More than a century has passed since two Danish children, unknown to each other, left their native land and sailed with their parents to America. The little girl was Fanny Julia Thim of Copenhagen, and the boy was Edvard Christian Lauritsen of Herning. Neither knew a word of English, Yet they crowded aboard their respective ships, together with hundreds of other thankful immigrants, and sailed the stormy north Atlantic to New York where they stepped onto American soil in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty.Likely dazed by the culture shock, they nevertheless found their way to Grand Central Station where they boarded trains that would carry them to a place called Utah. Fanny and her family settled in northern Utah in the farming community of Tremonton, while Edvard and his mother and sisters lived in Emery County, Utah, dwelling in a dug-out and subsisting on sardines and potatoes for many months.
Fanny's father, Carl Johan Thim---a tall, handsome Swede with an aristocratic mustache---was a stone mason who established his own business making head stones for the cemetary. This provided a decent living and enabled his family to own a respectable home on land where they raised Guernsey cows and prize vegetable and berries.
Moving to Carbonville, Edvard's name was Americanized to Edward, then Eddie, and finally Ed. His father, Mads, was a sea captain in Denmark, but never immigrated to America because he was reportedly alcoholic---a condition which probably resulted in his wife and children leaving him and coming to America. As a 12 year-old, Ed found a job washing and polishing the automobile of a local physician, Dr. Andersen. Ed became interested in how the car ran and gradually taught himself automotive mechanics, eventually finding work with the Utah State Road Department where he became one of their top heavy-equipment mechanics. In 1918, Ed married Jarama Powell, a young woman of Welch-Danish ancestry from Carbonville, the youngest of 14 children whose parents, Robert and Elsie (Poulsen, a Dane), were among the first settlers in Price, Utah in 1878.
Meanwhile, in 1921, Fanny married William Duane Lower, the fifth of seven children of Abraham and Alice (Thornley) Lower of Smithfield, Utah. Duane, as he was known, was a heavy- equipment operator for the county road department, building roads in northern Utah and later becoming an over-head crane operator at the Utah Naval Suppy Depot in Ogden. Fanny later became a real estate agent and a well-known business woman in northern Utah. In 1944, Duane and Fanny's older daughter, Jenice, married Ed and Jarama's oldest son, Donald, and in 1946 their son Eddie was born (with Sheila following four years later). A month before Eddie was born in the Dee Hospital in Ogden, another baby was born in the same hospital---Ann Wiemers, the daughter of Eugene Lee Wiemers of Ardt, Texas, and Ortis Juanita Pettingill of Willard, Utah.
Twenty-seven years later, in 1973, Eddie married Ann in Ogden. To Ed and Ann Lauritsen were born Joy Kosteen of Juneau, Alaska in 1974; Josie Ann of Heber City, Utah in 1975; Benjamin Red of Provo, Utah in 1976; Mary Jean of Provo in 1979; and Lindy Jenine of Omaha, Nebraska in 1981.
And that, my children, is a thumb nail history of your Danish roots---and the reason why your father (and father-in-law) was so thrilled to be able to visit Denmark and report back to you. I will mercifully spare you (for the moment only) the details of your medieval ancestors, the Viking. Suffice it to say, they not only conquered England in 1017 and sailed to North America in 1100, but they also sailed far into the interior of Russia where they became the progenitors of what are known as the White Russians. Danmark (as it is officially written) is thought by some biblical anthropologists to be the location where the remnants of the tribe of Dan (one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel) settled when the Lord "led them into the north countries."
Today Denmark is the home of the Western world's longest-functioning monarchy---from Gorm the Old (ca. 900 AD) to Margarethe II (1972-- ) the 41st Danish monarch. Denmark's progressiveness is illustrated by its recent national referendum that reversed an 1100 year-old tradition that the reigning monarch's firstborn son is the automatic successor to the Danish throne. Now, the monarch's firstborn---whether male or female---will ascend to the throne. A recent European survey named the Danes "the happiest of Europe's peoples." So let's begin our pilgrimage to Denmark and find out why....
While the returning pilgrims would have preferred a dragon-prowed Viking ship commanded by Ragnar Thorsen, they settled for a hollow 200-foot metal tube propelled 600 miles per hour, six miles above the ocean (strange, huh?). These modern little Vikings (shown above) would have preferred etching tools and jerky, rather than crayons and Cheerios....
What appears to be an i-Pod is actually a GPS device...to check-up on the pilot: real Vikings don't trust anyone to navigate for them.....
And Vikings don't cover the floors of their airports with sissy carpet or fake marble. Theyuse the same material from which they build their dragon ships---real, hand-fitted wood.
And though modern Vikings swollow their pride and use automobiles, they leave subtle hints that let you know they don't like it..........................Middelfart is actually a city of 14,000 in central Denmark
No, these are not the banners for "ZZ Topp's 2009 World Tour". They're the logo of the Sleep Hotel where we spent our first night in Denmark......
"
Real Vikings don't mess with the grandiose, hoop-la architecture of Americans. Simple lines and sturdy, functional red brick are the rule (for houses and other buildings, not forViking ships, however)......
"Sleep Hotels" live up to their name---sleep!...that's it!...don't go running around or you'll crash into the wall, you ninny! If you want a big, wasteful, dysfunctional hotel room, go back to America!....
And the same goes for the bathroom: we prize simplicity and functionality. You'll notice that the shower drain (What's a "tub"?) is at the bottom of the of the pole supporting the sink, with the shower hose connected under the sink and activated by a level near the faucet. The toilet (to the right of the sink, out of view in this photo) is a handy two feet away from the sink. Compact cars, compact bathrooms...yes!
