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  • DOES JACKSON LIKE SHRIMP?

  • HE DOES -- WHOA!

  • I'M RICK STEVES, BACK WITH MORE OF

  • "THE BEST OF EUROPE."

  • THIS TIME, WE'RE DOWN IN THE BEACH,

  • GOT A GOOD, COLD BEER, AND THE SHRIMP'S ON THE BARBIE.

  • IT MUST BE "THE BEST OF DENMARK."

  • THANKS FOR JOINING US.

  • HE LIKES THAT.

  • DENMARK IS SMALL, FLAT, AND REALLY WELL-ORGANIZED.

  • WHILE THE CAPITAL CITY, COPENHAGEN,

  • IS A THRIVING METROPOLIS AND THE COUNTRY DOES HAVE

  • A VIGOROUS ECONOMY, GET OUT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE,

  • AND WHAT THE TRAVELER FINDS IS CLOSER TO CUTE.

  • WE'LL IMAGINE SAILING WITH THE VIKINGS,

  • MARVEL AT THE ULTIMATE LEGO CREATIONS,

  • VISIT WITH ONE REALLY OLD BOG MAN

  • AND THEN ONE REALLY BIG BOY,

  • DROP IN ON A ROYAL PALACE,

  • PICNIC ON A DANISH BEACH,

  • AND EXPLORE A REMOTE ISLAND BY BIKE.

  • AND IT'S ALL LINKED BY AN AWE-INSPIRING NETWORK

  • OF ROADS AND BRIDGES.

  • IN THE NORTH OF EUROPE, DENMARK ANCHORS SCANDINAVIA

  • TO THE CONTINENT.

  • IT'S MADE MOSTLY OF JUTLAND, WHICH JUTS UP FROM GERMANY,

  • AND TWO MAJOR ISLANDS.

  • JUST OUTSIDE OF COPENHAGEN, WE'LL TOUR FREDERIKSBORG CASTLE.

  • THEN WE'LL VISIT ROSKILDE, ODENSE, ARHUS,

  • AND THE ISLE OF AERO.

  • WHILE JUST A SMALL COUNTRY TODAY OF ROUGHLY FIVE MILLION PEOPLE,

  • IN THE 16th CENTURY, THE DANISH EMPIRE INCLUDED

  • ALL OF SCANDINAVIA AND EVEN STRETCHED INTO GERMANY.

  • IT HAD A FEARSOME MILITARY AND DEMANDED RESPECT

  • FROM ITS NEIGHBORS.

  • AND, IN A SMALL TOWN NORTH OF COPENHAGEN,

  • AS IF FLOATING ON A LAKE,

  • IS A REMINDER OF ALL THAT POWER --

  • THE STUNNING FREDERIKSBORG CASTLE.

  • MANY CONSIDER THIS THE GRANDEST CASTLE

  • IN SCANDINAVIA, THE DANISH VERSAILLES.

  • BUILT IN THE EARLY 1600s, FREDERIKSBORG IS THE CASTLE

  • OF DENMARK'S GREATEST KING, CHRISTIAN IV.

  • THIS WAS ONE OF THE KING'S FAVORITE RESIDENCES,

  • WITH A SUITABLY REGAL ENTRY

  • RINGED BY A MOAT DESIGNED MORE FOR SWANS THAN DEFENSE.

  • THE KING IMPORTED DUTCH RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTS

  • TO CREATE HIS OWN

  • CHRISTIAN IV STYLE, WHICH, BY THE WAY,

  • YOU SEE IN FANCY BUILDINGS ALL OVER COPENHAGEN.

  • THE ROYAL APARTMENTS EXUDE ROYAL OPULENCE.

  • FOR OVER A CENTURY, THE PALACE HAS BEEN A MUSEUM

  • OFFERING A STROLL THROUGH THE STORY OF DENMARK

  • FROM 1500 UNTIL TODAY.

  • IT SERVES AS DENMARK'S NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY.

  • IN THE AUDIENCE ROOM, THE KING WOULD RECEIVE

  • IMPORTANT VISITORS.

  • PAINTINGS OF DENMARK'S MILITARY VICTORIES

  • OVER NEIGHBORING SWEDEN LINE THE WALLS,

  • REMINDING VISITING VIPs OF DENMARK'S POWER.

  • AND THE GREAT HALL WAS KNOWN AS

  • THE DANCING HALL IN CHRISTIAN IV's DAY.

