Little did they realise that a couple of intrepid Kiwis did indeed want to visit Aarhus, and after an exchange of emails all was sorted. Birte was keen to catch up with the gossip, and as luck would have it I’d just kicked off a project at Southern Cross, and many of the old team are still there.
Birte meets us at the station and we drive out to their lovely home in the south-western suburbs. “What would you like to eat?”, Birte asks. Anything Danish! As we travel, Pauline and I resolve to immerse ourselves in the local culture, and that means local food (especially cheese), local beer, and where possible, local wine (though Denmark isn’t really renowned for its wines).
Birte serves up a traditional Danish breakfast of breads and cheeses, and there amongst the selection are a pair of fine Danish Blues - one medium and creamy, the other tangy and strong. Both are excellent, and another tick in the box for Danish attractions.
Checking the weather carefully, we make plans for our two days in Aarhus. The Moesegaard
I send Pauline and Birte in to scare them out, but to no avail. Guess
our visit to Denmark will end up troll-less.
The museum itself is magnificent. Built as a wedge lifting out of the
ground, it contains multiple levels featuring realistic and dynamic re-enactments of mankind’s history.
This Neanderthal looks eerily familiar - like someone who came
to a BBQ in my student days and I’ve forgotten his name.
Even bump into Stephen Hawking - a man who knows a lot about life,
the universe and everything.
Well worth a visit. It’s refreshing visiting a museum that tries really hard to bring history to life.
Well worth a visit. It’s refreshing visiting a museum that tries really hard to bring history to life.
Birte and Kim’s local supermarket makes us feel really close to
home. Not sure if it’s named after the bird, the fruit, or the people, but their website claims they have an extraordinary focus on ecology, so perhaps they’re capitalising on our clean, green image? All we’ve got to do at home now is live up to it. Cleaning up our rivers would be a good start. I’m with Gareth Morgan on this.
Day two and it’s pissing down in Aarhus. Perhaps not surprising - we’re at the northern-most point of our trip, and further north than Edinburgh. We spend the morning researching Berlin and booking ahead while keeping a close eye on Accuweather. As the clouds clear we hop the bus into Aarhus,
and wander the Stroget (shopping street) and old town. Pauline’s so impressed by my Ecco Gortex boots she buys a similar pair for herself.
Day two and it’s pissing down in Aarhus. Perhaps not surprising - we’re at the northern-most point of our trip, and further north than Edinburgh. We spend the morning researching Berlin and booking ahead while keeping a close eye on Accuweather. As the clouds clear we hop the bus into Aarhus,
The ARoS art museum is spectacular, both inside and out. The trick is to go
to the top and circulate around the coloured rainbow, then make your way down through various weird and thought-provoking exhibitions. If the purpose of art is to stir emotions and discussions, this does it in spades.
Our final night and we plan to take Birte and Kim out to dinner to say thanks for having us. They’ve booked us in to a uniquely Danish restaurant, and recommend the platter for two, which they also have themselves. We start off with breads (and are cautioned not to fill up), then two types of herring (both delicious), prawns, smoked eel (excellent) and salmon. We’re starting to feel a bit full by now, and I’m almost weeping as the surfeit of food is whisked away. The eel! The salmon!
But that's just a sampler. Now the roast beef arrives. Given my previous experience with Danish beef I order very rare, and it arrives medium, still tasty though. I'm taking my time I get through it. Loosening the top button of my jeans I’m rather hoping the meal is over, but I’d forgotten the cheese course. The choice is either “old cheese”, or deep-fried Camembert. Of course I go with the Danish old cheese. Apart from goat, I enjoy strong cheeses, and am looking forward to sampling this one.
Our final night and we plan to take Birte and Kim out to dinner to say thanks for having us. They’ve booked us in to a uniquely Danish restaurant, and recommend the platter for two, which they also have themselves. We start off with breads (and are cautioned not to fill up), then two types of herring (both delicious), prawns, smoked eel (excellent) and salmon. We’re starting to feel a bit full by now, and I’m almost weeping as the surfeit of food is whisked away. The eel! The salmon!
But that's just a sampler. Now the roast beef arrives. Given my previous experience with Danish beef I order very rare, and it arrives medium, still tasty though. I'm taking my time I get through it. Loosening the top button of my jeans I’m rather hoping the meal is over, but I’d forgotten the cheese course. The choice is either “old cheese”, or deep-fried Camembert. Of course I go with the Danish old cheese. Apart from goat, I enjoy strong cheeses, and am looking forward to sampling this one.
I’ve underestimated the Danes in being able to make incredibly pungent strong cheese. It takes my breath away, and I can only manage a mouthful. Both my taste buds and my stomach are crying out, “Enough!”, so with reluctance I leave my barely-touched cheese for the scrap bin.
It’s great talking with Birte, and Kim, who’s an economics professor. We get on really well, covering work, family, politics, religion, colonisation, international hotspots, and of course, cycling. Hopefully we can welcome them back to NZ one day, because we owe them one. Despite giving them lots of notice in advance that I’m paying for dinner, Kim steps in and settles the bill before I can intervene. All I can do now is to overpay the stamps for the postcard I’m sending off with my remaining kroner.
It’s an early start on Thursday morning, 23 Oct. The train for Berlin leaves just before 8am, so we’re up at sparrows getting ready. Needless to say, we don’t need much breakfast. Last night’s cheese is still repeating on me. Birte and Kim run us to the station, and after a hug good bye we’re on our way.
Love Denmark, both the people and the country. Fiercely independent and living in the shadow of a powerful neighbour, Danes share many characteristics with Kiwis and Canucks. Love to beat our neighbours at sport, love to take the piss out of them at every opportunity, but begrudgingly accepting their influence and economic power.
And now we’re venturing into the powerhouse. The last time I was in Germany was 1981, eight years before the Berlin Wall fell, so I never visited the city. Now it’s time to make amends.
It’s great talking with Birte, and Kim, who’s an economics professor. We get on really well, covering work, family, politics, religion, colonisation, international hotspots, and of course, cycling. Hopefully we can welcome them back to NZ one day, because we owe them one. Despite giving them lots of notice in advance that I’m paying for dinner, Kim steps in and settles the bill before I can intervene. All I can do now is to overpay the stamps for the postcard I’m sending off with my remaining kroner.
It’s an early start on Thursday morning, 23 Oct. The train for Berlin leaves just before 8am, so we’re up at sparrows getting ready. Needless to say, we don’t need much breakfast. Last night’s cheese is still repeating on me. Birte and Kim run us to the station, and after a hug good bye we’re on our way.
Love Denmark, both the people and the country. Fiercely independent and living in the shadow of a powerful neighbour, Danes share many characteristics with Kiwis and Canucks. Love to beat our neighbours at sport, love to take the piss out of them at every opportunity, but begrudgingly accepting their influence and economic power.
And now we’re venturing into the powerhouse. The last time I was in Germany was 1981, eight years before the Berlin Wall fell, so I never visited the city. Now it’s time to make amends.
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