Conference turris::scandia

>    Now then, for that ~$200 difference, can I get transportation
>    from Amsterdam to Copenhagen?  Also, how long would that take?

    The cheapest and most efficient way to go is by train. There's no
    direct train, you'd have to change in Germany (Hamburg as I recall).
    Depending on train connections it would take 5 to 7 hours to get
    from Amsterdam to Copenhagen.
    
>    Secondly, what is the current exchange...?
    
    For rates of exchange between U.S. dollar and Scandinavian currencies,
    see latest reply to Note 63 (currently 63.2).  Note, however, that the
    rates quoted are for $1 million transactions on the New York exchange;
    what you will get at your local money-changing office may be as much as
    5% disadvantage. 
                     
>    What types of things are cheap in the US but not there that
>    I can bring as gift[s]?  

    Ready-to-wear items of clothing; food items (nonperishable of course).
    U.S coins and stamps make very acceptable souvenier gifts, especially
    for younger people.  Books (American authors of course) and recordings
    (LP records, tapes) also make good gifts. 

    
    
    
    	Thanx Neil!!!!
    
    
    

    Generally, I think you will find Denmark rather expensive... haven't
    been to Copehagen for a year or so, but I doubt the prices haven't
    dropped since then.
    
    If you have one of the major credit/charge cards, you'll have no problems
    - I guess MasterCard could be a good choice (someone in Denmark please
    correct me if I'm wrong). At least within Europe, the exchange rate
    when using cards is good (better than cash). For cash, you'd probably
    best take US$ traveler's cheques and exchange them locally to crowns.
    (I assume Danish crowns are a rather exotic currency over there
    in the US, so you probbaly won't get a good rate at your local bank).

    Trains aren't terribly cheap so you probably won't save much in
    the end by flying to Amsterdam (but would have a chance to have
    a look at Amsterdam and Hamburg if you do).
    
    Otherwise, Copenhagen is one of the nicest cities in Northern Europe
    and definitely wort a trip...
    
    P.S. Hope you didn't mind nitpicking Copeh�gen...    :-)
    
    P.P.S. I just had a look at the travel claim of my last trip to
    Copenhagen - two nights in hotel ~$290, lunch ~20, dinner $20-$40.
    (This is on expenses, remember!).
    

    If you really want to nitpick, it's really K�benhavn.
    
    When I was last there, there was a hydrofoil from K�benhavn to Oslo
    that only took about a hour.  If it's too windy thoughm it won't
    run.  It has been a long time since I was there, so I can't give
    you any prices.  Wish I was going there!
    
    As for rail travel, there are a number of plans where you can go
    almost anywhere with a ticket.  I had an Interail card when I was
    in Norway that brought me all over Europe.  It was tourist class
    (which I don't mind anyway with their trains) and it was good in
    Finland, which the Eurailpass isn't.  The card also gives discounts
    on boats.  Riding the trains also gives you the opportunity to see
    the land as you pass through it.
    
    	Have a wonderful trip!  I shall return myself one day.
    
    						-Jerry
    

    Well you got it right about K�benhavn, but I think you must be mixing
    Oslo in Norway with Malm� in Sweden. I think there is a hydrofoil
    running on this route (from Kastrup airport). It takes you 50 min.
    by plane from K�benhavn to Oslo, so I dont thing any surface going
    craft would be able to make it in one hour.
    
    Svein (soon moving back to Oslo)
    

    Re: .4   Sorry, but I agree with Svein about the hydrofoil. It's
    not possible to make in an hour with boat.
    
    Also, if my memory serves me right, there's an age limit to purchase
    an interrail ticket. I think you have to be less than 26 years old
    to get one.
    
    
    			Terje.(In Oslo :-) )

    	Like I said, it's been a *long* time.  You are absolutely right.
    I went to Sweden a number of times too, and that's what I was thinking
    of.  I sailed into the Oslofjord on a trans-atlantic ship - thus
    the connection.  I stand corrected.
    	I also bought the Interrail Ticket when I was 19.  I didn't
    know there was an age limit.  Strange things happen when you grow
    up!
    
    						-Jerry
    

    Thank you for the information both on and off line.

    Yes, perhaps sometime in the future I can go to DENMARK
    in the spring/summer, but for now we are planning to spend
    Christmas/New Years with a friend and her family and host-family
    who are also going to trip over to Denmark.

    One thing we didn't consider, and should have, was that it
    would be winter and that would mean ALOT of extra baggage
    that we'd have to lug around from train to train which would
    be a drag just to save about $200 per.  Perhaps we will fly
    directly into Copenhagen after all.

    You can call the French National Railroad (212) 582-2110 for
    pricing information regarding European trains.  They/she are most
    helpful.

