While in Amsterdam this past summer I went into a little shop that sold black and white sketches of the city. What with it being fleet week and all, I had no time to go about drawing everything I saw. Luckily, Hermen Jan Jansen does it for a living, so I got a 6 for 10euro deal on some postcards that, unlike my personal photos, have no hordes of tourists or sailors in them.
Every time I travel I am reminded about how small our world can be – Hermen had hitchhiked through Portland in his youth. Maybe someday he’ll come back and draw some of our landmarks. (Images from the artist’s site: www.hjdrawings.com)
The three X marks on the posts are Amsterdam's coat of arms.The guard rails next to the canals are about 6" tall. Fine for locals, but more of a tripping hazard for tourists.
The beams at the top of each roof peak are for moving furniture into the house since everything is very narrow, including winding stairs. We actually got to see the moving in process using the outside roof beams and pulleys being used by two moving workers. They moved some chairs, a dresser, and a couch in about 10 minutes.
While in Amsterdam this past summer I went into a little shop that sold black and white sketches of the city. What with it being fleet week and all, I had no time to go about drawing everything I saw. Luckily, Hermen Jan Jansen does it for a living, so I got a 6 for 10euro deal on some postcards that, unlike my personal photos, have no hordes of tourists or sailors in them.
Every time I travel I am reminded about how small our world can be – Hermen had hitchhiked through Portland in his youth. Maybe someday he’ll come back and draw some of our landmarks. (Images from the artist’s site: www.hjdrawings.com)
The three X marks on the posts are Amsterdam's coat of arms.The guard rails next to the canals are about 6" tall. Fine for locals, but more of a tripping hazard for tourists.
The beams at the top of each roof peak are for moving furniture into the house since everything is very narrow, including winding stairs. We actually got to see the moving in process using the outside roof beams and pulleys being used by two moving workers. They moved some chairs, a dresser, and a couch in about 10 minutes.
This summer I spent some time visiting my family in Arhus, Danmark. While there I went to see the poster exhibit “Genkendelsens Glæde”, and bought a few oversize postcard replicas. With advertising like this, I’m surprised more people aren’t flocking to Arhus. It’s pretty nice, I have to agree.
In Northern Europe there is a constant movement of spendthrifts who go to other countries to buy goods with lower taxes applied. The Swedes sail to Danmark for the “cheap” beer, while the Danes go to Germany for the “cheaper” beer. It’s pretty much a family tradition once or twice a year to pile into the car and drive to Germany to buy inexpensive things.
This year was no exception, and we all made an outing to Flensborg for some shopping and strammer max, which after reading the wikipedia description, clears up why my cousins thought it was so funny that my grandfather kept declaring he wanted his strammer max.
My cousin bought a leopard print shirt for $1, my dad bought some tennis balls, my grandpa bought some alcohol and my uncle Henrik calculated the savings made on each item in his head. I didn’t buy anything, but I did see this book series entitled Warrior Cats. Uh, awesome?
More proof that I really don't understand German taste.
While in Hamburg this summer I went to the art museum there. It was GIANT, and the only reason I made it through the whole thing in one day was because there were no English captions to increase viewing time, and I stopped for lunch during the middle of the visit. Here are a few of my favorite close-ups.
When I saw this painting at the Hamburg Art Museum, I felt like I had met a kindred spirit. After seeing about 200 paintings about crucifixion, I was finally among artists who understood my obsessions. A two-month long binge on tuna melt sandwiches – YES! Mackerel in tomato sauce – YES! Pickled herring by the pound – YES! Fried and breaded fish – YES! Octopus rings – YES! (Well, technically there aren’t any octopus in the picture, but a girl can dream).
Large Still Life with Fish, 1927, by Max Beckmann.
While visiting Denmark this summer I went to Den Gamle By in Arhus where there was a travel poster display. “Genkendelsens Glæde” is a collection of classic Danish posters from the 20s-90s. When we walked unknowingly into the exhibition hall I heard my sister say “Uh, oh, we’re going to be here forever…”. I only wish. Below is one of the better pictures I could take, and also a good summation of my childhood memories of this tiny country.
The Danish Poster Museum has a partial digital archive of the collection, as well as some reproductions of various posters in large format postcards that are for sale.
I guess I’ll chalk this one up to modern art where the amusement factor overshadowed everything else. Seen in the Hamburg Art Museum.
Device which allows one potato to revolve around another potato, 1969, by Sigmar Polke. The signs were very emphatic that you should not touch this display. So I took a picture from afar.
Here are some photo selects from my travels through Hornbæk, Gilleleje, København, Arhus, Skødshoved, Ålborg, Sønder Hostrup, Flensberg, Aabenraa, Vrå, Jegind Ø, Hamberg and Amsterdam. Yeah I know, try saying Vrå ten times and you’ll end up with a sprained tongue.
Summer house in Hornbæk.The crown above the name indicates royalty uses this house.A family portrait. Not mine.
I have a love love relationship with food. I love it, period. Even when I eat too much, I hold no grudges. The ability to eat a lot comes in particularly handy in Danmark, whether it’s at a Julefrokost or just your typical Danish lunch. Because Danes like to eat, and they take it very seriously, as you can see by this poster of different Danish sandwich combinations.
Mmmm, nothing like a banana and ryebread sandwich.
This summer I visited my family in Danmark and checked off a good number of Harald’s suggestions. My Danish sandwich eating habits have drawn strange looks and complaints of fishy smells from my American friends and co-workers, but finally I was in the motherland where I could eat pickled herring with wild abandon and nobody complained about the wafting scent of mackerel.
In case you’d like more insight into eating Danish sandwiches, you can follow my personal guide for a typical Saturday lunch.
First, fish.
one or two pickled herring sandwiches on ryebread with white onion garnish
a mackerel in tomato sauce sandwich
if you’re lucky to have it, a breaded fish filet sandwich with remoulade
or a fried bit of torsk with lemon
Then, more stuff, sans fish.
liverpaste, perhaps with some bacon or crispy onions on top
various salami on ryebread combinations
my favorite: roast beef on rye bread with both remoulade and crispy onions
assorted pålæg like cold mixed salad toppings, and other kinds of pressed meats
cucumber slices, tomatoes, and hard boiled egg
And don’t forget you can add a round of cheese on white bread and crackers at the end! By now you should be full, and starting to plan your next meal. Tak for mad!
