Denmark – maryannsholidays

This one is really it – I promise!

I have had a great deal of difficulty switching between my blog writing programmes, so I apologise for all the empty posts.

21st JULY, 2019 – FUNEN, DENMARK

Funen is the third largest island in Denmark with a population of a little over 450,000. Our first stop was the pretty Egeskov castle. I particularly enjoyed the whimsical statues scattered here and there.

After a few hours of enjoying the castle we set off for Odense. Odense was undergoing a major reconstruction. Everywhere we looked, huge buildings were being erected and roads were being torn up. Sadly, this meant that much of the charm that I recalled from earlier visits was missing. Odense is best known for being the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen and hundreds of thousands of tourist flock to the old part of town to pay homage to him, to see the place where he was born and the museum that is dedicated to his life. Yet even in this carefully maintained section of Odense, we saw a gaping hole between two of the original houses – one of them being H.C Andersen’s – with engineering braces holding the walls up from collapsing. We can only hope that no modern monstrosity of a hotel will be built there.

22nd JULY, 2019 – ODENSE, DENMARK

We went to a recreated Viking village, where dedicated people of all ages, practised the crafts and trades of the Viking era. We watched the blacksmith making shears and eating implements, watched wool being dyed using natural dyes, saw wooden bowls being painstakingly carved and watched the preparation of porridge and sourdough bread. One young man explained that it had taken him more than a year to handmake his shoes, purse and drinking horn. It was another wonderful day!

23rd JULY, 2019 – RIBE, DENMARK

Ribe is the oldest town in Denmark and the Hotel Dagmar is the oldest hotel in Denmark. When I stayed here nearly forty years ago, there wasn’t a heat wave. The foundations of the hotel had subsided unevenly, the floors creaked and had a very noticeable incline – so much so that the bed legs had been cut 7 cms shorter at on end so the bed was level! That was fine, but the very tiny windows did not allow for any real air-circulation and with the temperature in the high thirties, it was stifling. Sleep was made more difficult by revellers beneath our windows and it was well after midnight before the noise abated.

Ribe is a pretty little town and clearly a favourite holiday destination for Danes. Water mills are an interesting feature of the canals running through the town. The landing place on the river is the site where Viking ships tied up in the year 700 when they first established a marketplace here.

The local Viking museum was fascinating. I was particularly captivated by the shoes, especially those that had belonged to children and how they had been so well preserved.

24th JULY, 2019 – FREDERICIA, DENMARK

I was mainly interested in see the ramparts of the town. After the devastation caused by the 30 years war in a largely unfortified Jutland, King Christian IV realised the necessity of building a strong fortress in Jutland and it was these ramparts that I wanted to see. I hadn’t counted on coming across this fabulous statue, the first ever monument in the world dedicated to ‘the unknown soldier’.

The ramparts themselves provided a lovely green space. The moats between them was teeming with life: birds, fish and ducks all shared space with the human occupants.

*Fittingly, wild red poppies grew all around*

Quite by chance, we happened upon a local historical museum that had restored buildings and told of the life of the people who had lived there. Seemingly trivial facts about the population who were essentially dispossessed immigrants. The King had given a special decree for Fredericia allowing the population: Jews, Catholics and Hugenots to practice their own religion in peace. This was a remarkable feat of tolerance for the time.

Our hotel for the evening was a lovely looking old-fashioned ‘Kro’ (Danish country inn), complete with thatched roof. After the disappointingly uncomfortable night we had spent the night before in historic Ribe, I was concerned about the comfort level of this hotel. I needn’t have worried. While the front of the hotel was original, an extensive new development was behind the front facade. Far from being disappointed by this turn of events, I was delighted with the huge bedroom and bathroom, the completely flat, carpeted floor and the gloriously comfortable, modern bed. Nonetheless, the heat remained oppressive, of course there was no air-conditioning, and only a small portion of the comparatively large windows opened to allow some fresh air.

25th JULY, 2019 – THE SILVERSEA CRUISE

With the heatwave continuing we were all the more anxious to get to our luxurious, air-conditioned suite aboard ‘The Silver Spirit’.

Barry endured his final white-knuckle, two and a half hour drive back to Copenhagen. We dropped off our rental car, caught a taxi to Langelinie where the cruise ships dock, checked our luggage on board and then promptly caught a taxi back to Copenhagen to enjoy a cup of coffee and some of the best Danish pastry in Denmark at Konditori Le Glace on the walking street. What a wonderful few weeks!

17th DECEMBER, 2017

I couldn’t wait to show Barry the country of my birth! I had visited once before on my birthday and so fondly remembered the way that Copenhagen dressed up like a fairy tale at Christmas. The decorations are so wonderful, the lights of Tivoli so pretty, the Christmas markets so delightful, and then there is the food! I also wanted to introduce him to some of my family members and bring to life for him all that I had told him about this special country. I had found an Airbnb just off the main walking street and the location was perfect. We arrived on my birthday. How special was that!

I had carefully researched restaurants and booked some of them before leaving Australia and I was especially delighted by the one I had booked for our first night on my birthday. Restaurant Bror serves innovative Nordic cuisine and was fabulous! Restaurantbror.dk Skt. Peders Stræde, 24A, 1453 Copenhagen K

18th DECEMBER, 2017

It was wonderful to rediscover wonderful Copenhagen.

