Bicycles and Beaches

It's not only the beaches of Copenhagen that feature the bicycle. On the island of Bornholm they play an important role, right down to the water's edge.

Avoiding sand castles in your only challenge.

She opted to head from the water's edge up to the hard-packed sand when she reached a busy stretch of waterfront.

Father and son heading home through the sand dunes.

Bikes + Beach + Bikinis = Summer.

Four Wheels for a Family of Four

A few more holiday photos before getting back to business as usual. While visiting the island of Bornholm we were equipped with two new two-wheelers from Christiania Bikes [Thanks Annie & Lars!]. They were brilliant to ride and practical, too, with two kids, groceries, beach gear and what have you.

Bornholm is a very hilly island with some nasty inclines but these bikes made easy work of the ups, as well as the downs. The kids loved them, too. There is a little bench inside the box which propped the kids up nice, but when Lulu dozed off on the longer routes, we could remove the bench and she could sleep as we rolled. I wish it was me.

I took some photos for Christiania Bikes - above and below - for their brochure.

Felix usually rode with me, along with the groceries if we visited the supermarket, while Lulu hung out in Wifealiciousness' bike.

One day we visited a lovely amusement park - Joboland - for the day. Lulu's inevitable nap was an issue, so we put both kids in my box and placed her stroller folded up on Wifealiciousness' bike. The perfect solution.

It was hot with temperatures pushing 30 degrees some days, so we used the canopy for Lulu, to keep the sun out of her eyes on the longer rides to the beach. She loved it. A cosy duvet to sit on, a fluffy pillow to lean against. A real princess ride.

While on the topic of beaches, we have a post over at Copenhagenize.com about the insane amount of bicycles at Copenhagen beaches on hot summer days. Not to mention The Sushi Bike!

Home from Holidays

We've returned home from a little two week holiday [little because we get 5-6 weeks of holidays in Denmark] to the Danish island of Bornholm. It's a lovely place and it often feels like Denmark's own little Mediterranean paradise. They call it the Sunshine Island and the local dialect is so unlike the other dialects in the country that you feel like you're in another country.

It's a popular holiday destination not just for Danes but for Swedes, Germans and Poles, given it's proximity in the Baltic Sea south of Sweden. In the photo above, Wifealiciousness was sneaky and caught Felix and I on our way home in the evening on the clunky old summer house bicycle. She was walking with the pram at the time.

Sneaky, too, in catching this shot earlier in the evening.

But hah... I'm sneaky too. Here's Wifealiciousness and Lulu heading through the countryside. We got to test-ride the new two-wheelers from the iconic Danish bike brand, Christiania Bikes, who are located on the island. I had Felix on my bike, while Lulu rode with Wifealiciousness on this little 30 km bike ride one day. The requisite baguette sticking up out of the bike is such a summery sight.

Quintessential Danishness [and a wallpaper]

It's hard to explain if you've never been here but this shot is textbook Danishness.

Not Copenhagenness - a modern European capital with all the trimmings - but the whole essence of Danishness. That national sensation that exists just under the skin. A national-romantic and idealistic image of what a nation is, sure, but it is almost always makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Each country with a long history has their own, unique and simple sensation. This photo is, for me, quintessential Danishliciousness. Stormy seas and wind turbines are Danishness, too. As are the bike lanes on this blog. But this shot is special - because of the rolling wheatfields and the sea - but mostly because of the bike and the girl on the bike.

Made better by the fact that it's Wifealiciousness on that bike, in that wheat field, heading towards that sea in the background.

Taken on the 'Sunshine Island' - Bornholm, just south-east of Sweden in the Baltic Sea.

And I think it appropriate to remember that Danish women and men have been cycling daily down this lane since bicycles were invented.


Monday is Wallpaper Day
Or so I declared last week.

1024x768

1680x1050.