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Round trip cycling to Roskilde: Vikings, Cathedrals, and More

0 Round trip cycling to Roskilde: Vikings, Cathedrals, and More

About a month after our big cycling trip to Helsingør, my flat mate and I were on our bikes again. This time around, we were cycling to Roskilde. During my time in Denmark, I had heard many times of this historic city 30 km west of Copenhagen, mostly in the context of its famous summer festival. Even though I never got around to attend it, I figured it was high time I payed this historic city a visit.

Cycling to Roskilde

The weather was a bit muggy that day, not too warm, not too cold, with a constant breeze blowing long hair into eyes. Basically, your typical Danish summer day. Starting from Farum early in the morning, we cycled for about two hours through the Danish countryside. This mostly consisted of lush farmlands interrupted by occasional small towns. Not as eye-pleasing as the coastal road we had done during our last trip, but the backroads were pretty good for biking, and there was little to no traffic.

Roskilde

We reached Roskilde by the northern road following the Roskilde fjord. The fjord being one of the key elements of this old Viking town. Founded during the Viking Age, the city became an important trading hub and a center of power for Danish kings. According to legend, Harald Bluetooth, the king who helped unify Denmark and convert it to Christianity, established Roskilde as a royal seat in the 10th century.

Roskilde fjord

During the medieval period, Roskilde grew into a major religious center. The construction of Roskilde Cathedral in the 12th and 13th centuries solidified the city’s importance. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the final resting place of Danish monarchs, with over 40 kings and queens buried within its walls. The cathedral’s Gothic brick architecture and historical significance make it a key landmark in Denmark’s cultural heritage.

Roskilde Cathedral

Despite losing its status as Denmark’s capital to Copenhagen in the 15th century, Roskilde remained a vital city. It continued to be a religious and economic center, playing a key role in regional trade.

The 5 m tall Roskilde Jars (Roskilde Krukkerne) created by Danish artist Peter Brandes in 1998

In modern times, the famous Roskilde Festival I mentioned previously is one of Europe’s largest music festivals and well worth experiencing. Outside of festival season, the Viking Ship Museum is the city’s top attraction.

The Viking Ship Museum

After cycling around the city center for a while, we headed to the famous Viking Ship Museum. Located along the Roskilde Fjord, the museum is dedicated to Viking maritime culture and shipbuilding. It is best known for its collection of five original Viking ships, known as the Skuldelev ships, which were excavated from the fjord in the 1960s.

The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde

The Skuldelev ships date back to the 11th century and were deliberately sunk to create a barrier against enemy attacks on Roskilde. Each of the five ships served a distinct purpose: one was a long, narrow warship built for speed and raids, while another was a sturdy trading vessel designed to carry cargo across long distances. The remaining ships included a coastal trader and smaller boats used for fishing and local transport.

Recovered Viking ships on display at the museum

The discovery of these ships provided invaluable insights into Viking shipbuilding techniques, maritime warfare, and daily life on the sea. Aside from the exhibits, the museum offers a hands-on experience with Viking shipbuilding techniques. Visitors can watch skilled craftsmen use traditional techniques in full-scale reconstructions of the original ships.

Ship building workshop

During the summer months, visitors can also hop on board one of the reconstructed Viking ships for a rowing experience through the fjord. Before setting off, participants receive instructions from museum staff on Viking rowing techniques, teamwork, and navigation.

Museum visitors rowing away in their Viking ship

A synchronized effort is required to keep the vessel moving smoothly, so rowers must follow the rhythm set by the crew leader. If conditions are right, the sail can also help them out.

A worthwhile visit

After our visit to the museum, we slowly made our way back towards Farum. Another two hours across the peaceful Danish countryside. The sun finally decided to come out to greet us in the afternoon as we rode back. Even though our trip to Roskilde was rather short, the Viking Ship Museum made it worthwhile. I would highly recommend a visit, especially to any Viking enthusiasts out there!

