The Copenhagen Post - Jul 6-12

Jazz: if it’s too hot in the city, you can always go to Valby

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6 - 12 July 2012 | Vol 15 Issue 27

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NEWS

As more downpours cause flooding nationwide half say they are worried it will happen to them

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NEWS

Back to EU basics Denmark has handed over the presidency to Cyprus and eased itself of the burden of being the EU’s biggest fan

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NEWS

Waiting for the bands

As Copenhagen discusses plans to build a new incinerator, backers say it’s sustainable. Opponents call it a second-best solution

Roskilde faithful gear up for the music

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2012’s summer destination of choice: right here at home

SPORT

Love, a loser’s game Caroline Wozniacki is in love, but does that spell game, set and match for her tennis career or just a well needed taste of life off the court?

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LYDIA DEICHMANN The number of people choosing to remain in Denmark for their holiday is on the increase. Experts disagree about why

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F YOU don’t plan on crossing the country’s borders during your summer holiday this year, you aren’t alone. According to a recent TNS Gallup survey, 54 percent of those living in Denmark say they expect to take a domestic holiday, solidifying a trend that sees people looking for relaxation, not excitement, during their three weeks away from work.

Anya Jensen, who usually travels “During the recession we’ve learnt about something called ‘stay-cation’ abroad in the summer, will be spending where you just stay at home and save her holiday with her family at her moththe money, but now the latest is that er’s summerhouse in the coastal Jutland you should move calmly from point A to town of Blåvand this year. She hopes to point B,” Anne Glad, a lifestyle expert, explore the region with her two children by going to the beach and local markets, told the TV programme Aftenshowet.

The change, according to Glad, and by taking day trips to Esbjerg, Legocomes as a reaction to children who land and Germany.

“Last year we had a bit of a ‘staycome back exhausted from an overload of holiday activities, and parents who go cation’, but it rained throughout our back to work feeling as if they need an- summer holiday. I think the weather is why many Danish people decide to go other holiday.

The typical ‘slow-cation’, as Glad abroad,” Anya told The Copenhagen called it, involves families going on bike Post.

She hopes that her children will holidays around the country or camping, while for older people it means a enjoy seeing a part of the country they Organise a have personal meeting never seen before. “I used to travel hiking holiday in the countryside.

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to the North Sea coast a lot as a child, and it is almost like another country. If the weather plays along, it can be very beautiful there.”

Lise Lyck, of the Centre for Tourism and Culture Management at Copenhagen Business School, agreed with Glad that the trend was partly due to families looking to save money. She disagreed that a domestic holiday had become any more than it was before.

“It is a trend we have seen emerge during the recession. The economy is without a doubt the principal reason that more and more people are holding their summer holiday in Denmark and not in Europe,” she told Berlingske newspaper.

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Week in review

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

6 - 12 July 2012 Scanpix/Annelene Petersen

Glad grads

THE WEEK’S MOST READ STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK New fines a bitter bill to swallow, say offending cyclists Man dies of overdose at Roskilde Festival Christiania deal done Plastic floated commercial catch fishing industry Marrying the Danes stuck to your back

FROM OUR ARCHIVES TEN YEARS AGO. Love-nest for rent: Estate agent initiatives to ease city housing crisis by encouraging unmarried lovebirds to move in together are a big success.

FIVE YEARS AGO. Nation’s largest lottery pay-off won by eight different people, who will split a record pot of 74.5 million kroner.

ONE YEAR AGO. Majority of Danes think public swimming in the nude is rude, according to a new YouGov/24timer opinion poll.

Last week marked commencement celebrations for 41,000 secondary school students nationwide, including this exuberant group in Randers. Since 2007, the number of young people completing a secondary school programme has risen by nearly 10,000

The tabloid Ekstra Bladet reported that Cekic was considering leaving SF and joining Enhedslisten, but Cekic said that she remains loyal to her party. “I am not going anywhere,” she told Ekstra Bladet. “The party leaders have known how I feel for months. It is part of our democratic tradition to disagree.”

Denmark’s only English-language newspaper Since 1998, The Copenhagen Post has been Denmark’s leading source for news in English. As the voice of the international community, we provide coverage for the thousands of foreigners making their home in Denmark.

Additonally, our English language medium helps to bring Denmark’s top stories to a global audience.

In addition to publishing the only regularly printed English-language newspaper in the country, we provide up-to-date news on our website and deliver news to national and international organisations. The Copenhagen Post is also a leading provider of non-news services to the private and public sectors, offering writing, translation, editing, production and delivery services.

Visit us online at www.cphpost.dk

Festival death

A 20-year-old Swedish man was found dead of an apparent drug overdose in the early hours of Monday morning at one of the Roskilde Festival’s camping areas. Lene Madsen, a communications official with Mid and West Zealand Police, told Ekstra Bladet tabloid that foul play was not suspected. According to

President and Publisher Ejvind Sandal Chief Executive Jesper Nymark Editor-in-Chief Kevin McGwin Managing Editor Ben Hamilton News Editor Justin Cremer Journalists Jennifer Buley & Peter Stanners

police, numerous other festival guests had to be admitted to the hospital after taking drugs. Police are now warning that dangerous drugs may be circulating the festival grounds. “There is a risk of contaminated drugs,” Madsen told Politiken newspaper. “Therefore, we advise everyone against using narcotics.”

Editorial offices: Slagtehusgade 4 – 6 DK 1715 Copenhagen V Telephone: 3336 3300 Fax: 3393 1313 www.cphpost.dk News Desk news@cphpost.dk 3336 4243 The CPH Post welcomes outside articles and letters to the editor.

Letters and comments can be left on our website or at: comments@cphpost.dk

scanpix/ Bax Lindhardt

Özlem Cekic (Socialistisk Folkeparti) has been suspended as her party’s social and mental health spokesperson after refusing to vote for the government’s latest tax reform bill. Cekic said that she could not vote for an agreement that takes money from the poor and weak in order to fund tax breaks for the rich.

Scanpix/Torkil Adsersen

scanpix/Mads Nissen

Heave-hoed for veto

Ruing June

If you thought the weather in June was lousy, you were right. In fact, June 2012 was statistically the worst June in 25 years. The average temperature was 12.8 degrees, the lowest since 1991, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI).

Some 96 millimetres of rain fell in June, the most since 2007,

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and there were only 183 hours of sunshine – the fewest in 16 years.

June 2012 was the eleventh coldest, seventh wettest and had the 15th fewest hours of sunshine of any June since 1920. The worst June ever was in 1987, which set the record for the fewest hours of sunshine, was the third coldest and the fifth wettest.

Layout and design Justin Cremer Aviaja Bebe Nielsen Logo by Rasmus Koch The Copenhagen Post accepts no responsibility for the content of material submitted by advertisers.

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All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited by law.

News

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

6 - 12 July 2012

Half fear home flooding scanpix/ Sonny Munk Carlsen

Shandana Mufti Survey finds homeowners are petrified the next big rainstorm will leave them waterlogged. Experts predict their concerns will force lawmakers to act

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Knee-deep in water: an increasingly common image of the Danish summer

residents have been affected by water in their homes.

Floods pose the most serious threat to apartment dwellers in the city, where 61 percent have experienced water damage.

According to Henrik Winther, the marketing director of COWI’s water and environment division, the pattern of damage caused by floods is not random.

Christiania deal is done RAy weaver More than 40 years after occupying a former naval base, residents of Christiania can now call the commune legally theirs

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esidents of the Copenhagen commune Christiania have handed 51.8 million kroner over to the state as the first instalment to purchase the disused naval base. The organisation charged with managing the settlement, Fonden Fristaden Christiania, is now responsible for an annual payment of just over five million kroner.

Most of the cash for the payment came via a 30-year loan from Realkredit Danmark after the fund’s own fundraising efforts had yielded just over 8 million kroner.

The agreement brings to close 40 years of wrangling between residents of the self-styled ‘free state’ and the government. Since its occupation by a community of squatters in the ‘70s, Christiania has either been viewed as a model of self-government and selfdetermination or a viper’s pit of illegal drug dealing and lawlessness, depending on one’s point of view.

At Sunday’s ceremony marking the transfer, the buildings minister, Martin Lidegaard (Radikale), said he hoped it marked the beginning of a new chapter in the commune’s history.

“Today marks the end of the 40year tug-of-war between the state and Christiania,” said Lidegaard, adding that he hoped residents will join the state in combating criminal elements in Christiania.

Recent reports of violence and drug dealing threatened to scupper the deal. In early June, a television reporter

Winther said that as a result of the prevalence of materials such as asphalt that are impermeable to water in cities, excess water is carried into the sewer system, which cannot handle the excess volume. In rural areas, water can seep into the ground. Homes in dense urban areas are therefore among the first to suffer when heavy downpours strike.

“They are some of the first hit

They are some of the first hit when the sewer system is overloaded ing to Winther, who said that the concern people shared about having their homes flooded would help keep the issue on the political agenda.

“If people are worried but no awareness is raised, then the politicians won’t be concerned.”

scanpix/ Mads Nissen

ne year after a torrential rainstorm left large areas of Copenhagen underwater, it comes as no surprise that a recent survey found that 45 percent of Danes are terrified by the thought of a heavy downpour.

Userneeds, a Copenhagen-based research company, carried out the survey for COWI, an engineering consultancy firm.

The downpour that dropped 150mm of rain on the Copenhagen area on 2 July 2011 resulted in an estimated 5 billion kroner worth of damage. Such extreme weather is expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change.

In Denmark, the threat of heavy rainfall is highest in the summer, according to COWI. This is a cause for concern for Danes, half of whom are worried about their homes flooding. An estimated one in four homeowners have sustained water damage to their basements or attics in previous years, while 40 percent of apartment

when the sewer system is overloaded,” Winther said. “Some also experience water in their apartments and their attics if there are leaks in the roof or blocked pipes”.

Winther said that housing associations should take measures against future flooding.

