to celebrate the upcoming silver wedding of Crown Prince Frederik VIII and Crown Princess Louise on 28 July 1894. It has persistently been maintained that the birds depicted are in fact herons. In 2008 representatives from the Danish Ornithological Society stated that this is not true and that the birds are in fact storks. -RS

Mercury

The old Greeks called him Hermes, the Romans Mercury. He was the messenger of the gods and today serves as a symbol of communication. In front of the Post and Telecommunication Museum on Købmagergade is this statue by Julius Schultz. -RS

Black Pond Lake

Sortedams Sø (English: Black Pond Lake or Black Dam Lake) is part of the five lakes in Copenhagen. It consists of two basins (north and south). The southernmost point is by the Dronning Louises Bro, while the northernmost is by Østerbro. The lakes are separated by Fredensbro (English: Bridge of the Peace) -RS

Having a coffee on the square

In the summertime the coffeeshops around Copenhagen open to the street. On the squares one can sit and have a wienerbrød and cappuccino in the sun. -RS

Closed for renovation

In 1917 the Axeltorv Square was formally established and named after the founder of Copenhagen Bishop Absalon. The Scala building from 1989 on Axeltorv is being demolished at the moment. Future plans for this once so historic building and the Axeltorv venue include a new library and offices. -RS

Say "Cheese"!

Nordre Toldbod is a waterfront area located at the north end of Larsens Plads and just south of Kastellet. It is a favourite with tourists and has headquarters of Mærsk and the Danish Energy Agency. The area is adjacent to Churchill and Langelinie Parks within sight. -RS

Not to be seen this summer

Unlike last summer Kongens Nytorv is a construction site until further notice. Tourists will have to cope with the building of the new metro system until 2018 even though the square is due to be cleared of construction equipment before then. Buildings facing the square include the Charlottenborg Palace from 1671, the Thott Palace from 1683 (now the French Embassy), and the Royal Danish Theater from 1874. -RS

Future students

n Frederiksberg the Copenhagen Business School's main building sits opposite the Fredriksberg Library. Copenhagen Business School, also known as CBS, has almost 17,000 students and 1,300 staff members. It is one of the largest business schools in Europe. CBS offers a wide range of business-oriented university programmes, and a research environment. CBS was established in 1917. -RS

Two towers

Roskilde Cathedral (Danish: Roskilde Domkirke)is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. It is the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and was constructed during the 12th and 13th centuries. -RS

The steps are on the outside

The Church of Our Saviour (Danish: Vor Frelsers Kirke) was completed in 1695 is a baroque church in Copenhagen, Denmark, most famous for its corkscrew spire with an external winding staircase. From the top one is offered extensive views over central Copenhagen. It is also noted for its carillon, which is the largest in northern Europe and plays melodies every hour from 8 am to midnight. -RS