Delightful Denmark

Copenhagen (population 1.5 million)
After rice or noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Asia, I welcomed the Danish Smorrebrod every day. This is an open rye bread sandwich that combines all the toppings, spreads, fillings and flavours you desire! It was also necessary to try Polsevogue, the traditional Danish hot dog. The shape of the bread so you don’t need to break it but a perfectly sized cylindrical hole drilled in for the hotdog. And of course, no trip to Denmark is complete without Danish pastry. Despite being called ‘a Danish’ in the west, these bodelicious taste sensations came from the bakeries of Switzerland, which explains why the Danes call it a ‘Wienerbrod’ as in bread from Vienna. Other than this, Denmark is famous for the great fairytale author, Hans Christian Anderson, The Little Mermaid and the Vikings.

The development of Copenhagen has always be an important priority of the Danish Kings making it easy to see influences from centuries of monarchy rule in the architecture. High on the entrepreneurial VIP list was King Christian IV during the Renaissance (1588-1648) when the city literally doubled in size. Over the last 10 years, Danish building has experienced another boom as industrialised buildings are transformed into chic, fashionable ones. Unlike the British monarchy, the Danish royal family are modern and highly respected role models for Denmark. While today Queen Margrethe II actively does not have the same opportunity to plant grand building where ever she pleases, she plays an active culturally artistic role painting, drawing (including illustrating the Lord of the Rings book), designing costumes and scenography for screenplays and translating French books. The crown princes appear equally down to earth attending rock concerts and mingling with the locals. And how could we forget the multi-billion dollar wedding to his beautiful Australian Crown Princess Mary Donaldson. Quite a bit of excitement this week with the Christening and naming of their second child! Danes around the country are having fun wondering, guessing, and even betting on what they will possibly name the new princess to be. Unfortunately, I had no celebrity sightings in Copenhagen.

Amongst its historical architecture, Copenhagen is hosting the annual cow parade this year. For anyone unfamiliar with this phenomenon, it’s where individuals and businesses paint and modify uniform white sculptures of cows any way they like. Needless to say, there are some interesting appropriations. Cows with huge pastries on their backs, retro, hippy and gold drum like cows in all kinds of weird and wonderful places.

I then journeyed south to meet my lovely Danish relatives, Bendt and Inge who gave me a warm family welcome to the peaceful countryside of Denmark. Fields of flowers, strawberries and rye surrounded me where ever we drove and the horizon always whirling with windmills. We enjoyed sunny afternoons picnicking and eating all things Danish. Midsummer night is a grand New Years eve-like festival throughout Scandinavian and Baltic Europe. This is the longest day of the year where the sun shines from before you wake up til after bedtime. On this night we witnessed the traditional bonfires and drinking throughout the countryside. However, apparently this idea started with the burning of witches in medieval times to send them to Germany - sorry Germany!

My relatives were kind enough to take me for a ride back in time to Frederiksberg Castle which the Danish monarchy has ruled from for centuries (built 1588-1648). This enormous mansion of a palace houses paintings of all the lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses from the 1500s to the present day. Anyone knighted by Danish royalty has been dedicated a plark, including Churchill, Eisenhower, Crown Princess Mary etc. Amongst the grandeurs of aristocracy I could imagine the great Danish kings feeling quite powerful as they pondered taking over the whole of Scandinavian Europe. Interesting how in the medieval universe places the earth at the centre of the universe surrounded by the sun, moon and planets. Only in spheres of the earth were changes possible, while all other spheres are unchangeable. Turns out that the Dane’s didn’t believe Copernicus’ 1543 theory that the earth revolved around the sun until the 17th century. Whoops!

We continued our journey back in time to the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde where they have original Viking ships from the 11th century. However nowadays some crazy Danes like to make a Viking voyage to Dublin - keep watching for July First. Not so different from the later monarchy, the Vikings were always on the quest for conquest and colonization. Throughout history, where ever trade is done, there is always the potential for robbery. Thus, with the growth of trade in Northern Europe in the 800s came piracy! And with all this power you could also image how these pirates were welcomed by the land lords who could use them as allies for internal power struggles and external protection against other pirates. As a reward for their efforts, pirates were granted land. In fact the Danish Vikings received some prime positions in Rhine in 840 in exchange for protection. Similarly, the French kings agreed to give the Vikings the Seine area in return for the protection of their precious Paris in 911. The Vikings developed a permanent presence as they conquered land in eastern Britain; leaving their mark on placenames and even the English language. The Vikings worshipped supernatural beings who had influence over a man’s life including Odin and Thor in one family and Freyr and Freyja in another. Interestingly enough, in addition to gods there were also giants, dwarfs, elves, norms (goddesses of fate), valkyries etc.

Bendt and Inge are also conveniently located close to the famous Holmegaard glass factory. This factory is well know for high quality glass and design since 1825. Walking around the factory I was able to feel the glass as it liquefies at high temperature up to 200 degrees Celsius (through protective sheets of course), practice the art of blowing to glass and engraving. Check out my artistic creation!

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