KAB, a housing association that owns 50,000 rental properties in Greater Copenhagen, experienced nearly 70 million kroner worth of damage during last year’s downpour, and has since learnt its lesson about being prepared.

According to client director Margrete Pump, the company has launched prevention efforts that include checking all properties for leaks and establishing a crisis unit.

The most important changes to prevent future catastrophic damage must involve an improved sewer system, accord-

Gay weddings “the last straw” Jyllands-Posten New law allowing homosexuals to marry in church inspiring disgruntled members to start new congregations

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he new law allowing gays to marry in state churches has sparked an exodus away from the Church of Denmark.

After being debated for years, the law change was passed in June and came into effect two weeks ago. No less than nine independent evangelical Lutheran congregations have started up in the last six months in protest and more are on the way.

Lasse Holmgaard Iversen, the national secretary of the Lutheran group Evangelisk Luthersk Netværk, said the state church has moved too far away from the teachings of the Bible.

“For many, allowing homosexuals to be married in the church was the last straw,” said Iversen, who supervises six of the newly-formed congregations.

Henning Andersen, a member of a new congregation that started in the Jutland town of Herning just two weeks ago, agreed that the Church of Denmark no longer reflects his faith.

For many, allowing homosexuals to be married in the church was the last straw

The official ceremony involved a huge cheque for what has been a very long wait

was attacked while trying to obtain secret footage of the illegal drug sales resurgent in the free state. Police say the drug sales are worth a billion kroner annually and are being controlled by gangs like the Hells Angels.

The deal gives residents control over just over seven hectares of the

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32 hectares the commune occupies.

In addition to being granted ownership of most of the current buildings, the commune will also be allowed to construct new buildings. They are also responsible for the maintenance of the buildings located in Christiania that are still owned by the state.

“The Bible clearly says that one must not marry homosexuals. I cannot be part of any church that does,” said Andersen.

Ettrup Kurt Larsen, a lecturer at Menighedsfakultetet, a Lutheran theology school in Aarhus, said the state church can look forward to losing more members to independent congregations.

“People are being motivated by the changes taking place to start new congregations,” Larsen said.

The church minister, Manu Sareen (Radikale), said he encouraged those dissatisfied with the change to establish their own congregations.

“If you don’t want to be part of an all-inclusive church, then it is a good solution to start a new one.”

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4 COVER STORY As the presidency draws to close, the ebullience fades The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

6 - 12 July 2012

scanpix/FRANCOIS LENOIR

Peter Stanners With Denmark again becoming a rank-and-file EU member on Sunday, the government’s rosy outlook on the union has turned somewhat more dour

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Did it leave a mark?

The Danish presidency also seems to believe that it has done a good job and this week released a list of 55 achievements during its six month stint. Some of them, such as the passing of the energy efficiency directive, will make fundamental changes to Europe in the years to come.

The difficult question, however, is whether Denmark really placed a mark on the EU as a result of the presidency. With the Lisbon Treaty it has become much more difficult for presi-

Thorning-Schmidt’s last official press conference, with Van Rompuy and European Commission president José Manuel Barroso

dencies to push and set their own agendas and, as a result, the role has slipped to becoming a thankless administrator who is only noticed after a scandal erupts.

This was the case earlier this month, when the justice minister, Morten Bødskov, had to be the unfortunate messenger to the European Parliament that the governments of EU member states would not consult parliament when enforcing rules about Schengen, the agreement that allows free movement between most EU members states.

Bødksov was slaughtered by MEPs, who accused the Danish presidency of populism and undermining European democracy.

But while the incident proved embarrassing, the decision to bypass the parliament was made months before Denmark even took over the presidency.

“Now that the smoke has settled after the European Parliament’s plenary session, most people can see that the European Parliament’s reaction was part of an extraordinary battle for power between the EU institutions (the European Parliament and the European Commission) on the one hand and the governments of the EU members states,” Nedergaard wrote.

Forever on the fence The major problem for Denmark was always going to be the fact that while it is outside the Eurozone, it has had to manage Europe as it struggles with the worst crisis the single currency has faced in its short existence. As a result, the major agreements, such as the budgetbalancing fiscal compact treaty, were made without much input from the Danish presidency.

Despite not using the euro, however, Denmark supported almost all the measures proposed to resolve the euro crisis and signed the fiscal compact in March to demonstrate that it was serious about keeping govern-

ment spending in check.

But as its presidency ends, so too is its open optimism about Europe. In January, ThorningSchmidt said that it was necessary to restore faith in the European project. “The path out of this crisis goes through more Europe, not less Europe,” she said as the presidency got underway.

According to Wind, however, the government failed to deliver on this promise and is now distancing itself from Europe, probably as a result of its plummeting popularity. Most

notable was the announcement that there would be no referendum on the Danish opt-outs on defence, and justice and home affairs, in the near future, despite her election pledge “She didn’t need to say it.

She is being perceived as distancing herself from the problem. It is emphasising once again that Denmark believes itself to be an island. But we are not an island.

Almost all our exports go to Europe. In my opinion it is naïve to pursue this very national agenda as it gives people the impression

that we can survive without the European project.”

Euro-sceptic MEP Morten Messerschmidt also seized on this point and argued that the government set itself up to fail by announcing high expectations from the presidency.

“She set the tone at the start of the presidency when she said that Denmark should be close to the EU, that Denmark would join the fiscal compact without a referendum and Danes would be able to vote in the opt-outs,” Messerschmidt wrote in a press

Referendum awaits EU patent deal Christian Wenande The PM’s last-minute success in Brussels could be foiled by Euro-sceptic MPs at home

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n the penultimate day of the Danish EU presidency, PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt managed to set up an EU patent tribunal to be housed in Paris.

Thorning-Schmidt spent Friday in closed meetings with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron, and the French president, Francois Hollande, reaching a deal on a EU patent tribunal – an issue that had remained unresolved for 30 years.

The headquarters of the EU patent tribunal will be located in Paris, but there will also be considerable departments in London and Munich.

But what looks to be a major victory for the Danish EU presidency that ended Saturday night, could potentially be sabotaged by a public referendum.

Eurosceptic parties Dansk Folkeparti and Enhedslisten are demanding that the European tribunal be sent to a national referendum as it will require Den-

mark to cede sovereignty.

“We have always been against the EU tribunal and the common EU rules. We fear that it will lead to widespread software and genetic patents in the EU,” Per Clausen, of Enhedslisten, told Jyllands-Posten newspaper. “And I don’t think it will help the smaller companies.

On the contrary, it’s more likely the larger companies will profit from it.”

But Dansk Industri, the country’s largest business advocacy group, feels that the patent agreement is ground breaking and could save Danish compa-

scanpix/FRANCOIS LENOIR

enmark’s term as EU president came to a close on June 30, ending six months in which Danish cabinet members and civil servants took responsibility for organising and chairing EU meetings and ensuring the European machine kept on ticking over.

Before the term started, The Copenhagen Post predicted that Denmark would succeed due to its reputation for pragmatism and focus on consensus building.

Now that it’s over, the question is how well did Denmark do and whether it left with more political capital than it started with.

Firstly, it’s worth remembering that the presidency is no longer what it used to be after the signing of the Lisbon Treaty.

Many of the presidency’s primary responsibilities were removed due to the creation of the president of the European Council and the high representative for foreign affairs (currently Herman van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton respectively).

“It’s not prestigious any more and there is no influence,” Marlene Wind, an EU expert from the University of Copenhagen, told The Copenhagen Post.

“You’re just taking over tasks from other presidents. So the ritual has become rather stupid because really it basically consists of a few thousand civil servants taking over from others and passing it onto the next.”

While this may be the case, the presidency is vital for a smooth-running EU. And according to Peter Nedegaard, also an EU scholar at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark has done quite a good job.

“The presidency’s civil servants put everything they had into the relationship [with the EU], which maintained [Denmark’s] reputation for being modest and non-hierarchical, while also being substance and solution-orientated,” he wrote in an editorial in Politiken newspaper.

release. “But that fizzled out after the PM feared the verdict of the voters and dropped the vote on the opt-outs and ran from the thought of a common banking union.”

Messerschmidt also chastised the government for not completing the negotiations for the EU’s seven-year budget and agricultural reform before the end of its presidency.

It’s hard to criticise a presidency for its ambition, however, and to suggest that Denmark performed poorly because it didn’t achieve all its goals is perhaps underestimating the complexity of the task in hand.

The significance of the Danish presidency may not be the scope of its accomplishments, however. The recent proposals

by Van Rompuy to create a more federalised Europe demonstrates the belief that only a greater integration of European countries can offset another crisis. But Thorning-Schmidt has already dismissed many of the proposals, such as a banking union, out of hand.

What the presidency best expresses is the paradoxical nature of the Danish relationship with the EU. The country respects it and need it to survive, but when it comes down to it, Danes hesitate. They are unsure of whether it’s better to be friends-with-benefits or in a full-blown relationship, but is it worth risking getting left behind when smoke is rising from the ship you’re about to board?

It’s a victory that Thorning-Schmidt can point to as one of the presidency’s 55 achievements

We have always been against the EU tribunal and the common EU rules. We fear that it will lead to widespread software and genetic patents in the EU nies millions of kroner and lead to overall savings of 300 million euro throughout Europe.

“When Danish companies

are unable to protect their inventions, it negatively affects growth and employment at home,” Tine Roed, of Dansk Industri, told Jyllands Posten. “That is why a common patency system and patent tribunal are paramount for the companies.”

If Dansk Folkeparti and Enhedslisten refuse to sign the accord, then parliament will not have the five-sixths majority needed to avoid the referendum.

Jens Joel (Socialdemokraterne) said he was optimistic the two parties could be

persuaded into supporting the measure.

“It would be extremely difficult to hold a referendum about his because not only is it very technical, but it doesn’t mean much to the average Dane, while it means everything to the companies trying to sell their products,” Joel told Berlingske newspaper. “That’s why I find it perplexing that the Danish People’s Party would sabotage the deal and damage Danish business interests.”