Denmark: A year of cycling

Denmark: A year of cycling

My main objective in 2017 was finishing my Masters thesis. It was going to be a highly work-intensive year with no plans to travel abroad. Cycling had always helped me relax and clear my mind in the past. So in my attempts to cope with the stress and mental fatigue of a demanding year, 2017 would turn out to be a year of cycling and exploring Eastern Denmark.

Cycling: The solution to everything

After moving to Farum at the end of 2016, I was heavily reliant on the Danish S-trains to get into Copenhagen for work. Luckily the trains were fitted with plenty of bicycle areas so passengers could bring their bikes aboard. However, things would get very chaotic during rush hours when the train would be absolutely packed with bike-wielding people. If you were unfortunate enough to be stuck in the middle, you’d have no chance of getting out in time for your stop.

Late winter in the Danish forests

To avoid the nuisance of train chaos, I began cycling back home, instead of taking the S-train. Cycling the 20 km distance would take me just around 30 minutes extra, but it would be much more rewarding. Especially on a beautiful sunset evening with good weather!

Cycling also became my solution to keeping up my gym routine. Farum didn’t have a FitnessDK gym, which I was a member of, and I wouldn’t always want to go all the way to Copenhagen just to work out. Instead, I would cycle to the nearby village of Birkerød. Thus Farum-Birkerød became another regular cycling route.

An old friend

A few months into the year, a close friend of mine from my undergrad years decided to move to Denmark for a fresh start. At around the same time, my old flat-mate was moving out, so my friend Cipri moved in in his place. I had really talked up the Danish cycling culture to him and he was keen on getting into it.

Throughout the year we did several long day rides across the island of Zealand. From Helsingør and Hillerød, to as far as Steven’s Klint in the south and Gilleleje at the top north of eastern Denmark.

Cipri and I on our Helsingør cycling trip

Our first big cycling trip of the year was Copenhagen to Helsingør and then back to Farum. A respectable 85 to 90 km ride that would take us the better part of the day.

A gorgeous day trip to Helsingør

We set out on our big cycling trip on the 20th of May. It was a gorgeous sunny day. Nice and warm with a constant gentle breeze. We took the S-train to Østerport and started cycling from there. The reason I didn’t want to start from Farum was to show Cipri the beautiful coastal road heading up north from Copenhagen.

A great day for water activities and biking along the coast

Starting off with the beautiful neighborhoods at the outskirts of the Copenhagen, the road passed by my old “sanctuary” at Charlottenlund beach park. After passing the last vestige of outer-Copenhagen at Klampenborg, the road followed along the eastern edge of the beautiful, forested Deer Park.

Danish peer in the foreground, Swedish coast in the background

Occasionally losing sight of the coast, the road to Helsingør, continued north with intermittent beaches and marinas on the Øresund straight. Given the beautiful weather that day, a rarity in Denmark, the seawaters were filled sailboats and various other pleasure-crafts.

Sailboat on the Øresund

For the next stretch, the road would cross several wealthy coastal small towns and neighborhoods, offering endless appealing sights to admire. This was by far my favorite cycling route in Denmark.

Helsingør

After a few hours of cycling we had arrived at Helsingør. The coastal road now continued along the Helsingør harbor and waterfront. There, daily ferries connect Helsingør to Helsingborg (Sweden) across the narrowest part of the Øresund straight. Once a key maritime trade hub, the harbor now blends history with modern attractions, featuring lively promenades, seafood restaurants, and cultural landmarks like the Culture Yard (Kulturværftet).

Helsingør harbor and the ferry to Helsingborg

Continuing along the coast, we stumbled upon a curious sculpture. Known as the “Garbage Fish” it was created in 2014 by Japanese artist Hideaki Shibata from plastic waste collected from the sea. The sculpture serves as a powerful reminder of the environmental impact of marine debris and emphasizes the importance of recycling and waste management.