    Now, if I can only make out how to spell these German town's names.
    She tells me that the train leaves Amsterdam [one of them
    at least] at 8:32 PM.

	Makes stops  at  the  following towns in Germany [someone please
    help!]:

    Deenthein - Bremen and then arrive at Hamburg at 2:20 AM.
    Leave and arrive at Copenhagen at 9:09 AM same morning.
    She also mentioned that you can sleep on the part from
    Hamburg to Copenhagen [About 7 hours] and that purchasing
    First Class tickets is now generall worth it since most of
    Europeans travel Second Class and only the Americans
    travel in First Class [snobs... 8-}].

    Pricing was as follows:

    Each way			    Round Trip {slight discount}
    --------			    ----------------------------
    $118 First  Class		    $205
    $79  Second Class		    $138

    Total trip is 13 about hours.

    She mentioned that it's suggested you buy in advance
    if possible [can't IMAGINE why!] and only at the New York 
    office on 5th and 49th.  Can I assume I don't have to do this
    and can just buy them when we get there or are there other 
    considerations i'm not taking note of?  How much less is this
    than a FULL EURORAIL pass?

    So, $350 for the plane and $138 for the train is $488.
    Direct flight to Copenhagen is $600.  I'm saving $112.
    Somewhat worth it since trains are fun.

Trains with overnight accomodations require reservations.  Trans-Europe-
Express trains also require reservations.  Maybe that is what she is
talking about.

�    First Class tickets is now generall worth it since most of

    Should read:

    First Class tickets is NOT GENERALLY worth it since most of...

    Different meaning worth noting.  8-}

    

Unless you're feeling really flush, overnight travel should be on
second-class couchettes.  Reservations in advance are very well-advised.
In fact, you generally can't get same-day reservations because of the
way they are handled.   Not to worry, though.  Just jump on the train
and ask the couchette conductor if there's space available.

Swedish couchettes are very very good.  The rest of Europe is ok.
Travelling outside of the tourist season is, of course, easier.

Couchettes cost about $12 everywhere.

The overnight express trains use an elaborate "merge" algorithm.
There are individual coaches starting from every big city.  In the
evening, they merge into long distance trains.  In the morning,
you are dropped in a big city about 400 miles away.

For example, (at one time), you could leave Paris at 4:30 pm,
Brussels at 6 pm, or Amsterdam at 7 pm, and wake up in Copenhagen
at 9 am.  The individual coaches would be merged in, I think,
Aachen; but you never have to leave the train.

If you're serious about train transportation in Europe, you need
a Thomas Cook schedule.  It has the schedule for everything except
suburban commuter trains.

Martin.

    
    
    	In case you are all wondering, i've decided
    	to splurge and go with SAS Youth Fare of $96 RT 
    	to Copenhagen.  Since we are allowed to land in 
    	either Stockholm, K�benhavn, or Oslo and depart from
    	any one of those, we've decided to land in Stockholm
    	and then travel to Odense [where my friends live] and
    	then to K�benhavn or Oslo to depart.  Now, I know that
    	from K�benhavn to Oslo I can take the ferry or fly
    	[for $80 each way, Youth Fare rate] but what about
    	getting to Odense from Stockholm?  Is there a ferry
    	from Stockholm to Denmark and then we can take the train
    	to Odense?  We COULD take a Youth Fare flight from 
    	Stockholm to K�benhavn, but we'd be flying right over
    	Odense anyway, right?
    
    	Anyway have any idea's?  Come on, help me plan this little
    	Scandia tour and then we can see how well the plan works
    	when I actually attempt it...
    
    	Oh, in Stockholm, I know there are hostels, but can anyone
    	reccomend a listing of people who open their homes to
    	visitors?  They do this in Japan [called Minshyuku] but
    	do they do this in Europe?
    
    

    
    
    
    	Ooops, that WOULD be  a deal for $96
    	round trip.  Unfortunately, it's $496!
    
    

    Re: .12:
    
>       Oh, in Stockholm, I know there are hostels, but can anyone
>    	reccomend a listing of people who open their homes to
>    	visitors?  They do this in Japan [called Minshyuku] but
>    	do they do this in Europe?

    There is is Sweden at least -- or used to be?  It was called "Sweden
    at home" or some such. You should be able to get a definitive answer
    from one of the Scandinavian Tourist Boards, or the Swedish Information
    Service.  See Note 2 for information services contacts.
    
    BTW: I never had a problem stumbling upon folks to stay with in Sweden.
    Swedes are very hospitable to strangers from far-away lands and are
    quick to help with lodgings. 

    
    
    	Thank you for your helpful information Neil!  We will be at
    a definite loss for accomodations when we first arrive in Sweden
    and it's comforting to know that Swede's are as you've described.
                       
