Castles and beaches on the Danish Riviera by Klaus Metzger (books recommended by bts .TXT) 📕

In the years 1977 to 1980 I worked for the Danish company Niro Atomizer A / S (engineering firm for spray drying plants) in Copenhagen and lived with my family in Alleroed (about 20 km north of Copenhagen).

This was a very nice time with excellent contacts to my Danish colleagues. One reason was certainly the beginning of my effort to learn the Danish language. This worked so well that I even now could make me very well understood during our vacation.

We got to know the local area and drove in the summer like to swim across the harbor Gilleleje after Tisvildeleje (about 40 km from Alleroed away). Also the Kronborg Castle, we have visited several times. It was obvious to drive in the summer of 1977 from Copenhagen via Sweden, Finland to Norway to North Cape. Thus , the total distance only 5300 km to over 7,300 km at the arrival from southern Germany (Karlsruhe), from where we had moved in early 1977 to Copenhagen.

With the bike and tent my son Jochen experienced (then 8 years old) and I was the Danish island of Bornholm, which is below of Sweden and then by ferry to reach from Copenhagen in about 7 hours in summer 1979. This was our time in Denmark but almost finished again, because in 1980 I was transferred as a Technical Manager in the Netherlands. We lived until 1984 in Gouda. Then we spent several years our summer holidays in our friends' house Finn (a Danish colleague) and Randi on the Baltic island of Samsoe. This period ended in 1985.

Now I was with my second wife, Jutta Hartmann-Metzger, after almost 30 years back to Zealand (Copenhagen is situated on the island of Zealand) travel to make a week's holiday in a rented house (near Gilleleje ). I was very excited as I would experience everything. But I can already say: "It was a wonderful vacation!".

View from the room at the Akzent Hotel Schleswig

From distance regular reasons (for a total distance of 770 miles) we broke the journey in Schleswig, where we stayed in the beach ACCENT Hall Hotel. So we started rested on Saturday morning, 22 June 2013, our trip to North Zealand. For the first time we used the Storebaeltsbrücke for which we had to pay a toll of 235 Dkr.

Everything worked out well until after Hillerød. From there, it was difficult to find the right way to Gilleleje. On my old experiences from my Danish time I could no longer rely, as much has changed. After some back and forth we found but the Danish owner - a few kilometers outside of Gilleleje (directions from recommendation was misleading).

Our rented holiday home

Against 14 clock 30 we were the first to take our vacation home in Dronningemölle inspected. It was very modern - with sauna and jacuzzi. The situation in completely separate area that could not be seen was optimal. The private train from Gilleleje of Elsinore, which drove past at regular intervals on above lying tracks, not particularly bother us. From the beginning we had a houseguest: a slightly larger mouse. She appeared repeatedly very curious at the bedroom door and then disappeared again. Even Jutta could live with it (in India we had in 2007 to grapple in a posh hotel in rats).

The lonely beach at Dronningmoelle

On Sunday, the 23 June 2013, was ideal for the first beach visit. Here's a little walk of about 600 m was necessary because our house was in a secluded forest. We could also ride the bikes that were in the shed available. On this day we also used for the first time in the sauna and jacuzzi. The instructions in German and Danish were well understood and we found our way around very quickly.

In this context, it is noteworthy that we have a security deposit of 150,- Euro with the landlord (we had to follow the progress on the electricity meter, record and release upon departure) for electricity consumption had to be deposited. Two weeks after our return we got 120, - Euro refundable (with a consumption of 93 kWh). So this was absolutely correct.

For Monday the 24th June 2013, the visit of the Kronborg Castle in Elsinore was planned. Along the coast about Hornbaek it was easy to reach. But first wanted yet to go to Gilleleje to change money and buy fresh fish at the harbor. On the way to the harbor we came past interesting , older homes.

The Port of Gilleleje

Some words about the unfortunate Change Currency: Although Denmark is part of the EU, there has still the Danish crown. Unlike other holiday countries the Danes accept the EURO only exceptionally. And then only certificates (as on the Storebaeltsbrücke); coins not be accepted. We had a large sum of DM, which had to be changed. The cost for each bank 35 Dkr (about 5 euro ) exchange fee! It makes sense to set the monitor into DKK at the bank before departure.

The Kronborg Castle

During the tour of Kronborg castle I walked in "old tracks". Completely changed, the area had around the Castle to the city: The old shipyard, which one could see very clearly at the entrance to the ferry from Helsingborg, had disappeared in the meantime. There, now is the Kronborg culture harbor.

The canons of Kronborg Castle

Those who go to the casemates, the place where prison cells, pantries and soldiers quarters. Here also sits dormant Holger Danske - like King Barbarossa on Kyffhaeuser - is waiting to get in the fight Denmark to help. A special relationship between the Kronborg Castle and the Danish word prince was created by William Shakespeare, who just moved his Hamlet history because of the level of awareness of the Renaissance castle there.

Royal room at Kronborg Castle

In the castle there are several exhibitions that illustrate the wealth that all the gold from the Sundzoll earned the rulers. There are also interesting articles from the youth of Christian IV son of Frederik II) and the looting of the palace in 1658 by the Swedes.

    The Knights' Hall

In 1629 there were in the castle of a terrible fire. Christian IV left to build his father in the original style, the castle again . Therefore, we can still admire the checkerboard patterned floor of the Knight's Hall today. With a length of 62 m, it is one of the longest in Northern Europe. In these royal rooms so King Frederik II lived with his wife, Queen Sophie .

On Tuesday was another day of errands: at Brugsen near I bought buns. After breakfast I went to Gilleleje to again change money. The visit of the photo shop was disappointing because I was looking for a replacement for my defective Canon telephoto lens (50-200 mm). They had only a Tamron lens (70-300 mm) at a price of 999, - Dkr. I was not convinced that it would fit perfectly on my camera and resorted to during this holiday with my wide angle lens (18 to 55 mm) . In the meantime, I have  in Germany SIGMA telephoto lens (70 to 300 mm) for 139, - Euro bought, with whom I am very satisfied. In Super Brugsen I bought drinks and yogurt. By the way, all Brugsen - shops are open 7 days.

   The road to our house

On the way home came to meet me Jutta. She had phoned because of problems with the eyes and therefore already with our landlord. They recommended the pharmacy in Gilleleje. What was interesting was the number system: " recepter eller Handköb ". I opted for the latter. The pharmacist gave Jutta after a short description of drops against allergy problems . All the fun cost 70 DKK and worked immediately. The same experienced Jutta in 2009 in Kenya, where she was awarded by an Indian doctor a "magic cream