What could be better than to start your first day in Denmark with breakfast at a famous old Danish restaurant----McDonald's!! Not only was it delicious, we learned our first Danish word---Tak (prounounced talk) which means Thanks.
Like good Vikings, the captain and first-mate busily study the navigation charts....Political correctness forbids me to indicate who's the captain.....
Meanwhile, in the parking lot, a group of renegade Swedes (i.e. the Danes' arch enemies for the past 500 years) have gathered and are shouting epithets like, "Hey, you sea-faring freaks, where's your ABBA, huh...HUH??!!"
But after their mean-spirited taunts are met with the Danes' ever-present good cheer and friendliness, Darth and Roxy Johannson (above) and the rest of the swearing Swedes depart for Stockholm with their helmet radios blaring "Take a Chance on Me"......
Along the picturesque Danish highways, one can gaze upon acres and acres of luscious agriculture. This yellow crop, rape seed (from which canola oil is made) is one of Denmark's mosts abundant exports...................Rumor has it that there is a growing consensus to re-name this particular crop...
And though modern Vikings swollow their pride and use automobiles, they leave subtle hints that let you know they don't like it..........................Middelfart is actually a city of 14,000 in central Denmark
No, these are not the banners for "ZZ Topp's 2009 World Tour". They're the logo of the Sleep Hotel where we spent our first night in Denmark......"
Real Vikings don't mess with the grandiose, hoop-la architecture of Americans. Simple lines and sturdy, functional red brick are the rule (for houses and other buildings, not forViking ships, however)......
"Sleep Hotels" live up to their name---sleep!...that's it!...don't go running around or you'll crash into the wall, you ninny! If you want a big, wasteful, dysfunctional hotel room, go back to America!....
And the same goes for the bathroom: we prize simplicity and functionality. You'll notice that the shower drain (What's a "tub"?) is at the bottom of the of the pole supporting the sink, with the shower hose connected under the sink and activated by a level near the faucet. The toilet (to the right of the sink, out of view in this photo) is a handy two feet away from the sink. Compact cars, compact bathrooms...yes!
What could be better than to start your first day in Denmark with breakfast at a famous old Danish restaurant----McDonald's!! Not only was it delicious, we learned our first Danish word---Tak (prounounced talk) which means Thanks.
Like good Vikings, the captain and first-mate busily study the navigation charts....Political correctness forbids me to indicate who's the captain.....
Meanwhile, in the parking lot, a group of renegade Swedes (i.e. the Danes' arch enemies for the past 500 years) have gathered and are shouting epithets like, "Hey, you sea-faring freaks, where's your ABBA, huh...HUH??!!"
But after their mean-spirited taunts are met with the Danes' ever-present good cheer and friendliness, Darth and Roxy Johannson (above) and the rest of the swearing Swedes depart for Stockholm with their helmet radios blaring "Take a Chance on Me"......
Along the picturesque Danish highways, one can gaze upon acres and acres of luscious agriculture. This yellow crop, rape seed (from which canola oil is made) is one of Denmark's mosts abundant exports...................Rumor has it that there is a growing consensus to re-name this particular crop...
No children, this is not the Bridge to Tarabithia (and stop humming "I left my heart in San Francisco", ok?!!). The nation of Denmark is composed of various islands, and we had to cross this colossal span to get to the island of---(I forgot the name)---so we could depart from the city of Fraaborg on the ferry that sails for the island of Aero (The "o" in Areo should have a forward slash through it, thereby giving it Aero the pronounciation of "EH-roo", though the "oo" is throaty)
This gigantic structure is found all across Denmark and serves three distinct purposes:
This ship suffered a terrible accident in which its bow got bent upward. (Just kidding!) It is actually a ferry whose bow is supposed to go up---so the cars can drive into it.
A wonderful three-generation photo---the Three Amigos departing Fraaborg for Aero.
Now, you're not going to believe this, but it's absolutely true---Scouts honor, I swear on a stack of Bibles, cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die, stick-a-needle-in-my-eye: being the friendly and gregarious Dane that I am, and seeing this little family across the room from me on the ferry, I proceeded to strike up a conversation by asking them if they spoke English, which they did. I then introduced myself, explaining that I was from America, and that each of my parents had a parent from Denmark, and that my daughter and I are the first of our family to return to Denmark in over a hundred years. Then I said my name was Lauritsen and asked them what their name was. They looked at each other, grinned, and the woman proudly said, "Our name is Lauritsen, too!" Mariann, Henrik, and Matias, 4,----the first Danes I had spoken to. She explained that this happy coincidence was all the more unique because Lauritsen is not a common last name in Denmark. Needless to say, this experience thrilled me and Josie and Brandon. I still get goose bumps every time I recount the experience. I made sure I got Henrik and Mariann's mailing address and e-mail. They will also receive a copy of this blog.
Noah and Mattias (Matthew) looking out the window of the ferry.....possibly little cousins now reunited.
Arrival at the 200 year-old manor in Aeroskoebing where the Lees, Sorensens, and Bumma spent four wonderful days, having the manor house all to ourselves....
Danish-American patriots (Bring on da' Swedes!!)
Tessa contemplating Denmark from the doorway of the manor house......
Rachael re-fueling with her favorite snack---"chocolate bread"!
Connecticutt's Fab Four relaxing in front of the manor house. Note the natural thatch (i.e. the roof, not Jeannie's hair)---it is almost two feet thick and very old. Thatch on this house was composed of thin, hollow reeds, laid down in layers. The reeds are originally a wheat color, but the outer layer weathers into a blackish brown that repels the rain. The whole roof thing reminded me of a giant shredded wheat, which is probably just part of my food fixation. Which reminds me, did I tell you about the dream I recently had in which I dreamed I ate a giant marshmallow? When I woke up, my pillow was gone......