The colorful Garbage Fish. A landmark in Helsingør

Further along the waterworks, we reached Helsingør top attraction and my destination point for the day: Kronborg Castle.

The history of Kronborg Castle

Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kronborg Castle is one of the most famous Renaissance castles in Europe. Tthe castle is renowned for its role in Shakespeare’s Hamlet and its strategic location controlling the Øresund Strait. With a rich history spanning over 600 years, Kronborg has been a royal residence, military fortress, and cultural landmark.

Kronborg Castle courtyard from the top floor

The site of Kronborg Castle was originally home to Krogen, a medieval fortress built in the early 15th century by King Eric of Pomerania. Its purpose was to enforce the Sound Toll, a tax on ships passing through the Øresund Strait, making it a crucial part of Denmark’s economy. The revenue from this toll contributed significantly to the Danish crown’s wealth for centuries.

The row of cannons along the battlements pointed towards the Øresund Strait

A grand Renaissance castle

In the late 16th century, King Frederick II ordered the transformation of Krogen into a grand Renaissance castle, renaming it Kronborg. Influenced by Dutch and Flemish architectural styles, the new structure featured ornate towers, decorative facades, and elegant interiors. Under Frederick II, Kronborg became one of the most splendid castles in Northern Europe and a symbol of Denmark’s power.

Dining table in one of the many rooms at Kronborg

In 1629, a massive fire broke out, destroying much of the castle’s interior. However, the outer walls remained intact, allowing King Christian IV to rebuild it in a similar style. The new interiors were less extravagant but retained the fortress’s grandeur.

Holger Danske, the eternal protector of Denmark in Danish folklore

In 1658, Kronborg was captured by Swedish forces during the Dano-Swedish War. Though they plundered the castle’s valuables, it was later returned to Danish control. Over time, Kronborg evolved into a military barracks, housing soldiers for nearly 200 years until 1857, when it ceased military operations and was restored as a cultural landmark.

Sights and thoughts

The fortress boasts around 40 rooms that are open for visitors, as well as the dungeon. The rooms range from royal dining rooms and bedrooms to game rooms and study rooms. The Chapel remains as one of the best preserved parts of Kronborg and the only section that survived the devastating 1629 fire untouched.

Kronborg inner courtyard and clock tower

The dungeon bellow offered its own interesting story, from casemates to beer cellars. our tour guide told us about how Danish soldiers of old would drink several beer a day instead of water because the water was so polluted. A hardy bunch!

View of Helsingør harbor from the castle tower

On top of all this, the outside views like the inner and outer courtyard, as well as the rooftop terrace offer fantastic views of the fortress and it’s surroundings. One could easily spend hours in and around Kronborg and I would highly recommend a visit to this historic Castle to anyone planning a trip to Denmark.

On top of the fortress

I highly enjoyed my tour, but I tried not to dawdle too much. After all, we still had two and a half hours of cycling left to get back home. With sun in our face, we bolted off towards Farum. In total, cycling around five hours that day.

Closing a triumphant year of success and adventure

Closing a triumphant year of success and adventure

After returning from my holiday in Norway, I fell back into my work-study routine for the rest of 2016. Apart from the occasional bike trips to Bakken, or hang outs with my friends from university, the last months were fairly uneventful. It was soon time to close a triumphant year of success and adventure.

Svanemøllen beach near where I lived in my first year in Copenhagen

Work and study were intense through this period. I didn’t have any more courses, but I began thoroughly working on the samples collected in Iceland. Whenever I wasn’t working in the labs, I tried to read through one of the numerous scientific articles my supervisor had sent me. Apart from that, I had my part-time job and Danish language classes to fill my time. Whenever I’d manage to get a free day during the week, I’d try to hang out with friends. I remember being amused at one of my Danish friends, Irene, calling me a machine because it seemed like I wasn’t ever taking any breaks.