  • WITH THE ORCHESTRA PLAYING FROM THEIR PERCH ABOVE,

  • THIS IS WHERE HE'D THROW HIS LAVISH PARTIES.

  • GAZING OUT THE WINDOWS, GUESTS WOULD MARVEL

  • AT THE KING'S BAROQUE GARDEN.

  • SCULPTED ROYAL GARDENS, LIKE THE PALACES,

  • WERE USED AS PROPAGANDA -- THE KING RULES EVERYTHING

  • IN HIS REALM, EVEN NATURE.

  • CHRISTIAN IV WANTED THE GRANDEST ROYAL CHAPEL IN EUROPE.

  • WHILE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LUTHERAN CHURCH,

  • HERE, THE UNCHARACTERISTICALLY ORNATE DECOR

  • CELEBRATES THE POWER OF THE EARTHLY KING.

  • THE SYMBOLISM PREACHES A ROYAL THEOLOGY --

  • GOD BLESSED THE DANES WITH A GREAT KING

  • WHO THEY SHOULD OBEY.

  • THIS FINE INLAID WOODWORK DATES FROM 1620.

  • TWO CENTURIES OF DANISH ROYALTY WERE CROWNED IN THIS CHURCH.

  • EMBLEMS CELEBRATE SUBJUGATED REALMS OF THE DANISH KING.

  • THIS ONE REPRESENTS NORWAY, WHICH WAS LONG A PART OF

  • THE DANISH EMPIRE.

  • IN KING CHRISTIAN'S DAY, EUROPE WAS EXTREMELY FRAGMENTED.

  • TODAY, EUROPE'S EVOLVING INTO A SINGLE FREE TRADE ZONE

  • OF OVER 400 MILLION PEOPLE, AND, LIKE THE UNITED STATES

  • INVESTED IN ITS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM

  • TO GREASE COMMERCE, EUROPE'S INVESTING IN

  • HUGE BRIDGES AND TUNNELS SO ITS CARS, TRUCKS,

  • AND BULLET TRAINS NO LONGER NEED TO LOAD ONTO FERRIES,

  • AS WAS THE TIME-CONSUMING NORM UNTIL JUST RECENTLY.

  • THE ORESUND BRIDGE CONNECTS DENMARK AND SWEDEN.

  • THIS TEN-MILE-LONG LINK SERVES BOTH TRAINS AND CARS.

  • IT CONSISTS OF A TUNNEL BENEATH THE SEA,

  • AN ARTIFICIAL ISLAND, AND A FIVE-MILE-LONG BRIDGE.

  • A HIGH-TECH CONTROL ROOM OVERSEES

  • THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ACROSS A BORDER

  • TRAVELLERS HARDLY NOTICE.

  • BY MAKING THE SWEDISH CITY OF MALMO JUST A QUICK COMMUTE

  • FROM COPENHAGEN, THIS BRIDGE CREATED

  • EUROPE'S MOST DYNAMIC NEW METROPOLITAN AREA --

  • THE LARGEST IN ALL OF SCANDINAVIA.

  • WHILE THE BRIDGE LEADS TO SWEDEN, WE'VE PULLED A U-EY

  • AND ARE HEADING WEST TO ROSKILDE,

  • DENMARK'S HISTORIC CAPITAL.

  • DENMARK'S ROOTS, BOTH VIKING AND ROYAL,

  • ARE ON DISPLAY IN ROSKILDE.

  • 800 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS THE SEAT

  • OF DENMARK'S ROYALTY,

  • ITS CENTER OF POWER.

  • TODAY, AFTER FIRES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENT,

  • THE TOWN'S MOSTLY MODERN.

  • THE PLACE THAT INTRODUCED CHRISTIANITY

  • TO DENMARK BACK IN 980

  • IS MOST FAMOUS TODAY FOR HOSTING NORTHERN EUROPE'S

  • BIGGEST ROCK FESTIVAL EACH JULY.

  • ROSKILDE'S CENTERPIECE IS ITS IMPOSING

  • 12th-CENTURY CATHEDRAL.

  • IT'S A STATELY OLD CHURCH WITH FINE WOOD CARVINGS

  • AND A GREAT 16th CENTURY ORGAN.

  • SOME PAINTINGS SURVIVE FROM BEFORE THE REFORMATION.

