Tivoli Gardens and 20 degrees!

Tivoli Gardens is an amusement park and pleasure garden in the heart of Copenhagen.  However, we did not find much pleasure in the 20 degree temperature.

Tivoli opened in 1843.  It is said that Hans Christen Andersen was one of it's first visitors.  Walt Disney made a visit to Tivoli in 1953, and there are many similarities that we saw on our visit with the two parks.  

And what is Easter without a daffodil covered roof.  

 Rows and rows of daffodils and tulips were a welcome change to our winter.

The Peacock theatre features pantomine productions every hour or so.  This was a version of the Ugly Duckling.

But the very best part was finding a Pink Vespa.  I won't retell our Vespa story here since you have heard it a million times.  Suffice it to say it was a trip down memory lane for us.

Church History Presentation...

Paul and I worked on a Powerpoint presentation to be shown in the foyer prior to the Saturday and Sunday Sessions of Stake Conference 7, 8 April 2018.  The response was good.  We will do all that we can to bring more awareness to the mission of the church history department in Denmark.  

We posted these two historical timelines.  The red wooden box will be opened during the Stake RS Birthday party on April 21st.  It has been sitting in the RPC since 1982.  

Bent Raymond on the left looking at the camera and Peter Jensen-Bech are the two Danish men that we work with.  They are both awesome.  

On the left is our Stake RS President.  In the center is our mission president with his lovely wife, The O'Bryants.  They go home in June and we will miss them.  

The Nabby Tree

We were walking on the grounds of the castle in Slotsgarten.  A beautiful summer palace of Frederick the VII.  In the distance we could see something sparkling on a tree in the distance.  We thought of many things it could be, but would have never guessed that it was a tree filled with binkies!

We came across the Mommies of these two darling boys and they explained to us that the children in Denmark use their binkies until they are around three years old.  They then have a little ceremony where the binkie is given to the "Nabby" tree signifying...well I don't know...something about growing up I guess.  

A Near Perfect Day...

If I were to compose a list of perfect days in my life, 27 March 2018 would be on that list.

When we served in South Africa, Elder Andersen was our "trainer" so to speak.  He was perfect.  He is from Denmark.  Of course when we found we would be serving in his country we contacted him.  He lives in Odense which is outside of Copenhagen where we live.  Last week he phoned and asked if we could meet with him and his lovely wife and his parents at the temple.  We heartily agreed.  

It was a joyful reunion.  We love the Andersen family.  They are expecting their first child this week.

Following the temple session we were treated to a traditional Danish meal at "Det Lille Apoteka".  Oozing with charm this pharmacy turned restaurant is one of the oldest in Copenhagen.  It is "said" that Hans Christian Andersen wrote THE UGLY DUCKLING at this location.  

From right to left are Mads Emil Blond Andersen, his lovely very expectant wife Maria, Mette Marie & Leo, and us.  

THE FOOD...OH THE FOOD!

Paul ordered something with a star by it and it was the hit.  Three kinds of fish prepared perfectly with asparagus and caviar.

The plates.  Are they not just darling.  

I don't remember what mine was called.  I will call it heaven in a cast iron pan!

THE CHARM...Well it was just charming.  If you ever have time look up the Danish word "hygge".  If you have even more time read this book:  

The Little Book of Hygge

- Danish Secrets to Happy Living

This restaurant was just Hygge...Happy...cozy...charming.

And then.....this just gets better.....around the corner is the Church of Our Lady where Bertel Thorvaldsen's original marble Christus and Twelve Apostles are housed.  I have heard the stories and read the history but nothing could prepare me for the majesty of that room.

Wait...there is one more thing.... 

We said our goodbyes to the Andersen's in time to make it to dinner with our Mission Couple family.  One of the members of our Stake cooks dinner as a service to all of the missionary couples serving here.  It was amazing.  Roast pork with gravy made with cream.  Yes cream.  I wanted a spoon.  Fruit salad, potatoes, and a mango fluffy something for dessert.  

It was for me a Hygge day....Goodnight.

Bye bye Toberlone, Cadbury, Gherardelli, and Lindt...

We found it.  In Riga Latvia.  The perfect chocolate at the Liama Chocolate Factory.

Could it be because when you walk in they give you a little cup of heaven.  They call it a drink of chocolate.  We call in smooth, warm, rich, comforting, deliciousness.

‘Laima’ is the biggest and most well-known producer of chocolate and sweets in the Baltic, where chocolate is made with cocoa beans without using semi-prepared products.  It has survived a communist takeover and is going strong.  Sorry America.  I think you can only buy it in South Carolina, but try Amazon.  It is worth it.

A fun thing that you can do at the museum is personalize a label for your very own chocolate bar.  Look what we wrote without either one knowing it.  Ahhhhh......

I don't know.  Our new love might be Laima chocolate!

Midsummer Eve in Latvia

Jāņi was originally a festival for pagan farmers that existed long before the arrival of Christianity and the traditions of the festival remain immensely popular to this day.  It is held every year on the summer solstice.  The sun sets around 10:30 pm and rises at 3:30 am.  Staying up all night to celebrate is part of the grand party. We were told this holiday is bigger than Christmas.

Other rituals include gathering wildflowers to make garlands to wear on your head. Since we celebrated in the city, the wildflowers were brought in from the markets.

The men wear what Paul calls a "lettuce wreath".  The ladies a simple garland of flowers.  Since Paul refused to wear a lettuce wreath, I thought I would try my hand at weaving a flower wreath for him.  

This table was set up with wildflowers and women were happily going at it.  Looks simple enough I thought.  "I can do this" ha, ha.

I grab my posies and begin.  What is the saying.."More easily said than done".  I started out pretty well but when I went to bend it in to a wreath....well....

I think I will stick to quilting.

We settled for a lovely spray of baby's breath in the rim of his hat.  

Most Latvians head to the country for the Summer Solstice where they celebrate with family.  One of the hallmarks of Jāņi is leaping over the bonfire which is meant to rid people of their burdens. Couples leap holding hands, so that the magical force of the flames binds them together.

In the city they do things in a bigger way.  

There was a lot of liquor flowing during this celebration, but I don't think anyone dared to jump over this bad boy.

A fun thing for us was to see the children's games.  Milking the cow Latvian style reminded me of the Clark County Fair.

My favorite part was the dancing.  European countries have an abundance of meaningful traditions passed down from their ancestors.  I loved participating in the happy and cheerful renditions of the custom of dance.  BYU Folkdancers...look out!

KGB Cornerhouse

The "occupation" of Latvia and it's surrounding countries Estonia and Lithuania lasted for 51 years.  It was an unprovoked occupation by a major super-power (Russia).  The Latvian government had to chose between a hopeless bloody resistence or the reluctant acceptance to an ultimatum of the threat of overwhelming military force.  They chose the latter.  The regime change was then directed from Moscow under the pretention of legality. 

The psychological and  actual terror of this regime exacted a heavy human toll-destroyed relationships, destroyed lives, and destroyed trust.  At the end of WWII about 1/3 of Latvia's population was destroyed.  

I will not write more on what I experienced there.  I cried.  Wordless pictures tell it all.