Denmark

[Tharmas]

My daughter and her family moved to Denmark for business almost two years ago. It turns out they love it and they're not moving back. So, Ms. Tharmas and I bit the bullet and traveled there to see them where they live now, in the smallish (50,000) medieval town of Roskilde, about half an hour west of Copenhagen on Denmark's first-class roadways.

We did all the touristy things, like the Viking Ship Museum:





And the cathedral:



I'm fascinated by medieval cathedrals, and this one (circa 1200 CE) was unique to me because it was constructed with brick instead of larger stones. The lack of stained glass gives it a "Danish Modern" appearance. The organ dated from the medieval period as well. Note the gargoyles:



But the real reason we went was to see the grandchildren, who are in Lego Heaven;



All they want for Christmas is more Lego sets.

We had a great 10 days in Denmark, a country that seems to have done everything right in terms of creating a civilization.

 

[Elixir]

I can almost feel that organ rumbling … what an incredible piece!
Great trip, Tharmas. Thanks for sharing.

 

[ZiprHead]

I can almost feel that organ rumbling … what an incredible piece!
Great trip, Tharmas. Thanks for sharing.

The church I grew up with has a very large pipe organ. Not as large as the one above but pretty big for a small midwestern city.

I always hated the god stuff but sitting in that large gothic cathedral and having that pipe organ playing was amazing to me as a kid.

Glad that your kids and grandkids settled in a place so nice, Tharmas.

 

[Tharmas]

Unfortunately we didn't get to hear the organ. Ms Tharmas noticed an organ recital on the church calendar, but it turned out to have already occurred.

 

[bilby]

Denmark, a country that seems to have done everything right in terms of creating a civilization.

Archaeological evidence indicates that they pretty much always have. The early Christian church hated them with a passion, so clearly they were doing something right (although to be fair, rescuing gold from monasteries while giving the monks a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to heaven for valiantly defending the church, is not considered by everyone to be an unalloyed good).

 

[Tharmas]

Denmark, a country that seems to have done everything right in terms of creating a civilization.

Archaeological evidence indicates that they pretty much always have. The early Christian church hated them with a passion, so clearly they were doing something right (although to be fair, rescuing gold from monasteries while giving the monks a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to heaven for valiantly defending the church, is not considered by everyone to be an unalloyed good).

I remember reading the the esaly Christian missionaries to Scandinavia asked for Papal dispensation to preach a "cold hell," because the traditional concept of a hot hell was not unappealing to the inhabitants.