Of Danish Pastry and Prepositions
By STEVEN LUND, Professor, Division of Modern Languages, Arizona Western College
Introduction
Some guys collect cars; I collect languages. Over the years, I have fed this habit with healthy doses of French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovak and Danish, the language of my father’s parents. My bookshelves can attest to this addiction. But as any language junkie will tell you, man cannot live by language alone, and wherever foreign-language textbooks, tapes and dictionaries can be found, travel is never far behind. In fact, it was this affinity for communicating with people in languages other than my own that led me overseas once again this past summer, this time to Denmark for a three-week refresher course in Danish.
Denmark. The homeland of my grandparents. The land of the Vikings, Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid, and over five million mild-mannered Danes, who, unlike their ancestors, are much more interested in living well than in pillaging and plundering.
This would not be my first trip to the Danish Kingdom, but rather my fourth. But it would be my first opportunity to formally study the Danish language in Denmark. It would also give me the chance to visit scores of castles, medieval villages and museums that had been on my travel “to do” list for years.
The following is a collection of verbal and visual snapshots lifted from my journal and photo album.
Day 1
I arrived in Helsingør from Copenhagen by train this morning. Upon leaving the train station, I noticed that the station’s exterior resembles more a castle than a transportation hub. As I scanned the harbor directly across from the station’s main entrance, my attention was drawn to a real castle not more than a 10-minute walk away. This is the castle that for many Shakespeare fans puts Denmark on the map. This is the castle of “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” fame. Tourists may refer to it as Hamlet’s Castle, but the Danes call their Renaissance castle Kronborg. The city is more than happy to capitalize on this literary connection, and numerous performances of Shakespeare’s famous play are held in the castle’s courtyard throughout the summer season.
While admiring the view and waiting for a taxi, I was approached by a man with an American accent. I soon learned that Brent from California was also headed to the same school for the Danish-language course. We shared a taxi and split the 60-kroner ($9.75) fare up the hill to the school.
The International People’s College( IPC ) was established in 1921 as what is known as a folkehøjskole (folk high school), an institution of higher education whose origins go back to the mid-19th century, the inspiration of Danish clergyman, hymn-writer, politician and educational reformer Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig. Found throughout Scandinavia, folk high schools, or just folk schools, are arguably the closest thing that Scandinavia has to an American community college. IPC began with only a couple of buildings, among them a converted farmhouse, where students studied, lived and ate with their teachers. Over the years, additional structures have been added including a modern annex with a dormitory, dining hall, library, common room, and a labyrinth of basement passageways leading to a student kitchen, laundry room, computer lab, and even a venue reserved for karaoke nights. The purpose of Danish folk schools today varies from school to school, with some focusing almost entirely on traditional crafts and other art forms. As suggested by its name, the International People’s College emphasizes international understanding and cross-cultural experiences, and its curriculum reflects this goal.
After a brief tour of what will be my home for the next three weeks, the next order of business was making up my bed with the surprisingly soft linens provided by the school. Every two rooms (a single and a double) share a bathroom. Throughout our stay, it will be my and my suitemates’ responsibility to not only clean our own rooms but also the bathroom we share.
Anyone who has visited Scandinavia, or has at least looked into the price of hotels and restaurants there, will agree that IPC’s summer program is a bargain. For approximately $1600, one receives simple but comfortable accommodations, three meals a day (restaurant rather than cafeteria quality), and twenty hours of instruction a week plus various social and educational events and tours. Unless one has a Danish friend or relative to stay with, this has to be one of the most affordable ways to spend three weeks in Denmark.
Day 2
Having taken a brief written and oral exam yesterday to determine our level of proficiency in Danish, my fellow students and I were ready for the start of classes this morning. There are about 90 students in this year’s program from 25 countries, ranging in age from 19 to 60+. Their reasons for being here are just as diverse as their countries and ages. Many are university students majoring in Scandinavian Studies, while others, like me, have family ties to Denmark. There are even a few, such as Fernando from Spain, who thought it would be fun to spend his summer holiday trying his hand at a Scandinavian language while experiencing another country and culture.
We are divided into groups of 12 to 15 and spread out over seven levels of proficiency. As a teacher, it feels strange to be back in the role of a student. With respect to Danish, it has been over 20 years since my first Danish class at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. As I sit in class I can’t help but wonder how proud Professor Knudsen would be to know that at least one of her students’ interest in the Danish language did not fade with the fulfillment of the college’s language requirement.