  • THE CATHEDRAL IS THE RESTING PLACE

  • OF 39 DANISH KINGS AND QUEENS.

  • SIDE CHAPELS ARE FILLED WITH ORNATE ROYAL TOMBS.

  • AFTER THE REFORMATION GUTTED THE CHURCH OF

  • ITS SAINTS AND MARYS, MORE SPACE AROUND THE HIGH ALTAR

  • WAS FREED UP FOR MORE ROYAL TOMBS.

  • THESE DATE FROM THE 16th CENTURY.

  • THE OLDEST TOMB, FROM 1397, IS QUEEN MARGRETHE I.

  • THROUGH STRONG LEADERSHIP AND CLEVER NEGOTIATING,

  • SHE UNITED THE THREE NORDIC KINGDOMS.

  • FOR 500 YEARS, ST. GEORGE HAS MARKED THE HOUR

  • BY KILLING THE DRAGON,

  • REMINDING THE PEOPLE HOW THE CHURCH

  • IS THEIR BASTION AGAINST THE EVIL OF THE WORLD.

  • [ BELL RINGS ]

  • A SHORT WALK TAKES US TO ROSKILDE'S WATERFRONT.

  • THE WORD VIK MEANS "SHALLOW INLET,"

  • SO VIKINGS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED ALONG THOSE INLETS.

  • ROSKILDE, STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ALONG ONE SUCH INLET,

  • IS HOME TO DENMARK'S VIKING SHIP MUSEUM.

  • THIS MUSEUM IS A HANDS-ON CENTER FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT

  • TO EXPERIENCE DENMARK'S SEAFARING HERITAGE.

  • TRADITIONAL BOAT-BUILDING TECHNIQUES ARE DEMONSTRATED

  • AND THE MUSEUM'S ARCHEOLOGICAL WORKSHOP

  • EMPLOYS THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN CONSERVING

  • AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING REMNANTS THAT SURVIVED

  • FROM THOSE FABLED 10th-CENTURY MASTERS OF THE SEA.

  • THE MAIN HALL DISPLAYS FIVE DIFFERENT VIKING SHIPS.

  • THESE SHIPS WERE DELIBERATELY SUNK

  • 1,000 YEARS AGO TO BLOCK THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

  • TO THE STRATEGIC AND RICH CITY OF ROSKILDE.

  • IN 1962, THEY WERE RAISED FROM THEIR SALTY GRAVE.

  • THIS WAS A 10th-CENTURY OCEAN-GOING FREIGHTER.

  • A SHIP LIKE THIS LIKELY CARRIED VIKING IMMIGRANTS

  • WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THE ENTIRE FARM

  • TO ICELAND, AND, LATER ON, TO THE NEW WORLD.

  • LEIF ERIKSON MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA

  • 1,000 YEARS AGO IN A LITTLE SHIP LIKE THIS.

  • WARSHIPS WERE SKINNIER AND FASTER.

  • THIS ONE WAS POWERED BY 26 OARSMEN.

  • FEARSOME BOATS LIKE THIS TERRORIZED MUCH OF EUROPE

  • BACK WHEN PEOPLE DREADED THOSE RAMPAGING NORSEMEN.

  • AND, LIKE SO MANY SITES IN DENMARK,

  • THERE'S FUN FOR THE KIDS.

  • THIS HANDS-ON CORNER BRINGS OUT THE VIKING

  • IN YOUNG DANES.

  • HEADING FURTHER WEST,

  • WE CROSS ANOTHER SPECTACULAR BRIDGE,

  • BENEFITING, AGAIN, FROM DENMARK'S INVESTMENT

  • IN A SERIES OF BRIDGES AND HIGHWAYS

  • THAT LACES THIS NATIONS'S ISLANDS TOGETHER.

  • SOMEHOW, DENMARK, WITH LIMITED NATURAL RESOURCES

  • AND A SMALL POPULATION BASE,

  • HAS ARRANGED ITS PRIORITIES AND FOUND THE FUNDS

  • TO BUILD ITS IMPRESSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE.

  • ODENSE, DENMARK'S THIRD-LARGEST CITY

  • WITH NEARLY 200,000 PEOPLE, IS BIG AND INDUSTRIAL.

  • THE CITY, LIKE ALMOST EVERY TOWN IN DENMARK,

  • HAS A TRAFFIC-FREE SHOPPING STREET

  • THAT GIVES IT A STROLLING CHARM.

