I FINALLY GOT A BIKE!!!! I feel like a 16 year old who just got their first car! Now Brandon and I can go on farther away adventures! It's a "mustang" bike but I have nicknamed it "the beast" and Brandon's bike is "beauty." Brandon even got me a basket to put on the back! :-) Bike riding in Denmark is a lot different than bike riding in the states. So many more people bike here that the cars have gotten very use to driving with them, so everyone bikes and drives fast and zips in and out and knows all the biking rules. So to sum it up, I have already almost gotten crushed by a van and honked at and yelled at by a Danish man in the middle of the town square. And you don't really know how out of shape you are until you are trying to make it up hill, you come to a wobbly halt in the dead center of the hill and you just know you are about to teeter off of your bike. Which in my case, included an old Danish man standing perfectly still watching my entire fight with the incline with utter amusement. Brandon later informed me that I was switching gears backwards and was actually making it harder to get up hills! Well at least I will have some calf muscles before it is all said and done. 
Today we biked over to a park called "Munkebakken." It is one of the many parks in Naestved and is known for the story behind its creation. Munkebakken has a high tower commanding a wide view of almost all the sights of South Zealand. This picture was taken from the top of the tower.
This is a picture of the view behind us from the tower. In the distance you can see some windmills. Just another sign of Denmark's strive to help cure the environmental crisis. The two tall brick buildings are churches. Brandon's apartment is off to the right of this picture.
This is a picture I took while riding my bike behind Brandon...look Ma, no hands!! It was about 9 a.m and we were riding over the bridge that crosses the train station, to go see Brandon's physical therapist. I really like this picture for some reason. P.s- it doesn't look like Brandon is going to be able to play in his first game this Saturday. :-(
Wow! That's one mean, lean biking machine!! Hahaha well maybe not lean or mean but definitely a biking machine!
Just some random plants growing on a wall where we parked our bikes one morning. I liked the colors and textures so thought I'd post it.
This is a picture Brandon took of me next to one of the monk statues in Munkebakken Park. In 1997 a local artist, Jens Andersen, started converting an avenue of elm trees into monks. It was a really unique thing to see, not only because the monks were carved out of tree stumps but because the artist only expects the carvings to last for about ten years because it is impossible to prevent them from rotting from the inside.
This picture is funny because Brandon didn't even know I was taking it. This is one of the seven monk carvings in the park. It is amazing to see art created out of tree stumps.
This was that largest of the carvings and also my favorite. It had a real presence to it. It seemed to command attention and draw you into a peaceful state of mind. "A place in time, a place of mind. When palms seal, our Heaven feels. A breath exhaled, forever. One smile worth the falling journey of a thousand tears." Sorry, just thought I'd type what passed through my mind when I saw this picture.
This is a picture of all 7 monks. I took this as we were hiking down the trail. According to the legend, Munkebakken was actually created by a furious troll! The myth says that a troll living in Fladså couldn't stand the sound of the church bells in Næstved. So he filled a sack with sand and set off for Næstved to bury the churches. Luckily there was a hole in the sack and the sand leaked out. And in this way the troll created Fladså hills and the long ridge. Today a towering statue of the troll may be seen at the foot of Munkebakken, which was created by the last sand which the furious troll hurled at Næstved.
Here is a statue of the troll that made Munkebakken Park! It was a really pretty fountain with flowers all around the pools of water.
This is a picture taken inside of a bookstore in town. We couldn't read any of the words so we looked at books that had a lot of pictures. Notice the book Brandon decided to read!?! :-)
Instead of really ugly office buildings, Naestved has places like this. Along this whole street was really beautiful "houses" that are actually places of business.
For example, this is the house right next door to the yellow one and it is used as a clinic! I took these pictures from the top of a bicycle parking garage.
Brandon and I usually cook at home but a couple of days ago we decided to get some lunch at this really cute and trendy cafe called Oliver's. This is a picture of my salad. Everything here is so fresh and intricate. Everything has fresh vegetables and bursts of sundried tomatoes! Ok, I know, a little too corny with the "burst of sundried tomatoes"
And here is Brandon's extra healthy lunch! lol Notice anything different with the fries? No ketchup, mayonnaise instead. Not my cup of tea but Brandon embraces it. He also ate his chicken burger the way he says the locals eat it, which is everything separately. So basically he unlayered his sandwich and ate it in separate bites.
This is a picture of our water from lunch. I know you are probably wondering why the heck this picture is in my blog but I liked the angle of the shot and the foggy glass. So, just thought I'd post. The water (vand) here is so good!
A perfect example of Brandon's "enthusiasm" for taking pictures. It is easier to solve extra, extra long division than convince him to take a picture!
Well, now that you all are caught up on my world...you need to catch me up on yours! So PLEASE email me people! I love you all and miss each of you!
Random writing post...
There is a breath that rests on the lungs with ease. The exhale of peace. Knowing that you know what is important. One smile worth the falling journey of a thousand tears. Perhaps this is all crypted, delicate clarity offered in the unfolding of my thoughts. Maybe it is a haven, or a heaven. An empty paper begging me to give it life, to give it meaning. But it all had meaning before I touched it. Because the potential of what could be created on it, impregnanted it. And what will birth is only a matter of time, of matter of...the fate of pen and paper. A love hate relationship that survives only on the honesty of the writer. The honesty of the hand that delivers...If one is willing to bear soul, only then will the forest clear.It's always been right in front of us.
With Love,
Becca
No comments:
Post a Comment