Denmark Archives - Woman on Her Way

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Copenhagen

Tivoli’s grassy lawns entice people to settle down with a picnic lunch or just to enjoy the outdoors. Lounge chairs are available and people relaxed in the sunshine. Lots of children, dogs, and elderly on the green.

Compare these prices with your last visit to the café: The Big Cheeseburger 145 DKK ($30.00); French Fries 30 DKK (6.00) and Cowboy Rib-eye 240 DKK ($48.00). Imagine take out a family. Fortunately for the Danes, this is not abnormally out of range, based on their earnings, but it is out of range for most tourists.

Teens ran from ride to ride, daring each other. This brings back memories of my childhood excursions to amusement parks. As we passed the bumper cars, I tell Dennis about my first time on this attraction. It was at Old Orchard Beach, Me. I was with my sister and my cousin, Joan (pronounced Joann). She was so proud at driving around without bumping into anyone. To this day, I don’t think she has every been in an accident where she was at fault. I, on the other hand….

At the Bier Garten, we talked with a woman dressed in traditional Bavarian garb. She is a student working on her masters. As a student she receives a stipend, which covers rent and food. She works for the extras. Imagine students in the US getting paid to study. Having a highly educated populace most likely is a contributor to Denmark’s high standard of living.

We left the gardens and headed to the boat tour of the canals. We passed the Danish Architecture Center and then got off at Nyhavn to walk along the promenade, listen to the buskers, and enjoy a Carlsberg brown beer. Afterward jumping on the next boat, we visited the Experimentarium (science museum), the Trekroner Fortress which protected the harbor, passed the harbor stones called the Little Mermaid. We were going to stop at the alternative living quadrant, Chrisianshavn, but there were no later boats. In this section, people pay no rent and various types of marijuana are available in smoke shops. Though we did not get a chance to visit it, out hosts at the B&B said it was in interesting place to visit. Maybe next time.

From the tour boat landing, we walked around town looking for a traditional Danish Restaurant. Our roaming ended up being about six miles.

As I sat enjoying the last of perfect day, I felt so grateful and fortunate to have Dennis, good health, and the means to travel and experience the world.

Monday, May 19, 2014 Copenhagen DK

The ship let us off about six miles from the hotel. Since there were no ATMs (this happened at the dock in Barcelona as well, so I should have known better) we were unable to use the city bus. We managed to find a map in a gift shop (not in the terminal, which would have been logical). Based on the shop owner’s advice we decided to take a cab, which cost us $70 dollars. Good thing the taxi took credit cards. The driver was Persian, but immigrated to Denmark 30 years ago. He is a building engineer between contracts and working as a cab driver for something to do.

The Pea Blossom B&B is conveniently located. According to the cabbie, we are near the red light district, across the street from a grocery store, and 10 minutes walk from the train station. The establishment is 5 flights up a circular staircase. (if you are booking rooms, it’s advisable to inquire if a lift is available). The apartment is large by Danish terms: 6 guests rooms, common room, and kitchen. The floors are wood, the walls white, the furnishings are natural wooden. The high ceilings have decorative and crown mouldings.

Our room is bright, spacious, and overlooks a quiet street. The owner is in Paris at the moment, so it is more like a high-class hostel, which is fine with us.

20140519_145311 bakery near Pea Blossom Around the corner from the B&B is a bakery where we bought Danish sandwiches and a latte for lunch.As we ate, I people watched. There are people everywhere. Mothers push babies–often twins–in large black hooded prams. Children sit in seats on the back or front of bicycles. Some bikes have an extended front wheel to accommodate a cart where children sit; sometimes the cart is attached to the back of the bike. Since autos are imported in Denmark, they are very costly; the Danes pay about three times the car’s price in taxes.

Women’s attire varies. Professionals dress in suits and high heels. Others are more casual. Muslim women are covered up, as everywhere, but wear brightly colored shoes such as fluorescent-blue sneakers. Tall hairy or short-cropped men tower over short and stocky ones. Old people walk hand-in-hand and teens bop along. There are all shades of skin tones–a panoply of humanity.

We walked around the neighborhood, and then bought groceries for supper, saving exploring until Tuesday.

Money matters in Denmark

We’ll arrive in Copenhagen on May 19. As part of my preparations for the trip, I checked out the currency in Denmark (they do not use the Euro). The Krone (kr) (or Crown) is worth about $0.18. According to my research, if staying at moderate hotels and eating in inexpensive restaurants, we can expect to pay 600kr ($223) per person per day. Our three-day visit is going to be an expensive stay. One of the reasons for the high cost is that hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops add a 25% value-added tax (VAT) called moms in Danish. At least the VAT is included in the price and not an add-on.

Money Exchange

ATMs are the best option to obtain cash when abroad. In Denmark, ATMs are available at most banks and at the airport. Since we are landing at the cruise terminal, we will get the local currency on our walk to the hotel. Outside of Copenhagen, ATMs are not available 24/7. Many close between 1 AM and 6 AM.

Plus (run by Visa) and Cirrus (run by MasterCard) are the two major ATM networks. They add a 1% conversion fee. Additionally, some banks charge ATM usage fees (as much as $5.00) while others do not. I will have to check out the bank’s policy before I make a transaction. Sometimes credit unions do not charge this fee, and there are several credit unions in Copenhagen.

The secret is to make fewer and larger withdrawals. Each card has a daily withdrawal limit. (I recommend finding out what that limit is before leaving on your trip.) Since we don’t want to have to pay exchange fees for Krones when leaving Denmark, we will have to plan our withdrawals carefully.

Credit Card Usage

In Denmark, MasterCard and Visa are commonly accepted, so we should be OK with our card. Those with American Express and Diners Club may have more difficulty charging. If the credit card used at a restaurant in Denmark is not a Danish card, there is a 3% to 7% additional fee. To avoid this charge, we will have to have enough cash when eating out. Considering the conversion fees, it is generally less expensive to pay with cash than with a credit card.

Checks

Personal checks drawn from foreign banks are normally not accepted in Denmark. Banks will cash Traveler’s Checks for a fee.

The Currency

There are five bank notes in the following denominations: 50kr, 100kr, 200kr, 500kr, and 1000kr. On the obverse (front of the notes) are bridges connecting various parts of Denmark. On the reverse (backs) are prehistoric objects found near the bridges. Each note has a different size and color.

There are seven coins: one, two, five, ten, and twenty Krone and two coins that are divisions of the krone: twenty-five and fifty Øre. Each coin differs in color, size, weight, and rim. To not overspend, I will have to remember that the 20kr coin is worth about $3.70.

Tipping

Tipping in restaurants and cabs is not necessary; waitstaff and taxi drivers are well-paid and do not count on tips to supplement their income. If pleased with the service, it is the custom to round up the bill.