  • WHILE ODENSE'S RELATIVELY NONDESCRIPT,

  • THE REASON TOURISTS STOP IN IS TO VISIT

  • THE HOME OF ITS FAMOUS SON, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

  • TODAY, HIS HUMBLE BIRTH HOUSE STANDS ON A COBBLED LANE.

  • IT'S LITERALLY THE CORNER OF A MUSEUM

  • PACKED WITH MEMENTOS FROM THE WRITER'S LIFE.

  • THE EXHIBIT ENTERTAINS AND INSPIRES

  • A STEADY STREAM OF CHILDREN AND TOURISTS.

  • YOU'LL SEE A DISPLAY ON THE AGE IN WHICH ANDERSEN LIVED,

  • 1805 TO 1875,

  • AND LETTERS FROM HIS LIFE AND TIMES.

  • A LIBRARY SHOWS ANDERSEN'S BOOKS

  • FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

  • HIS TALES WERE TRANSLATED INTO NEARLY 150 LANGUAGES.

  • AND HEADSETS PLAY A SELECTION OF FAIRY TALES.

  • SKETCHES FROM HIS EXTENSIVE TRAVELS

  • WERE SOUVENIRS OF EXPERIENCES AND ADVENTURES

  • THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY HELP INSPIRE

  • HIS FAMOUS TALES.

  • CHILDREN LOVED THE WAY HE'D FASHION A PAPER CUTOUT

  • AS HE TOLD A STORY, REVEALING HIS CREATION

  • WITH THE FINALE OF HIS TALE.

  • YOUNG ANDERSEN FANS GATHER DAILY THROUGH THE SUMMER

  • IN THE MUSEUM GARDEN'S FAIRY TALE THEATER.

  • WIDE-EYED AND ENTHRALLED, THEY'RE ENTERTAINED BY

  • OLD H.C. HIMSELF...

  • [ CHICKENS CLUCKING ]

  • AND A CAST OF CHARACTERS

  • RIGHT OUT OF HIS FAVORITE FAIRY TALES.

  • IT ALL CULMINATES,

  • HOPEFULLY, IN A HAPPY ENDING.

  • [ SINGING IN DANISH ]

  • ♪♪

  • [ APPLAUSE ]

  • JUTLAND, THAT PART OF DENMARK THAT JUTS UP FROM GERMANY,

  • IS A GENTLE LAND OF ROLLING HILLS,

  • THATCHED VILLAGES, AND BUCOLIC FARMS.

  • THIS IS ALSO THE LAND OF LEGO.

  • LEGOLAND IS SCANDINAVIA'S TOP KIDS' SITE.

  • IF YOU HAVE A CHILD OR STILL ARE ONE AT HEART,

  • IT'S A FUN STOP.

  • THIS HUGE PARK IS A FANCIFUL WORLD

  • CREATED WITH THE HELP OF 58 MILLION LEGO BRICKS.

  • [ WHISTLE BLOWS ]

  • THEY SAY IF YOU STRETCHED ALL THESE LEGO BLOCKS OUT,

  • THEY'D REACH FROM HERE ALL THE WAY TO ITALY.

  • IN THE DYNAMIC MINI WORLD,

  • CHILDREN GET THEIR FIRST GRAND TOUR,

  • CHECKING OUT FAMOUS SCANDINAVIAN CITYSCAPES

  • BEFORE TRAVELING FURTHER AFIELD THROUGH EUROPE

  • AND ON TO AMERICA.

  • FOR ME, THE HIGHLIGHT IS SIMPLY TO SEE

  • DANES AT PLAY IN THEIR RESERVED YET FUN-LOVING WAY.

  • EACH YEAR, LEGOLAND OPENS UP NEW RIDES AND PLAY ZONES

  • AND MORE DANISH FAMILIES MAKE THIS

  • A FUN DAY OUT.

  • NEARBY IS ARHUS.

  • DENMARK'S SECOND-LARGEST CITY, WITH A POPULATION OF 400,000,

  • IS JUTLAND'S CAPITAL AND CULTURAL HUB.

  • ITS VIKING FOUNDERS SETTLED HERE IN THE LATE 700s

  • WHERE THE RIVER HITS THE SEA.