Having been built over 200 years ago, the manor house's ceilings were designed for the smaller
folk of that era. Absent-minded Bumma paid for his absent-mindedness several times: Whenever someone yelled "Duck!", Bumma reflexively looked skyward....
This scene was the inspiration for Brandon's 2009 article that appeared in the prestigious international journal, Administrative Science Quarterly: "Tilting at Windmills? The Environmental Movement and the Emergence of the U.S. Wind Energy Sector."
This sign says "Don't Speed" (regardless of what you think it says).....
Downtown Aeroskoebing where, like the rest of Denmark, people keep their property immaculately clean, nicely-painted, and in excellent repair. These lovely "ginger bread" houses kept exacerbating my food fixation. Which reminds me, did I mention the dream I had the other night? Well, I dreamed I ate a giant marshmallow....
More of Aeroskoebing on a quiet Sunday morning....(we would have been in Church, but there was no LDS Church on the island, unless of course "LDS" stands for Lutherans Don't Sin, and in that case, there were plenty of churches on the island....)
The Sorensen guys on their cykel (bicycle in Danish). Sorensen is also very Danish, so the pilgrimage to Denmark was as meaningful for Brian's family as it was for the Lauritsens and Lee-sens. Speaking of the Lee-sens (next photo)....
Noah's grandpa in Beaver, Utah, John Christiansen, is Danish by ancestry, so we were representing him and his wife Marie on this pilgrimage also (We ate a can of Danish kippered herring in their honor!)
This gigantic structure is found all across Denmark and serves three distinct purposes:1. It is, first and foremost, an incredibly ingenious advertizement for the Mercedes-Benz.
2. It is a wind-driven turbine that produces pollution-free electrical energy.
3. It is an incredibly ingenious device that enables Uncle Brandon to write articles for ASQ.
This ship suffered a terrible accident in which its bow got bent upward. (Just kidding!) It is actually a ferry whose bow is supposed to go up---so the cars can drive into it.
A wonderful three-generation photo---the Three Amigos departing Fraaborg for Aero.
Now, you're not going to believe this, but it's absolutely true---Scouts honor, I swear on a stack of Bibles, cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die, stick-a-needle-in-my-eye: being the friendly and gregarious Dane that I am, and seeing this little family across the room from me on the ferry, I proceeded to strike up a conversation by asking them if they spoke English, which they did. I then introduced myself, explaining that I was from America, and that each of my parents had a parent from Denmark, and that my daughter and I are the first of our family to return to Denmark in over a hundred years. Then I said my name was Lauritsen and asked them what their name was. They looked at each other, grinned, and the woman proudly said, "Our name is Lauritsen, too!" Mariann, Henrik, and Matias, 4,----the first Danes I had spoken to. She explained that this happy coincidence was all the more unique because Lauritsen is not a common last name in Denmark. Needless to say, this experience thrilled me and Josie and Brandon. I still get goose bumps every time I recount the experience. I made sure I got Henrik and Mariann's mailing address and e-mail. They will also receive a copy of this blog.
Noah and Mattias (Matthew) looking out the window of the ferry.....possibly little cousins now reunited.
Arrival at the 200 year-old manor in Aeroskoebing where the Lees, Sorensens, and Bumma spent four wonderful days, having the manor house all to ourselves....
Danish-American patriots (Bring on da' Swedes!!) 
Tessa contemplating Denmark from the doorway of the manor house......
Rachael re-fueling with her favorite snack---"chocolate bread"!
Connecticutt's Fab Four relaxing in front of the manor house. Note the natural thatch (i.e. the roof, not Jeannie's hair)---it is almost two feet thick and very old. Thatch on this house was composed of thin, hollow reeds, laid down in layers. The reeds are originally a wheat color, but the outer layer weathers into a blackish brown that repels the rain. The whole roof thing reminded me of a giant shredded wheat, which is probably just part of my food fixation. Which reminds me, did I tell you about the dream I recently had in which I dreamed I ate a giant marshmallow? When I woke up, my pillow was gone......
Having been built over 200 years ago, the manor house's ceilings were designed for the smallerfolk of that era. Absent-minded Bumma paid for his absent-mindedness several times: Whenever someone yelled "Duck!", Bumma reflexively looked skyward....
This scene was the inspiration for Brandon's 2009 article that appeared in the prestigious international journal, Administrative Science Quarterly: "Tilting at Windmills? The Environmental Movement and the Emergence of the U.S. Wind Energy Sector."
This sign says "Don't Speed" (regardless of what you think it says).....
Downtown Aeroskoebing where, like the rest of Denmark, people keep their property immaculately clean, nicely-painted, and in excellent repair. These lovely "ginger bread" houses kept exacerbating my food fixation. Which reminds me, did I mention the dream I had the other night? Well, I dreamed I ate a giant marshmallow....
More of Aeroskoebing on a quiet Sunday morning....(we would have been in Church, but there was no LDS Church on the island, unless of course "LDS" stands for Lutherans Don't Sin, and in that case, there were plenty of churches on the island....)
The Sorensen guys on their cykel (bicycle in Danish). Sorensen is also very Danish, so the pilgrimage to Denmark was as meaningful for Brian's family as it was for the Lauritsens and Lee-sens. Speaking of the Lee-sens (next photo)....
Noah's grandpa in Beaver, Utah, John Christiansen, is Danish by ancestry, so we were representing him and his wife Marie on this pilgrimage also (We ate a can of Danish kippered herring in their honor!) The wire basket on the front of Brandon's bike (and everyone else's) is standard equipment on most bikes in Denmark inasmuch as the bicycle is the equivalent of the car for many Danes. The woman standing in the background is the manager of the gas station/bicycle rental shop. She was very patient while the parents discussed whether to buy safety helmets for the kids.
