Berlin

We have been in Berlin for the last three days.  I tried to publish on my I pad...no success. So I will add some of our adventures the next couple days.

We drove to Gedser, two hours, took the ferry to Rostock, two hours, and drove another two hours to Berling.  We bought the Berlin Pass which gave us entrance into most of the museums, a bus tour, a canal cruise and best of all a walking tour.  I'm not sure we actually used up all the money invested, but it was nice not to have to debate about just checking out a museum.  The first day, we took the bus tour and did most of the museums on Museums Island.

 

 Kaiser Wilhelm Church was bombed during WWII and left as a memorial.  The waffle-building on the left is a new church with blue glass in the little windows.

 
The huge train station.

 The iconic Brandenberg Gate.

 Berlin Cathedral Church..I climbed to the top and walked around the dome for a wonderful view of the city.

Knudsen's Cozy Dinner

With the temple shut down, we were the only temple missionaries to the monthly dinner at Knudsens.  It was a very cozy group of 12.

The dinner was unique: kangaroo, (which tasted a little like deer)

tiny mushrooms, fried onion rings, potatoes, sauce and carrots.

 And a lovely layered blue berry dessert.

Delicious as usual.

Settled Swans

I went to Tivoli to do some returns and stopped on The Lakes to check out the swans.  Last time I checked there was just one or two eggs, I don't know if there are more, but mother swan is taking good care of them.

And getting a good nap in the sun.  However, we have also had rain and a little snow today.  Crazy weather.

Stake Conference

Julie and Randy left at 8 this morning and we went to Stake Conference. It is our last Stake Conference in the Copenhagen Stake and was on missionary work so we were not on the speaking docket.  However, last night they asked us to bear our testimonies today and then leaned over and said, they needed to hear from us as the next two speakers last night as the mission president was ill.   I used my best Danglish, which I'm sure wasn't great, but people were very nice.  I do love these Danish Saints.  We know most of them well as they come to the temple and we meet them there. 

 This afternoon we drove over the bridge to Odense to talk to the YSA about the temple and preparing to go to the temple.
   The clouds and weather were crazy.  We started in sun, went through a snow storm and ended up in sun again.

Last Day

We have had a whirlwind week of fun with the Knight Family.
 We have tried three times to get into see The Christus and finally made it this afternoon after another Confirmation service.

In the mean time we went to  Frederiksborg Castle  where we had to wait for another confirmation service AND a wedding to see the Carl Block paintings.

 The light was probably the best I have ever seen it.  There is no electricity so you have to rely on the natural light from the windows.

The new children's room at Frederiksborg is so fun.  They have wonderful period costumes, the kids can try on with the help of a worker.

We managed to squeeze in  The Round Tower, a little shopping and The Knights went to Tivoli while Jim and I went to Stake Conference.

Sweden Day

Today we went to Malmo and visited the Malmohus Museum.  It had a little bit of everything: history of the castle that part of it was housed in, an aquarium, natural history, art and furnishings plus special exhibits.
 

 The Lund Cathedral dates from 1040 when King Knut gave  permission to build a Christian Church for all of northern Europe

And our main destination, Ales Stenar, on the east coast.  It is 59 boulders arranged in the shape of a ship that has been listed in historical records since the 1500's but much older.  It is on a bluff and served as a land mark for ships.
 

More Adventures

The fun continues:
  

 Ribe one of the oldest Danish Cities

 Roskilde with the Viking Ship Museum and Domekirke where the kings are buried.

The Queen's Palace

 
 and of course, The Little Mermaid

Running With the Knights

The temple is closed for three weeks and we are off and running.

Our daughter, Julie and her husband and family are here for a week and we are busy,,,,,,The blog may only get a few additions for a while.

Following are some of the fun things we have been doing.

James and Josh the two oldest boys did baptisms for the dead.

 JIm and I spoke in the Skive Branch

 WE visited Family History sites in Farstrup and Stavn and climbed this lighthouse in the middle of a blowing sand dune.  I don't know if it was fun, but it was an adventure.

Monday was Skagen, the most northern tip of Denmark where the Baltic and North Seas meet.  MOre Wind.

However, the wind worked well for us on the island of Fano where we tried Blowcarting.  I was a passenger with Julie who did a great job.  It was fun and in the summer  would be fabulous with warmer weather and the wind blowing along the beach instead of into the ocean.....

 

Sunday Adventures

 

Jim and I spoke at the Skive Branch and the Knights provided the musical number.  We made up half the congregation and they  were thrilled to have us visit.  They invited us to dinner with the branch.  Before and after we visited family history sites and walked up a huge sand dune to the Rubjerg Knude Fyr.....lighthouse,....in 50 mph wind!

Temple Today

This darling couple received their own endowments tonight in preparation for being sealed tomorrow morning.  They are from Albania and were converted here in Denmark 14 months ago. The wife can communicate some in English, but the brother not much in English or Danish.  Fortunately, Sarah Leit Leininger went on her mission to Albania and was here to help with all the translating.  The Lord always prepares a way.

The other fun thing in the temple was to have our two grandsons, James and Josh be baptized for the dead by their father in Spanish, his mission language and English and Jim did a few in Danish They arrived from the States at 3 pm and were in the temple by 6.30. Julie, our daughter, also took advantage of the unique situation and was baptized as well.  A sweet experience.
 There will be plenty pictures of them and the rest of their family in the next few days.

First Time Ever

Copenhagen has her fair share of graffiti.  This is the first time I have seen anyone trying to get rid of it.  The temple is coated so that anything put on it can be washed on.

The Family Car

This gives new meaning to the Family Car. Does this make the car outdated sooner?

 Jesper's new family car just came out of the shop after a 40,000 Kroner repair paid for by the man who ran into him going 45 MPH.

Pres. Buur is trading his Family Car in for a new one after a 50,000 K repair.  This one can also park itself.

Down by the Lakes

I took a bike ride down by The Lakes which used to be part of the moat that secured Copenhagen.  Now they are just lovely green areas in the middle of the city, with lots of joggers, bikers and walkers.

 The flowers are lovely and a sure sign of Spring.

 

These swans have a nest, but only one or two eggs and not much interest on sitting on it.  It will be interesting to see what happens..

Full Monday

Preparation Day will have to wait until tomorrow.  Today was full.
At the Glostrup Hospital, my eye was declared healthy and I'm off the two ointments.

Next we had lunch with Tom Pollard who fixed a lovely Caribbean Dish with a super Marzipan Cake from the bakery.

At five we went to Tivoli with the missionaries for Family Night.  It was sunny and warm.... until the sun went down.

The Performing Groups started tonight with this band playing Eastern European Music