DEC 14

Peru

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The Gefion Fountain actually has quite a funny story behind it – even though today it stands there as a majestic national monument. When the artist Anders Bundgaard created the fountain in the early 1900s, he was inspired by the legend of the goddess Gefion, who plows Zealand out of Sweden with her four oxen. But: when the fountain was inaugurated in 1908, it was far from as “impressive” as people had hoped.

First of all, the mechanics often broke down, so instead of roaring cascades of water, there were only small splashing trickles – which quickly earned it the nickname among Copenhageners: “The Gefion Spray.” Secondly, the fountain was so expensive to build and maintain that it practically became a standing joke:

“Gefion took Zealand from Sweden – and all the money from Copenhagen.”

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It took many years before the fountain actually worked the way it was supposed to, but today it’s one of the city’s most photographed landmarks. Funnily enough, many tourists are still convinced it’s an “ancient Viking monument,” even though it’s only a little over 100 years old – and had a pretty clumsy start to life.

Today’s Anecdote

The Gefion Tease

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According to Snorri’s Heimskringla, the goddess Gefion was granted by the Swedish king Gylfi “as much land as she could plow out of Sweden in one day and one night.” Gefion immediately took her four sons (whom she transformed into giant oxen!) and began plowing. The result was Zealand, which she dragged out of Sweden and placed in the middle of the sea.

But here comes the funny part: the Swedes didn’t exactly love this explanation. In the old days, some Swedes would remark a bit pointedly:

“So that’s why the soil on Zealand is so rich and fertile – because it’s Swedish soil!”

And the Danes would teasingly reply:

“Yes, but the hole Gefion left in Sweden became Vänern – your biggest lake. So we took the land, and you just got a giant puddle.”

So, for centuries, it’s been a kind of “mythological neighborly teasing” between Denmark and Sweden – all thanks to Gefion and her ox-sons.

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MORE ABOUT THE COFFEE

Peru

Origin

Sol & Café

coffee roast

Taste Notes

Cocoa, nutty, sweet

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Grown in the Peruvian highlands by the Sol&Café cooperative, this coffee is hand-harvested between August and November and fully washed with care. The altitude lends a gentle brightness and creamy body, carrying flavours of sweet cacao and nuts in a beautifully balanced cup. Sol & Café is a delicate yet characterful coffee, offering both everyday comfort and a glimpse of Peru’s highland terroir.

Altitude: 1200–2000 m.a.s.l

Variety: Caturra, Typica

Process: Washed

Certification: Organic

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Did you know that you can order same coffee as beans?

SHOP PERU BEANS

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