Visiting Denmark

Reading Nurse Fusion's blog entry about her Danish sisterhood reminded me of my own two visits to Denmark during leave in the Army. The warmest, friendliest country I ever visited. At the train station in Copenhagen, there's a booth to help visitors find lodging. There were two of us, and we filled out a form requesting a bedroom in a home with two beds and a private entrance at the low price range within walking distance of public transportation. Yeah, right. In about ten minutes, we were handed an address! We had incredible lodging, the bedroom of two sons off to college in France. Our hosts became our family.

Before I left on leave, a fellow Russian linguist had bet me that I could not spend one dollar (the equivalent) on lunch at the ABC Cafeteria, which served the famous Danish open-faced sandwiches. Well, they cost 7 cents each, so I'd have to eat 15! I didn't come close.

I loved Denmark so much that I returned for a second visit. However, I made a big mistake this second time around. I travelled with a German friend I had met. Little did I realize the hostility Danes still had for the Germans (this was not yet 20 years after the war), and I saw this even in the way I was treated as his companion by folks who had been like family on my first trip. The situation was explained to me, and I learned something about the repercussions of war.

Denmark is so small you can drive around its perimeter in a day. A lovely country full of lovely people. I haven't been back but I should make a trip while I'm still mobile.