Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark

Today's adventure involved a train ride up to Helsingør, the home of Kronborg Castle.  Or as fans of the bard may know it -- Elsinore, the home of Hamlet's castle.

Helsingør sits on a very narrow strait that separates Denmark from Sweden.  Originally Kronborg castle was built so that the Danish king could force merchant ships to pay him a toll to pass through the waterway.  Later when Sweden and Denmark were at war, the castle served as a defense against Swedish invasions.  Cannons played a heavy role in both scenarios.  In the photo below you can see just how close Sweden is.  I'm guessing the Swedes aren't too concerned about the artillery still being aimed their way...

Of course nowadays the main reason to visit the castle is to Ham it up (see what I did there?) while spouting lines from Shakespeare's most famous tragedy.

"Alas, poor Yorick!"

As you tour the castle, actors re-enact some of the most memorable scenes from the play at various times and locations throughout the day.  The famous soliloquy in the ballroom is a highlight.

All together now, "To be, or not to be..."

We also got to witness Hamlet's duel with Laertes.  SPOILER ALERT: In case you weren't paying attention in high school, the play doesn't have a happy ending.

It's okay, they're all just sleeping.

When we came back to Copenhagen, we had a quick chance to stop by and watch a few rounds of the Swoop Challenge.

In case you don't know what that is, don't worry -- we didn't know at first either!  Daredevils parachute out of a helicopter, then do their best to skim across a shallow lake while doing aerial tricks and attempting to stick a landing on an inflatable target.  We discovered it was just as hard as it sounds.  Only a handful of the jumpers we watched ended up on the target.  I don't think I'll be trying it anytime soon, but it was thrilling enough just to watch.


Swoop Challenge Copenhagen 2016 from Solsticecatamaran on Vimeo.