Could Denmark surprise you?

What is so surprising on Denmark? Could this country offer something valuable to encounter with? For those in doubts just come and see how is it to live in Denmark. Or read my notes about my perception of Danes, Denmark and Danishness :)

Landscape a surprise?

The first thing, which a foreign observer usually notices, is the absence of any mountain ranges in Danish landscape. The reason for this is connected with geological and landscape-making processes. The influence of movement of continental glacier left behind plain lowlands. Instead of mountains, there are small hills, which origin refers to the glacier activities. Although the hills are not big in height (the highest “mountain” is the Yding Skøvhoj with 173 m in Jutland peninsula), Danes are proud of their "mountains" and to some of them they counted

even an important function in the past.

(photo: Terrain waves in North Sjaeland,

autumn 2006, Ivana Povolná)

For example the Roskilde Cathedral, which is a place of the last rest of majority of Danish kings and queens, was build on so called mountain (bigger hill). The cathedral towers were serving as a watch towers for immediate warning against enemies from the sea or inland.
The only place in Denmark, which could be called mountainous, is island of Bornholm. Geologically Bornholm is not a part of lowland Danish landscape and much more resembles the Scandinavian mountain ranges. This island of sun, how is sometimes called, is a popular tourist place mainly for Danish pensioners and families with children. The uninterchangeable atmosphere of the island, deeply smelling of fishes (with famous smoked herring in front line), countryside and Sunday laziness is just another site of Danish style of living.
When a foreign observer accepts the fact that Denmark is mostly flat country, the other thing which will come immediately into his mind will be the weather. The best thing which describes the Danish weather is rain and wind in never-ending variety of intensity from the light rain with mild wind to the cats and dogs shower with windstorm. The weather changes could also be seen as the cycles of permanently bad weather changed into few days of good sunny weather. First you try to resist yourself against rain with raincoats and umbrellas, but then you realize that this battle is impossible to win and you just give it up and smile even when the rain comes.

(photo: Grenen, where the North and Baltic

sea meet, Autumn 2006, Ivana Povolná)

If I should say what I really like about the Danish landscape, than it is the sea and the way Danes treat with it. These admirable bridges which connect the islands of Fyn with Sjaelland and the Jutland mainland are just small examples of capture of the sea. The fishery sceneries in fjord countryside as well as wild and unbounded machinery of stormy sea always made me feel sad of not having such a thing at home in Czech.

People
The really impressing fact about Danes is the common knowledge of English, which is not so usual at least in Eastern Europe. Since I have been there, I haven’t met anybody, who would not be able to communicate with me in English. And this fact is even not influenced by age, because even elderly people can speak at least a bit of English. Could this phenomenon be in connection with the globalization of the population? Could the Danes be afraid of slowly deterioration of their Danish language skills? I don’t think so, the Danes just have an advantage of better ability of language skills and it could be really advantageous for them in international relations, business and investment possibilities. The other fact about the Danish people is just small awareness of the Eastern Europe. As I would describe it, they are just not interested in the east countries history, politics, culture and perspective. Although I have to mention that the situation is getting better, since some of the eastern countries joined the EU. It could be seen for example in the newspapers which are full of advertisements for: weekend in Prague, exploration of Poland or Baltic region. Although it is still strange to hear somebody to locate myself into Czechoslovakia, fourteen years since the common state ceased to exist.


Transport
Of the big colossus of transport I like the most its small things. One of them is wonderful system of bicycle paths, for which the flat landscape provides the best suitable conditions. Almost on each street, there are a bicycle routes, significantly differentiated from the road. But also in front of the shops, there are places, where to store the bikes.
The adaptation of Danish roads is also thing to mention. They try to provide the highest safety for all participants of the transport. The example of this could be the special adaptation of the previously narrow road in the village to the crooked road by using of plant or grass areas. Another example is the protection of highways, which serve to the wild animals to cross the road safely, in order not to endanger the motorists.
Public transport is also a thing to mention. Especially the trains with the "Hvile plads" (Silence sections). Here you are usually sitting in deathly stillness without any voice.

(photo: A road, cars and a nature, North

Sjaeland, Autumn 2006, Ivana Povolná)

I don’t know if it is only the speciality of the Danes, but this truly respect for a lot of different needs of inhabitants is highly admirable. As I would say instead of smoking compartments, here in Denmark they have a silence compartments.

Cities
The Danish cities were a big surprise for me. The city planning usually really good incorporates the old historical core into the new outlook of the city, which is mainly to serve its inhabitants with the shops, supermarkets, hotels, banks etc. The example could be the Copenhagen, where one could see the old historical centre with many historical monuments and on the other hand there could be seen these new architectonical buildings on the waterside of Islands Brygge or “Sorte Diamant” (Black diamond) – the Royal library in a modern style.
The binary opposition of “busy Copenhagen” I found in small fishery town of Løgstør in the middle of Jutland. The early autumn morning gave to this town a romantic atmosphere, even though there was nothing special to see, except

of wonderful beach and the naval channel for ship traffic.

(photo: Cathedral in Viborg - Heart of

Jutland, Autumn 2006, Ivana Povolná)

This opposition of busy towns and calm countryside is also one really nice fact, which could be admirable.
The Danes know how to enjoy themselves, that’s why we can find here the places like Tivoli in Copenhagen or Legoland in southern Jutland near Billund. For the Danes it is also important to have a possibility to find a calm and clean neighbourhood, in which they invest a lot of a time and money.
The biggest surprise for me was that even though the Danes act as a calm people, there could happen such things like those violent demonstrations in Nørrebro (Copenhagen) from December 2006, where the young people showed their disagreement with the sale of a house, which they cared of.

All in all, even though Denmark could be perceived as a boring country, with no big attractions in monuments and nature, one has to look more carefully under the surface to find a high treasure, which is hidden inside of content Danish life style. There is no Eiffel tower in Copenhagen, just safe and clean suburbs, green parks and concerts of classic music for free. Welcome to Denmark - land with the happiest people in the world.