I am looking forward to updating my vocabulary and getting a better handle on Danish pronunciation. While Danish grammar, with the exception of prepositions, is fairly straightforward and easy to learn, the same cannot be said when it comes to pronunciation. Many Danes will be the first to admit that when they speak, it sounds like they have a mouth full of potatoes. I would certainly agree.
This afternoon the staff took us on a walking tour of Helsingør’s historic center.
The tour took us down picturesque side streets lined with tiny meticulously restored medieval houses with old small-paned windows, most with the curtains drawn back to display crystal and porcelain collections lining the sills.
In many parts of the world, it would be considered ostentatious, and perhaps even foolish, to show off one’s best to passersby in shop-like fashion. But that’s not the case here in Denmark, where such displays lend an unpretentious and inviting warmth to the houses and provide a glimpse into Danish home life.
The tour ended with a walk down Helsingør’s long pedestrian thoroughfare. At two o’clock in the afternoon the cobblestone street was crowded with visitors from nearby Sweden (just 20 minutes away by ferry) loading up on lower-priced alcohol. Many had obviously made this trek before and were equipped with luggage carts to transport their cases of Danish beer and spirits back to the dock. Instead of a nice cold Carlsberg or Tuborg, most in our group opted for generous scoops of homemade ice cream in a waffle cone topped with raspberry marmalade and loads of fresh flødeskum (whipped cream).
Day 4
Everyone seems to have fallen effortlessly into the pattern and rhythm of everyday life at IPC. The day begins with breakfast at 8:00 (fresh homemade bread, various kinds of jam, and assorted cheeses and cereals). Classes are held from 8:30am to 12:30pm with a couple of kaffepauser (coffee breaks) scheduled in. (The Danes take their coffee breaks very seriously.)
Lunch is served at 12:45. Along with dinner it is served family style, which creates a homey atmosphere. Today we had frikadeller (Danish meatballs).
In the afternoon, various electives are offered on such topics as Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, Danish design and mass media. Following the electives students are free to do as they wish. Popular choices include checking e-mail, playing soccer, taking a nap, or making a run down the hill to the center of town to do a bit of shopping. Dinner is served at 6 o’clock sharp. The main course this evening was Greenland salmon with dill. Evenings are filled by doing homework, socializing and drinking coffee (did I mention the importance of coffee in Danish culture?) in the common room, watching Danish films, participating in organized sing-a-longs, playing pool in the basement, and hanging out in local pubs. I had forgotten how nice the life of a student can be.
Day 6
This weekend we had our first field trip. The day began with a hike through the woods and along the beach to the fishing village of Gilleleje.
Gilleleje is one of a number of villages dotting the northern coast of the island of Sjælland (Zealand in English) which served as staging grounds for the evacuation of Danish Jews during the second world war. Denmark was invaded by the Nazis in 1940, but due to an agreement reached between the Danish and German governments, Danish Jews were protected from persecution. That is, until October 1943, when the Nazi regime decided to break the agreement and round up all Danish Jews for deportation. Acting upon a tip from a German diplomat in Copenhagen to a member of the Danish parliament, word of the plan spread quickly but quietly throughout the country, and within days Danish fishermen began ferrying their Jewish neighbors across the sound in the darkness of night to nearby Sweden. Thanks to the heroic efforts of these fishermen and countless other concerned citizens, approximately 7000 Danish Jews, the majority of the Jewish population in Denmark, made it to safety. When these individuals returned to Denmark following the war, unlike in other countries, they found they had something to come back to; their homes had been looked after, their pets fed, and the plants watered. The Danes’ response to the plight of their non-Christian fellow countrymen is a testament to Danish tolerance and empathy.
Our next stop was a visit to Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød.
Parts of the ornate castle date back to the 16th century. Situated on three islands surrounded by a lake, the castle is often referred to as the Danish Versailles.
Our final stop was a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk.
Modern art enthusiasts will love Louisiana’s avant-garde collection while others may be more impressed by the museum’s coastal setting. The terrace café provides the perfect vantage point for taking in the grounds and watching the sailboats in the distance go by while enjoying a cup of coffee and Denmark’s celebrated wienerbrød, flakey butter-laden pastry with a custard filling.
