I have been in Denmark since the 20th. One of the nice things about being here
in late June is that I got to see the midsummer celebration. June 24 is called
Skt. Hans (St. John) and the evening before the tradition is to light a big
fire with a figure of a witch on top, to symbolize the evil spirits and the
darkness of winter being banished. In many places the witch figure is being
dispensed with in these politically correct times, but the other traditions
remain: the fire on the beach, the enjoyment of the long evening (sunset is
only at 10:11 p.m. that day, and it does not really dark until after 11), a
traditional song called “Vi elsker vort land” (“We love our country”), etc. So
I took my bicycle and cycled the 3 km from my friend Lars’s apartment to the
beach to hear the mayor speak and to witness the celebration. What follows is a
mini essay.
The crowds gather:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161693039&k=NznbGQk&lb=1&s=O
Eating and drinking are a big part of the event, of course:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161693449&k=Ck2VsxM&lb=1&s=O
A witch steals the soul of her son:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161693781&k=M4hrsDJ&lb=1&s=O
The mayor of Aarhus has spoken, now is the time to light the fire:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161694984&k=jXjC8GB&lb=1&s=O
Final preparations:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161695290&k=nBRmrnQ&lb=1&s=O
Local children, evidently of immigrant background, get to do the honours:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161695594&k=98h7BFC&lb=1&s=O
A few minutes later:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161695883&k=w4jWc49&lb=1&s=O
And then I took my bicycle and went back to Lars:
http://www.greatpix.eu/All/Picture-A-Day/4253606_kdsZ6C#!i=4161696193&k=vsvSd23&lb=1&s=O
Cheers,
Nathan
Nathan Wajsman
Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu <http://www.frozenlight.eu/>
http:// <http://www.greatpix.eu/>www.greatpix.eu
PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws
<http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws>Blog: http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/
<http://nathansmusings.wordpress.com/>
Cycling: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator
<http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/belgiangator>
YNWA
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