Denmark
I traveled to Denmark to visit the home of my Viking ancestors, and what I found was a beautiful country, with ultra modern architecture, fertile green fields, and a long coastline filled with charming small towns and wide open spaces.
GETTING THERE
Most visitors arrive in Denmark at Copenhagen Airport CPH on direct flights from the USA, Europe, and Asia. Many people also travel by train from around Europe, and on ferries from Sweden.
The trains in Denmark were very clean and efficient, and went right from the airport to the city center. From there, other trains and coaches took people around the country.
AMAZING EXCURIONS
Copenhagen was very organized and high-tech, with unusual modern architecture, but it also had historic palaces and a Renaissance castle. I rented a bike to tour the city, riding along some of the many scenic waterways, and saw the famous Little Mermaid statue overlooking Copenhagen Harbor. There was a lot of seafood restaurants around, but my favorites were the bakeries, with delicious breads covered with various savory or sweet toppings.
The landmark Kronborg Castle was only about an hour train ride from Copenhagen, but the trip catapulted me back in time! The UNESCO World Heritage Site was immortalized by Shakespehere in the 1600's, in his play Hamlet. I was lucky enough to see a performance at the castle, complete with sword fights, love lost, and the iconic phrase 'To Be or Not To Be.'
I took a quick ferry ride from Kronborg Castle to Helsingborg, Sweden just for the day, then jumped on a train back to Copenhagen and headed up the Danish peninsula, to a northern island and the town of Saeby, home of my forefathers. The mostly flat countryside had many shades of green, pastures full of animals, and what seemed like hundreds of streams and rivers. Saeby was a picturesque seaside town, with perfect traditional little homes, very clean streets, a small harbor with a large Lady of the Sea statue, and a long, white sand beach. It was idyllic and peaceful, and I could see the similarities with my native New Zealand, so I understood why my great, great, great grandfather immigrated there many years ago.
While my journey to Denmark started as a quest to learn more about my Viking ancestors, it also revealed a spectacular country, with an extraordinary mix of contemporary buildings and ancient castles, green fields, and an expansive shoreline filled with rugged beaches and tranquil small towns.
