Vacation

Everyone is on vacation in Denmark, it's quite amazing. At work, last Friday, 2 people had their last days before taking off for 2 or 3 weeks. Many in my office go to exotic places like Kenya, Malaysia, Greece or Cuba. Some go to "sommerhus", the Danish equivalent of country houses or cottages, usually near the coast. Someone today told me that a tiny beach house (60m2) that needs a lot of work can sell for over 1 million dollars! For a wooden shack!

One feels the effect of vacation very closely. Stores in Østerbro have signs on the door wishing you a good holiday, and announce their return in September. My local bakery now closes every day at 14h instead of 17h30 for the next two months. The kind woman who sells delicious fruit at the train station is away. Her replacement was not around at the usual 7h45 this morning (Zady, I know what you would say about that!). Even the guy who shoves free newspapers in your face at the train station is not there! The slower pace of life can be felt, with fewer people on the trains, the office nearly empty, and many sitting out at cafes until late at night. I have to say, I'm quite jealous of the almost-6 weeks of annual vacation that the Danes get per year!