5 Incinerators: better than landfills, but a recycling loser news NEWS

The Copenhagen Post cphpost.dk

6 - 12 July 2012

ERICA COOPERberg Burning rubbish provides energy for households, but also comes with a price: it makes people complacent about their trash disposal

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or the five and a half million individuals residing in Denmark, waste is a perpetual problem, but it is not one that is being ignored.

However, depending on who you ask, the nation’s chosen disposal method – incineration – is either an ‘environmentally-friendly’ end station, or just a step in the right direction.

While 42 percent of Danish waste is recycled, according to official statistics, the majority, 54 percent, is burned in a process that converts waste into new forms of useful energy. In Denmark’s case, that means that instead of being sent to landfills, rubbish is burned to produce heat and electricity at what are known as waste-to-energy plants.

Amagerforbrænding, Denmark’s second-largest waste company, handles approximately ten percent of the country’s waste.

That trash either winds up at one of 12 recycling stations or at its waste-to-energy plant in Amager.

Jonas Nedenskov, an engineer with Amagerforbrænding,

Amagerforbrændningens futuristic incinerator – complete with ski slope – was just too grand for the city

explained that the plant incinerates over 400,000 tonnes of waste per year, which is converted into “climate-friendly energy” that supplies 120,000 households with heat in the form of forced hot water and 50,000 households with electricity.

But Amagerforbrænding isn’t just burning waste; recycling is a large part of the company’s environmental efforts, and some 85 percent of the waste received at the recycling stations can be reused.

Amagerforbrænding hopes it can encourage people to recycle more. “Our task is to ensure that the collection and sorting of the many different plastics is as easy as possible,” Nedenskov said. Its latest initiative, to promote plastic recycling, is being carried out in co-operation with the city of Copenhagen.

Although incineration is a more environmentally-friendly process than landfilling, critics say it isn’t as green as its supperters make it out to be.

The process includes the emission of unhealthy toxins into the air, which is a concern to employees, the community directly surrounding the plant and the greater community.

Amagerforbrænding, according to Nedenskov, seeks to minimise the amount of toxins it releases by filtering its emissions to satisfy air quality requirements put out by environment agency Miljøstyrelsen.

But while emissions can be scrubbed, incineration’s other

by-product is more difficult to deal with. After trash is burned, the leftover slag, made up mostly of metal, is unusable for anything other than road-building, contended Christian Poll of environmental think-tank CONCITO and the Society for Nature Conservation.

Essentially, the incinerators just “transform waste into concentrated material”, Poll said.

“Those supporting incineration often forget to tell that story.”

While Poll agreed that incineration is “much better than landfilling, like we used 20 years ago”, Denmark should instead encourage people first and foremost to reduce the amount of waste they produce, reuse what they can, and then to recycle as much of the rest as possible.

A dispute between Amagerforbrænding and CONCITO surrounds this issue – Amagerforbrænding wishes to build a new incineration facility, while CONCITO argues that it is not entirely necessary.

While it does not support the current building proposals for the facility, CONCITO does back the facility’s overall expansion.

“We want the incinerator to be small so there’s room to make the change to recycling,” Poll said. “If it has a smaller capacity, there will be real incentives to generate less waste for incineration.”

Copenhagen’s deputy mayor for technical and environmental affairs, Ayfer Baykal (Socialistisk Folkeparti), said a compromise needs to be reached on the size of any new incinerators built in Amager. The city refused to back a loan guarantee to build two new furnaces, each capable of handling 35 tonnes of waste per hour.

“We don’t need the incinerators to be so large, because the amount of trash generated in Copenhagen is expected to fall by 20 percent in the coming years,” Baykal (SF) told Politiken newspaper.

Baykal declined to say what compromises the city hopes to make, but Mogens Lømborg of Amagerforbrænding told Politiken that the larger ovens would be more cost-effective in the longrun.

Currently, CONCITO is waiting to hear back from the board of Amagerforbrænding with what it hopes will be plans to include more recycling facilities.

Looking towards the future, Poll said there was reason to expect Copenhagen would continue to recycle more and incinerate less. Calling the migration from landfilling to incineration a “good step”, he said continued progress would take effort. “Everything is possible; you just have to want it.”

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6 SPORT Lucky in love, unlucky in …

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

It’s official: Wozzilroy’s killed Caroline’s career

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T’S THE story all good tabloid sports journalists dream of – and it’s been sitting under their noses for the best part of four months. And now, game, set and match, it’s finally official: Caroline Wozniacki’s relationship with Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy is seriously damaging the health of her tennis career.

Here’s the proof. In the period between 20 February 2011 and 18 July 2011 – the exact date Wozzilroy went public – her average result at the 13 tournaments she played in was a place in the semi-finals. Since then, she has played 18 tournaments and her average result has been a place in the fourth round.

Broken down, in the five months before the announcement, Woz won five tournaments, and lost in two finals, one semi, no quarters, the fourth round twice, the third round twice, and the second round once. In the eleven plus months since, she has won one tournament (the measly New Haven Open in late August), and lost in one final, three semis, three quarters, the fourth round once, the third round three times, the

second round four times, and the first round twice.

Sure, she’s also been preoccupied with releasing a cheesy music track and launching an underwear range, and there are many who will argue that she has previously benefited from entering tournaments with weak fields – but the proof has been staring the world in the face for some time now.

Still, even hacks have standards, and it wasn’t until her dramatic exit from Wimbledon against Austria’s Tamira Paszek last week on Wednesday that the dreaded question (now officially replacing “How does it feel being world number one without winning any grand slams?”) came: “Do you think your relationship with Rory is affecting your tennis?”

“No,” was the swift reply, and she won admiration from those present for her decorum.

Last Wednesday, Wozniacki was unsure whether she would be at Royal Portrush on Thursday to support her boyfriend’s assault on the Irish Open, but later confirmed she would be there, in what was a welcome distraction from what could have been.

Because she actually played really well. The seventh seed had two match points in the second set, and led by a break in the third before losing 7-5 6-7 4-6 to an opponent who just half a

week earlier had won the grasscourt AGEON International and last year made the quarterfinals of Wimbledon – an accomplishment that the Dane has never achieved despite winning the girls’ singles in 2006.

Indeed, Paszek hit the line in successive shots to save those match points, and former champion Lindsay Davenport, writing for BBC Sport, was amazed by her “fearlessness”.

A quick analysis of Davenport’s comments reveals where it went wrong for Wozniacki.

“Wozniacki looks a different player, now she is moving her feet, cutting the angles off and taking balls earlier. That’s what you need to do on grass,” she wrote during the first set, perhaps in reference to her new coach, Sweden’s last grand slam winner Thomas Johansson, who was watching courtside next to her father.

But did the Dane stop following the game plan? “All of a sudden Wozniacki is retreating again with her court position and that is allowing Paszek to hit these winners,” Davenport wrote during the second set.

SCANPIX/CATHAL MCNAUGHTON

But still, the acclaim was universal despite her defeat – a sentiment that was perhaps best summarised by the BBC live action coverage, which stated: “It is perverse, but how much better a player could Wozniacki be if she spent her whole time losing?”

If there is another consolation, on top of the holiday, it is that multiple Wimbledon ladies champion Chris Evert has offered the Dane a shoulder to cry on – an offer that Wozniacki will be tempted to take up following the news last week that her own Olympic confederation has lowered its projected medal tally after deciding it is no longer likely to win anything in tennis.

“I’d love to talk to Caroline.

But the younger players don’t really approach the older players for advice, and that’s too bad,” she told the London Evening Standard.

“You’re compromising because you’re in a relationship, and you want somebody to support you. When Rory goes to tennis tournaments, it is taking a little bit from his game, and vice-versa. When you are that

young, your career is right at your fingertip. It’s a choice you have to make.”

Evert, however, doesn’t blame the relationship for Wozniacki’s slump. “When she racked up all those ranking points last year, Serena and Venus Williams were out of the game and Victoria Azarenka had not come on strong. There was an opening and Caroline was the most consistent player,” she said.

“I don’t think Caroline’s tennis is

slipping because she is in love.”

But, as the saying goes: lucky in love, unlucky in … tennis. Wozniacki herself, in her post-match interview, did appear to be bemoaning her lack of fortune.

“I had over two years where I was winning these matches, even when I wasn’t playing great sometimes, but still winning and managing to pull it off,” she said.

“Luck was still on my side.”

Winner

Before After

Finals

Semi-Finals

Quarter-finals

4th round

3rd round

2nd round

1st round

The top-heavy golden line speaks for itself: Woz has got it bad!

Behold the king of the small mountains CHRISTIAN WENANDE In his first official stage of the Tour de France, Michael Mørkøv became only the third Dane ever to earn the mountain jersey.

Then, he refused to give it up

T

Rory McIlroy found time to give Caroline some advice on her backhand during his first round at Royal Portrush on Thursday.

tennis

GRAPHIC BY AVIAJA BEBE

BEN HAMILTON

6 - 12 July 2012

HOSE WHO thought Michael Mørkøv’s flirt action with the polka-dotted jersey was just a one-stage affair were mistaken.

Mørkøv, 27, took the jersey signifying the leader in the mountain climbing competition in the race’s first stage, but wasn’t satisfied with wearing it for a single day. Not even close.

On the second day of riding, he snatched the single moun-

tain point by joining that day’s breakaway, but then he also won mountain points by being part of his third consecutive breakaway on day three on Thursday – something few riders have done.

However, before the threeweek circuit of France reaches the true climbing stages in the Alps later this week, the polkadotted jersey is less an indication of Mørkøv’s climbing ability – of which he has little – than it is of his tenacity and endurance. And quite possibly of his ignorance as the debutant still has over two weeks of riding to do before the peloton reaches Paris.

Until then, Mørkøv is strutting his stuff dressed in polka dots.

In perhaps a sign of things to come, Mørkøv, who made his mark as a track cyclist before switching over to road-racing, ran out of steam as the race entered the final incline and was in danger of being left behind by the peloton. German rider Jens Voigt, former teammate, helped him the rest of the way to the finish.

