Ants In My Pants

Yes, I can now honestly say I've had ants in my pants. And I don't mean fake ants, I mean the real kind. The ones that build little mounds in your driveway. And no, it wasn't voluntary. Let me explain:

Today I went to Dyrehaven (Deer Haven) with my visiting family (who I feel I should just start calling my family, that sounds much nicer) and Katherine, the girl who I share my family with. Dyrehaven is the old hunting grounds for the king. He had a small castle built there so he could hunt outside the city with his dogs and friends. And I don't think he was a very good hunter because they brought deer to the forest to ensure a good hunt. And now the deer have inbred and there are about 10 albino deer in the park!

But since there is no king anymore (Queen Margaret II is the first ruling queen in Danish history) there is no need for a hunting castle, and it is now a public park where you can ride bikes or horses, run, walk or have a picnic - which is exactly what we did! Danish food is always better when a Dane makes it. Hanne, the mom, is an amazing cook. There were salmon rolls, sausage wrapped in homemade bread, potato salad and vegetables. Yum! Also, until now I had never known what ants in your pants felt like. I did after lunch. So we picked a spot on the grass in the forest and put our blanket down. They have three kids so there were a lot of us, and I sat right off the blanket on the grass. All of a sudden I felt all these ants crawling on my back, and then in my pants. It was uncomfortable to say the least. So I quickly brushed them off/squished them, and pretended it was nothing. I still have the creepy-crawlies and think there might still be an ant in my pocket or somewhere. It was a bit traumatizing. But other than that, we had an excellent lunch!

This deer was so close to us and didn't seem to mind at all!

After lunch we walked to the castle at the top of the hill - honestly it wasn't anything more than that, Denmark is very flat. You could see Sweden and the coast on one side and a huge field full of deer on the other. The kids flew their kite and it was so nice. One thing I should note is that my family's third child, Johannes, has Down's syndrome. He is the cutest little seven year old I know. Today at lunch he crawled next to me and held my hand. He is nonverbal but understands everything you say (in Danish). I love how the family dynamic is here - very accepting. The kids adapt so easily when Johannes is tired or walking slowly. I feel like in the US it would be more than it is here to have a child with a disability. The family fully embraces it and thinks positively, knowing it gives them opportunities they would otherwise never experience. I love all of them!

I wish the castle was a museum now, but it's boarded up. There aren't park workers to provide security. 

Sweden! Through the fog...

I did much more than just this, but I don't want this to be a long blog! I'll add in more when I do my blog about all the tourist places in Copenhagen. Yesterday I went to the Round Tower and tomorrow I'm headed to Rosenborg Castle and gardens in the heart of Copenhagen. Pictures of those soon!

Hej hej!
(pronounced 'hi hi', it's Danish for goodbye!)

dwh.