Tessa is thinking, "Fo' cwying out wowd, can we PWEEEZ get dis show on da woad??!!"
And so, without further ado (the initial ado lasted about 30 minutes), the
Tessa is thinking, "Fo' cwying out wowd, can we PWEEEZ get dis show on da woad??!!"
And so, without further ado (the initial ado lasted about 30 minutes), theLauritsen-Sorensen-Christiansen-Leesen Danish Bike Tour 2009 gets under way---"Gentlemen and gentlewomen, START YOUR BICYCLES !!------"
Typical of Aero Island in May are the emerald fields of grain, dotted with lovely farm houses and occasional wind mills along our bike path....
And the rolling fields often continue almost to the sea.....
And of course, Denmark wouldn't be Denmark without its world-famous Horsen Mit Fuzzen Hoofen (Danish for fuzzy hoofed horses.... which is a Danish term I just made up off the top of my head to describe these horses whose breed is a mystery to me---unless of course they're the horses that pull the Budweiser beer wagon....then they must be Clydesdales.....
We couldn't pass up this photo of white lilacs, which are the favorites of Brandon's mom, Marie.
Typical of Aero Island in May are the emerald fields of grain, dotted with lovely farm houses and occasional wind mills along our bike path....
And the rolling fields often continue almost to the sea.....
And of course, Denmark wouldn't be Denmark without its world-famous Horsen Mit Fuzzen Hoofen (Danish for fuzzy hoofed horses.... which is a Danish term I just made up off the top of my head to describe these horses whose breed is a mystery to me---unless of course they're the horses that pull the Budweiser beer wagon....then they must be Clydesdales.....
We couldn't pass up this photo of white lilacs, which are the favorites of Brandon's mom, Marie.In Denmark, lilacs are not only ubiquitous, but they can be seen everywhere and in most places (which is a description that Dave Barry wants to borrow from me). Seriously, the lilacs are so plentiful in Denmark that many farmers use them instead of trees as wind-breaks between their fields.
This exotic tree, according to Viking legend, puts forth golden blossoms only once every 3 billion years---and the blossoms last only 30 seconds. So you can imagine how rare this picture is....
Now, you're not going to believe this, but as we pedaled along the scenic Danish countryside, who should go whizzing by but Lance Armstrong HIMSELF, followed by the usual wanna-be's. When I asked him what he was doing in Denmark, he looked around, puzzled, then asked for directions to France. [Psssst... some of his fans think he walks on water, but don't believe it---he merely rides on it}.
The Lee-sens trying to determine who has the right-of-way on the bike path, with the sea and beach cottages in the background. Many of the cottages were 10ft by 10 ft, cheerfully painted, and well-kept.
The Sorensens trying to determine who has the right-of-way on the bicycle path (with Rachael saying to herself, "I think I'll just fall off the fender and have a nappy."
Picnic time near the beach. Jeannie is enjoying some Danish kippered herring. Herring are the most plentiful fish caught in Denmark, mainly because they can't hear the noise of the fishing trawlers. So the Danish chapter of PETA is planning a fund-raising campaign to purchase 40 million herring aids.....
Regular Grandpa (aka Bumma) giving free rock-skipping lessons to Todd. Noah would prefer free bull-dozer driving lessons.....
Grandpa feeding some lunch to Rachael (Correction: Grandpa attempting to feed some lunch
This exotic tree, according to Viking legend, puts forth golden blossoms only once every 3 billion years---and the blossoms last only 30 seconds. So you can imagine how rare this picture is....
Now, you're not going to believe this, but as we pedaled along the scenic Danish countryside, who should go whizzing by but Lance Armstrong HIMSELF, followed by the usual wanna-be's. When I asked him what he was doing in Denmark, he looked around, puzzled, then asked for directions to France. [Psssst... some of his fans think he walks on water, but don't believe it---he merely rides on it}.
The Lee-sens trying to determine who has the right-of-way on the bike path, with the sea and beach cottages in the background. Many of the cottages were 10ft by 10 ft, cheerfully painted, and well-kept.
The Sorensens trying to determine who has the right-of-way on the bicycle path (with Rachael saying to herself, "I think I'll just fall off the fender and have a nappy."
Picnic time near the beach. Jeannie is enjoying some Danish kippered herring. Herring are the most plentiful fish caught in Denmark, mainly because they can't hear the noise of the fishing trawlers. So the Danish chapter of PETA is planning a fund-raising campaign to purchase 40 million herring aids.....
Regular Grandpa (aka Bumma) giving free rock-skipping lessons to Todd. Noah would prefer free bull-dozer driving lessons.....
Grandpa feeding some lunch to Rachael (Correction: Grandpa attempting to feed some lunchto Rachael....)
Bumma feeding kippered herring to Tessa, who proves to be a little herring addict!
In a local ice cream shop, the ice cream lady prepares to fill a waffle cone made by her husband. Though not seen in the photo, the husband is off to the right where he busily ladles batter onto a special waffle iron, then rolls the warm, paper-thin waffle into a cone. In the foreground are the home-made ice creams and sorbets.
Outside a local pastry shop, three Danish-Americans pause to enjoy delicious Danish pastries. As they are munching and conversing, Josie notices a residence across the street that has a blue
Upon closer inspection, the door has a name plate with the resident's last name. What in the world could that name possibly be?????...
Yes, indeedy----LAURITSEN !!---which totally thrills Josie Lauritsen-Lee. As for Noah Lee, he's totally thrilled with the name ICE CREAM CONE !!
And even though the name on the door is not SORENSEN, Todd and Rachael rejoice nonetheless because their mother's name is Jeannie LAURITSEN-SORENSEN (how's that for Danish??!!).