“I told him that he was becoming a hero and to keep going, but save some energy; there are still thousands of kilometres to go,” Voigt told TV2.

It’s been a stellar Tour start for his Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank team which has been heavily criticised this season. Many felt that it’s Tour squad was the weakest the team had entered in the race for years. But so far, embattled

owner Bjarne Riis, who himself wore the polka-dotted jersey for a day on the 1993 Tour, is looking like a bit of a genius.

Riis said, though, that there would be no fourth straight breakaway day for Mørkøv.

“Michael has been brilliant. But now he needs to take it easy,” Riis told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

Saturday will most likely be the last day Mørkøv gets to ride in polka dots. The Tour hits the Alps that day, and the climbing begins in earnest with a category 1 incline summit finish, which is simply beyond Mørkøv’s climbing ability.

Until then, though, he is the ‘King of the Mountains’, even if they are just little ones.

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CULTURE

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

6 - 12 July 2012

Can’t beat that orange feeling

I

view of what to expect from the rest of the festival with a formidable performance at Pavilion Junior, an arena that has played host to numerous Danish bands in their infancy. With Pavilion Junior crammed to the brim on Monday, it’s safe to say Raske Penge could easily have filled one of Roskilde’s bigger stages.

Dream City: Camping Area P

“Remember Jeeves, a gentleman never drinks more than one drink before luncheon.”

has done away with the long-standing tradition of fence-breaking practiced by many festival-goers in previous years.

All the same, finding a suitable camp location remains a race, if not a lottery, which is won by only the fittest and slyest ‘runners’, whose job it is to seek out desired camp locations for the rest of those attending with them.

Once the camps have been pitched, those not involved in the queuing-up and camp race usually turn up with the bulky baggage and camp gear and proceed to turn what was once a field with green grass into a makeshift humble abode. Many camps are equipped with bare necessities such as a pavilion tent and a sound system of some sort, whilst others are more elaborate, featuring everything from inflated sex dolls to mini jacuzzis and crates of pricey champagne.

The Copenhagen Post team rolled up at Roskilde and have been partying it up at different locations around the camping grounds since Saturday. We also had a chat with a handful of the many guests in an effort to discover what they like best about the festival.

Read on for the best of the action so far:

Euro 2012 final: Sunday night at the big screen by the park Skate in West

Raske Penge: Sunday evening at Pavilion Junior

Skater or not, the park Skate near the West end of the festival camping grounds has traditionally been one of the coolest zones to hang out. Footy fans got treated to Spain’s 4-0 drubbing of Italy in the Euro 2012 final, courtesy of a large screen placed high above the half-pipes and bowls.

Raske Penge, Eaggerstun and Shaka Loveless are three artists whose music is getting the most airplay in the camping areas. Nørrebro-based Raske Penge gave Roskilde’s guests an enticing pre-

Fancy Dress Flashmob: Monday afternoon, Camping Area K by the lake Imagine donning your best suit, downing several Carlsbergs and then taking a dip, with the coolest sophistication and calmness, in Roskilde’s swimming lake. The scene was no figment of the imagination on Monday afternoon, as one smartly-clad partisan after another shattered conformity and took to the water in tuxedos and ballroom dresses.

The action even featured an orchestra who strummed out Mozart and Beethoven to complete the atmosphere.

No instruments were harmed during the process. There were plenty of ruined tuxedos though.

ALLAN MUTUKUKORTBÆK

T’S LATE June and the summer looms temptingly over the horizon.

The air around the town of Roskilde is heavy with the whiff of excitement, expectation and electricity as thousands of people make their way in small packs towards the annual Roskilde Festival, one of northern Europe’s largest cultural gatherings – so big, in fact, that it temporarily transforms the town into Denmark’s fifth-largest city.

For many, Roskilde Festival has become something of an annual pilgrimage, whilst for others, quite a few of whom are still in their teens, Roskilde 2012 will be the first time they participate in the phenomenon that they’ve heard so much about. Old and young, goth or dread, the festival seems to attract them all for ten crazy days of carnival-like escapades, catharsis and music.

At its simplest, the Roskilde Festival is a music festival that manages to attract numerous revered acts from Denmark and the rest of the world, year after year. Scratch beneath the surface though, and you’ll find that there’s a lot more to Roskilde than music alone.

This is a festival of numerous facets and features that amalgamate to form the totality of the overall experience, which is no doubt different for each individual at the event.

One of the most talked about topics at the festival is the camping area and the multi-functional purpose it serves as both a temporary shelter and wild party location. Finding a desirable place to pitch camp, and fighting off others with the same intentions, is one of the most important phases of the Roskilde Festival experience – something that’s easier said than done.

To their great credit, the festival organisers have tried to ensure that the race for a camp is as fair as possible by implementing an official opening time before which it is virtually impossible to enter the festival grounds. The new entry system, introduced only last year,

ALLAN MUTUKUKORTBÆK

As festival-goers wait for the big show to begin, they’re keeping busy in their typically Roskilde fashion

TIVOLI CABARET

ALLAN MUTUKU-KORTBÆK

7

“I claim this land in the spirit of Woodstock, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. Let the mud games begin!”

Dream City is a sustainable approach to camping at the Roskilde Festival, allowing campers to design themselves a home of sorts with their neighbouring camps. Coupled with a wellness centre and a strict tidy-up after yourself policy, Dream City seems to be a very fun, user-driven initiative, which, combined with the other themed camping areas (Swim City, Poor City, Art City, Green City, Street City and Game City), makes for an interesting additional component to this year’s event.

How to stay connected and informed at Roskilde JUSTIN CREMER Improvements to network signal and a new wi-fi network hope to solve concert-goers’ phone problems

O

NE OF THE biggest complaints of revellers at last year’s Roskilde Festival – aside, of course, from the mixed weather – was the patchy-at-best phone service.

Many festival-goers, particularly those using mobile carrier 3, were unable to get a phone signal, making it difficult for them to connect with friends without employing old-school methods such as meeting at a predetermined time and place, which many would argue spoils the spontaneity of the festival experience.

And without a phone signal, concertgoers couldn’t share their experiences with the outside world. After all, if you see one of the hottest hipster bands out there, but can’t post on Instagram about it, did it really happen?

In response to the signal problems, both festival organisers and 3 have promised that things will be better this year.

Acknowledging in a press release that its service “didn’t function well enough” last year, 3 announced that it would be septupling its network capacity at this year’s festival. The company blamed last year’s problems on its own popularity, claiming that a third of all the guests at the festival were customers of 3, putting a strain on its network.

The company has also entered a formal partnership with the Roskilde Festival and will be on site with two large stands

where festival-goers can charge their smartphones and where 3’s customers can receive a service and even borrow a phone if they’ve broken theirs – a not-unheardof scenario given the amount of partying that occurs over the festival’s nine days.

For those who aren’t 3 customers – or simply don’t believe their promises – Roskilde Festival is also offering a paid wi-fi signal on a first-come, first-served basis. The wi-fi signal will cover selected parts of the festival area for up to 20,000 users. The service costs 35 kroner and will provide a signal for the length of the festival.

Assuming your connection problems are solved, you may want to use your smartphone to follow Mid and WestZealand Police on Twitter at @politirosk.

Taking a page from Copenhagen Police, who successfully used Twitter to communicate with partiers during the Distortion festival, police will be giving Roskilde fans updates and safety tips throughout the festival. Sadly, on only the eighth tweet, police had to confirm the death of a 20-year-old Swedish man early on Monday morning. The police tweets are only being sent in Danish.

The Copenhagen Post will also be on hand during the Roskilde Festival, and we’ll be using Twitter and Facebook to give concert tips and general information. In addition to our official account @cphpost, you can follow news editor Justin Cremer at @justinCPH, multi-talented intern journalist Mike Hofman at @MikeHofman_ and music writer Allan Mutuku-Kortbæk at @MuTuk5z.

That is, of course, assuming our phones work.

8

BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

6 - 12 July 2012

Competition watchdog can find “no reason” to maintain statesanctioned monopoly

COLOURBOX

KEVIN MCGWIN

C

OMPETITION authorities have appealed to the government to act to force the nation’s chemists to deregulate their industry.

In a letter to the Health and Business ministers, Konkurrencerådet proposed that chemists’ state-sanctioned monopoly on the sale of pharmaceuticals should come to an end.

“We can’t find any worthwhile argument against liberalising this industry,” Agnete Gersing, the head of Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen, the nation’s highest consumer watchdog, and the parent authority of Konkurrencerådet, said.

Under current laws, pharmacies must be owned by chemists, and there are limits on the number of pharmacies a single chemist may operate. According to Konkurrencerådet’s recommendations, those laws would be repealed as part of a deregulation of the market. Instead, any individual or company would be allowed to open a pharmacy, provided it was staffed by qualified pharmaceutical professionals at all times.

Konkurrencerådet based its recommendations on a study that found Denmark had Europe’s most restrictive pharmacy regulations, and as a result fewer pharmacies per capita than other European countries.

Should Denmark implement the same level of liberalisation as other European countries, the increased competition, the report concluded, would save

Maersk has recently carried out its first exploration drills in the North Sea since 2008

Staffing struggles in the oil industry

PETER STANNERS Liberalisation would cut prescription costs by 250 million kroner a year

consumers 250 million kroner annually on prescription drug expenses.

Konkurrencerådet’s call comes as a government-appointed panel, which includes representatives from competition authorities, is already reviewing pharmacy regulations to identify ways the industry can be modernised.

Brushing aside the criticism, Niels Kristensen, the head of chemists’ association Apotkerforeningen, described the nation’s pharmacies as “a well-functioning system”.

“We’ve heard these arguments many times before,” Kristensen told Politiken newspaper.

“But it’s pretty obvious that the competition authorities aren’t taking into account the fact that a healthcare professional is needed to operate a pharmacy.”

One of the companies that stands ready to gain from liberalised pharmacy regulations is the high-street retailer Matas. Already the nation’s leading seller of over-the-counter medications and other health products, over the past year the chain has exploited a loophole in pharmacy

regulations that permits it to sell prescription drugs by allowing a chemist to set up a drug dispensary inside its stores.