  • TODAY, ARHUS BUSTLES WITH A LIVELY PORT,

  • AN IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY, BUSY PEDESTRIAN BOULEVARD,

  • AND AN OLD QUARTER FILLED WITH PEOPLE LIVING VERY WELL.

  • ARHUS UNCOVERED ITS RIVER,

  • WHICH UNTIL JUST A FEW YEARS AGO HAD BEEN PAVED OVER

  • AND BUSY WITH CARS.

  • TODAY, THIS SCENE

  • IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF HOW TOWNS ALL OVER EUROPE

  • ARE RESPECTING BOTH THEIR HERITAGE

  • AND THEIR PEOPLE'S NEEDS.

  • THE RIVER'S LINED WITH TRENDY EATERIES,

  • AND IT'S A HIT WITH LOCALS AND VISITORS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD.

  • ANOTHER NEW DIMENSION TO THE TOWN IS ITS

  • STRIKING MODERN ART GALLERY, THE ARoS MUSEUM.

  • THE BUILDING ITSELF CREATES A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT.

  • GALLERIES ARE A WELL-DESCRIBED

  • DELIGHT TO EXPLORE AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING.

  • THIS CIRCA-1970 WALL OF JARS CONTAINS A SLAUGHTERED HORSE.

  • IT'S CALLED "THE SACRIFICE."

  • WHEN PEOPLE WERE APPALLED AT THE NEEDLESS KILLING,

  • THE ARTIST ASKED, "BUT WHAT ABOUT VIETNAM?"

  • AND YOU'LL MEET ONE VERY BIG BOY.

  • THE AUSTRALIAN ARTIST RON MUECK CREATED THIS TOWERING

  • SUPER-REALISTIC FIGURE AND CALLED IT, SIMPLY, "BOY."

  • FOR SOMETHING MORE TRADITIONAL, WE'RE VISITING

  • THE CITY'S OLD TOWN OPEN-AIR FOLK MUSEUM.

  • WITH 75 HISTORIC BUILDINGS CAREFULLY MOVED HERE

  • FROM THROUGHOUT DENMARK,

  • IT GIVES A LOOK AT DANISH URBAN LIFE

  • IN CENTURIES PAST.

  • ON THIS MERCHANT'S MANSION, THE CARVED RELIEF

  • DATES FROM 1571.

  • COSTUMED ACTORS WANDER THE COBBLED LANES

  • AS IF LIVING IN THE 19th CENTURY.

  • THIS COUPLE'S SELLING EVERYTHING FOR A TRIP TO AMERICA.

  • THEIR SKILLET HAS TO GO, AS EGGS IN AMERICA

  • ARE JUST WAY TOO BIG.

  • THIS IS TOO SMALL.

  • WHY?

  • WE HAVE HEARD THAT

  • THEY HAVE BIG EGGS IN AMERICA.

  • [ LAUGHS ]

  • YOU CAN APPEASE YOUR SWEET TOOTH

  • IN AN OLD-FASHIONED WAY.

  • AND HERE IN THE BAKERY, YOU'LL SEE TASTY

  • DANISH TREATS ARE NOTHING NEW.

  • A CITY BUS RUNS THROUGH A FOREST

  • OUT TO THE TOWN'S PREHISTORY MUSEUM.

  • THE MUSEUM HAS THREE PARTS --

  • STONE AGE, IRON AGE, AND THE VIKING AGE.

  • THE IRON AGE RANGED FROM 500 B.C. TO 800 A.D.

  • THIS COLLECTION FEATURES A TROVE OF

  • IRON WEAPONS AND JEWELRY FROM AROUND 200 A.D.

  • AS PEOPLE THEN BELIEVED THAT GODS LIVED IN THE BOGS,

  • THAT'S WHERE THEIR SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS WERE TOSSED.

  • AFTER DEFEATING YOUR ENEMY, LOGICALLY,

  • YOU'D TOSS THEIR WEAPONS TO THE BOG GODS.

  • THE MUSEUM'S CLAIM TO FAME IS THE GRAUBALLE MAN,

  • THE WORLD'S BEST-PRESERVED BOG CORPSE.

  • LIKE THE WEAPONS, HE WAS SACRIFICED

  • AND TOSSED INTO THE BOG.

  • BECAUSE OF THE OXYGEN-FREE ENVIRONMENT,

  • THIS 2,300-YEAR-OLD BOG MAN

  • LOOKS LIKE A FELLOW HALF HIS AGE.