Not content with just a photo of the door's name plate, Regular Grandpa/Bumma hassles the resident---Mrs. Lauritsen---until she agrees to a photo op. Notice the unmistakable resemblance between these two long-lost cousins: both have two arms, two legs, a head, and eyeglasses!!! (While some folks may chalk this up to mere "coincidence," every true Lauritsen knows it's "Something" much bigger....
Well, no trip to Aero Island is complete without an authentic Danish hoot doog (which, by the way, is not the way the Danes pronounce it or write it---I just thought it might spice-up this text a bit....) Notice the happy, friendly hot dog lady---typical of us happy, friendly Danes. And her husband is just as happy and friendly, and so is his T-shirt......
Translation of the message on the shirt: "Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." And now, let's take a closer look at an authentic Danish hot dog!....
The adult version traditionally comes with various choices of mayo and mustard, plus bacon bits, and sweet pickles---all on a traditional hot dog bun. The bun used on kids' hot dogs in Denmark is not sliced; rather, it has a hole through the middle of it lengthwise, and the hot dog stays safely inside, instead of falling out and thereby creating pandemonium when the kid sees his hot dog in the dirt and starts yowling his head off, and the dad yells at him for being such a klutz, while the mom yells at the dad for yelling at the kid, and passers-by quietly get out their cell phones and start dialing CPS---all because of a dysfunctional American-style hot dog bun!! Well, there are no hot-dog-bun-related CPS calls in Denmark, no siree Bob, for the reason explained above. And that is why I have written an urgent appeal to President Obama to make Hot Dog Bun Reform a priority in his 2012 campaign. If Denmark can do it, America can do it!!
Well, all good things must come to an end, and so we prepare to re-board the ferry for the return trip to Fraaborg. Here we see two Danish-Americans enjoying a final creme sicle. Behind them is a sign in Danish that says: "Four score and seven years ago...."
The Three Amigos enjoying the sunny Sea of Denmark (which "sea"doesn't actually exist, except in the minds of us poets; however, our poetic license---now available at any DMV---allows us to say or write whatever we want, and we usually do.) For those viewers interested in the Danish flag, you may want to note the following (and yes, it is true and accurate): The Danish flag, called "Dannebrog" ("the Danes' cloth") is the oldest continuously-used national flag in the world. The white cross on a red background does not refer exclusively to Christianity, but also to a universal symbol from ancient times. According to the legend, the "Dannebrog" fell from the skies on June 15th, 1219, enabling King Valdemar II (Valdemar the Victorious) to defeat the Estonians in a famous battle. During its decent to earth, the "Dannebrog" drew a vertical axis linking Heaven and Earth. The cross on the "Dannebrog" later became known as the Scandinavian or Nordic cross because five of the six other Scandiavian nations (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands) adopted it as part of their national flags (Greenland did not...tsk, tsk, tsk).
Danes are reputed to have large, round heads. Note Tessa's.
A little-known fact is that the legend of Sleeping Beauty actually originated in ancient Denmark. Here is a candidate trying-out for the lead role........
Here we are driving down a typical urban residential area in Kobenhavn, on our way to the our two-day stay at the residence of Hanne and Brian Trane (TRAY-nuh) and their four year-old daughter, Clara.
The Trane's residence is on quiet, tree-lined Lovholmen Street, about two blocks from the city's modern light rail (which Copenhagen has had for decades and Phoenix is barely inaugurating).
The spacious upstairs dormer apartment is home to the Danish-Americans....
Just after our arrival at the Trane's home, Hanne and Josie (pronounced YO-see in Danish) pause for a quick photo. Note Yosee's unmistakable Danish features. In fact, she looks much
Bumma feeding kippered herring to Tessa, who proves to be a little herring addict!
In a local ice cream shop, the ice cream lady prepares to fill a waffle cone made by her husband. Though not seen in the photo, the husband is off to the right where he busily ladles batter onto a special waffle iron, then rolls the warm, paper-thin waffle into a cone. In the foreground are the home-made ice creams and sorbets.
Outside a local pastry shop, three Danish-Americans pause to enjoy delicious Danish pastries. As they are munching and conversing, Josie notices a residence across the street that has a bluedoor......
Upon closer inspection, the door has a name plate with the resident's last name. What in the world could that name possibly be?????...
Yes, indeedy----LAURITSEN !!---which totally thrills Josie Lauritsen-Lee. As for Noah Lee, he's totally thrilled with the name ICE CREAM CONE !!
And even though the name on the door is not SORENSEN, Todd and Rachael rejoice nonetheless because their mother's name is Jeannie LAURITSEN-SORENSEN (how's that for Danish??!!).
Not content with just a photo of the door's name plate, Regular Grandpa/Bumma hassles the resident---Mrs. Lauritsen---until she agrees to a photo op. Notice the unmistakable resemblance between these two long-lost cousins: both have two arms, two legs, a head, and eyeglasses!!! (While some folks may chalk this up to mere "coincidence," every true Lauritsen knows it's "Something" much bigger....
Well, no trip to Aero Island is complete without an authentic Danish hoot doog (which, by the way, is not the way the Danes pronounce it or write it---I just thought it might spice-up this text a bit....) Notice the happy, friendly hot dog lady---typical of us happy, friendly Danes. And her husband is just as happy and friendly, and so is his T-shirt......
Translation of the message on the shirt: "Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." And now, let's take a closer look at an authentic Danish hot dog!....