The company has already established 50 dispensaries, all served by a single chemist.

That move has irked Apotekerforeningen to the point it has excluded the chemist, Danji Bhanderi, who is based in the Jutland town of Uldum, from its organisation.

The organisation is currently under investigation for its possibly wrongful exclusion of Bhanderi.

Meanwhile, Matas says it is ready to open full-service pharmacies as soon as the industry is deregulated.

In recent years, many rural chemists have closed down as their customer bases shrink. And Henrik Engberg Johannsen, a Matas spokesperson, said the move would counter that trend.

He added that the company supported keeping safety regulations in place, but argued that with its network of 294 stores nationwide, Matas would be able to offer consumers better service without compromising on safety.

BUSINESS NEWS AND BRIEFS Increased sales at Euro 2012 for Carlsberg ALTHOUGH THE national team did not fare so well, at least one Danish export appeared to get a big boost from taking part in Euro 2012. Carlsberg saw its stadium beer sales increase by 40 percent during the 2012 championships compared to the 2008 finals in Austria/ Switzerland. The beer giant had expected higher sales due to the larger stadiums in Poland and Ukraine, but the 40 percent

SCANPIX/CLAUS FISKER

Pharmacists, deregulate yourselves, authorities urge

Vestas denies sale rumours

jump exceeded all expectations.

Morten Imsgard, an analyst at Stydbank, said it was too soon to tell whether the company’s sponsorship of the tournament would result in increased consumer awareness of the brand worldwide. “There will be a spike in the short term, but it remains to be seen whether consumers will remember Carlsberg and continue to buy it in the future,” Imsgard told the media.

DANISH WIND turbine giant Vestas could be up for sale, according to the British newspaper the Sunday Times.

The paper reported that Vestas is negotiating with creditors about how to solve its more than 1.3 billion kroner debt crisis. One solution called for selling the company outright.

A spokesperson for Vestas denied the rumours, calling them “speculation”.

North Sea drillers facing stiff competition for staff from the green energy sector, but new exploration work in the area demonstrates the oil industry is far from dead

W

HILE THE POOR economic climate has forced many businesses to cut back and lay off employees in order to protect their bottom lines, the oil industry is struggling to find enough qualified staff to satisfy the demand – this year Maersk Oil alone is expected to hire more than 300.

According to Erling Stenby, a professor at the DTU who is an oil industry expert, hiring is a problem oil companies worldwide are facing.

“We are experiencing a strong demand for our students, both from Danish and foreign companies,” Stenby said. “All over the world the industry is screaming out for staff, and it is probably their greatest challenge right now.”

Stenby also criticised the blind focus on the transition to green energy, arguing that the Danish economy will be dependent on the income from oil production for many years. He argued that Denmark would benefit if more people were encouraged to find work in the oil industry.

“It’s an exciting and well-paid profession and it will continue to be for many years, but when politicians keep on talking about green energy, they make it sound like the oil industry is not something to bother with.”

The Danish oil industry is not dying, however, and earlier this

week Jyllands-Posten newspaper reported that Maersk was spending 100 million kroner on new exploration drills in the North Sea – its first since 2008.

Maersk is drilling for so-called high-temperature, high-pressure (HPHT) oil that is more difficult to access than the oil it has so far been drawing out of its North Sea oil wells.

The increased difficulty of drilling for HPHT oil explains the demand for more staff according to Pierre Berkmann, the head of HR at Maersk Oil Denmark.

“It requires more clever heads.

They can be hard to find because unemployment among the group we are looking for, such as engineers, is low,” Berkamm said, adding that the green energy industry has done a better job marketing itself and appealing to young people.

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THE COPENHAGEN POST SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT PAGE WHY: The Copenhagen Post wishes to help spouses looking for jobs in Denmark. We have on our own initiative started a weekly spouse job page in The Copenhagen Post, with the aim to show that there are already within Denmark many highly educated international candidates looking for jobs.

If you are a spouse to an international employee in Denmark looking for new career opportunities, you are welcome to send a profile to The Copenhagen Post at aviaja@cphpost.dk and we will post your profile on the spouse job page when possible. Remember to get it removed in case of new job.

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VACANCY NOTICE PART-TIME LEIV CONSULAR ASSISTANT The Embassy in Copenhagen has an immediate vacancy for a part-time LEIV Consular Assistant. This vacancy is for an initial period of 12 months with a possibility of renewal.

The British Embassy in Copenhagen provides consular advice and services to British residents and over 150,000 British visitors annually to Denmark. The Embassy is part of the wider Northern and Western European consular region. The successful candidate will be working closely with the British Vice-Consul, often under pressure and sometimes dealing with extremely sensitive cases.

The main duties include: • Issuing emergency travel documents, fee-taking, and dealing with customers at the counter; • Dealing directly with members of the public; • Producing local management information through collecting statistical data and creating excel spreadsheets to strict deadlines; • Providing clerical support to the section, organising meetings, hotel bookings and travel, and updating standard lists; • Dealing with incoming correspondence and answering telephone calls; • Liaising with commercial partners and the Danish authorities.

Requirements: • Excellent organisational skills; • Ability to work well under pressure; • Fluent English language skills, knowledge of spoken and written Danish an advantage; • Good communication and interpersonal skills; • Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Word and Excel; • Flexibility, patience, and the ability to deal with difficult situations, including the ability to work unsocial hours in an emergency or crisis; • A high level of discretion and ability to accept responsibility.

The British Embassy offers a diverse/international environment which is challenging and change-oriented. In addition to salary the remuneration package includes a competitive pension and benefits package and training.

Applications along with a CV should be sent (in English) by 23 July 2012 to: Copenhagen.recruitment@fco.gov.uk

For more information and other job vacancies visit our webpage www.cphpost.dk/jobvacancies

Please note that only the candidates selected for interview will be contacted. We aim for interviews to take place in the week commencing 30th July 2012.

10 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST CPHPOST.DK

6 - 12 July 2012

ABOUT TOWN PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

As is traditional, the US Embassy held its Independence Day reception a few days early to ensure there wasn’t any clash with the Rebild celebrations on Wednesday July 4. While it was a chance for US ambassador Laurie S Fulton (pictured left) to not only switch her attention to her home country for a change – and even her home state of South Dakota – she also took the opportunity to show off her Danish heritage with a huge gathering of her extended Danish family (see centre). And it wouldn’t have been Independence Day without some military presence in a parade.

The event was well attended by the city’s diplomatic corps. Ambassador Fulton (left-right) greets Mexican ambassador Martha Bárcena, Cypriot ambassador George Kasoulides, Chinese ambassador Li Ruiyu, Saudi ambassador Abdulrahman Saad A Al-Hadlg, and (leftright) Egyptian ambassador Nabil Habashi, Ukrainian ambassador Mykhailo Skuratovskyi, Croatian ambassador Ladislav Pivcevic and his wife, and Indian ambassador Ashok Kumar Attri and his wife.

READER COMMENTS New asylum centres facing resistance I am disgusted by the level of political discourse in this country.

Even if a group has been shown to be this-or-that, you still have to take individuals on their merits. You can’t refuse asylum on the basis that you read a report that at one time said that the group likes to keep themselves to themselves. Støjberg et al really do show up the lie that it’s only the DF messing things up for Denmark and that the other parties only really went along with their racist nonsense to cling to power.

Adventures and Japes by website Danes just have to accept that space is needed for the asylum seekers – it’s not possible to put more in the existing centres.

Overpopulated centres naturally create problems amongst the residents – so new centres are necessary. I can only urge the Danes to meet the refugees with an open mind. Nobody flees their country for fun – they all do it for a good reason!

Margit Rønsholt

by Facebook This hammering of the Somalis by the Danish government is grotesque, and saying that there were too many let in during the ‘90s is also grotesque. Somalia is almost uninhabitable, then as now, and people ran for their lives. How can anyone make such a collective assumption

without qualifying what one is getting at … but then again, if they were to reveal the genuine nitty gritty, they could risk being found out for distorting facts concerning the refugees from Somalia.

Djeep by website Businesses call on state to trim fat and sugar taxes Does anyone remember how much the foods affected cost a year ago? If you can’t, the fat tax has failed to do what it was supposed to do. All it has done is take more money away from the people who can’t afford the better quality, healthier products. What has the government done with the revenue gained from this tax? Where is the clear food labelling found in other countries, which could be used to educate people about living a healthier lifestyle? The traffic light system used in the UK, and several other countries, leaves a person with no doubt just how good or bad something is for you. With such limited variety available in the shops, there is very little option other to buy or not buy. Neither government nor the companies complaining about the tax give a damn about peoples health, only their own income!

Madzng by website I don’t see how the taxes are responsible for people shopping over the border. I go because Germany will offer me three

cases of beer for the same cost as buying one case of an identical brand in Denmark. I doubt taxes are responsible for something costing 300 percent of the price. There’s also the bonus fact that I’d just simply rather give my money to the Germans.

Shufflemoomin by website If the government were serious about people’s health and incentivising them to make healthy choices, the MOMS on fruit and vegetables would be removed. The Danish government doesn’t give a flying fig about people’s health or welfare. They only want money to carry out their political games – namely making everyone a dependent client of the government and ensuring that the socialist agenda is carried on.

Thorvaldsen by website Medical Emergency? Please call ahead I think the only reason I would call is if I was unsure if the problem was urgent or not. I am not talking about burns, broken limbs and the like, which you know is urgent, but if you or your child has a sore throat, headache, a call to the doctor would save people the hassle of going into the hospital and would avoid wasting time. There needs to be highlytrained staff who are used to talking to the public, not just a computer operator running through a list of questions on

a screen or there will be many wrong diagnoses or even deaths.

Rugrattz by website Why the need for a new system?

We already have lægevagt where you can call and ask a doctor if you should wait, come and see them or head to the emergency room. The system is already fine as it is.