I was busier than ever and it felt great. It felt so rewarding! Having purpose, earning money, building my life and having more friends than ever.

The housing crisis is back

As busy as I had become, I had completely forgotten the unwritten terms of my then living arrangement. If you recall, I had moved in with one of my friends in early summer. However, the deal was supposed to be short term, while I find my own place. I was still looking, but not as hard as I should have. With everything else happening, looking for a new place had fallen to the bottom of my priority list. That’s until, Lasse gave me a wake-up call in November, which then really took me off guard.

The autumn streets of Frederiksberg, Copenhagen

I tried to figure out if there was an issue I could fix with him so that I could stay more, but the man simply wanted to go back to living alone. Which was completely understandable. Although I jokingly kept poking him for years later about that time he wanted to “kick me out on the streets”. Hehe… It wasn’t anything like that, of course (If you’re reading this Lasse, you know I love ya, buddy!). In any case, the pressure was on to find a new place to live. Not an easy feat in Copenhagen.

Farum

After quickly exhausting all possibilities in Copenhagen due to unavailability and pricing, I had to settle on moving out of the city. As long as I could live close to an S-train station, I could easily get in and out of the city. I ended up panic-agreeing to a basement apartment in a house to the west of Copenhagen. The price was a bit steep for me, but I was going to have a fairly large area to myself.

Incoming train towards Farum at Østerport station, Copenhagen

No written contract, just a trust-based payment. However, on second inspection, I found quite a few things that were off putting, like no toilet seat, very poor lighting throughout the day, dirty surroundings and a moldy smell. Oh and did I mention NO TOILET SEAT? That one really bothered me. But I had already sent those people my two month deposit.

Just as I was getting ready to move in, a much better offer had fallen into my lap through a friend of a friend from Romania. At the risk of losing my deposit, a substantial amount, I decided to cancel the first offer and go with the second. Thus, I ended up moving to Farum, a small town to the north of Copenhagen.

One of the regular visitors on our balcony in Farum

I had a nice clean room with a balcony and was sharing the lower part of an apartment with a neat and friendly Romanian guy. As for the other offer, well… I never saw my deposit again. Still worth it.

Holiday season

With the holiday season around the corner, I was planning to gift my mom a trip to Copenhagen so we could be together for Christmas. I wanted her to experience arriving in Denmark the same way I had, so a Norwegian Airlines flight from Budapest was the best option. I had also found a decently priced room in the WakeUpCopenhagen hotel, right in the city center. All she had to do was get herself to Budapest a couple of days before Christmas.

At the Little Mermaid statue with my mom

It was around that time that I had bought my second bike. A new one, fresh from the store. It was a simple city bike, but without all the quirks of “Shame“. So from that point on, Shame became the tourist bike I would lend out to anyone visiting me. Sometimes it was also the backup bike whenever my main one had a flat tire. Shame would never disappoint, despite it’s shameful name!

Checking out the Christmas decoration around central Copenhagen

My mom was fairly quickly impressed with her experience, having appropriately flown on the “Hans Christian Andersen” plane from Norwegian Airlines. Old Andersen being one of her favorite authors growing up. She also enjoyed cycling, so Copenhagen’s extensive cycling culture was ideal for her.

Touring the city

During her few days there, I basically wanted to show her around as many places as I could. I would head back to Farum each evening and then take a train to Copenhagen the next morning. By the time I would arrive she would have had time to go through her morning routine, and then we’d have the entire day to cycle around.

Rosenborg castle in The King’s Garden

We toured the Copenhagen Citadel, Amelienborg, Frederik’s Church, The King’s Garden and of course Nyhavn. I gave her a tour of my university campus as well. On another day we cycled all the way to my sanctuary at Charlottenlund beach. I probably also took her around Østerbro to show her where I used to live. It was basically a tour of my life for the past year and a half.