The adult version traditionally comes with various choices of mayo and mustard, plus bacon bits, and sweet pickles---all on a traditional hot dog bun. The bun used on kids' hot dogs in Denmark is not sliced; rather, it has a hole through the middle of it lengthwise, and the hot dog stays safely inside, instead of falling out and thereby creating pandemonium when the kid sees his hot dog in the dirt and starts yowling his head off, and the dad yells at him for being such a klutz, while the mom yells at the dad for yelling at the kid, and passers-by quietly get out their cell phones and start dialing CPS---all because of a dysfunctional American-style hot dog bun!! Well, there are no hot-dog-bun-related CPS calls in Denmark, no siree Bob, for the reason explained above. And that is why I have written an urgent appeal to President Obama to make Hot Dog Bun Reform a priority in his 2012 campaign. If Denmark can do it, America can do it!!
Well, all good things must come to an end, and so we prepare to re-board the ferry for the return trip to Fraaborg. Here we see two Danish-Americans enjoying a final creme sicle. Behind them is a sign in Danish that says: "Four score and seven years ago...."
The Three Amigos enjoying the sunny Sea of Denmark (which "sea"doesn't actually exist, except in the minds of us poets; however, our poetic license---now available at any DMV---allows us to say or write whatever we want, and we usually do.) For those viewers interested in the Danish flag, you may want to note the following (and yes, it is true and accurate): The Danish flag, called "Dannebrog" ("the Danes' cloth") is the oldest continuously-used national flag in the world. The white cross on a red background does not refer exclusively to Christianity, but also to a universal symbol from ancient times. According to the legend, the "Dannebrog" fell from the skies on June 15th, 1219, enabling King Valdemar II (Valdemar the Victorious) to defeat the Estonians in a famous battle. During its decent to earth, the "Dannebrog" drew a vertical axis linking Heaven and Earth. The cross on the "Dannebrog" later became known as the Scandinavian or Nordic cross because five of the six other Scandiavian nations (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Faroe Islands) adopted it as part of their national flags (Greenland did not...tsk, tsk, tsk).
Danes are reputed to have large, round heads. Note Tessa's.
A little-known fact is that the legend of Sleeping Beauty actually originated in ancient Denmark. Here is a candidate trying-out for the lead role........
Helsingor (in Danish) is Elsinore in English and is the location of Shakespeare's masterpiece "Hamlet" (originally titled "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark"). Malmo is one of Sweden's major cities.
And of course, Kobenhavn (Copenhagen in English) is Denmark's capital, which we will see more of shortly. As you may note, America obviously plagiarized its highway signage (colors, icons, etc.) from the Danes. Not to be outdone, the AKC (American Kennel Club) plagiarized the breed known as the Great Dane. Originating in Denmark in the 1600's, the Great Dane was named for its great nobility and spirit, not its size. Physically, the original Great Danes were barely distinguishable from today's chihuahuas. However, like everything else the Americans stole or plagiarized from the Danes, the Americans went to the extreme to make it "bigger and better." Hence, put a chihuahua on steroids and what do you get?---that's right, the Great Dane.
Here we are driving down a typical urban residential area in Kobenhavn, on our way to the our two-day stay at the residence of Hanne and Brian Trane (TRAY-nuh) and their four year-old daughter, Clara.
The Trane's residence is on quiet, tree-lined Lovholmen Street, about two blocks from the city's modern light rail (which Copenhagen has had for decades and Phoenix is barely inaugurating).The spacious upstairs dormer apartment is home to the Danish-Americans....
Just after our arrival at the Trane's home, Hanne and Josie (pronounced YO-see in Danish) pause for a quick photo. Note Yosee's unmistakable Danish features. In fact, she looks muchmore Danish than Hanne, especially her unmistakable Viking height. It is unfortunate that Yosee turned down a contract with the Denmark Tourist Bureau who wanted her photo for their upcoming tourism campaign "Today's Viking Women: Scandinavia's Modern Amazons!"
Noah and Clara, decked out in their Danish colors, pretend they are on their Viking ship headed to conquer London, which their ancestors did in 1017 AD.
This little emerald paradise is Clara's back yard. Legend has it that the Garden of Eden was located in Denmark. Mormon-Americans plagiarized that, too, and doggedly insist that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri of all places! Tsk, tsk, tsk....
Yosee pauses in the lovely Scandanavian-style kitchen of the dormer apartment that overlooks the backyard. In the foreground, Noah inquires, "What's for dinner---Viking stew again?!!
Noah strolling along the white pine floors of the apartment, thinking to himself, " All right already! Enough of this Denmark stuff! Let's get back to London so I can play with my space shuttle, ok? OKAY??!!!"
Brandon having a nostalgia attack: the apartment's wood-burning stove is the exact make and model of the stove he grew up with in Beaver. In fact, he took his beloved stove with him on his mission and later to college. However, Josie gave him an emphatic "NO WAY!!" when he asked to take it on their honeymoon.....
What appears to be a photo out of alignment is, in reality, a moment of weightlessness in the dormer apartment. This event is commonplace in Denmark, thanks to the fact that the Danes invented gravity and, therefore, they can turn it on and off as they desire. This is also the reason Danish children are so well-behaved: "If you disobey mommy or daddy---click!---off goes your gravity!" After just two minutes of banging into walls and crashing into ceilings, the child is much more open to parental suggestions. Danish "No gravity!" is infinitely more effective than American "Time out!"
Even more clever and ingenious than their "No gravity!" techniques are the Danes' water-saving "Choose-a-Flush" toilets. As pictured here, the flush activator is located atop the toilet tank and has two buttons. Push the small one for small loads, and the big one for big loads. (If a Dane is not sure if a load qualifies as "big" or "small", he or she can call or e-mail the Home Office for assistance.)