    	Can someone give me an idea what the general cost of things
    are in Sweden and/or Denmark with the current dollar drop?  For
    example, what is the cost of some standard items such as an alcoholic
    drink in a local watering hole [bottle of beer] or the price of
    the most recent thing you've purchased there.  It's tough to
    guesstimate these things with the dollar fluctuating as it is.
    
    

    
    
    	We went to Luxembourg, Germany, Denmark [Fan�, Odense, Copenhagen]
    	Amsterdam, Austria [Vienna, Salzburg] and Munich...
    
    	Too much to talk about except that we had a great time
    	with 45 degree's in most of the countries...
    
    	Thank you everyone!
    
    

    From: [email protected] (Jacob Kornerup)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Railroads and bridges.
    Date: 11 May 90 04:40:39 GMT
    Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
 
    In article <[email protected]> [email protected] 
    (John Kallen) writes:
    ....
    >As for the crossing Denmark-Sweden, which is preferrable: K�benhavn -
    >Malm� or Helsing�r - Helsingborg? Preferrable == convenience of
    >changing trains, probability of not getting lost &c &c.
 
    Helsing�r-Helsingborg is much to prefer, it is the only true rail
    connection across Oeresund. 
    
    > 
    >Finally, while I'm talking about �resund: somebody here told me that 
    >the Danes are actually building the long-proposed tunnel/bridge 
    >motorway across �resund. Is this true? (Amazing how little I get to 
    >know about these things here...)
 
    This is still on the drawing board, but right now Denmark is building 
    a connection across Storebaelt. This will be the last part to link
    Denmark together (except for smaller islands). But the Oersund
    connection will probably have to wait another 100 years :-) since this
    was how long it took us to decide to build the Storebaelt connection,
    from the time that it was first proposed. However there are strong
    forces in Sweden (i.e. Volvo) who is lobbying for the Oeresund
    connection. 
 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Jacob Kornerup ([email protected])
    Department of Computer Science
    University of Texas, Austin
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Life in Denmark
    Date: 1 Nov 90 20:27:48 GMT
    Organization: Department Of Computer Science, University Of Copenhagen
 
    [email protected] (Stephen D. Grant) writes:
 
  > 4). The transportation in Denmark is very good, like many modern European
  > nations. They have the DSB (i think thats what they call the railroads),
  > SAS (Scandinavian Airlines System) and a plethora of ferries, taxis and
  > buses. From denmark you can access any point internal or external with
  > relative ease. The country is also relatively flat (wish I knew what the
  > Max elevation was), so touring and bicycling are relatively easy. You'll
  > notice alot of bikes.
 
    Having a car in Copenhagen is probably nice, but not necessary.  The
    public transport is ok, and quite good in Lyngby.  Parking in the
    central town is quite expensive not, due to a new ticket system, but
    then, as a biker I prefer the cars to stay out of town.
 
    Biking in Copenhagen is good.  There are bikelanes virtually all over,
    and the city really isn't that big.  It is even fast too.  I live on
    Amager and work in Osterbro, in each end of town, and in the rush hour
    it is 25 minutes by bike, around 35 minutes by car and 40-45 minute by
    bus.  When the snow comes in the winter, biking is not so fun, because
    the snow is messed up by the cars to a disgusting brown half-liquid
    substance, which you will get all over you.  when the snow comes, i
    take the bus.
 
    Maximum elevation in Denmark (not counting the Faroe Islands and
    Greenland) is 173m, which is either Ydinge Skovhoj or Ejer Bavnehoj
    (one is one meter higher that the other).
 
  > 5). Winters can be moderate to severe, although beautiful. There is never
  > a time I regret being in denmark for its beauty. The danes are a merry
  > crowd, and can really throw a party. New Years is a big event for the danes,
  > as is Xmas (which is actually celebrated on the 24th of Dec, one day
    early).
 
    You english people are one day late.  Just because there are more of
    you, it doesn't mean you are right.
 
  > 6). Television! Yes you knew it was coming. In 1982-85 television started,
  > on the average at 12 lunchtime and ran intermittently until the evening.
  > So if you are used to HBO, CNN and TBS then buckle your seatbelts because
  > danish television is certainly not 24 hour, and you are lucky if it is
  > 12 hour! Television does not seem to be as crucial an element in Danish
  > life as it is in other western countries and especially the USA.
 
    Many household in the Copenhagen region are now on the Hybridnet, which
    brings you danish, swedish, norwegian, scandinavian, german, french,
    british channels.  You also get some commercial european channels, and
    CNN.
 
