Rejste til Ribe og Odense

Having cheated on Denmark with Hungary over Easter, we tried to make amends last weekend by heading into the Danish countryside. We ventured west to Ribe in south Jutland, to shuck some oysters and see some starlings fly around.

Before we could experience the wonders of Jutland, we had to cross from Zealand (the island where Copenhagen is) to Funen (another island on the way). The bridge you drive over is an engineering marvel, and it would want to be because the toll is 250 DKK (AUD$50). Yes, you read that right. And it’s paid BOTH WAYS. Apparently the ferry used to cost something like 260 DKK, so the Danes are actually pretty happy with the new deal… those crazy Danes.

Ribe itself is Scandinavia’s oldest town. The first church in Ribe was built in 856, while the current cathedral (Ribe Domkirke) dates from the mid-12th century. The town made all its money around that time as a major seaport, although is now quite far from the sea due to silt from the river and mud flats building up in storms.

Importantly, Ribe Domkirke is a sombre reminder that we shouldn’t have commissioned any public works in the eighties:

Sct. Catharinæ Kirke on the other hand was much less insane, keeping it classy and nautical.

We also stopped briefly in Odense on the way back to Copenhagen and had a look at where Hans Christian Andersen lived.

The most interesting thing we saw there were these sneaky spying mirrors on the second floor windows of the old houses, so the people inside can see what is happening on the street. I really want one. Actually, it would have been better to have one when we were in Studiestræde – there is not much to spy on in our new place, but we certainly would have seen some interesting sights outside Cosy Bar with our covert spy mirror. We would have seen some things that could not be unseen, no doubt.