Day 10
It was Christmas in July for those of us who participated in this evening’s cultural activity- a lively game of pakkespil. Pakkespil is a Danish holiday game involving dice and lots of small packages. In anticipation of the game, each of us had purchased and wrapped a couple of small 10-kroner ($1.60) gifts. At the start of the game, all the presents were placed in a pile in the center of the table. A die was then sent around, and anyone who rolled a six got to choose a gift from the pile. This continued until all the gifts had been distributed. At this point, a timer was set for eight minutes or so and play resumed, this time allowing those who rolled a six to take a package of their choosing away from another player. As the minutes on the timer wound down, the pace of the game picked up with each player trying to accumulate as many gifts as possible before the final buzzer. When play ceased it was then time to unwrap the gifts- an assortment of chocolate bars, marzipan treats, and souvenir trinkets. Everyone seemed delighted with their booty. I was surprised how spirited a bunch of adults could get over what must surely be a much-anticipated children’s holiday pastime. Perhaps it was the accompanying gløgg (mulled wine) that contributed so much to our enthusiasm.
Day 13
2005 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of Denmark’s most famous citizens- fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen. The entire country has been celebrating all year. Commemorative plaques abound. A sort of George-Washington-slept-here atmosphere prevails. Even Copenhagen’s famed Magasin department store has gotten into the act by providing entrance through its housewares department to a tiny room once occupied by the author.
For admirers of Andersen’s work, no visit to Denmark would be complete without a visit to the city of Odense, the writer’s hometown. Odense sits on the island of Fyn (Funen in English) between the island of Sjælland, home of Helsingør and Copenhagen, and the Jylland (Jutland) peninsula. It is about 90 minutes west of Copenhagen by train.
Odense’s main attraction is the HC Andersen Museum, which consists of the small house where Andersen was born and a modern annex housing exhibits on the author’s life and works in both Danish and English. Most impressive is the library, which is jam-packed with translations of Andersen’s tales from around the world.
In addition to being a prolific writer (Andersen not only wrote fairy tales but also plays, novels and accounts of his extensive travels), he was a very talented papirklip artist. With a pair of scissors and a piece of folded paper, Andersen could fashion intricate creations- everything from a chain of dolls or swans to a harlequin or even a mask. An entire room at the museum is dedicated to Andersen’s paper fantasies and drawings.
On a typical Danish summer day, the weather alternates between periods of rain and sunshine. Unfortunately this was not the case during today’s visit to Odense. Instead of alternating between rain and sun, the weather treated us to moments of drizzle and downpour. Even under such gloomy conditions, the city beckoned us to explore its cobblestone streets and wonder what it would be like to live in one of those little beautifully restored pastel-colored houses. Walking the streets of Odense is like stepping into a fairy tale. But this is not a set designer’s version of a fairytale village; it is the real thing. If a place can be this beautiful in the pouring rain, I can only imagine how spectacular it must be on a sunny day.
Day 17
Visitors to Denmark typically begin and/or end their trip in the capital city of Copenhagen. Our last official field trip took us there for a full day beginning with an open-air boat tour through the city’s canals.
Mention canals and Europe, and Amsterdam almost certainly comes to mind. But Copenhagen also has a rather extensive canal system. On a sunny day, there is no better way to appreciate the city’s architecture- especially the many unusual spires, including that of the Stock Exchange, fashioned to look like dragon tails swirled together.
Following the tour we were free to explore the city on our own. As expected of any capital city worth its salt, Copenhagen has its share of top-notch museums. But for many visitors, the city’s main attraction is shopping. Even the city’s Danish name, København, suggests its status as a shopping mecca; købe is the Danish word for “to buy” while havn means “harbor”. And when it comes to shopping, Copenhagen doesn’t disappoint. The Danish people take great pride in their traditional hand-painted porcelain and cutting-edge designs in glass, silver, and stainless steel. In fact, the Danes love shopping so much that they have created what is believed to be Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping mall. Comprised of a series of winding streets, Strøget is over one mile in length and extends from Rådhuspladsen (Town Hall Square) to Kongens Nytorv (The King’s New Square). While offerings at Danish stores may be a feast for the eyes, shoppers may suffer from sticker shock upon converting prices from Danish crowns to dollars, thanks to a hefty 25% tax included in the price of all merchandise. On the bright side, visitors from outside the European Union are eligible to receive about half of this tax back in the form of a refund issued at the airport and other international points of departure. To receive this refund (paid in Danish crowns, Euros or U.S. dollars), visitors need only show Customs officials the merchandise purchased and the necessary Global Refund™ paperwork provided by most merchants before leaving the country for a non-EU destination.
