Saturday
Saturday morning greets me with a welcome respite from the long week. I wake up relaxed, happy to finally have the opportunity to sleep in. Today’s agenda includes a long-awaited visit to Aros, Aarhus’ largest art museum and one of the biggest in Northern Europe.
Renowned for its extensive collection of Danish Golden Age art and the iconic “Your Rainbow Panorama” installation, Aros prides itself on featuring primarily Danish artists. I meet Bronwyn, an art history master’s student I befriended at an international student gathering, outside the main staircase.
Our journey begins with a photography exhibit celebrating AI’s role in landscape art. We then explore a retrospective showcasing Ron Mueck’s work, a Australian artist known for his unnervingly lifelike, gigantic sculptures of children. The basement’s installation rooms provide an unexpected thrill, leaving both Bronwyn and me thoroughly spooked!
The highlight of our visit is undoubtedly the observatory deck. Standing there, we’re struck by how dramatically the colored glass windows alter our perception. Later, reviewing my photos, I’m amazed to discover that none capture the colors as I remember seeing them.
Returning home, I decide to put the remaining apples on my backyard apple tree to good use before they fall. I settle on a muffin recipe and get to work. As evening approaches, my roommates and I head to the old part of the city for dinner along the canal. Afterward, we immerse ourselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the Aarhus Festuge (Aarhus Week Festival), exploring one of the many parties dotting the city.
Sunday
Sunday, I meet Carissa at the train station. We’ve made a pact to try something new every weekend, and today’s adventure takes us to Vejle, a charming town nestled at the end of a fjord, an hour south of Aarhus.
Arriving with open minds and a day stretching before us, we begin our exploration. Our wanderings lead us to a quaint coffee shop off the main shopping street. En route to the Vejle art museum, we’re delightfully distracted by oversized Adirondack chairs and phallic dog statues. Vejle certainly has something for everything!
The free art museum surprises us with its extensive and eclectic collection. Despite its family-friendly billing, we stumble upon a room filled with erotic Japanese silkscreen prints – an unexpected twist that has Carissa and I giggling. We both agree that we appreciate the liberty smaller museums have in displaying more… peculiar and specific art. The remainder of the museum offers a more conventional but equally interesting experience.
Our next stop is the Latin Quarter, a picturesque street adorned with colorful umbrellas. Although many stores are closed for Sunday, we revel in the charm of numerous fountains and beautiful streetscapes. As we walk, we discover signs that indicate that Vejle was part of the Tour de France route in 2022! That year, and last year, the Tour was won by a Dane, Jonas Vingegaard.
The day takes another unexpected turn as we approach Fjordenhus, a famous office building at the fjord’s edge. We find ourselves in the midst of a lively festival, complete with a car show, carnival workshop, and an array of tempting fair foods. As we near Fjordenhus, we’re suddenly surrounded by Danish girl scouts performing a song and dance about fjord conservation. The performance takes a surreal twist when a man dressed as a tomato bursts onto the stage, proclaiming himself their hero and leading a rain dance for the fjord. Carissa and I are completely baffled by the tomato’s role in fjord culture, but nonetheless entertained.
Our Vejle adventure continues with a stop at a free painting booth. Carissa, drawing on her watercolor experience, creates a beautiful rendition of Fjordenhus. My own artistic attempt, born of enthusiasm rather than skill, results in a collection of cute cartoon drawings representing our day in Vejle.
We cap off our day with a visit to a deer park, where we have the delightful opportunity to pet and feed the gentle creatures, many sporting impressive antlers.
The day wraps up with a train ride back to Aarhus. At home, my roomates have decided to watch a movie, but I am too tired to join. I head to bed early, ready for an exciting day at the lab tomorrow!
Image Descriptions:
1. Famous wave apartments in Vejle
2. Aros Observatory
3. Two Photographs at Aros
4. Standing in the “purple/blue” zone of the panorama
5. My apple cinnamon muffins!
6. Sorry, no phallic dog sculptures to see here!
7. Censored for your safety!
8. The Latin Quarter in Vejle
9. Performance at Fjordenhus
10. My new friend!
5 responses to “In this Post I… Finally Visit Aros”
Love the adventures and the muffins look amazing!
So disappointed that you censored all the really interesting stuff…
You’re too young to see such things!
The picture in the blue/purple section makes me want to say “Violet, you’re turning violet.” I definitely need to see a picture of the dancing tomato hero if you have one!
Not sure why but I also immediately thought I needed to see the dancing tomato. It feels like a once in a lifetime experience. I was hoping the deer might have clogs as you mentioned in our earlier conversations. Huh – they look just like MN deer. You’ll still need to watch out for them. Loved all the photos!! Absolutely amazing! Thanks for taking me along on your adventure! Love you!!!