Denmark Road Ways Two on the loose. Dan with down travels anywhere.: military parade

Friday, July 1, 2011

Copenhagen: NATO Troops Return from Afghanistan September 2010

Copenhagen Celebration Parade

Some Danish NATO Troops Return from Afghanistan

Matching troop withdrawal plans between the United States and Denmark. Denmark is withdrawing according to the same schedule, the Denmark Helmand Plan. See http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=596396. It is now June 2011. Denmark began the withdrawal nearly a year ago. President Obama addressed the nation last night with the accelerated withdrawal he has ordered, see one of the uncountable responses at http://swampland.time.com/2011/06/22/in-speech-on-afghanistan-obama-addresses-the-battle-at-home/ Obama - well done. France appears to be following suit.

Denmark brought some of her troops home from Afghanistan nearly a year ago. There were celebrations in Copenhagen, also known for Hans Christian Anderson and the Steadfast Tin Soldier. Find the Steadfast Tin Soldier's story at http://www.bartleby.com/195/9.html

Steadfast Tin Soldier, Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen DK

See the contemporary soldier, having done his duty and his best as well. Who wouldn't cry for the relief of it: men and women back, marching safe, if not all physically sound.

Copenhagen Military Commemoration Parade

Rosenborg Castle to Round Tower

Steadfast Danish Soldier. Honoring the wounded, Parade, return of Danish troops from Afghanistan 2010

And those who waited for them.

Home at last. Copenhagen honors and parade, Support for Danish NATO military returning from Afghanistan.

It started here, at the drill grounds of Rosenborg Castle.

Rosenborg Castle, Drill Grounds, Copenhagen DK

Ceremonies included medals, awards, and marching and bands, then it continued the march to past the Round Tower and Observatory also in Copenhagen. The parade watchers were also participants -- dash-weave ahead, to get a good view back from the Round Tower area. Both the castle and tower were built by King Christian IV in the early to mid 17th Century.

Danish NATO troops. Return from Afghanistan 2010 Military parade. Loss of limb but not spirit, amputee, Copenhagen

Copenhagen. Parade honoring returning Danish NATO troops from Afghanistan 2010.

Stark dark and light on the parade route.

Military band, at Round Tower, Copenhagen. Honor to returning NATO troops, Afghanistan

Danish flag, Round Tower, military parade, Copenhagen. Returning NATO troops from Afghanistan. Dan Widing's camera records.

Danish troops passing Round Tower, Copenhagen. Return from Afghanistan.

Continue on in the parade. Follow the soldiers to more ceremonies and an unveiling of what I recall as a new flag.

Denmark celebrates. Copenhagen military parade, troops home from Afghanistan. Families, support. 2010

Home at last. Home at last. Thank you, thank you. Home at last. Next time, ours.

Copenhagen: Rosenborg Castle, Round Tower, Military Parade

Rosenborg Castle

Copenhagen

Kongens Have or King's Garden or Copenhagen

Rosenborg Castle, drill grounds, Copenhagen, DK

The occasion here at Rosenborg Castle is the return of Danish troops from NATO service in Afghanistan: awards of medals, speeches, cheers and applause, happy people, bands. The castle is elegant: Christian IV was a prolific builder. Find Rosenborg and the Round Tower and other landmarks he had constructed at http://www.copenhagenet.dk/cph-rosenborg.htm.

Christian IV was born at Frederiksborg Castle, at Hillerod near Kronborg; built and lived and died at Rosenborg, and is buried at Roskilde Cathedral with his first wife, Queen Anna Cathrine of Brandenburg. She had died much earlier (when?), the King remarried, and here dates of which Queen was where and who else is involved are a puzzle. The site says that the King's quarters were in the northern section of the castle, and the Queen was in the southern, which makes sense for dalliances du jour. But another site says that he actually built Rosenborg for the favorite, Vibeka Kruse, and that she only left in 1648 after the King's death, and when a son-in-law of the King expelled her. History's mysteries. See Denmark Road Ways, Kronborg and Frederiksborg: Christian IV and Mistress, Vibeka Kruse

Our focus was instead on the soldiers there, and the palace as a backdrop. Troops. Uniforms, men, women, and a diversity reflecting the globe.