Along with their state-of-the-art toilets, the Danes' toilet paper dispensers are a marvel of Scandinavian simplicity and style---no spring-loaded spindle to wrestle with (and to accidentally pop into you eye and cause instant blindness!) What's more, if you observe it closely, it looks like a Happy Face, doesn't it? (Well, it does to me....and to any other real Dane!)
Here we have a Danish-American couple who are obviously enchanted with the cobble stone street and Dano-Greco architecture (which is a term I just made up myself). Speaking of the Grecos, it is well known by historians that the Vikings beat the combined armies, navies, air force, and marines of Greece, Troy, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, and Costa Rica at the First Battle of Trafalgar in 2800 BC. Later, the Vikings let the Brits beat these five losers in the Second Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
Here we have a Danish-American standing on the corner of a busy boulevard in lovely downtown Copenhagen, waiting for the light to turn green. Note the word printed on the street. In Danish it refers to a large motorized vehicle that carries up to 50 passengers from Point A to Point B. If you live at Point C, you're outta luck, pal.
Here is a tall, lanky Dane with the characteristically large, round Danish head (sometimes referred to as The Floating Head of Death) displaying his characteristic good humor, while his patient traveling companion quietly puts up with the streetside idiocy.....
A Danish-American couple pause before some sidewalk art (commonly referred to in America as graffiti, but light years superior to the American stuff....)
In Copenhagen, bikes are ubiquitous. What's more, they are seen everywhere and every place, which, of course, makes them even more ubiquitous....
Because of the heavy bicycle traffic, Copenhagen has given bicyclists priority in traffic management. Broad, well-marked bicycle lanes prevail throughout the city, and cars and pedestrians yield the right-of-way to bicyclists (who are of all sizes, ages, and occupations---students, grandmothers, blue collar workers, women in high heels and suits, business men...).
Here we see bicyclists and non-bicyclists at an intersection waiting while bicyclists whiz by on
We were in Copenhagen a few weeks before Denmark's general elections, and the candidates' posters were on virtually every lamp post. There are 10 parties represented in the Folketing (Danish paarliament) and 8 parties not represented. The woman in the poster on top represents the Folkebevaegelsen (People's Movement Against the E.U.). The woman below represents Venstre (the middle-Liberal Party). Also in Demark at this time were Dr. and Mrs. Brian Sorensen and their children. Brian was selected for a two-month internship with the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) in Copenhagen where he assisted in the daily tracking and reporting of the N1H1 (swine flu) pandemic.
And while Brian was busy with WHO, Jeannie (pronounced YEE-nee) was busy at their high-rise apartment. Let's ring the Sorensens' apartment and see if YEEnee and the kids are home.....
Look, up in the sky!---it's a bird!---it's a plane---it's SUPER mom! (looking down from her 6th story apartment window).......
And after trudging (then semi-crawling) up 12 flights of stairs, who should be there to greet us but YEEnee Lauritsen-Sorensen, Viking woman extraordinaire!....
"Welcome to our penthouse!" she exclaims, motioning to her in-door clothes lines and her vista overlooking a nearby park and pond. When not drying clothes on the indoor lines, YEEnee follows the tradition of her Viking ancestors and dries fish and venison....
Meanwhile, Aunt Yosee entertains the children while YEEnee and Bumma go for a walk and have dinner to celebrate YEEnee's and Brian's anniversary (The evening prior, Bumma took Yosee for a walk and dinner to celebrate YEEnee's and Brian's anniversary, too)
While her brother and cousins are playing with Aunt Yosee, Rachael pauses for another super snack of----you guessed it!----chocolate bread! Every little Viking girl loves chocolate bread. According to Danish folklore, the great Viking explorer was reported to have said, "Give me chocolate bread, or give me death!" And since chocolate bread hadn't been invented yet, they gave him death....
Enjoying her Viking feast/anniversay dinner, YEEnee beams her satisfaction. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse!" she exclaimed. So, it's off to find a horse......
The horse, in this case, is ridden by one of the valkyries---mythological Nordic women to whom the Nordic god Odin gave the power to chose which men would die in battle. Afterward, these Amazon-like women would conduct the warriors' spirits back to Odin where the warriors would live with him in Valhalla (the after-life). Richard Wagner, the famous 19th century German composer, wrote "The Ride of the Valkyries", one of the most etherial and stirring symphonies ever written.
Getting ready to depart Denmark for London, a Danish-American bids a fond farewell to his Viking host, Ragnar: "Farvel! Held og lykke!" ("Good-bye! Good luck!")
And of course, no farewell to Denmark would be complete without also wishing farewell to Saint Canute, the medieval Danish king who was killed by his own people (see upper-right panel), then later cannonized (lower-right panel).
Faravel, Danmark. Jeg elsker dig! (Good-bye, Denmark. I love you!)
Noah and Clara, decked out in their Danish colors, pretend they are on their Viking ship headed to conquer London, which their ancestors did in 1017 AD.
This little emerald paradise is Clara's back yard. Legend has it that the Garden of Eden was located in Denmark. Mormon-Americans plagiarized that, too, and doggedly insist that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri of all places! Tsk, tsk, tsk....
Yosee pauses in the lovely Scandanavian-style kitchen of the dormer apartment that overlooks the backyard. In the foreground, Noah inquires, "What's for dinner---Viking stew again?!!
Noah strolling along the white pine floors of the apartment, thinking to himself, " All right already! Enough of this Denmark stuff! Let's get back to London so I can play with my space shuttle, ok? OKAY??!!!"
Brandon having a nostalgia attack: the apartment's wood-burning stove is the exact make and model of the stove he grew up with in Beaver. In fact, he took his beloved stove with him on his mission and later to college. However, Josie gave him an emphatic "NO WAY!!" when he asked to take it on their honeymoon.....
