Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nounced “gah-eh.” Luckily for us, almost everyone also speaks English and is
heroically patient with thick-tongued foreigners. Danes have playful fun teas-
ing tourists who make the brave attempt to say Danish words. The hardest
phrase,
rød grød med fløde
(a delightful red fruit porridge topped with cream),
is nearly impossible for a non-Dane to pronounce. Ask a local to help you.
Sample Denmark's sweet treats at one of the many bakeries you'll see. The
pastries that we call “Danish” in the US are called
wienerbrød
in Denmark.
Bakerieslinetheirdisplaycaseswithseveralvarietiesof
wienerbrød
andother
delectable sweets. Try
kringle, snegle,
or
Napoleonshatte,
or find your own
favorite. (Chances are it will be easier to enjoy than to pronounce.)
words to know are
skål
(“cheers,” a ritual always done with serious eye con-
tact) and
hyggelig
(pronounced HEW-glee), meaning warm and cozy. Danes
treattheirhomelikeasanctuaryandspendagreatdealoftimeimprovingtheir
gardens and houses—inside and out. Cozying up one's personal space (a na-
tional obsession) is something the Danes do best. If you have the opportunity,
have some Danes adopt you while you are in Denmark so you can enjoy their
warm hospitality.
Heaven to a Dane is returning home after a walk in a beloved beech forest
to enjoy open-faced sandwiches washed down with beer among good friends.
Around the
hyggelig
candlelit table, there will be a spirited discussion of the
issues of the day, plenty of laughter, and probably a few good-natured jokes
about the Swedes or Norwegians.
Skål!
