Plan your vacation to Denmark and experience the Renaissance

These days, just about every town or hamlet in the United States boasts of an "authentic" renaissance festival. Invariably, these festivals feature such attractions as "authentic" renaissance maidens sporting authentic renaissance-era, biker chick tattoos and renaissance cuisine like Ye Olde hotdogs or Ye Olde pizza slices.

So most Americans know all about Renaissance festivals from their experiences stateside. However, just for fun, let’s consider the counterpart festivals in European countries where the Renaissance actually took place.

Denmark, for example, the country that brought us those ubiquitous plastic toys, Legos; has designated the entire year of 2006 to be "The Year of the Renaissance."

Imagine my surprise, a father who has stepped on many a Lego in the dark with bare feet, to learn that Legos have nothing to do with the Renaissance, and were not in fact invented until much later. All along, I had assumed that I was enduring those pesky little toys because it was good for my children’s education. Shows what I know.

Ok, back to Denmark. The entire country is open for business to celebrate the Renaissance. Check out these excerpts from Europe Travel News on some of the exciting things you can do and see when you travel to Denmark during the year 2006:

--"2006 has been designated the year of the Renaissance in Denmark. To mark the occasion, an exciting array of cultural events is scheduled to take place throughout the year in the capital region. Exhibitions, concerts, walking tours and many other special activities, both indoors and out, have been planned to spotlight this extraordinary period in Copenhagen?s history."

--"History lovers, among others, will have all the more reason to visit Copenhagen in 2006, when the city pays tribute to the great achievements of the Renaissance. A wide variety of special events, celebrating that remarkable period of its history, will be held throughout the capital region."
--"Kronborg Castle in Elsinore, at the seaward approach to the Øresund Sound, is one of Northern Europe’s most important Renaissance castles. It is also the most famous castle in Denmark, known all over the world as the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet."

--"In 2006, Hillerød will host a large Renaissance Festival with participants from home and abroad. There will be stands with food, beverages, handicrafts and entertainment - just as there were during the time of Christian IV. In September a parade through town to Frederiksborg Castle will cap the event followed by dancing, concerts and displays of knightly swordsmanship and horsemanship".

So enjoy your travels to Denmark and take in all these wonderful experiences. I’m not sure if they will offer hotdogs and pizza slices at these festivals; but if they do, I’m certain they’ll have some Ye Olde Alka Seltzer available.

Oh, and watch your step. Especially when you are barefoot...in the dark.