Hans Christian Andersen statue in The King’s Garden

She enjoyed it very much. She also developed an odd love and fascination for canons, which were plentiful around the old city fortifications. Even to this day she gets excited whenever she sees an old canon or artillery piece displayed in a park.

We caught the changing of the guards at Amelienborg

We spent Christmas night in the hotel room. I was hoping to be able to go out for a nice dinner somewhere, but all restaurants were of course closed. The only thing I found open was my favorite Turkish kebab place. So we ended up ordering a pizza from there. A Christmas pizza!

It’s Turkish Christmas pizza time! With some fine wine and decorations

On our last night, we visited Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli is basically an amusement park and my mom wasn’t really big on rides, or anything like that, but she was taken away by the decorations. She was snapping photos left and right at every little corner. Suffice to say, she had fallen in love with Denmark by this point.

A happy mom at Tivoli Gardens

Considering that my mom raves about that Copenhagen Christmas holiday to this day, I would say it was a resounding success.

New Years Eve

After Christmas had passed and my mom left, I went back to my work routine. I had to work on the 31’st of December too, which lasted well into the night. I didn’t make any plans, so at around 10 pm when I was done, I messaged my friends to see if anyone was available to grab a few a drinks in the city for New Years Eve. One of my friends, Carlos, replied.

We met up soon enough and bought some extra strong Carlsberg Elephant beers. I’m not going to go into details, but we ended up having a pretty wild night on the streets of Copenhagen. We even made it to the Town Hall square for the fireworks just in the nick of time!

Those Carlsberg Elephants hit hard!

The next morning I woke up at Carlos’ place with a pounding headache and an adequate hangover. It was an appropriate way to close a triumphant year of success and adventure. One of my best years to date!

Denmark: one crisis ends, another begins

Denmark: one crisis ends, another begins

It was now June 2016 and summer was upon us in Denmark. My financial crisis was over and I had settled into my new routine, balancing study and work. We were nearing the end of the semester and the onset of summer break. I was happy to take a break from courses and begin focusing on my ambitious one-year thesis project on Iceland. However, this period also triggered a new crisis for me. A housing crisis…

The problem…

In one of my first posts about life in Denmark, I mentioned how difficult it could be to find an affordable place to stay in Copenhagen, especially as a foreign student. The Housing Foundation was a relatively easy, albeit pricey, solution for first-year students. But their contracts would only cover the first year of study, and mine was nearing its end.

I got my two legs to stand on, but now I lost my upper body – Uh oh! – Sculpture from The Glyptotek, Copenhagen

I began looking for other potential dorms, and housing portals a couple of months before the deadline, but this was already way too late. Waiting lists for some of the dorms in Copenhagen had people on them going back over a year. It was absurd!

I was getting tired of the never ending crisis, but it was time to “fight” once more, so head first right into the storm!

I searched through some of the major housing/rental websites too. There were seldom any studio apartments available. If I ever found one, the price would be too steep. Flat sharing was more common and affordable, but even that was hard to come by as demand exceeded supply.

Last, but not least I made sure to spread the word amongst my friends in hopes that they knew someone looking for a flat mate. Luckily I had no shortage of friends. I was also quickly making more friends in Danish language classes. However, it seemed like everyone was looking for a new place to stay…

At least I found the horse – south Amager, Denmark

Cycling and exploring

Potential homelessness aside, things were good. Whenever I had free time and decent weather, I’d get back on my bike and go explore new parts of Copenhagen and its surroundingas. In this regard, I had found a like-minded friend in Danish class: Marios from Greece. On one of our cycling trips we south of Copenhagen to explore the island of Amager.

Cycling along Sluseløbet in west Amager

Amager was a blend of the urban, ultra-modern south-side of the city of Copenhagen bordered by cow and horse filled pastures. A comically stark change back then. Not sure if it’s still the same today. Further south there were a few quiet towns, nice beaches and Copenhagen international airport (Kastrup). All of this within reasonable cycling distance.

