Small-town Denmark
Written: Feb 02 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Friendly people, lots to see and learn
Cons: Expensive, weather
The Bottom Line: Denmark is a very interesting country full of its own history and traditions. It is it's own little country and you need to experience it just once.
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| jaymetz's Full Review: Denmark |
Recently I visited the country of Denmark for the first time. I had never been out of the United States, so I had no idea what to expect. I arrived at the small international airport in Billund. If Billund sounds familiar, it is because this town is where the LEGO factory is located. There is a large factory there that you can take tours of. There is also a large amusement park there, similar to Great America.
The town where I would be staying, Horsens, is about a 45-minute drive from Billund. Thus I had the opportunity to see some of the countryside. The countryside is very spread out and rolling. The land, for the most part, is fairly flat. The land sort of reminds me of the midwest. The highlight of the short drive was seeing the amazing amount of gigantic windmills dotting the landscape.
I arrived in Horsens and immediately observed what makes Denmark so neat and interesting: the history this land holds. The buildings are obviously very old. The roof tiles are made of orange ceramic tiles, and most of the buildings are made from brick that have been there for hundreds of years. As soon as I arrived at my destination, I took a walk to observe the surroundings a little closer. The sidewalks are made of tiled brick. It is very neat.
During my stay in Horsens, which is a city of about 60,000, I saw much of what the city has to offer. The main attraction is the Walking Street. This is a street closed off to cars that has small stores and shops all along it. After walking along the street for a while, I stopped into a little restaurant called Eyedes Kalder. I proceeded to have the best rack of ribs I have ever had in my life for a very reasonable price. The highlight of Horsens was my visit to a very old church. Although old, it was ornately decorated to an extreme. Statues and carvings dating back to the 1500s were hanging from the walls. Colorful paintings decorated the walls. It was quite a sight!
I did not only stay in Horsens, though. I visited a town called Silkeborg, which has a museum that houses one of the oldest naturally preserved corpses in the world. The Bog Man, as he is known, was found in one of the bogs in the countryside of Denmark not long ago. The acid in the soil helped preserve his body to an almost creepy youth.
For those people who like the big city, Copenhagen and Arhus are big draws. I did not have the opportunity to tour either of these cities, but heard plenty about them and what they have to offer.
Although there were many positive facets of the trip, there were many things that had a negative effect on my experience. First, products are very expensive here. The exchange rate is about 7 Danish kroner for 1 American dollar. It is very normal to pay around 25 kroner for a glass of soda in a restaurant. A few times, I tried to save myself a little money by ordering water, only to find that the restaurants charge you for water as well. The second negative facet is the weather. I went over in late November, which was obviously not the best time to go over. It rains very often, almost every day, and the sun rarely shines. The Danish people, who are very friendly and more than willing to answer any questions, told me that summer is the time to visit. Needless to say, I believed them. The weather disallowed me from going out very often.
During my time in Denmark, I did not get the opportunity to spend time in the country's two biggest cities: Copenhagen and Arhus. I heard plenty about them and that there are many neat and historical focal points I missed by not going there. If you visit Denmark, touring these cities is a must.
The trip was very neat. I saw many landmarks and learned some neat historical lessons along the way. I tried the different Danish cuisines and met some very friendly and helpful people along the way. If given the opportunity, I would tour the country again but make sure I experienced big-city Denmark.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
jaymetz
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Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 0 members
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