The Hotel D’Angleterre turns it’s façade into an advent calendar and opens a new window every day.

The Changing of the Guard was spectacular.

I just adore Danish architecture.

Another reward for careful research. The food was fantastic and the service warm. I highly recommend Restaurant Kanalen, Wilders Plads 1-3 restaurantkanalen.dk It is located (as the name suggests, on a lovely canal.

19th DECEMBER, 2017

We had a very rewarding but very busy day. First we picked up a rental car and drove to Riskilde to visit the Viking Museum there.

Then it was off to Korsør to visit my father’s older brother, my lovely uncle Carl. It was also great to be able to catch up with my cousin, Annette and long-time friend, Johannes.

20th DECEMBER, 2017

We drove back to Copenhagen and then set off again in the morning to drive to the most nostalgic place for me in Denmark. My father and I were both born in a Nakskov and three of my cousins still live there. We booked into Hotel Skovridergaaten and waited for my cousins, Ole and Morgens to take us on a lovely tour of the old town.

Ole, Mogens and I standing in front of the house that I was born in

This is where my grandparents lived when it was their butcher shop

The Christmas decorations in the windows of this house warmed my heart

This is the little house that my father was raised in

It is common, as a sea faring nation, for Danish churches to have ships hanging from the roof

My grandparents are buried in this churchyard

That evening we shared a lovely meal with all my cousins and their wives.

22nd DECEMBER, 2017

We had lunch with Ole and Anne-Grethe before another last look around town, a side trip to Maribo to visit my great-grandmother’s house and then a leisurely drive back to Copenhagen.

My farmor was raised here by my great grand-parents

22nd DECEMBER, 2017

We spent the morning climbing the Round Tower and enjoying the bird’s eye view of Copenhagen from the roof top.

We took the train to Espergærde to meet up with my cousin, Marielle, and to visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art that was nearby.

A beautiful thatched roof house that we passed along the way

Marielle treated us to a traditional Danish dinner before we headed back to Copenhagen on the train.

23rd DECEMBER, 2017

It seemed that every day was better than the one before. We took a lovely walk over to the Nørrebro district to admire Rosenberg slot built in the early 17th Century by King Christian IV to serve as his summer house.

We had plans to meet my cousin, Bent, in the afternoon at Tivoli, but we still had plenty of time for walking. So we went back to my favourite statue for a closer look at the Viking Lur horn players in the Townhall Square. Then we meandered across innovative bike bridges lanes and canals, passing by and having another look at Kanalen in the daylight before having the obligatory visit to Christiania. Since it’s establishment by squatters in 1971, the area has drawn non-conformists from across the globe, attracted by the concept of collective business, workshops, and communal living. The freely available hash and marijuana no longer seems exotic, but rather lends a very seedy air to the place.

Then at last it was time to meet up with Marielle and Bent. We spent hours just wandering around Tivoli, enjoying the crisp air, getting to know each other and then enjoying a meal together at Brdr. Price in Tivoli.

On our way home we stopped off at our favourite Konditori ‘La Glace’ to admire their artful Christmas window display.

24th DECEMBER, 2017 – JUL AFTEN

It was strange to walk around the streets of Copenhagen with so few places open. One place, of course, that is always open at Christmas, is church. We went to not one, but to two church services: the first to a church just off Strøget, The Church of the Holy Ghost, then to the much grander church of the royal family, Frederik’s church, or the Marble Church, as it is often called. Then it was off in search of some more examples of interesting Danish architecture.

I had always pitied those people who ate their Christmas Dinner in restaurants. Yet I found it exhilarating and liberating to do so myself in Copenhagen. For nearly fifty years I have spent weeks baking, shopping, cleaning and preparing for that very special event and then days afterwards cleaning up. I thought that I would miss it terribly and perhaps feel homesick and sad. Not at all! The Harbour Restaurant served an absolutely spectacular Danish Christmas Eve dinner and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

25th DECEMBER, 2017

We took the train from Copenhagen to Malmø, Sweden across ‘The Bridge’. Other than the change in colour of the flags from red and white to yellow and blue, there really wasn’t much to distinguish the two countries.

We were back in Copenhagen for what turned out to be our favourite meal that we had in Denmark. If you are ever there, be sure to visit Høst. Nørre Farimagsgade, 41. Cofoco.dk

27th DECEMBER, 2017

It was a wonderfully relaxing day wandering around the relatively deserted streets of Copenhagen. Barry was fascinated with the empty tills left in the front windows of shops, demonstrating that there was no money on the premises. Note some of the really interesting fashion items. Then we were delighted to spend the evening with my Cousin Bent who had prepared a specialty from Lolland, grønlangkål, for us. It was such a nostalgic ‘blast from the past’ and every bit as delicious as I had remembered.

28th DECEMBER, 2017

We had to be up early to catch out SAS flight to Aalborg to have lunch with Onkel Kurt and Tante Ingrid. Barry found it a little challenging to navigate the narrow country roads driving a manual for the first time in decades AND on the wrong side of the road. By the time we had spent four hours with Kurt and Ingrid it was already dark and we spent a nerve wracking hour locating our hotel. We were astounded that despite having no street lights, there weren’t even ‘cat’s eyes’ on the road to visually assist road users. At our hotel ‘Rold Storkro’ in Skorping, we were amused to see this special smokers area.