Tag Archives: penguin

Ice-skating under King Christian X’s bridge

Every year an ice-skating rink is set up just below the King Christian X bridge in Sonderborg. Last year we didn’t get round to trying it out. However, when Sunday turned out to be a crisp and bright day we decided to drop by and check it out.

As the ice is melting someone gets a last walk on the Sonderborg ice rink

We arrived around 12:45 and it was already bustling with people. I was a bit concerned! Coming from an island with no snow, my skating skills are close to non-existent. Also, although I have been ice-skating twice in my life, both times were in indoor skating rinks that had a railing I could hold on to as a scooted around the perimeter. In Sonderborg the rink is surrounded with a low wooden bench on which parents typically sit and watch their kids.

I was concerned! But now that we were there I had to try it out. We got our skates (25 DKK, cash only, need to leave some sort of ID; if you have your own skates you can skate for free) and went to start skating.

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I was terrible, to say the least! I was so pathetic that a young kid, maybe 6, came and offered me his penguin, and I took it! With the help of my new penguin friend I managed to make it round the rink. Go me! Leaving the penguin back with the kid I was, however, stranded again. Luckily I could be rescued by Michael who let me hold on to him as we moved around. The fact that the rink is sloping downhill at one point doesn’t help though!

Ann with a Penguin to guide her on skates

So we were two adults scrambling around amongst kids wooshing elegantly. Not the most graceful view, but we did it! We treated ourselves to a hot chocolate with rum at the kiosk there (30 DKK – 12 DKK without rum) and decided to call it a day as the rink starting getting busier and busier. After all, I didn’t want to squash any little kid as I plonked myself down onto the ice!