Poles apart and with no known historical or cultural connection, there are some startling habitual behaviour traits between our two countries.
Consider this: The Danes have a certain apathy towards queuing (well, who doesn’t?) and would have no qualms to shoulder-barge you out of the way. Yet, when pulled up they are rather puzzled that they have done wrong – check! Nothing personal intended.
Maybe it is because they are imposingly large people. For the first time in my life, I realised what it is like to be short.
They drink like fish and smoke like chimneys – check! Actually, per capita, they consume nearly twice as much alcohol as we do. The exquisite Danish beer is hard to resist. But we tend to marginally out-smoke the Danes.
They have an incredibly sweet tooth and are prone to obesity. The fashion-conscience youngsters try, but don’t always succeed, to keep themselves as trim as possible – check!
With all the wonderful Danish pastries, rich chocolate covered crepes and honey-soaked, ice-cream topped waffles, who can resist? It is a fight one is destined to lose, as all are wickedly addictive.
On a more delicate subject, and in an attempt to avoid using the ‘r’ word, let’s just say that they, for fear of being swamped by foreigners, are not particularly keen to have ethnic minorities of a darker colour infiltrate their city – check!
Yet, the Danes consider themselves tolerant and welcoming people. And so they are. Genuinely hospitable and friendly, they are quite happy to strike up a conversation. During my stay, I happened to cover the Denmark vs Malta football match. A rather large group of Danish supporters amassed in Nyhavn, swaying to the rhythm of Slots, Carlsberg and Tuborg. In answer to their inquisitiveness, I opened my coat to reveal my South End Core Malta T-shirt.
This was met with much applause and back patting followed by light and friendly banter. Cans of beer were eagerly shoved into my hand. If all football supporters were like the Danes, the game would be so much better off.
As the plane approached Copenhagen airport, a stunning sight of some 30 energy windmills in the sea caught my eye. Elegant white arms gently turned against a deep blue backdrop, like graceful ballerinas swaying in the sea.
In Denmark, wind power provides 20 per cent of the total electricity supply with the aim to increase it to 50 per cent in the next decade.
What are we waiting for? We are a small nation that has both wind and sun. We can be totally self-reliant on these clean and ever-lasting forms of energy. If the city of Copenhagen with 1.2 million inhabitants can do it, we, with a population of 400,000 should find it quite feasible.
“Wind power is clean energy and economical in the long run. It has no bio-product and other than that, we can never run out of it,” says USP acting vice-chancellor Esther Williams.
The best way to explore the city is to put on your best walking shoes and lose yourself in the wonderful side streets. All attractions, from the Little Mermaid to Tivoli Gardens are within walking distance. There is something for everyone. The avid shoppers are spoilt for choice with a three-km walking street full of designer haunts and restaurants. Meanwhile, others may choose to relax in one of the many Nyhvn waterfront restaurants, sipping a beer or two while watching the Danish delights walk by.
I read in some guide book that Copenhagen is Vienna’s poor cousin. Whoever coined that phrase must have either had too much of the amber nectar or has grossly under-rated this wonderful city. Sure, Vienna is grand in all its glory. But charming, cosy Copenhagen, ranked as one of the five best cities in the world in which to live, is largely traffic- and crime-free.
It is rich in culture with an affluent economy and amazing people to match. Denmark has the smallest gap between rich and poor of any country in the world and can be considered as one massive well-off middle-class – check!