Life with the Danes
I’m in Denmark. I’ve been working in Aarhus with the University for two days and have now travelled by train to ‘wonderful’ Copenhagen.
And it is a wonderful country and a wonderful city, a place where people smile and are helpful, a place where the trains run on time yet locals haven’t lost their sense of humour.
But it’s not entirely as the guide books would have you believe. Here is my select list of things you may not know about the Danes or Denmark:
Copenhagen has been sacrificed to workmen. All the attractive streets and squares are being dug up. An elderly woman tripped over a badly-marked temporary pathway this morning and narrowly escaped serious injury. Not good.
It’s a young place. Pregnant women and young children are everwhere. And the Danes like old fashioned Mary Poppins-style prams that fill the pavement. If there is any space left around the workmen.
Bicycles are everywhere. A good thing.
It isn’t as expensive as you may think. Although the coinage is very strange. No, it’s not in the euro zone.
Many, many seemingly-intelligent people still smoke. Not indoors, thankfully but step out along any street and you’ll choke.
Danes share the rest of the world’s fondness for nasty tattoos. A real shame.
The Little Mermaid is no longer at the harbour. She has been taken to China to represent Denmark at the World Expo. There’s a replica at the Tivoli Gardens, but ……..
Actually, forget all of the above. It’s still a wonderful place. And don’t miss out on the meatballs.