  • ARCHAEOLOGISTS THINK HE LOOKED LIKE THIS

  • IN HAPPIER TIMES.

  • HE SPRAWLS OUT IN HIS GLASS TOMB

  • AS IF TO WELCOME VISITORS OLD AND YOUNG

  • TO MARVEL AT HIS SKIN, NAILS, HAIR,

  • AND EVEN THE SLIT IN HIS THROAT HE WAS GIVEN BACK IN 300 B.C.

  • AT HIS SACRIFICIAL BANQUET.

  • FROM ARHUS, A THREE-HOUR TRAIN RIDE

  • THROUGH THE PASTORAL COUNTRYSIDE DEAD-ENDS IN THE TOWN

  • OF SVENDBORG, WHERE OUR FERRY AWAITS,

  • READY TO SAIL TO THE ISLE OF AERO.

  • THE FERRY LOADS AND DEPARTS LIKE CLOCKWORK,

  • TYPICAL OF DANISH EFFICIENCY,

  • AND THE BOAT CRUISES THROUGH SOME DELIGHTFUL ISLAND SCENERY.

  • AS WE APPROACH THE ISLAND OF AERO,

  • THE CHARMING TOWN OF AEROSKOBING COMES INTO VIEW.

  • THIS IS THE BEST-PRESERVED 18th-CENTURY TOWN

  • ANYWHERE IN DENMARK.

  • THE GOVERNMENT, RECOGNIZING ITS VALUE,

  • PROHIBITS ANY MODERN BUILDING HERE.

  • THOSE WHO VISIT FIND THEMSELVES DROPPING RIGHT INTO THE 1700s

  • WHEN AEROSKOBING WAS THE WEALTHY HOME PORT OF 100 WINDJAMMERS,

  • THOSE MIGHTIEST SAILING VESSELS OF THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL AGE.

  • THE MANY DANES AND GERMANS WHO COME HERE FOR THE TRANQUILITY

  • CALL THIS THE FAIRY TALE TOWN.

  • CHARACTERISTIC HOUSES LEAN ON EACH OTHER

  • LIKE DRUNK SLEEPING SAILORS.

  • APPRECIATE THE FINELY CARVED OLD DOORS.

  • YOU WON'T FIND ANY TWO THE SAME.

  • HYGGELIG, THAT QUINTESSENTIAL DANISH WORD FOR "COZY,"

  • DESCRIBES AEROSKOBING WELL.

  • THE HARBOR'S A HIVE OF RELAXATION.

  • THE SURVIVING WINDJAMMERS ARE NOW CHARTERED BY VACATIONERS,

  • AND THE MARINA NOW CATERS TO HOLIDAY YACHTS.

  • A BIG PART OF THE ISLAND'S TOURISM IS FROM BOATERS.

  • PENSION VESTERGADE, LOVINGLY RUN BY SUSANNA GREVE,

  • IS MY HOME-AWAY-FROM-HOME IN AEROSKOBING.

  • THIS SALTY, SAGGING, AND VENERABLE

  • EIGHT-ROOM PLACE WAS BUILT IN 1748

  • FOR A SEA CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER.

  • FROM THE ELEGANT SITTING ROOM

  • TO THE CREAKY ATTIC,

  • THE PLACE IS FILLED WITH CHARACTER.

  • SUSANNA'S GENEROUS BREAKFAST

  • IS SERVED IN A CHARMING DINING ROOM.

  • BEDROOMS COME WITH SLANTED FLOORS AND FINE VIEWS.

  • AEROSKOBING IS SIMPLY A PLEASANT PLACE TO WANDER,

  • AND SUSANNA'S JOINING ME.

  • THIS IS A DELIGHTFUL WALK. IF I LIVED HERE,

  • I THINK I'D WALK HERE EVERY EVENING.

  • YES, I DO.

  • I DO AND LOVE IT, AND IT REMINDS ME

  • HOW MUCH THE ISLAND HAS CHANGED.

  • THESE HOUSES USED TO BELONG TO POOR FISHERMEN

  • AND TO POOR SAILORS,

  • AND THEY USED TO HAVE THEIR BOATS HERE

  • THAT THEY COULD DRAG UP TO THE HOUSES,

  • AND NOW THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND RATHER NICE HOUSES.

  • YOU STILL HAVE THE CHARACTER.

  • YES.

  • I LOVE THAT.