Much kinder on the wallet and easier on a traveler’s back are Denmark’s hand- and laser-cut paper creations, such as Christmas decorations, mobiles and traditional woven hearts in red and white, the colors of the Danish flag. Speaking of woven hearts, the oldest one still in existence (and perhaps the first of its kind) dates back to 1861 and was made by none other than Hans Christian Andersen.
Lunch today was from one of Copenhagen’s many take-away sandwich shops. The Danes have elevated sandwich making into an art form with their smørrebrød.
The term literally means “butter bread”, but butter and bread are only the foundation of these elaborate delicacies. Eateries throughout the city proudly display these open-faced sandwiches. One upscale establishment boasts a menu of over a hundred different kinds. My particular favorite is a slice of French bread generously slathered with butter, piled high with prawns and topped with lemon slices, mayonnaise and caviar. Other choices include artfully decked-out slices of herring, salmon, roast beef and hardboiled eggs. Americans may not be accustomed to eating a sandwich with a fork and knife, but when it comes to eating smørrebrød, there is no way around it.
Day 20
Today was the last day of class. With the profits generated by selling beer at a social event a few nights earlier, our class was able to celebrate with an array of marzipan- and raspberry-filled cakes. Besides eating, our main task for today was to decide on our class’s contribution to the talent show following tonight’s certificate ceremony. Our instructor, on loan for the summer from Copenhagen University, showed her more playful side when she suggested that we perform traditional Danish drinking songs. We quickly agreed. Given our recent fund-raising endeavor, it seemed like a natural choice. And by the way, our renditions of the songs were the hit of the show.
Where has the time gone? Three weeks have never gone by so fast. In this time I have seen and learned so much about Denmark, its culture and its people. I have become rather fond of my classmates from around the world and have also become quite accustomed to folk-school life. As for my dansk, my vocabulary has increased exponentially, my phrasing has smoothed out, and I have gotten over some of the higher pronunciation hurdles. I still agree that Danes sound as if they were speaking with a mouthful of potatoes, and I am doing my best to imitate them. So please pass the potatoes. Or should I say kartofler?
Useful web sites:
Association of Danish Folk High Schools: www.ffd.dk
Danish Tourist Board: www.visitdenmark.com
Hans Christian Andersen Museum: www.odmus.dk
Kronborg Castle: www.kronborg.dk
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art: www.louisiana.dk
For more information on efforts to save Danish Jews during WW II, consult the web site for The Museum of Danish Resistance (Frihedsmuseet): www.nationalmuseet.dk.
For photos of and tips for making Danish open-faced sandwiches, check out www.idadavidsen.dk.
steven.lund@azwestern.edu
Copyright Steven Lund (2005)
Introduction
Some guys collect cars; I collect languages. Over the years, I have fed this habit with healthy doses of French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovak and Danish, the language of my father’s parents. My bookshelves can attest to this addiction. But as any language junkie will tell you, man cannot live by language alone, and wherever foreign-language textbooks, tapes and dictionaries can be found, travel is never far behind. In fact, it was this affinity for communicating with people in languages other than my own that led me overseas once again this past summer, this time to Denmark for a three-week refresher course in Danish.
Denmark. The homeland of my grandparents. The land of the Vikings, Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid, and over five million mild-mannered Danes, who, unlike their ancestors, are much more interested in living well than in pillaging and plundering.
This would not be my first trip to the Danish Kingdom, but rather my fourth. But it would be my first opportunity to formally study the Danish language in Denmark. It would also give me the chance to visit scores of castles, medieval villages and museums that had been on my travel “to do” list for years.
The following is a collection of verbal and visual snapshots lifted from my journal and photo album.
