The Christmas Card Photo

Who's in those green pants? Yes, Shahana, it took 15 years, but I have finally embraced green pants.

Napoli

The unquestioned capital of Southern Italia is Napoli. It's crazed, frenetic, crime-ridden (or so the rumor goes) and completely Italian in all ways. The school again put together a host family trip and so I got a free one-day trip to Napoli. I'll certainly go back down to see Capri, the Amalfi Coast, hike to the top of Vesuvius, see Herculaneum and then visit the Temples of Hera at Paestum.

Along the sea in Naples

Just a few kilometers down the road, Mount Vesuvius looms over Napoli. It erupted back in 79AD and is still active. In fact, all of Italy is still geologically active and subject to earthquakes as well.

If it's Italy, there's a castle somewhere.

Nativity scenes are a HUGE deal in Italy (or maybe everywhere but I've just not known?) and Naples is apparently on the forefront of nativity scene design and technology.

This one street, wall to wall people, is known for beautiful nativity scene wares.

Get your waterfall or any kind of add-on can be yours.

Neapolitan "dolci", on the left a ricotta cheese based filling inside a pastry and on the right, marzipan. I brought a bunch home and am enjoying them this week.

The galleria in Napoli, a place to shop and to get in from the elements.

So the crime....the big decorated Christmas tree in the galleria was STOLEN. Here's the replacement.

Denmark Omnibus

In Copenhagen and most of Denmark, nearly 1/3 of all trips out of the house are made by bike. A flat country makes that easy on the body, but the designated bike lanes make it all that much safer!

These were taken in the town of Odense on the island of Funen. Odense, the 3rd largest city in Denmark was the home of......

...Hans Christian Andersen

In Odense, I rented a bike and took off on one of the many bike paths that cover the countryside.

I biked along the channel which leads out to the Odense Fjord. I was able to keep up with this boat for a couple of kilometers.

On the way back from Odense, I got off the train in the town of Roskilde which has a Viking ship museum. The Vikings were Scandinavians who conquered the seas and were a power in the 8th through 11th centuries AD. In the 1950's five ships were found at the bottom of the bay in Roskilde. Pieces of the boat were preserved and reconstructed to the extent that pieces were found. Shown is a war ship.

Long and "skinny", war ships were used primarily to transport soldiers quickly to battle.

The ships with wider hulls were trading ships.

A model viking trading ship.

Another candidate for the Chen Christmas card?

Yes, while I was in Copenhagen, the UN Climate Summit commenced. I couldn't help but find myself a part of the festivities.

This melting ice bear was outside the pavilion set up by the WWF to underscore global warming's affect on the polar bear habitat.

The media center!

My last adventure in Copenhagen was to visit the famed Tivoli Gardens. Even though it's famous for its games and rides, for me, it was the night time lights!

This was a tree filled with red heart lights, the effect is lost in translation.