Friday, November 24, 2006

Rotten in Denmark

Copied from my MySpace blog. Originally posted October 19, 2006.

I know you've been waiting for this moment! Here it is! Part III of my blogs about our time in Europe from 1996-1998. (on the off chance that you haven't been following along - I mean, hasn't everyone? - and are dying to know about parts I and II, go here and here.

While living in London, we took a few trips around the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe. Today, you're in for a treat. A smelly, blue treat. Because I'm going to tell you all about our trip to Denmark!

And I promise that there will be no inappropriate images of any religious leaders, unless, like me, you consider Lloydism to be a religion.

The main reason we went to Denmark was to dig up my roots. (Not literally. I'm not a plant, although I sometimes sit still for long periods, much like a plant).

My father's family came to Canada from Denmark in the early 1900s, so it was cool to be able to see where they came from. This is me, in front of Gamtofte Kirke, the church where my grandmother was baptised, my grandparents were married, and all of my father's five brothers and sisters were baptised (he was the only one born in Canada).

Arriving in Gamtofte, near Odense

But our Danish trip wasn't only about checking out the family church. In fact, when we first arrived in Denmark, we headed up to Helsingør, north of Copenhagen. Helsingør is the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.

When you think of the Danes, you tend to think of tall, Viking-like people. But this is a myth. Most Danes are, in fact, very small. For an idea of how small, have a look at this picture of me, trying to get into Helsingør Castle.

Knock, Knock, Knocking on Helsingør

That's only partly true, actually. While some Danes are tiny little Trolls, many Danes are tall. The tall ones tend to live in tall, narrow houses, like this gentleman, seen outside his home, near Queen Margrethe's palace in Copenhagen.

It's not much, but it's his home and he loves it

As an aside - while I was Googling the Queen of Denmark, to make sure I spelled her name correctly, I came across this, about Princess Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. Wow! Delicious!

Ok, on with the tour.

One of the coolest parts of Copenhagen is Nyhavn. On a nice day, there are more beautiful people per square foot in this area than anywhere else on the planet. It's a fact.

On a cool, rainy day, there are people like this:

Yes, I am touching myself in this picture.

It's true that there are loads of beautiful women in Copenhagen. Like this moist little tart:

I can see her boobies!

Finally, the most important thing to know before you go to Denmark, is that the Danes are more obsessed with farts than Howard Stern is! They even have a place named after them:

It is a well-known fact that the people of Middelfart are made fun of because their farts aren't as potent as the people of Upperfart.

The Danish Government even monitors you, to make sure that you can keep your farts under control. They have a huge database, maintained in Odense, that keeps track of people's farting habits, cross-referenced with their car's license plate numbers. I know, you don't believe me, but look:

It's true - something IS rotten in Denmark, and it's not just the cheese!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 19, 2006

There are better Danish band to listen to than Aqua :/

Note: this comment was in response to me putting Aqua in the "Currently Listening" section of my MySpace blog. LR

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 19, 2006

okay so i see you were in Middlefart.. you were in my territory :D I lived in Tommerup, my best danish friend lives in Nørre Åby.. and middlefart well i went there so many times this summer and when i lived in Dk.... cool that your family is from danmark. mine is also, but my great grandfather came to usa. . he never taught danish to my grandfather.. but because i lived in dk i speak danish.

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 20, 2006

Interesting and funny to read about your travelling in Denmark and your interpretation thereof.

It is always interesting to seek one's roots, however, you didn't write whether it affected you in any way or inspired you or something. Did it?

Our own Ravn-family stems from Jutland, Vejle County and Sonder Omme ; so I guess we are not related, although originally there is said to be only three Ravn-families in Denmark.

For the record: fart in Danish means "speed", but Middelfart even in Danish is a funny word.

Have a nice weekend, and don't hesitate to visit Denmark again,

Flemming

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 20, 2006

Since you got Danish immigrants in the family, I thought this would make you chuckle. One thing for the immigrant to overcome when they start a new life in Canada is the language barrier. Sometimes that doesn't go by too well.

One time my dad went through a coffee shop drive thru and ordered a tea...

He always got pissed off that the tea was never steep when he got it, it was just hot water with a tea bag floating in it, and since there was no spoon in the car so he could stir it, he wanted the nice employee to steep it for him. He said:

"Will you squeeze my bag?"

Surprisingly, he did not get charged with sexual harrassment over that one.

I was in the passenger's seat laughing my ass off...

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 22, 2006

I only read the Clift's notes on Hamlet in high school; I had too much else going on that week and couldn't frickin get shakespeare's language till college, many years later ...

after avoiding it for 23 years, I finally went to see Hamlet, at my youngest daughter's high school, last Thursday.

Guess what! It was good!

And I must agree, that Hamlet and Horatio seemed a bit TOO fond of each other. Rather! (oh geez that shakespeare stuff is rubbing off on me).

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 25, 2006

JEG ELSKER DANMARK! My family also came from DK and I lived there for a year. It is my home away from home. Your post made me smile and laugh. THANKS for that!

Anonymous said...

Comment copied from Lloyd's MySpace blog. Comment posted October 28, 2006

That's a very funny blog..:D I hope it was a pleasure to visit Denmark..:D