Day 1
I arrived in Helsingør from Copenhagen by train this morning. Upon leaving the train station, I noticed that the station’s exterior resembles more a castle than a transportation hub. As I scanned the harbor directly across from the station’s main entrance, my attention was drawn to a real castle not more than a 10-minute walk away. This is the castle that for many Shakespeare fans puts Denmark on the map. This is the castle of “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” fame. Tourists may refer to it as Hamlet’s Castle, but the Danes call their Renaissance castle Kronborg. The city is more than happy to capitalize on this literary connection, and numerous performances of Shakespeare’s famous play are held in the castle’s courtyard throughout the summer season.
While admiring the view and waiting for a taxi, I was approached by a man with an American accent. I soon learned that Brent from California was also headed to the same school for the Danish-language course. We shared a taxi and split the 60-kroner ($9.75) fare up the hill to the school.
The International People’s College( IPC ) was established in 1921 as what is known as a folkehøjskole (folk high school), an institution of higher education whose origins go back to the mid-19th century, the inspiration of Danish clergyman, hymn-writer, politician and educational reformer Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig. Found throughout Scandinavia, folk high schools, or just folk schools, are arguably the closest thing that Scandinavia has to an American community college. IPC began with only a couple of buildings, among them a converted farmhouse, where students studied, lived and ate with their teachers. Over the years, additional structures have been added including a modern annex with a dormitory, dining hall, library, common room, and a labyrinth of basement passageways leading to a student kitchen, laundry room, computer lab, and even a venue reserved for karaoke nights. The purpose of Danish folk schools today varies from school to school, with some focusing almost entirely on traditional crafts and other art forms. As suggested by its name, the International People’s College emphasizes international understanding and cross-cultural experiences, and its curriculum reflects this goal.
After a brief tour of what will be my home for the next three weeks, the next order of business was making up my bed with the surprisingly soft linens provided by the school. Every two rooms (a single and a double) share a bathroom. Throughout our stay, it will be my and my suitemates’ responsibility to not only clean our own rooms but also the bathroom we share.
Anyone who has visited Scandinavia, or has at least looked into the price of hotels and restaurants there, will agree that IPC’s summer program is a bargain. For approximately $1600, one receives simple but comfortable accommodations, three meals a day (restaurant rather than cafeteria quality), and twenty hours of instruction a week plus various social and educational events and tours. Unless one has a Danish friend or relative to stay with, this has to be one of the most affordable ways to spend three weeks in Denmark.
Day 2
Having taken a brief written and oral exam yesterday to determine our level of proficiency in Danish, my fellow students and I were ready for the start of classes this morning. There are about 90 students in this year’s program from 25 countries, ranging in age from 19 to 60+. Their reasons for being here are just as diverse as their countries and ages. Many are university students majoring in Scandinavian Studies, while others, like me, have family ties to Denmark. There are even a few, such as Fernando from Spain, who thought it would be fun to spend his summer holiday trying his hand at a Scandinavian language while experiencing another country and culture.
We are divided into groups of 12 to 15 and spread out over seven levels of proficiency. As a teacher, it feels strange to be back in the role of a student. With respect to Danish, it has been over 20 years since my first Danish class at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. As I sit in class I can’t help but wonder how proud Professor Knudsen would be to know that at least one of her students’ interest in the Danish language did not fade with the fulfillment of the college’s language requirement.
I am looking forward to updating my vocabulary and getting a better handle on Danish pronunciation. While Danish grammar, with the exception of prepositions, is fairly straightforward and easy to learn, the same cannot be said when it comes to pronunciation. Many Danes will be the first to admit that when they speak, it sounds like they have a mouth full of potatoes. I would certainly agree.
This afternoon the staff took us on a walking tour of Helsingør’s historic center.
In many parts of the world, it would be considered ostentatious, and perhaps even foolish, to show off one’s best to passersby in shop-like fashion. But that’s not the case here in Denmark, where such displays lend an unpretentious and inviting warmth to the houses and provide a glimpse into Danish home life.
Day 4
Everyone seems to have fallen effortlessly into the pattern and rhythm of everyday life at IPC. The day begins with breakfast at 8:00 (fresh homemade bread, various kinds of jam, and assorted cheeses and cereals). Classes are held from 8:30am to 12:30pm with a couple of kaffepauser (coffee breaks) scheduled in. (The Danes take their coffee breaks very seriously.)