What appears to be a photo out of alignment is, in reality, a moment of weightlessness in the dormer apartment. This event is commonplace in Denmark, thanks to the fact that the Danes invented gravity and, therefore, they can turn it on and off as they desire. This is also the reason Danish children are so well-behaved: "If you disobey mommy or daddy---click!---off goes your gravity!" After just two minutes of banging into walls and crashing into ceilings, the child is much more open to parental suggestions. Danish "No gravity!" is infinitely more effective than American "Time out!" 
Even more clever and ingenious than their "No gravity!" techniques are the Danes' water-saving "Choose-a-Flush" toilets. As pictured here, the flush activator is located atop the toilet tank and has two buttons. Push the small one for small loads, and the big one for big loads. (If a Dane is not sure if a load qualifies as "big" or "small", he or she can call or e-mail the Home Office for assistance.)
Along with their state-of-the-art toilets, the Danes' toilet paper dispensers are a marvel of Scandinavian simplicity and style---no spring-loaded spindle to wrestle with (and to accidentally pop into you eye and cause instant blindness!) What's more, if you observe it closely, it looks like a Happy Face, doesn't it? (Well, it does to me....and to any other real Dane!) 
Here we have a Danish-American couple who are obviously enchanted with the cobble stone street and Dano-Greco architecture (which is a term I just made up myself). Speaking of the Grecos, it is well known by historians that the Vikings beat the combined armies, navies, air force, and marines of Greece, Troy, Babylonia, Mesopotamia, and Costa Rica at the First Battle of Trafalgar in 2800 BC. Later, the Vikings let the Brits beat these five losers in the Second Battle of Trafalgar in 1805....
Here we have a Danish-American standing on the corner of a busy boulevard in lovely downtown Copenhagen, waiting for the light to turn green. Note the word printed on the street. In Danish it refers to a large motorized vehicle that carries up to 50 passengers from Point A to Point B. If you live at Point C, you're outta luck, pal.
Here is a tall, lanky Dane with the characteristically large, round Danish head (sometimes referred to as The Floating Head of Death) displaying his characteristic good humor, while his patient traveling companion quietly puts up with the streetside idiocy.....
A Danish-American couple pause before some sidewalk art (commonly referred to in America as graffiti, but light years superior to the American stuff....)
In Copenhagen, bikes are ubiquitous. What's more, they are seen everywhere and every place, which, of course, makes them even more ubiquitous....
Because of the heavy bicycle traffic, Copenhagen has given bicyclists priority in traffic management. Broad, well-marked bicycle lanes prevail throughout the city, and cars and pedestrians yield the right-of-way to bicyclists (who are of all sizes, ages, and occupations---students, grandmothers, blue collar workers, women in high heels and suits, business men...).
Here we see bicyclists and non-bicyclists at an intersection waiting while bicyclists whiz by onthe green light....
We were in Copenhagen a few weeks before Denmark's general elections, and the candidates' posters were on virtually every lamp post. There are 10 parties represented in the Folketing (Danish paarliament) and 8 parties not represented. The woman in the poster on top represents the Folkebevaegelsen (People's Movement Against the E.U.). The woman below represents Venstre (the middle-Liberal Party). Also in Demark at this time were Dr. and Mrs. Brian Sorensen and their children. Brian was selected for a two-month internship with the United Nations' World Health Organization (WHO) in Copenhagen where he assisted in the daily tracking and reporting of the N1H1 (swine flu) pandemic.
And while Brian was busy with WHO, Jeannie (pronounced YEE-nee) was busy at their high-rise apartment. Let's ring the Sorensens' apartment and see if YEEnee and the kids are home.....
Look, up in the sky!---it's a bird!---it's a plane---it's SUPER mom! (looking down from her 6th story apartment window).......
And after trudging (then semi-crawling) up 12 flights of stairs, who should be there to greet us but YEEnee Lauritsen-Sorensen, Viking woman extraordinaire!....
"Welcome to our penthouse!" she exclaims, motioning to her in-door clothes lines and her vista overlooking a nearby park and pond. When not drying clothes on the indoor lines, YEEnee follows the tradition of her Viking ancestors and dries fish and venison....
Meanwhile, Aunt Yosee entertains the children while YEEnee and Bumma go for a walk and have dinner to celebrate YEEnee's and Brian's anniversary (The evening prior, Bumma took Yosee for a walk and dinner to celebrate YEEnee's and Brian's anniversary, too)
While her brother and cousins are playing with Aunt Yosee, Rachael pauses for another super snack of----you guessed it!----chocolate bread! Every little Viking girl loves chocolate bread. According to Danish folklore, the great Viking explorer was reported to have said, "Give me chocolate bread, or give me death!" And since chocolate bread hadn't been invented yet, they gave him death....
Enjoying her Viking feast/anniversay dinner, YEEnee beams her satisfaction. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse!" she exclaimed. So, it's off to find a horse......
The horse, in this case, is ridden by one of the valkyries---mythological Nordic women to whom the Nordic god Odin gave the power to chose which men would die in battle. Afterward, these Amazon-like women would conduct the warriors' spirits back to Odin where the warriors would live with him in Valhalla (the after-life). Richard Wagner, the famous 19th century German composer, wrote "The Ride of the Valkyries", one of the most etherial and stirring symphonies ever written.
Getting ready to depart Denmark for London, a Danish-American bids a fond farewell to his Viking host, Ragnar: "Farvel! Held og lykke!" ("Good-bye! Good luck!")
And of course, no farewell to Denmark would be complete without also wishing farewell to Saint Canute, the medieval Danish king who was killed by his own people (see upper-right panel), then later cannonized (lower-right panel).
Faravel, Danmark. Jeg elsker dig! (Good-bye, Denmark. I love you!)