Shufflemoomin by website Maybe it’s time to privatise the Danish health service!

Daneland by website PM: Tax deal with opposition was the right move “The deal means that it will become more attractive for everyone to work.” There’s something seriously wrong if this has to be stated or changes have to be done to that effect ... really.

Maybe you should not have to starve or live on the streets if you are unemployed ... but that’s about it. One is not entitled to the luxuries of somebody who actually goes to work rain or shine – at any rate, not courtesy of the state! It gets wholly surreal and a bit infuriating when seen from the eyes of a foreigner being discriminated against by Danish law and in the Danish job market who is not entitled to state support, taking any job that comes no matter how insane the working hours or conditions, and then paying some of that hard-earned money on taxes – to then see people tan-

ning or drinking on weekdays and during working hours who look very able to work. Particularly because (or in spite of the fact that) you can make a living on a half-time job here.

Loroferoz by website I have nothing against VKO politics coming from VKO, but when SSFR (after promising to correct ten years of blue policies) act out Lars Løkke’s wishes, they have broken yet another election promise and they also blur the borders of who represent the working classes. Both political wings are filled with academics with the same economic educations and backgrounds. When the working classes (or any other classes) don’t feel their aspirations are being represented, then democracy itself is suffering.

TonyBall by website The wonderful thing about Danes is that no matter which party is screwing the public, the public just shrugs their shoulders and mutters quietly. “sådan er det bare, der er ikke noget at gøre ved det.” (That’s just the way it is, there’s nothing you can do to change it) Thorvaldsen by website New fines a bitter bill to swallow, say offending cyclists Welcome to the real world, cyclists! This is something that car drivers have had to put up with for years. Break the rules

and you get stuffed, even if you don’t know that rule. Ignorance is no defence.

Rugratzz by website Here’s a novel idea. What about the police use some of that energy and money they raise to actually look for the astonishing number of bikes that are stolen by organised gangs working freely in Copenhagen … Never going to happen though.

Nigel Barnfield

by Facebook I’ve seen so many people ignore the law on bikes that I have to wonder if they behave the same behind the wheel. If not, why not?

Shufflemoomin by website While a lot of green Danes have taken to riding bikes to protect the environment, please don’t forget the seniors on pensions that can’t afford a car or the gas to put in it and have to ride a bike out of pure economics. a 1000-kroner fine is steep for riding down a one-way street or going through a red light.

Buzzy Sørensen

by Facebook The problem is that the rules are really not clear. The police SHOULD have information about what can’t be done on their website, and how much people are fined for breaking them. Police should do their job first, and then the cyclists can’t say that they didn’t know! Simple!

Ana by website

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Discover northern Jutland

Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Do Northern Jutland offers numerous options for an active holiday. Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or barely off training wheels, the Mors Tourist Bureau has cycling tours to suit any ability level, and many are organised with families in mind. Some also give the option to either rough it (stay at campgrounds) or take it easy (stay in a hotel). Looking for something for the whole family to do? Head to the town of Nykøbing and visit Jesperhus, northern Europe’s largest flower park. If you’re not into flowers, there are plenty of other places to visit, including a jungle zoo and a 4D cinema. And don’t forget Fårup Sommerland, an amusement park in a forest that also claims to be Denmark’s best camping area.

Our pick!

Mors Rundt. This five-day cycling tour is an easy-going, family-friendly route around the island of Mors. It provides a great opportunity to mix relaxation with an active holiday. Visit visitmors.dk to book.

Like the area itself, the regional

With the region’s endless beaches, it is easy to find a summerhouse rental or campsites where you can stay. The towns of Blokhus, Løkken, Lønstrup and Tversted are all great options on the west coast. In the east, be sure to check out the towns of Hals and Aså. When visiting Aalborg, consider Cabinn and Helnan Phønix Hotel Aalborg.

Those looking for a one-stop holiday should consider Feriecenter Øster Hurup. Close to the beach and featuring activities for the kids – including an indoor waterpark should the weather decide not to cooperate – it is an ideal place to settle down for a week.

Eat

Stay

Our pick!

Rent a summerhouse in Hals. Besides the great beaches, the town itself is an experience with its charming market square and harbourfront.

gastronomy has a lot to offer. With so much water everywhere, it makes sense that northern Jutland is known for its seafood. From fresh fish and Limfjord oysters to pink lobster, many of the region’s restaurants take advantage of the ocean’s bounty and offer fresh meals made with creatures caught nearby. Head out to the town of Løgstør and visit Restaurant Kanalfogedes Køkken to try the oysters.

Looking for a hip and trendy place to eat? Visit Aalborg’s youthful downtown area, which has numerous cafés, such as Ulla Terkelsen, London – named after Denmark’s most indefatigable foreign correspondent. Want a more American dining experience? Head up to the town of Sæby and check out Highway 69, an American-Italian inspired restaurant serving up ribs, steaks, burgers and more.

Ulla Terkelsen, London. The café atmosphere is great, the

Our

pick! seating is comfortable and the portion sizes are great for

the price. Dessert here is also a must (facebook.com/CafeUlla).

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Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Discover northern Jutland Photo: Bent Næsby

Denmark’s vacationland Looked down upon by city-slickers back east for its slow-lane image, northern Jutland is just the place for anyone looking to get away for a week or a day

By Desirae Rasmussen

K

nown as ‘the land of light’ because it has more daylight hours than anywhere else in Denmark, the northern Jutland region has something to offer everyone, young or old. What separates northern Jutland from many other areas of Denmark is its natural beauty. The west coast is home to Denmark’s first national park, Nationalpark Thy, which covers a total of 244 sq km. Further to the north is Denmark’s large sand dune, Rubjerg Knude, and at the country’s northernmost point, Grenen, you can stand in both the Skagerrak and Kattegat seas at the same time. Looking to make use of all that light? Northern Jutland is awash in great sunbathing beaches, which can be found all along the region’s coastline. Whether you travel to the west or to the east, you will find a great place to swim. All this nature also provides plenty of opportunities for those who are interested in an active holiday – biking, hiking, horseback riding and even hang-gliding, you’ll find something here to cater to your sense of adventure.

But that isn’t all that northern Jutland has to offer: the region is also rich in art and culture. The town of Skagen has been inspiring artists since the early 20th century. The university city of Aalborg offers many art museums and installations.

The region also has strong American roots, and you will find many places named after American culture plus real American-style restaurants. The area also boasts the world’s largest Independence Day celebrations outside the US. Northern Jutland is also kid-friendly, with a large variety of attractions that cater to children. Get your thrills at the amusement park Fårup Sommerland. Go to the Aalborg Zoo and watch the polar bears romp. Or head to one of the region’s many museums, and learn how to make salt the oldfashioned way or follow in the footsteps of the Vikings.

There’s even something for young adults in northern Jutland.

As a university town, Aalborg is always bustling. Check out the popular street Jomfru Ane Gade, where all the best bars and nightclubs are located. At the harbour, there is a swimming area and a park that are just right for lounging with friends as you enjoy a beer. Day or night, Aalborg is active.

Northern Jutland Looking to go someplace that will please everyone in the family? From fulfilling Dad’s sense of adventure to Mom’s need for relaxation and the kids’ need to play, northern Jutland is sure to have something for everyone. The region boasts numerous natural areas, including Denmark’s first national park. And when you’re looking to get back to civilisation, Aalborg, the country’s fourth largest city, has everything you could want, including zoos, shopping centres, restaurants and clubs. Looking for great beaches? The region is literally surrounded by them. Northern Jutland is also the gateway to Norway, and the fast ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand makes a day trip possible. Looking for some history? The area is known for the large Viking graveyard in Lindholm Høje and the Franciscan Friary Museum, which is found under the walking streets of Aalborg. No matter what kind of holiday experience your family needs, northern Jutland can provide it.

Northern Jutland

But maybe you want to get away from it all. With seven health spas bearing the Wellness Danmark seal of approval, northern Jutland is the destination of choice for those who are looking for a little pampering. There are also a number of small towns where you can rent a summerhouse, kick back, enjoy the smell of the sea and just relax.

Whatever type of holiday you’re looking for, you can very likely find it in northern Jutland.

NEXT WEEK: CENTRAL JUTLAND

8

Island Hopping | Læsø

 birds and butterflies. There are sand dunes to play hide-and-seek in and little woods filled with quaint cottages straight out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Speaking of cottages, one thing that will immediately strike you about Læsø is the local building style. Forget thatched cottages – Læsø builders cover their houses with a material far more readily available and in plentiful supply: seaweed.

The practice of piling layer upon layer of eel grass gives the island’s cottages a unique vernacular style that is quite unlike anywhere else in the country. They grow like bulky, misshapen thatches, hanging down in uneven globs and appearing distorted and swollen and startlingly unlike the neat symmetry of cottages in other parts of the country.

As our guidebook stated: “Læsø is not a place to head for if you’re seeking roaring night life and cultural stimulation” – and luckily, we weren’t. Instead, we spent the days cycling around the island, playing Frisbee in the garden and barbecuing fish bought straight from the fishermen’s shop down at the harbour.

We visited a farm where our daughters could pet the rabbits and piglets, went horseback riding along a beach and spoke to a few of the islanders – including some former city-slickers who had made this little piece of paradise in the Kattegat their home.

It’s easy to see why Danes love to escape to Læsø, and equally as easy to see why they want to keep quiet about it. When I spoke to the lady at the tourist-information office, she seemed a bit taken aback that a foreigner would be visiting. Her quizzical look said it all as she asked, “Where did you hear about our island?”

Yes, Læsø is slightly off the beaten track, but that doesn’t make it any less worth visiting, and my whole family enjoyed our week there. Make the trip yourself and experience Denmark at its most tranquil.

Getting there Ferries go to Læsø from Frederikshavn in northern Jutland and make several crossings per day. It takes around 90 minutes to cross – for more details see laesoe-line.dk.

Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Do If you’re interested in seeing the old-style seaweed houses of Læsø, a visit to Hedvig’s House is a must (go to laesoe-museum.dk for details). There is also another example at På Lynget in the middle of the island. If you’re interested in sailing trips, the Seadog makes daily excursions (seadog.dk). For pony and horseback riding, check out Krobækgaard (rideferie.dk).

OUR PICK!

Læsø Saltworks: Take a step back in time and visit the island’s golden age of salt production. Watch as the workers build fires beneath the bubbling salt pans, and come away with some of the prized white stuff yourself (saltsyderiet.dk).

Stay

Eat

Restaurants are a bit thin around the island, but some good ones Hotel accommodation on Læsø is limited, but there are plenty of B&B options as well as camping and holiday homes. One such B&B is Østergård, a lovely thatched house in a beautiful location (oeg.dk). If you’d prefer to camp out, head to Læsø Camping, which also offers cabins (laesoe-camping.dk). To rent a summer house on the island, have a look on ferieservice.dk.

OUR PICK!

can be found. Bakken, in the capital Byrum, offers traditional fare in a ‘hyggelig’ setting (restaurant-bakken.dk). Another good place – and probably the main restaurant on the island – is the Strandgaarden Badehotel, which occupies an historic building in a lovely setting (hotel-strandgaarden.dk).

OUR PICK!

Læsø Crawfish Festival. Fresh langoustine is a Læsø specialty, and this festival will allow you to see local fishermen compete to win the Golden Claw. The festival also features gourmet cooking by Keld Johnsen, chef at

Camping. If you want to get really close to nature, you should consider staying at one of the island’s two campsites.

the US embassy. Held at Restaurant Havnecafeen in Østerby on Aug 4 (jomfruhummerfestival.dk).

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Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Island Hopping | Læsø

Getting to grips with island idyll At times, Læsø feels like the island that time forgot. The island’s residents are more than happy to keep it that way

By Jason Heppenstall

L

ÆSØ is a small island off the east coast of Jutland’s northern peninsula and possibly the only place in the world that boasts being self-sufficient in cucumbers.

There are long ones, short ones, knobbly ones and ones that don’t look like cucumbers at all but rather strange sea creatures dredged up from the deep. Fields of them stretch to the horizon, and cucumber-laden tractors lumber along the narrow roads. It is fair to say that Læsø is probably selfsufficient in gherkins, too.

But we hadn’t come to Læsø to admire its agricultural exports; we had come for a holiday. To get there, we had driven all the way from Copenhagen to Frederikshavn, which is almost the longest journey you can make in Denmark and a real test for our two young daughters at the back of the car.

We arrived just in time to get on the evening ferry. Onboard, we could already see Læsø out there in the distance, lying flat and shimmering silver in the late-spring light. In the cafeteria, a group of boisterous teens, still brimming with exuberant energy from spending the day in the relative metropolis of Frederikshavn, grew quieter and more reserved as the ship approached their home island.

By the time we arrived, it was getting dark. We had a bit of trouble finding the holiday home we had booked, despite it being less than 1 kilometre from the port. When we finally found the house, it was right by the island’s main road. But we needn’t have worried about noise from traffic – we soon discovered that, at most, this amounted to about one vehicle every ten minutes.

Like most holiday homes in Denmark, this was a wooden building set in about half an acre of lawn with a few pine trees dotted about. Inside, it was nicely cosy and warm – despite it being May, there was still quite a chill blowing in off the Baltic Sea. When we turned on the TV, it received

a stronger signal for the Swedish channels than the Danish ones, which was perhaps unsurprising when you consider that Læsø isn’t all that far from the Swedish coast.

Læsø Situated in the Kattegat off the east coast of northern Jutland, Læsø is a small island famed for the purity of its

It wasn’t until the next morning – when we ventured out to explore the island – that I began to fall for Læsø’s understated charms. First, we visited the island’s largest village, Byrum (pop. 443), which boasts a supermarket, a church and a café or two. It’s a neat little place, and the only traffic seemed to consist of other holidaymakers stocking up on barbecue supplies and the local beer. The weather was bright and sunny, and it was one of those typically Danish days when the sky and the sea seem impossibly blue and the clarity of the light makes everything seem like a Technicolor film.

Circumnavigating Læsø is not exactly difficult. With a total land size of 18 sq km, it’s very easy to get to grips with the island’s idyllic rural charm. Cucumbers aside, what the island is most known for is its salt. Chefs swear by it, and there is almost no limit to what people are prepared to pay for the stuff.

It is harvested from the southern part of the island, which is comprised of salt flats and marshes; in medieval times, when packing food in salt was the only way to preserve it, its export was the mainstay of the island’s economy. To keep up with the demand, islanders built huge cauldrons which they filled with sea water and lit fires underneath them.

salt, the freshness of its seafood and the peculiar style of its cottages. It is easily reachable, with ferries departing several times a day, and there are plenty of accommodation options, ranging from campsites and B&Bs to holiday homes and hotels. What’s more, this is the perfect place to have a family holiday, with lots of open space and fresh air, so the kids can run around and use up their energy. If you like sunning yourself on almost empty beaches and dining out on fresh lobster, take a side trip to Læsø and discover what it means to relax – Danish style.

Læsø

It wasn’t too long before the booming salt trade left every tree on the island felled for firewood, creating a denuded and empty landscape. The salt trade crashed and, in short order, people began to starve. There’s a moral in this tale somewhere.

We had planned to spend a week on the island, and it was a very pleasant week indeed. Most days, we strolled along the northern coastline, the kids excitedly collecting bits of amber from the deserted beaches. The scenery, although it cannot be described as dramatic, is wild moorland filled with

NEXT WEEK: SAMSØ



6

•

Events

Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Your click to Copenhagen-area museums & experiences

For Families

WHO ARE THE DANES – FROM ABSOLUTE MONARCHS TO THE MODERN WELFARE STATE

CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP: MYTHICAL ANIMALS AND FANTASTIC CREATURES Bring the animals of your imagination to life at the children’s art workshops held at the National Gallery. Plaster and clay will be the focus media, but paint and pencils will also be available.

The Children’s Workshop is open Tue-Sun, 10:30-16:30.

National Gallery, Sølvgade 48-50, Copenhagen K; smk.dk

What is a Dane, and which historical events have formed Danish culture over the last 350 years? Take a guided tour through the permanent exhibition, ‘Stories of Denmark 16602000’. Sign up at the Information Desk to attend.

CIRCUS WORKSHOP FOR THE FAMILY Try your hand at juggling or hang from a trapeze under the watchful eye of a professional circus performer. There will be plenty of activities and lots of laughs at the Circus Museum’s family workshop on:

Guided on Tue Jul 3 at 11:00.

National Museum Ny Vestergade 10, Copenhagen K natmus.dk

CREEPY CRAWLY You may not normally get the willies, but then again, you’ve never seen a dust mite or a flea blown up larger than life! The Creepy Crawly exhibit introduces you to all the life you never notice, even though it’s all around you, on you – and even in you. The exhibit is a hive of surprises about things from your everyday life. Focus on the familiar, but learn something new.

Sun Jul 8, 11:00-12:30.

Circus Museum, Hovedporten 6, Hvidovre cirkusmuseum.dk

Experimentarium, Tuborg Havnevej 7, Hellerup experimentarium.dk

Exhibitions •

A GARDEN OF EATING AT ESRUM ABBEY Join Esrum Abbey and the adjacent Møllegaard farm as they put a summery touch on traditional Danish cooking.

Enjoy food cooked over an open fire and a glass of white wine while you relax under the apple trees. Meals are made outdoors and eaten at communal tables.

Thur Jul 5, gates open at 18:00, food served at 18:30.

Reserve a seat online.

Esrum Abbey & Møllegaard Klostergade 11, Græsted esrum.dk

•

GUIDED TOURS AT THE DANISH JEWISH MUSEUM Get the inside story about Daniel Libeskind’s design for the museum which presents 400 years of Jewish history in Denmark. The tour offers highlights from the museum’s permanent collection, titled ‘Space and Spaciousness’.

Tours available Wed Jul 4, Fri Jul 6 and Sun Jul 8, at 14:00.

Danish Jewish Museum Proviantspassagen 6, Copenhagen K jewmus.dk

Furniture for the senses – Finn Juhl 100 Design Museum Denmark marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of furniture designer Finn Juhl with this exhibition that provides a detailed look at Juhl’s sculptural masterpieces. The exhibit also displays his watercolours and sketches of his furniture.

Design Museum Denmark Bredgade 68 Copenhagen K designmuseum.dk

TRASH! The Museum of Copenhagen’s exhibit ‘TRASH!’ incorporates trash and various objects recycled from the city’s rubbish bins, attics and other hideaways. The exhibit also includes historical films, photographs, games and other remarkable items that tell the story of what happens to things after we throw them away.

Museum of Copenhagen Vesterbrogade 59 Copenhagen V copenhagen.dk Afgang 2012 Meet the next generation of contemporary artists when art gallery Nikolaj Kuntshal holds its second annual ‘Afgang’ exhibit. Find out what up-and-coming artists are turning their attention towards. Art forms include in-

stallations, video, paintings, sculptures, sketches, audio, performances and textiles.

Nikolaj Kunsthal Nikolaj Plads 10 Copenhagen K nikolajkunsthal.dk

Per Kirkeby and Greenland Greenland has been a part of Per Kirkeby’s life for more than half a century, and the Ordrupgaard gallery’s exhibit, ‘Per Kirkeby & the Secret Reservoir’ uses sketches, etchings, watercolors, paintings and sculptures to

show how Kirkeby’s characteristic style and choices of subject are formed by his experiences in Greenland.

Ordrupgaard, Vilvordevej 110 Charlottenlund ordrupgaard.dk The Art of War This exhibit presents two young artists’ impressions of what life is like for Danish soldiers in Afghanistan and Libya. Mathilde Fenger’s visit to Afghanistan’s Helmand province in 2010 served as the inspiration for her 25 paintings depicting soldiers’ daily lives. Simone Aaberg Kærn’s 20 pastel drawings portray the Danish military’s involvement in Afghanistan and Libya.