Lunch is served at 12:45. Along with dinner it is served family style, which creates a homey atmosphere. Today we had frikadeller (Danish meatballs).
In the afternoon, various electives are offered on such topics as Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, Danish design and mass media. Following the electives students are free to do as they wish. Popular choices include checking e-mail, playing soccer, taking a nap, or making a run down the hill to the center of town to do a bit of shopping. Dinner is served at 6 o’clock sharp. The main course this evening was Greenland salmon with dill. Evenings are filled by doing homework, socializing and drinking coffee (did I mention the importance of coffee in Danish culture?) in the common room, watching Danish films, participating in organized sing-a-longs, playing pool in the basement, and hanging out in local pubs. I had forgotten how nice the life of a student can be.
Day 6
This weekend we had our first field trip. The day began with a hike through the woods and along the beach to the fishing village of Gilleleje.
Gilleleje is one of a number of villages dotting the northern coast of the island of Sjælland (Zealand in English) which served as staging grounds for the evacuation of Danish Jews during the second world war. Denmark was invaded by the Nazis in 1940, but due to an agreement reached between the Danish and German governments, Danish Jews were protected from persecution. That is, until October 1943, when the Nazi regime decided to break the agreement and round up all Danish Jews for deportation. Acting upon a tip from a German diplomat in Copenhagen to a member of the Danish parliament, word of the plan spread quickly but quietly throughout the country, and within days Danish fishermen began ferrying their Jewish neighbors across the sound in the darkness of night to nearby Sweden. Thanks to the heroic efforts of these fishermen and countless other concerned citizens, approximately 7000 Danish Jews, the majority of the Jewish population in Denmark, made it to safety. When these individuals returned to Denmark following the war, unlike in other countries, they found they had something to come back to; their homes had been looked after, their pets fed, and the plants watered. The Danes’ response to the plight of their non-Christian fellow countrymen is a testament to Danish tolerance and empathy.
Our next stop was a visit to Frederiksborg Slot in Hillerød.
Parts of the ornate castle date back to the 16th century. Situated on three islands surrounded by a lake, the castle is often referred to as the Danish Versailles.
Our final stop was a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk.
Modern art enthusiasts will love Louisiana’s avant-garde collection while others may be more impressed by the museum’s coastal setting. The terrace café provides the perfect vantage point for taking in the grounds and watching the sailboats in the distance go by while enjoying a cup of coffee and Denmark’s celebrated wienerbrød, flakey butter-laden pastry with a custard filling.
Day 10
It was Christmas in July for those of us who participated in this evening’s cultural activity- a lively game of pakkespil. Pakkespil is a Danish holiday game involving dice and lots of small packages. In anticipation of the game, each of us had purchased and wrapped a couple of small 10-kroner ($1.60) gifts. At the start of the game, all the presents were placed in a pile in the center of the table. A die was then sent around, and anyone who rolled a six got to choose a gift from the pile. This continued until all the gifts had been distributed. At this point, a timer was set for eight minutes or so and play resumed, this time allowing those who rolled a six to take a package of their choosing away from another player. As the minutes on the timer wound down, the pace of the game picked up with each player trying to accumulate as many gifts as possible before the final buzzer. When play ceased it was then time to unwrap the gifts- an assortment of chocolate bars, marzipan treats, and souvenir trinkets. Everyone seemed delighted with their booty. I was surprised how spirited a bunch of adults could get over what must surely be a much-anticipated children’s holiday pastime. Perhaps it was the accompanying gløgg (mulled wine) that contributed so much to our enthusiasm.
Day 13
2005 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of Denmark’s most famous citizens- fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen. The entire country has been celebrating all year. Commemorative plaques abound. A sort of George-Washington-slept-here atmosphere prevails. Even Copenhagen’s famed Magasin department store has gotten into the act by providing entrance through its housewares department to a tiny room once occupied by the author.
For admirers of Andersen’s work, no visit to Denmark would be complete without a visit to the city of Odense, the writer’s hometown. Odense sits on the island of Fyn (Funen in English) between the island of Sjælland, home of Helsingør and Copenhagen, and the Jylland (Jutland) peninsula. It is about 90 minutes west of Copenhagen by train.
