When In Denmark, Do As The Vikings Do

Have you ever done something solely for the sake of the story? I have. I once made out with a boy wearing head to toe pink spandex suit, just so I could tell people I had done it. And because it was really, really funny. It is for these same reasons that I found myself spending the day at the Laejre Land of Legends.

;)

DIS offers all kinds of day trips for students to immerse themselves into Danish culture. I thought they were all super lame, until I found myself stuck at home alone on a Saturday afternoon while everyone I knew was rock climbing in Sweden or biking the coast of Denmark. It was time to reconsider. When I went to sign up, there was only one trip that still had space available. It was advertised as follows:

Be a Viking for a Day at Land of Legends Lejre! On the day you will be greeted by Vikings who will take you to the Viking Marketplace. During the day, you will be doing hands-on activites as well as 'jausting' with each other in different games. You will also get the opportunity to prepare bread and butter and 'Vikinge Gryde' (Viking Stew) with the Vikings. After you've gorged yourselves on Viking Stew, the Vikings will provide entertainment in the form of the telling of an old Viking tale. As an extra bonus, Lejre will be hosting the Nordic Championships in Role Playing the weekend of Sept. 17th/18th- so while you are being a viking for the day, chances are you will see trolls, wizards, goblins, knights and princesses running around the historical site!!! 

I can't wait to see you and
your whispering eye

My friend Katherine and I thought it would be absolutely hilarious to get a big group together (preferably of hot guys) and watch a LARPing tournament. Apparently, nobody else thought so. There ended up being 10 people on the trip. Even our close friends thought we were huge weirdos and refused to sign up. I think they might have been onto something.






The time came for our big day at Viking Land, and somehow I managed to get myself out of bed at 7:30 on Saturday morning. I was in rough shape, as evidenced by the fact that I thought it would be socially acceptable to wear sneakers, a bright orange fleece and a fur muff. Vogue would be proud.

We arrived at the Land of Legends at 9:30, only to discover that the park doesn't open until 11. The bus driver had to go to Sweden, so he kindly left us to entertain ourselves in the middle of an empty field. It was too cold to stand still, so we started walking around on the trails. Mind you, it was approximately 40 degrees and everything was soaking wet. Not ideal. If I managed to survive the "adventure" without contracting Limes disease, hypothermia or whatever pandemic the alien slugs here carry, it would be a miracle

Just enjoying the scenery--wtf am I wearing.

Finallllllyyyyyy it was time to enter *THE LAND OF LEGENDS*. We were greeted by a woman wearing "Viking" attire (where the hell were her horns?!) and led to the Viking  village. There were no trolls, wizards or goblins to be found. There were only three sad looking "vikings" sitting around a camp fire. Major let down. They split us into three teams, and we had to compete in various Viking tasks:

1. Making Fire

They handed us a piece of flint, a piece of iron and some "tinderflagen" and told us if we didn't get it to burn, we couldn't eat. I chipped two nails and gave up without having made so much as a spark. Some of he other kids conveniently brought lighters (hmm.....), so they won. And found the whole thing a lot funnier than I did

2. Sharpening a Spear

I held a piece of iron over a fire, then banged on it with a hammer. I have to say, it was really nice to see my education going to good use.

3. Churning Butter

Me. Churning butter. Seriously?

4. Shooting Arrows

I came closer to accidentally spearing a human than hitting the target. The humans were behind me.

By the end of the day, I was cold, wet, exhausted and miserable. The good news is, the cost the trip includes a season pass to Land of Legends. The season ended yesterday. By far the best $100 I have ever spent.

What I Expected

What I got.