Somewhere in Kalvebod Fælled, close to Kastrup airport in south Amager

Dyrehaven

On another occasion we cycled north-east of the capital, to Dyrehaven (Deer park). This was one of my favorite places to go outside of the city. The northeastern coastline leading to the park was gorgeous, especially on a sunny day. At the entrance of the 11 km2 park was Bakken, the worlds oldest working amusement park.

Horseback riding in Dyrehaven, very common across Denmark actually

Dyrehaven was crisscrossed by a web of trails all converging around the center of the park at the royal hunting lodge. On the wide trails we’d zig zag around trekkers, cyclers and the occasional horse carriage. The narrow forest trails were less crowded and way more fun for cycling.

Racing across the park

Across the wide park we’d often encounter groups of deer roaming around the ponds and forests. Every now and again we’d reach the fenced edge, reminding us that we were in a man-made park and not in the wild. For me, this was the one sad thing about Denmark. It’s so extensively developed that there’s barely any patches of wilderness left. At least on the eastern part of the country where I lived and traveled.

It was always a side quest to find the deer whenever I’d visit Dyrehaven

The crisis is over! for now…

Towards the end of June I found myself having a drink with some of my fellow student at the Geobar. I still hadn’t found a place to stay and I was supposed to move out of my dorm within a week. As I sat there complaining and being all mopey, my drunk friend Lasse says out of the blue: “Well why don’t you come live with me, buddy?”. He tells me the price he’s paying and considering the location and size of the place, it was crazy cheap! The explanation was that his uncle owned the place. It was too good to be true.

There’s my shocked expression when Lasse invited me to be his flat mate out of nowhere – The Glyptotek, Copenhagen

I thought he was surely joking; but no he wasn’t… Then I thought he was just saying that because he had one too many drinks at the time… yet, the next day when I brought it up again he was still onboard with the idea. Just like that, my crisis was solved. Well, at least for the time being. We agreed that I’d still be searching for another place while I’d be living with him. Something that would kind of slip my mind after a few months as I became more comfortable there.

Big DONG sticking out in Amager, Denmark

His setup wasn’t really meant for long-term squatters, but I made the best of it. We got ahold of mattress, threw it on the floor in his study room and voila! Home sweet home. Well, sort of. Hey, it worked for the time and by splitting his already low rent, I was saving some good money too!

Another crisis averted, could I actually relax for a change, or was the next one right around the corner?

A travel-packed summer

After settling all of my problems in the first half of 2016, I was ready for a fun, travel-packed summer.

During July, I took a few days to hop over to Germany and see my mom who was visiting our relatives in Wuppertal. All I recall from that trip was visiting this funny park with some quirky modern art and décor. Another thing I recall was that at that time I was already planning to bring my mom over to Denmark for Christmas, so I was building up the hype for that.

Being eaten by a puffy German house – Wuppertal, Germany

Other than Germany, I had two big trips coming up. A two-week field work in Iceland for my Masters thesis and a glorious return to Norway, to visit my good friend Daniel, who had recently moved to Trondheim. It was truly going to be an epic summer. One of my fondest to date!

Denmark: plans change with the season

Denmark: plans change with the season

When I moved to Denmark in autumn 2015, one of my plans was to get a foothold in the oil and gas sector in the region and end up moving to Norway. Ever since my uplifting trip to Norway years before, Norway became the promised land for me. I tried to apply to jobs there ever so often and I tried to go study there. In Denmark I felt so close that I could smell the salt water of the Norwegian fjords. Yet as I spent more time adjusting to Danish life it grew on me more and more.

A forest path somewhere around Hillerød, Denmark

After coming back from our geological field trip to Gran Canaria I had gained a new level of respect and appreciation for the Danes and their country. I could now see myself calling Denmark a home for the foreseeable future. Thus, my plans shifted away from Norway and I decided to better integrate into Danish society. The first and main step would be to learn the Danish language. Luckily as long as you have a CPR (local ID card) Danish language classes are free and offered across the country by the local municipality. I didn’t waste any time in signing up and from May 2016 I would being my late afternoon classes at Studieskolen.