  • AND I LOVE THE WAY THE ROOFS ALL LEAN.

  • AND THE GARDENS ARE JUST LOVINGLY TENDED.

  • YES.

  • RIGHT ON THE HARBOR FRONT,

  • THE AEROSKOBING FISH HOUSE SMOKES ITS OWN CATCH.

  • RACKS OF SMOKED MACKEREL, SALMON, AND OTHER FISH

  • ARE SOLD OUT DAILY AS LOCALS AND TOURISTS

  • CLAMOR FOR A TASTY MEAL.

  • WITH A VIEW OF THE HARBOR, IT'S JUST RIGHT

  • FOR A BUDGET SEAFOOD LUNCH.

  • FOR ME, THE BEST WAY TO EXPLORE AERO

  • IS ON TWO WHEELS.

  • I'M MEETING FRIEND AND LOCAL GUIDE

  • JAN PETERSON FOR AN ISLAND BIKE RIDE.

  • BIKE RENTAL'S EASY -- NO DEPOSITS, NO LOCKS.

  • THIS IS AERO.

  • I'VE RECOMMENDED THIS LEISURELY RIDE FOR YEARS

  • IN MY GUIDEBOOK TO SHOW OFF THE BEST OF

  • THIS ISLAND'S CHARMS.

  • THE ISLAND IS 22 MILES LONG, HAS 7,000 RESIDENTS,

  • SEVEN PASTORS, NO CROSSWALKS, AND THREE POLICEMEN.

  • HISTORICALLY, AERO HAS DEPENDED ON

  • SHIPPING AND FARMING, MOSTLY DAIRY AND WHEAT.

  • U-SHAPED FARMS ARE TYPICAL THROUGHOUT DENMARK.

  • THE THREE SIDES BLOCK THE WIND

  • WHILE STORING COWS, HAY, AND PEOPLE.

  • IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE LOCAL PRODUCE,

  • WHATEVER'S IN SEASON, SITS ON THE ROADSIDE

  • FOR SALE ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.

  • WE'RE NOW RIDING BELOW SEA LEVEL.

  • THE SEA'S ABOUT THIS HIGH AND JUST BEHIND THIS DIKE

  • THAT WAS BUILT AROUND 150 YEARS AGO

  • TO KEEP THE SEA OUT

  • TO CLAIM THIS WASTELAND THAT WAS HERE --

  • ALL THIS WAS RECLAIMED, THEN?

  • YES, IT IS, AND IS TODAY USED FOR GRAZING FOR COWS.

  • Steves: MOST OF AERO'S VILLAGES ARE FURTHER INLAND,

  • NOT VISIBLE FROM THE SEA.

  • CHURCH SPIRES WERE STUNTED, DESIGNED NOT TO BE

  • VIEWABLE FROM MARAUDING PIRATE SHIPS.

  • THIS CHURCH, WITH A WHITEWASHED EXTERIOR,

  • DATES FROM THE 12th CENTURY.

  • ITS LONG NAVE LEADS TO THE ALTAR.

  • WITH GOLD LEAF ON CARVED OAK, IT'S FROM 1528,

  • JUST BEFORE THE REFORMATION CAME TO DENMARK.

  • IT'S A REMARKABLE CHURCH.

  • IT'S A SPECIAL THING, THESE REVERSIBLE PEWS.

  • YOU HAD THE SERVICE UP HERE,

  • BUT WHEN THE SERMON WAS GOING, HAD TO FLIP OVER --

  • OKAY, SO WE WATCHED THE SERVICE,

  • AND THEN WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THE SERMON,

  • YOU'D LOOK AT THE PULPIT.

  • TO THE PULPIT THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHURCH.

  • Steves: IN THE BACK OF THE NAVE,

  • A LIST OF PASTORS GOES BACK TO 1505,

  • ALL THEOLOGICALLY RELATED TO MARTIN LUTHER.

  • HE'S PAINTED WITH HIS HAND ON THE BIBLE

  • AS IF ON A THEOLOGICAL RUDDER, STEERING THE CHURCH

  • ON A TRUE COURSE.

  • THE CURRENT PASTOR,

  • JANET, IS THE FIRST WOMAN

  • ON THE LIST IN OVER 500 YEARS.

  • AERO, LIKE DENMARK IN GENERAL, IS EMBRACING CLEAN ENERGY.

