I'm just back from"spring break" and getting caught up on Village news. Let me highlight one important upcoming event for you and then read on for a quick report and some photos from my amazing trip to Denmark.
This week the Village is in final preparation mode for our first concert of the year - Latin Jazz concert featuring the incredible Imani. The outdoor concert is scheduled for a week from Saturday - April 30 - on the lawn of the Maret School. It's an event open to the community, so if you haven't reserved a seat, please do so quickly. And our thanks to the Vos Foundation for being our sponsor.
Now, about Denmark ...
My first trip to Copenhagen - and to Scandinavia - couldn't have been better as I enjoyed an opportunity to recharge in a gorgeous setting with my husband Peter. We rented an AirBnb and just walked the city, marveling at its beauty. The weather was cool and the gardens were beginning to sprout. And there are gardens everywhere. Even cemeteries, such as the one we visited were Hans Christian Andersen is buried, is more of a park with elaborate gardens and benches where people sit and read, or chat with a friend.
Our highest step count was over 25,000 which - if you're doing the math - equates to more than 12 miles walked in one day! And while I enjoyed the exercise and fauna, Peter had a chance to practice his Danish before he moves to Greenland in June (that's right, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and so Danish is one of the primary languages).
For me its always the small things I notice that make the biggest impression. One thing you notice right away - bikes. They're everywhere. There are bike lanes on virtually every street and there’s a steady stream of traffic on them. There are bikes with compartments for kids, dogs, groceries. I even saw a man bringing home a rather large shrub on his bike.
Click on the image to see the next
Another noticeable attribute: it's a very clean city. There is virtually no litter. And everyone obeys every crosswalk signal, sometimes standing for several minutes waiting for the walk sign, even when there are no cars. And everyone is pleasant, kind, and unfortunately for my husband, multi-lingual. Every time he’d attempt to speak in Danish, his American accent would be noticed and the Dane would switch to English.
All said, it was a great trip and much needed rest. But I'm glad to be home, and look forward to seeing many of you soon - maybe on the Maret lawn next Saturday.
Frank Finamore is Executive Director of the Village