Odense’s main attraction is the HC Andersen Museum, which consists of the small house where Andersen was born and a modern annex housing exhibits on the author’s life and works in both Danish and English. Most impressive is the library, which is jam-packed with translations of Andersen’s tales from around the world.
In addition to being a prolific writer (Andersen not only wrote fairy tales but also plays, novels and accounts of his extensive travels), he was a very talented papirklip artist. With a pair of scissors and a piece of folded paper, Andersen could fashion intricate creations- everything from a chain of dolls or swans to a harlequin or even a mask. An entire room at the museum is dedicated to Andersen’s paper fantasies and drawings.
On a typical Danish summer day, the weather alternates between periods of rain and sunshine. Unfortunately this was not the case during today’s visit to Odense. Instead of alternating between rain and sun, the weather treated us to moments of drizzle and downpour. Even under such gloomy conditions, the city beckoned us to explore its cobblestone streets and wonder what it would be like to live in one of those little beautifully restored pastel-colored houses. Walking the streets of Odense is like stepping into a fairy tale. But this is not a set designer’s version of a fairytale village; it is the real thing. If a place can be this beautiful in the pouring rain, I can only imagine how spectacular it must be on a sunny day.
Day 17
Visitors to Denmark typically begin and/or end their trip in the capital city of Copenhagen. Our last official field trip took us there for a full day beginning with an open-air boat tour through the city’s canals.
Mention canals and Europe, and Amsterdam almost certainly comes to mind. But Copenhagen also has a rather extensive canal system. On a sunny day, there is no better way to appreciate the city’s architecture- especially the many unusual spires, including that of the Stock Exchange, fashioned to look like dragon tails swirled together.
Much kinder on the wallet and easier on a traveler’s back are Denmark’s hand- and laser-cut paper creations, such as Christmas decorations, mobiles and traditional woven hearts in red and white, the colors of the Danish flag. Speaking of woven hearts, the oldest one still in existence (and perhaps the first of its kind) dates back to 1861 and was made by none other than Hans Christian Andersen.
Lunch today was from one of Copenhagen’s many take-away sandwich shops. The Danes have elevated sandwich making into an art form with their smørrebrød.
The term literally means “butter bread”, but butter and bread are only the foundation of these elaborate delicacies. Eateries throughout the city proudly display these open-faced sandwiches. One upscale establishment boasts a menu of over a hundred different kinds. My particular favorite is a slice of French bread generously slathered with butter, piled high with prawns and topped with lemon slices, mayonnaise and caviar. Other choices include artfully decked-out slices of herring, salmon, roast beef and hardboiled eggs. Americans may not be accustomed to eating a sandwich with a fork and knife, but when it comes to eating smørrebrød, there is no way around it.
Day 20
Today was the last day of class. With the profits generated by selling beer at a social event a few nights earlier, our class was able to celebrate with an array of marzipan- and raspberry-filled cakes. Besides eating, our main task for today was to decide on our class’s contribution to the talent show following tonight’s certificate ceremony. Our instructor, on loan for the summer from Copenhagen University, showed her more playful side when she suggested that we perform traditional Danish drinking songs. We quickly agreed. Given our recent fund-raising endeavor, it seemed like a natural choice. And by the way, our renditions of the songs were the hit of the show.
Where has the time gone? Three weeks have never gone by so fast. In this time I have seen and learned so much about Denmark, its culture and its people. I have become rather fond of my classmates from around the world and have also become quite accustomed to folk-school life. As for my dansk, my vocabulary has increased exponentially, my phrasing has smoothed out, and I have gotten over some of the higher pronunciation hurdles. I still agree that Danes sound as if they were speaking with a mouthful of potatoes, and I am doing my best to imitate them. So please pass the potatoes. Or should I say kartofler?
Useful web sites:
Association of Danish Folk High Schools: www.ffd.dk
Danish Tourist Board: www.visitdenmark.com
Hans Christian Andersen Museum: www.odmus.dk
Kronborg Castle: www.kronborg.dk
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art: www.louisiana.dk
For more information on efforts to save Danish Jews during WW II, consult the web site for The Museum of Danish Resistance (Frihedsmuseet): www.nationalmuseet.dk.
For photos of and tips for making Danish open-faced sandwiches, check out www.idadavidsen.dk.
steven.lund@azwestern.edu
Copyright Steven Lund (2005)