  • HOME TO COMMUNALLY OWNED,

  • STATE-SUBSIDIZED WINDMILLS AND ONE OF THE WORLD'S

  • LARGEST SOLAR POWER PLANTS, IT'S WELL ON THE WAY

  • TO ITS GOAL OF ENERGY SELF-SUFFICIENCY.

  • THIS FIELD OF SOLAR PANELS SAVES 1,500 HOMES

  • A THIRD ON THEIR HEATING COSTS.

  • A SHORT WALK FROM THE ROAD TAKES US TO

  • A FASCINATING PREHISTORIC SITE.

  • 6,000 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS AN EARLY

  • NEOLITHIC BURIAL PLACE.

  • THOUGH AERO ONCE HAD MORE THAN 200

  • OF THESE PREHISTORIC TOMBS, ONLY 13 SURVIVE.

  • THE VIKINGS ALSO APPRECIATED THE HOLINESS OF THIS SITE.

  • THIS IS SUCH AN EVOCATIVE SPOT.

  • YEAH, IMAGINE 1,000 YEARS AGO,

  • THE VIKING CHIEF WOULD GATHER THE COMMUNITY HERE

  • TO BURY A PERSON HERE.

  • THEY BUILT A SHIP AND BURNED IT.

  • THEY HAVE FOUND PIECES OF BURNED WOOD

  • IN THE UNDERGROUND HERE.

  • SO THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SHAPE

  • OF A VIKING SHIP.

  • THIS IS THE SHAPE OF A VIKING SHIP.

  • THEY HAD THE STERN UP THERE, AND EVEN LONGER AGO

  • THEY CAME HERE TO USE THIS AS A HOLY SPOT.

  • AND THIS STONE BURIAL CHAMBER IS ACTUALLY MUCH OLDER.

  • IT'S 5,000, 6,000 YEARS OLD.

  • AS OLD AS THE PHARAOHS.

  • YES.

  • THE VIKINGS RECOGNIZED THIS AS A HOLY GROUND,

  • AND, LATER ON, PUT THEIR HOLY SPOT HERE.

  • SO, GOT A LITTLE HILL HERE.

  • A LITTLE HILL.

  • WE'RE GOING TO THE HIGHEST POINT

  • OF THE ISLAND, CALLED SYNNES HOEJ.

  • WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

  • "SEEMS HIGH."

  • HOW HIGH IS IT?

  • 6,750 CENTIMETERS.

  • 6,700 CENTIMETERS.

  • THAT'S ABOUT 2,700 INCHES.

  • YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

  • JAN, WE'VE SUMMITED AERO.

  • SEEMS HIGH.

  • YEAH, BUT WORTH THE VIEW.

  • IT SURE IS.

  • Steves: JUST A SHORT STROLL FROM AEROSKOBING,

  • A NARROW SPIT IS LINED WITH COZY BEACH HUTS

  • AND FAMILIES SAVORING A BALMY JULY EVENING.

  • DENMARK EMBRACES THE NOTION THAT SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL,

  • AND HERE, THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY

  • IS NOTHING NEW.

  • THESE TINY BEACH ESCAPES ARE PRIVATELY OWNED

  • ON LAND RENTED FROM THE TOWN.

  • EACH IS DIFFERENT,

  • BUT ALL ARE WEATHERED BY MERRY MEMORIES

  • OF LOCALS ENJOYING THEMSELVES, DANISH-STYLE.

  • TO CAP OUR VISIT, TONIGHT, WE'RE JOINED BY THE MAYOR

  • AND HIS FRIENDS FOR A PICNIC DINNER ON THE BEACH.

  • A FORMER MUSIC TEACHER, HE'S LEADING US

  • IN AN APPROPRIATE SONG FOR AERO --

  • "THE SHIP WENT DOWN, BUT THE SAILORS SURVIVED,

  • "MAKING IT BACK

  • TO THEIR BELOVED HOMES AND FAMILIES."

  • [ SINGING IN DANISH ]

  • [ LAUGHTER ]

  • THANKS FOR JOINING US.

  • WITH EACH VISIT, I'M IMPRESSED WITH

  • THE MANY CHARMS OF THIS LOW-KEY YET SELF-ASSURED LAND.

  • I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR LOOK AT "THE BEST OF DENMARK."

  • I'M RICK STEVES.

  • UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP ON TRAVELING.

DOES JACKSON LIKE SHRIMP?

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