Museum of National History Frederiksborg Castle Hillerød frederiksborgslot.dk

The

Circus Museum ON LOAN

op uly h J ks in r o ay 0 W s nd 2.3 u rc y Su 1-1 i C er 1 Ev

www cirkusmuseum.dk .

Hovedporten 6 ● Hvidovre ● Sun-Thursday 11-15

Masterpieces from Skagens Museum

4 May - 3 September 2012 SCULPTURE • ARCHITECTUR • PAINTINGS BERTEL THORVALDSENS PLADS 2, COPENHAGEN K OPEN TUESDAY-SUNDAY 10-17 WWW.THORVALDSENSMUSEUM.DK

www.hirschsprung.dk

Open daily 11 AM - 5 PM Closed Mondays

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Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Your click to Copenhagen-area museums & experiences

Europe in Copenhagen ...

My museum where I experience art

Photo: Simon Bøcker Mørch

Helle Fragild, 36, actress, Royal Theatre

Feeling cooped up in Copenhagen? If you’ve got a touch of wanderlust but can’t get out of the city, why not make a grand tour of Europe in your hometown? There are plenty of places where you can experience the best of some of Europe’s great metropolises. This summer, we’ll take you to Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome and Paris – without ever leaving the Copenhagen area. First stop: Berlin

By Julie W. Tovgaard

I

F YOU’VE ever had to stifle an urge to hop on the next bus to Berlin, you’ll like what we’ve got to tell you. Copenhagen offers a number of areas that provide a taste of life in the German capital.

Hankering for a stroll Unter der Linden? Head towards Frederiksberg Allé. Berlin’s boulevard was the site of military parades and triumphal marches during Germany’s imperial period. Not to be outdone, the thoroughfare in Frederiksberg was once the private road of the royal family. Frederiksberg Allé ends at the gardens of Frederiksberg Have, where the Copenhagen Zoo is also located. You might have to stretch your imagination a little, but it’s almost like being in Tiergarten.

Next, stop by Berlin Bar at Gl. Kongevej 147 where you can get an authentic German beer on draught. If you’re into German art and history, head to the National Gallery, which is currently showing an exhibit of German paintings from 1890 to 1930. The exhibit, ‘German World Images’, explores the rise of modernism and the way artists dealt with issues of national identity. While Berlin is renowned for its modern art scene, Copenhagen holds its own. Experience the best of contemporary work at the city’s five art halls: Nikolaj Kuntshal, Charlottenborg, Kunstforening GL STRAND, Overgaden and Den Frie Ud-

stillingsbygning. Until Aug 5, Nikolaj is showing ‘Afgang 2012’, an exhibit of works produced by young contemporary artists.

The history of the Jews is told in Berlin through museums and monuments. In Copenhagen, the Danish Jewish Museum offers visitors a glimpse of life from the point of view of a minority. Instead of being a memorial to those lost during the Holocaust, the Danish Jewish Museum is a testament to living Jewish culture. The museum’s design is based on the letters of the Hebrew word ‘mitzvah’, or ‘worthy deed’. The design was created by architect Daniel Libeskind as a way to capture the defining traits of Denmark’s Jews and their culture. In Berlin, that city’s Musuemsinsel has earned Unesco recognition as a World Heritage Site.

Copenhagen’s own island of history, Slotsholmen (above), is also packed with museums – in addition to the Danish Jewish Museum (below), there is the Black Diamond, the National Armoury, Thorvaldsen and the house of parliament. And looking for the proper way to end your … tour of Berlin? Try walking up to one of the local hotdog carts and asking for “ein frankfurter, bitte”.

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Growing up in Helsingør, it was natural for us to visit the Louisiana museum of modern art frequently.

When I was 14, I found myself getting into surrealism, and around that time Louisiana was showing Dali.

I can remember going and the enormous impression his film ‘Andalusian Dog’ had on me. Louisiana’s location between sea and forest means that when you’re there, nature plays a big role in how you experience the art. The last time I was there, I went with my mother and my son. We mostly stuck to the children’s area and played with Legos – that’s one of the nice things about Louisiana – it’s pretty kid-friendly.

“I once saw a play at Glyptoteket that required the audience to walk from room to room and experience the performance standing among the statues and other works of art. Allowing art to help tell stories that bring you to different places and times gives you the feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself. The museum’s palm garden is an oasis. Whenever I’ve been there, I always feel more vibrant and purposeful. Another great thing about Glyptoteket is their cake.

“A few years back, I was on tour in Jutland with the Royal Theatre. We were in the little town of Vejen, the hometown of another actress in the company. She suggested that we visit the local Vejen Museum. At first, I was a little sceptical, but their collection blew me away.

It turned out that the visit there was just what we needed after being on the road for so long. Art in Denmark isn’t confined to the big cities.”

By: Fie Krøyer Dahl

Just like the real thing – only different.

FRENCH MASTERPIECES

Danish Jewish Museum

Dantes plads 7 • 1556 Copenhagen • www.glyptoteket.com

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Summer in Denmark: 6-12 July 2012

Neighbourhood safari | Nørrebro

Ethnic, eclectic, exciting

By Elise Beacom

N

ØRREBRO is Copenhagen’s ‘hood. A web of graffiti-filled streets and alleyways, Nørrebro’s edgy vibe has earned it the affectionate nickname ‘Nørrebronx’, though it’s hardly a ghetto. Rather, it’s a lively cluster of different minority groups that each brings something special to the district. And its rich cultural diversity makes Nørrebro a fascinating area for exploration. Located northwest of the city centre, Nørrebro was originally a working-class neighbourhood. It was the place where immigrants and country-dwellers chose to settle when they first arrived in Copenhagen, seeking fortune and glory. But it is this very history that has made the district one of the most multicultural and vibrant areas of Copenhagen today. When the weather is fine, flea markets spring up out of nowhere and hordes of young people quench their thirsts with a beer or two while sitting along Dronning Louise’s Bridge, which connects Nørrebro to the city centre.

Strolling into the district itself, you will find an eclectic mix of ethnic restaurants, specialty food shops, vintage clothing stores and quirky boutiques. Kiosks and kebab shops dot the city’s main street, Nørrebrogade, while nearby greengrocers sell everything from Jerusalem artichokes to plantains. Wander down the side streets and you will find rustic cafés and trendy take-away joints. Or check out the cool kids doing their best grinds and kick-flips at Nørrebro Skatepark. No matter what day or night of the week, there’s never a dull moment in this bustling and colourful neighbourhood.

DO As strange as it might seem to hang out in a cemetery, Assistens Kirkegård is a popular spot for picnickers, groups of friends and those wanting a peaceful place to read. Bring a blanket and get inspired while sitting among the burial places of public figures like Hans Christian Andersen and Niels Bohr.

During the summertime, the streets around Jægersborggade on the edge of the park play host to an extensive flea market where you will find all sorts of trin-kets and treasures. Dronning Louise’s Bridge is another great meeting place when the sun is out. When the weather is fine, young Copenhageners make a beeline for the bridge, which connects Nørrebro to the city centre.

OUR PICK!

Assistens Kirkegård. Enjoy this precious pocket of tranquility in an otherwise hectic neighbourhood.

EAT One of the beauties of Nørrebro is its multiculturalism – no matter what night of the week, you can find a meal from any corner of the globe. The area’s diverse residents have brought with them a wealth of choices when it comes to eating out. There’s delicious Thai food at Kiin Kiin, a Michelin-star offering, or head to Café Bodega for a laid-back Sunday brunch – find both on Kapelvej. If Japanese is the cuisine you crave, Selfish on Elmegade has delectable sushi. The city’s best coffee is made at Coffee Collective on the happening Jægersborggade, where you can also find Relæ – named Copenhagen’s best restaurant of 2011. Oysters & Grill is a sure bet for fine seafood dishes that don’t cost a fortune. Or if you want to eat in, you can pick up some fresh produce at a cute grocery store called Stefanos Grønne Hjørne.

OUR PICK!

SHOP The area around down-to-earth Elmegade has an eclectic range of shops catering to different fashion tastes. Acne Archive is a home for second-hand fashion, while Goggle is one of the street favourites for men’s and women’s clothing. Swedish label Velour sells easy-to-wear fashion that is described as “feelgood preppy”. If a pleasant perusal through antique shops is appealing to you, Ravnsborggade is the spot. The street offers stores selling everything from old PH-lamps to unusual bric-a-brac. And when your arms are weighed down with shopping bags, get a lift from a sugar hit – there’s wonderful hand-made caramel at Karamelleriet on Jægersborggade.

OUR PICK!

Hellerup

Nørrebro

Østerbro

Frederiksberg Vesterbro

Christianshavn

AFTER DARK The square known as Sankt Hans Torv and the streets around it are teeming with bars and restaurants that are perfect for a fun night out, and Nørrebro Bryghus on Ryesgade is a good place to start. The beer served is locally produced – so much so that it is fermenting in the tanks right beside you. Plenum is a popular place among trendy students, and the basement club at Rust on Guldbergsgade is a top dance spot after midnight and doubles as a live-music venue. Keep Drone on Nørrebrogade in mind for cocktails and rock music. The non-profit venue Retro on Jægersborggade is a quirky café by day and an alternative bar by night. But if you’re after a niche bar with super-cool music and a fun mixed crowd, then Kind of Blue on Ravnsborggade is kind of great.

OUR PICK!

Kind of Blue. Good company, a cool atmosphere and great music. (Ravnsborggade 17)

Velour. For the male and female fashionistas who aren’t enslaved by trends. (Elmegade 21)

Oysters & Grill. Combines a laid-back attitude with food made from the finest ingredients. The langoustines are a must. (Sjællandsgade 1B)

NEXT WEEK: ØSTERBRO

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6-12 July 2012

SUMMER IN DENMARK

Explore Nørrebro Berlin in Copenhagen Læsø’s island idyll Discover northern Jutland

Free access to 70 museums and attractions in the entire metropolitan area

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See more at copenhagencard.com