Before Kyiv's winter season forced me into hibernation, I wanted to bank some time outside, so I chose North Zealand as a destination. To be clear, this is not New Zealand, where much of the Lord of the Rings franchise was filmed. But my trip did begin with a bit of a personal quest, as I struggled to find my AirBnB in the northern region of Denmark. I wandered around the Par Force Hunting Landscape for nearly an hour before I found the place about 200 meters from the bus stop where I started my search.
At the end of my apartment adventure, there was much reward. The hosts were so welcoming, as they gave me a tour of the house addition they created for their daughters. Prideful photos of their progeny, who ended up getting married and living in houses with their own families, adorn the apartment walls (left). I, however, was more impressed by the bathroom, which featured a spa tub and sauna that would later become nice nightcaps for my outdoor pursuits (right).
The next morning, I set out with the intention of getting a little lost in a nearby national park. I took a train to a isolated station in the middle of Gribskov Forest (top left). When I start wandering among the trees nearby, though, I realized I was not exactly far from civilization. Well-marked trails kept me from straying too far; I opted to follow the yellow-dot road (top right). And many people were wandering in the woods, seemingly mushroom hunting. Not being a fungi aficionado, I merely inspected some sprouts, opting not to disturb any snails' shelters (bottom).
Originally, I had hoped to rent a bike and ride a well-known trail that snakes through the forest (top left). But unfortunately, most shops had limited hours on Saturday, so such an outing didn't seem worth it. As a result, I was taunted by yellow jerseys as I bopped from one yellow dot to the next (top right). Eventually, I left the forest trail in order to hike to a nearby abbey. The way wasn't signposted, but it was well-marked by beauty, including a darling thatched-roof house that literally was named "Darling" (bottom left) as well as numerous bridges across charming bubbling brooks (bottom right).
As I reached the end of my pilgrimage path, Esrum Abbey, the sun started to come out (top left), which made walking the short circuit of the grounds that much more enjoyable. Along the way, there were interactive stops that explained what the abbey would have looked like during its heyday (top right). A lot of the buildings have disappeared, but the mill house is fully intact (middle left) and its interior gears are still operational (middle right). Once upon a time, monks would've ground grain for beer there, but the Esrum Kloster abbey ale that I drank in the cellars is made off-site by Skands Brewery (bottom).
Just down the road from the abbey, I caught a bus to the port of Helsingor, which has some historical ships on display at its dock (top). Part of the dock warehouses has been converted into a maritime-themed Street Food Market (bottom left). I decided to try beiju, Brazilian tacos made from tapioca, but I washed it down with a local brew, Tuborg, which was born in a Copenhagen suburb (bottom right).
But the main draw of the city, linguistically corrupted into Elsinore by a famous bard, is Kronborg Castle (top). It is said that the fortress, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the model home for Shakespeare's beleaguered Dane. Most definitely, you can imagine Hamlet pacing upon its precipices (middle left), with some overcast weather adding to his downcast attitude (middle right). Surprisingly, the ramparts where he supposedly saw his father's ghost didn't feel so dreary (bottom left), maybe partially because it has become a setting for wedding photos (bottom right).
Don't get wrong, Hamlet was going through some stuff, but you would think living in a palace with one of the longest ballrooms in the world could ease his pain a bit (top left). If not that, how about looking up at the spectacular ceiling masterpieces (top right) or looking out across Oresund Strait (middle)? I'm guessing, instead, he spent too much time wandering in the cold and clammy casemates (bottom left), never giving a second thought to how Viking hero Holger Danske had it much worse than him, holed up in there sleeping for hundreds of years (bottom right).
At the end of my apartment adventure, there was much reward. The hosts were so welcoming, as they gave me a tour of the house addition they created for their daughters. Prideful photos of their progeny, who ended up getting married and living in houses with their own families, adorn the apartment walls (left). I, however, was more impressed by the bathroom, which featured a spa tub and sauna that would later become nice nightcaps for my outdoor pursuits (right).
Touring the castle did put me in a bit of a blue mood, which didn't dissipate as I skirted the gray waterfront on my way toward downtown (top left). Luckily, the city center was filled with color that brought back some cheer (top right). The Skands' Elmegade IPA that I drank at Gaestgivergaarden went a long way toward lifting my spirits (bottom left). Then the Stegt Flaesk I ate at Cafe Hyacint, accompanied by Brockhouse Brewery's Classic Lager, completely returned me to an even keel (bottom right).
As the sun went down, I caught the train back to Hillerod, where I unwound in my spa bathroom. When the sun came up, I awoke to perfect weather, which provided a painting-like backdrop for a visit to Fredriksborg Castle (top). These Danish kings really knew what they were doing. I mean, my jacuzzi tub and sauna had nothing on Frederick II's bathhouse, where he would clean up with his buddies after hunting all day (bottom left). I chose a less strenuous use of the castle grounds, wandering through the impeccably groomed gardens (bottom right).
Nowadays, the castle is a top destination because it houses the National History Museum, which was started with an endowment from the founder of Carlsberg brewery (top). But I was there on a Sunday morning, so others were attending services in its clock tower, which houses the parish church (bottom left). Yet others were participating in an organized race through the palace grounds. However, I, gluttonous heathen that I am, opted out of both to enjoy a Kanel Snegle, a cinnamon "snail" with chocolate (bottom right).
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