Spring cycling

Spring had settled in and the fields and trees began blooming with flowers across the Danish lands. However, April weather was as schizophrenic as it could get. The daily recipe was a couple of hours of warm, beautiful sunshine, followed by half an hour of hail/rain and chilling winds.

On one of the better days I had planned a long cycling trip to the town of Hillerød, 36km north of Copenhagen.

Spring of 2016, Denmark

I was going to visit one of my Danish friends and colleagues, Jesper who lived in Hillerød. This was also my first time venturing well out of the Danish capital to explore new terrain. New places, adventures and things like that always got me excited.

The cycling lane pretty much followed the main vehicle road going north out of Copenhagen, all the way to Hillerød. On the way I got to bike around and explore new neighborhoods of the busy capital, followed by long stretches of calming countryside.

On the road to Hillerød

Patches of green, sprouting forests were often interrupted by small towns and villages. The road also presented three major hills to conquer. Despite what one would expect from a map, the Danish landscape isn’t as flat as you may think.

Hillerød

After a few hours of cycling and sweating, the final stretch of forest revealed the entrance sign to Hillerød. This final bit of the road to Hillerød with its many nature paths and tranquil forest was always my favorite.

The all too familiar gas station at the entrance to Hillerød

I soon met up with Jesper and we walked to the iconic landmark in the town center: Frederiksborg Castle. Built in the early 17th century, this elegant castle served as a summer residence for the Danish royal family for decades before being turned into a museum. With its numerous bedrooms, dining rooms and various chambers, the multistory castle is the largest Renaissance complex in the Nordic region.

Frederiksborg Castle entrance, Hillerød

As impressive as Frederiksborg may have been on the inside, this wasn’t the time for me to explore it. Unfortunately my financial issues turned me into the ultimate penny-pincher. For the time I would only enjoy such places from the outside where they were free of charge. Besides, the castle grounds and outside decorations were probably just as impressive as anything on the inside.

The victory pose returns!

Indeed, the gardens which are open to the public are a must visit to anyone around Hillerød. Some of the best spots include the cascading fountain – a series of terraced pools and waterfalls, the emblematic rose garden and the scenic Lake Slotsø with its family of white swans. Side-note: for some areas like the rose garden, it’s best to visit during the summer when all the flowers are in bloom.

Frederiksborg Castle gardens

My little one day trip to Hillerød was a much needed respite from my daily thoughts regarding increasingly troubling financial times.

The financial front

There was still no improvement on the money front. I believe it was around April when I had to pay the final installment of my rent and I was pretty much out of funds by that point. Despite my newfound ambition and zeal coming back from Gran Canaria, I was still unable to find a job. As much as I didn’t want to, I had to resort to the only person in my family that could help me stay afloat during the time… my geologist cousin living in Canada, Lucian.

Growing up, I had always looked up to my cousin and his successes. Heck, I even chose to follow the same career path as him. I knew that if I ever got into a really tight financial spot, all I had to do was ask and he’d help me out. Still… I really hated asking for help. Call it stubbornness, call it pride, call it whatever you want. This whole thing I was doing by moving to a completely new country and forging my path, I wanted to do it completely on my own. In my view, any outside assistance would just invalidate my one-man mission. However, by the spring of 2016, I was out of options.

As much as I loved my trusty, rusty ‘Shame”, I looked forward to the day I could afford to buy a new bike

I strictly asked my cousin for just the amount I needed to cover my final rent. I was going to take care of the rest myself, I told him. Of course he helped me out immediately.

It would take quite a long time for me to grow out of this prideful mindset. Well… to be honest, I can’t really say if I ever truly have. But at least these days I’ve come to accept that it’s ok to ask for help from others every now and again.