Coastal Denmark

Today we went to the northern coast of Denmark to explore the ocean, the summer houses, and the coastal plantations.  It was a truly beautiful train ride, almost as scenic as the coast itself!  We rode past the plantations that were put into place to prevent beach erosion.  These weren't plantations in the sense that we, as Southerners, think about them.  Instead, they were tree groves where native and non-native trees and shrubbery were planted deliberately but let grow wild.  An unsuspecting person would think it was simply a natural forest.  This purpose is a unique characteristic of the Danish landscape, highlighting its commitment to preserving its ancient coastline.   Next, we walked through the town of Hilleleje to see the summer houses.  The interesting part about these were how closely spaced they were and their projust as ximity to the ocean.  Each has was individual and cute, not as grand as houses in the city but comfortable.  Two aspects of these houses demonstrate its true Danish tradition: only Danish citizens are allowed to own or buy the summer houses, and it is illegal to live in them year round.  Finally, the coastal towns full of fisherman and beautiful boats are representative of the Danish heritage of commerce from the sea.  Because the coastline is such a big part of the Danish landscape and how the country is defined, its presence has shaped its identity.

Long, hot day, short blog :)