Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park | Copenhagen Denmark
ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST AND MOST SUSTAINABLE AMUSEMENT PARKS
Tivoli! Tivoli! Tivoli! What do you think of when you hear the word? A tiny town in Italy? No, I live in Denmark. I’m talking about Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park right here in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. What? You don’t know Tivoli? You should come visit! You should come visit Copenhagen AND visit Tivoli. When it’s open. Alas, it’s not always open. But if your travels allow, it is so worth it when it is. Continue reading “So Many Reasons to Love Tivoli Gardens in Every Season”→
It’s nearly Christmas and whether you celebrate or not, the coming end of the year is a normal time for reflection and gratefulness. Do you give gifts? Did you receive gifts? Would you ever give the gift of travel? Have you bought gifts while traveling? Yes. Yes. Yes. And YES. For me anyway.
The travel blog community Faraway Files has been a gift to me. Not only in the meeting of interesting and far flung writers, explorers and photographers (in person and online). But in being fodder for my wishlist. OH! I want to see THAT! Things I never even knew were out there. It has been such an eye-opener for me. And I LOVE that.
These posts were gifts in different ways, come open one with me.
FARAWAY FILES #10 FAVORITES Corey of Fifi + Hop proves to us that there is more to NYC than Manhattan. Check out the diversity that a visit to another of the 5 burroughs can give. The Bronx has so much to offer for families – from zoos to baseball to botanical gardens. Thanks for sharing Corey!
New York City: Top 5 Family Attractions in The Bronx | Fifi + Hop
If you still need to do some Christmas shopping and want it to be somewhere festive, Megan at Truly Madly Kids has created a walking lists for seeing the best Christmas Lights in London. I loved these along Carnaby Street – so retro! She plans the route for you avoiding congested areas for the best views. If in London or visiting this season – check it out!
Nano at Travel with a Nob gave us the gift of Osaka’s secret shrine – Katsuo-Ji. Swoon-worthy photography and full of these super charming lucky little daruma. Give yourself a gift and take a look. I’m in love!
And would you ever give yourself the gift of travel? How about an African Safari? Yes please! But they are way too expensive. Not if you prioritize and negotiate and stick to your budget. Heather at Wanderlust Wayfarer shows you how.
Faraway Files will be taking a little break for the holidays to enjoy time with our families, catch up on some blogs and for me – hygge. Raising a glass of gløgg to you and yours – wherever you may be. We’ll be back Thursday January 5th, 2017. Wow. That’s crazy!
WANT TO JOIN IN?
We’d love you to join us in building a supportive community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favourites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
We’d love you to join us in building a supportive community who will inspire and share each other’s posts. All three hosts will try to read and comment on every post and we’ll share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favourites and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
This week I want to tell you a little bit about the Danish Christmas feast – so much tradition and love put into this end of year celebration.
How it works:
Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
The link up will go live every Thursday at 8am, UK time (9am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Untold Morsels, Suitcases and Sandcastles and Oregon Girl around the World. This week:Clare at Suitcases and Sandcastles is hosting.
Link ups work best if everyone shares so please comment on all three of the hosts’ posts and at least two others.
When moving abroad – honoring your own family holiday traditions while sampling those of your new home can feel like a balancing act. Especially, in a country like Denmark. Small and fierce and proud of their heritage and customs – Jul is a set tradition that you don’t mess around with. Just ask any Dane you know – where Julemanden (Santa) is “from” and what he eats on Christmas Eve when leaving presents for your kids. Hint: it’s NOT the North Pole and there is nary a cookie. And the specific ritual and menu for the Julefrokost or Christmas dinner is not to be adapted, tweaked or innovated neither. No modern new Nordic cuisine here, this is tradition. Who would dare suggest wood ants on moss during Jul. And when do you celebrate Christmas in Denmark? December 24th of course.
Danes take their Christmas customs very seriously. And Christmas is somewhat of an obsession here – celebrated through the entire advent season. It makes sense as the days get shorter and shorter and darker and darker. We all need reasons to light candles and bake cookies and hang wreaths. I personally love the Dansk passion for tradition and family and community and when you are allowed in to share theirs, it is lovely. Sometimes intimate, sometimes raucous but always interesting. One Danish tradition I can completely get behind is the annual trip to cut the juletræ – your Christmas tree.
Rosendal Julemarked – Juletræer in Ålsgårde, Denmark
Our own Julemanden at Rosendal’s Julemarked
This is something that feels very familiar as we have always done this every year no matter where we have lived. From Michigan to Ohio to Pennsylvania to Texas to Oregon and now here in Denmark. And while we may be a little earlier than the average Scandi with our tree procurement and installation, I can highly recommend the experience. This was our second annual outing to one of the seriously most hyggeligt Christmas markets and tree farms in Nordsjælland – Rosendal Julemarked. You can take a historic train ride from Hellerup Station or Hillerød Station to reach Rosendal Farm in little Ålsgårde near Helsingnør. From the train depot, it is a short walk to the farm where you follow the tree-lined path down to the barn where all the Jule activity is happening.
There are chickens and roosters roaming around the pre-cut trees. Warm your hands on the open burners before grabbing a saw and heading out to the field if you want to pick your own. Wear boots as it can be very muddy.
Nordmann Fir Juletrær at Rosendal Julemarked
There are only two kinds of trees available here – Nordmann Firs and Rødgrans (a traditional Spruce tree.) Being an Oregon girl from the land of towering Douglas fir trees – I always go for a fir. Scurry on out to the field and take a look. Just don’t let your wee lass get too fixated on any specific one only to be drawn to tears when that wasn’t the family’s selection (second year in a row). I do not negotiate with terrorists, but I am somewhat remiss to admit – I buckled and we took hers. Red-faced and muddy – with our heavy, green, fragrant fir in tow, we head back to the Julemarked.
Apparently hers was the one Juletræer without exception
Dansk Juletræer – Rosendal Julemarked
While Far (Dad) has them tie up the tree, we are welcome to explore the barn – there are bunnies to cuddle and round pink little piggies to pet. Small children might want to ride a pony or be pulled in a cart.
Pony cart rides at Rosendal Julemarked
Walk in past the caught pheasants and deer for your dinner and be instantly charmed. Little white lights twinkle through the hay-lined market. Tucked in amidst baubles and trinkets and décor for your tree – small Julegaver (gifts) are sold – and everywhere wishes of “Glædelig Jul.”
Rosendal Julemarked – Ålsgårde, Denmark
Rosendal Julemarked – Ålsgårde, Denmark
Pheasants for sale
Julemarked is Danish for Christmas market and Rosendal’s is super hyggeligt
Glædelig Jul from Rosendal Julemarked
Julegaver and Christmas decorations at Rosendal Julemarked
Julegaver and Christmas decorations at Rosendal Julemarked
But more than the tree drama and fluffy lop bunnies, my favorite part of the Rosendal experience is the warm Gløgg* or Cocoa and fresh æbleskivers with jam and powdered sugar. You order per person, with three to an order, but they are so fluffy and yummy that you might need a second round. I’m not saying that we did. But YOU might. Cozy and candle lit, with a live roaring fire – the back hall of the market is a perfect respite. Our first year here our visit was timed closer to Christmas and the tables were packed. But this year, we had no trouble finding the perfect spot to enjoy this first Sunday of the advent season!
Æbleskivers and Gløgg or Varme Kakao
Delicious Æbleskivers and Gløgg or Varme Kakao
A quintessential Danish Jul experience. And while I can probably not pronounce Glædelig correctly – I can still wish you one. Glædelig Jul! Cheers from Copenhagen! – Erin