    Besides that, we don't really need to watch TV to be entertained.  We
    can still read :-)
 
    Rene' Seindal ([email protected])

    From: [email protected] (Bertil Jonell)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Store Baelt Tunnel
    Date: 19 Oct 91 10:58:21 GMT
    Sender: [email protected]
    Organization: Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
 
    In article <[email protected]>
    [email protected] (Lars Poulsen) writes:

    >the Store Baelt tunnel suffered a major flooding accident. What is the
    >prognosis for the schedule setback ?
 
    This is what Swedish television reported:
 
    The crew were blowing up large rocks that hindered the drill when water 
    started to flow in. Nobody was injured, but since there were cables
    blocking some watertight doors both tunnels on one end was totally
    flooded.
 
    The proposed methods of dealing with this was lots of punps and dumping
    silt on the seabottom at the point where the leak was. There was talk
    about  sending in divers through the tunnel but nothing was done then,
    because this was considered too hazardous.
 
    The two drills are probably writeoffs. Even if they can be restored it
    will take time. The total delay was predicted to 1 to 1.5 years.
 
    >How many of the four drills are working at this time ?
 
    The two on the other end should be able to work, but I'm not sure if
    they do. I assume they need all the crew they can get to fight the
    flood.

    -bertil-
    --
    'Det a"r oo"versa"ttbart...'

    From: [email protected] (Teemu Leisti)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Store Baelt Tunnel
    Date: 22 Oct 91 13:13:14 GMT
    Sender: [email protected] (Uutis Ankka)
    Organization: University of Helsinki
 
    I don't think anyone has yet brought up the political controversy
    between Finland and Denmark over the bridge [across �resund].  Finland
    wants to be able to get oil-drilling platforms made here through the
    sound, out of the Baltic, and the proposed bridge will be too low for
    that.  Denmark claims that the Finland complained about the situation
    too late, and Finland claims that Denmark wouldn't negotiate about it. 
    Finland has now taken the case to the International Court in Hague, and
    a verdict is expected in about a year.  Meanwhile, Denmark is
    continuing the construction of the bridge as planned.
 
    The other sound is too shallow for getting the platforms through, I
    understand.
 
    The row has no doubt had a bad effect on relationships between (the
    politicians of) Denmark and Finland.
 
    -- Teemu Leisti / U. of Helsinki, Finland / [email protected]

    From: [email protected] (Nick Sandru)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Copenhagen to Odense
    Date: 3 Jul 92 16:07:43 GMT
    Sender: [email protected]
    Organization: Computer Resources International A/S
 
    [email protected] (Lars Peter Fischer) writes:
                                                                      
   >We are led to believe that there will be a bridge (for cars) in a few
   >years, and even a tunnel for trains.
 
    The rail tunnel was initially scheduled to be opened in 1993, but the
    works are badly delayed (cca 2 years) because of technical problems -
    failures of the tunnel boring machines, a flood (with seawater) in Oct.
    1991, troubles caused by the geological structure of the Storebaelt
    seafloor...
 
    The opening of the motorway bridge was planned initially for 1996, but
    it is also delayed - to 1997.
 
    Until then the Storebaelt has to be crossed by ferryboat (there are 5
    rail ferries and 4 car ferries) - the crossing takes about 1 hour.
 
   Nick
 
 -- 
 Nick Sandru - System administrator   | e-mail: [email protected]         (office)
 Columbus Space Station SDE Project   |         [email protected]      (home)
 Computer Resources International A/S | phone:  +45 45 82 21 00 x2036 (office)
 Bregnerodvej 144                     |         +45 47 98 06 27       (home)
 DK-3460 Birkerod, Denmark            | fax:    +45 45 82 17 11

    From: [email protected] (Cynthia Kandolf)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Danish Mountaineering Vacation
    Date: 23 Aug 92 14:15:51 GMT
    Sender: [email protected] (NetNews Administrator)
    Organization: /home/ludviga/cindy/.organization
 
    My favorite travelling companion has been hinting ever since we got
    back (at 3 am Thursday morning) that he would like me to give a brief
    synopsis of our vacation in Denmark, particularly concentrating on the
    day when we climbed the two highest, uh, mountains in the country. So
    here goes....
    
    We traveled to Denmark by car, leaving from Oslo the morning of August
    9.  (That's a Sunday.)  This was a bit of a mistake, because it turned
    out to be an unusually hot day.... and of course the car had no air
    conditioning... we both smelled a bit ripe when we got to the ferry at
    Helsingborg.  No matter, the tax-free shop is air conditioned, and they
    do have cold drinks on board.  (The tax-free shop, strictly speaking,
    does contain tax-free liquor.... little 1 or 2 ml doses  wrapped in
    tax-free chocolate. ;-)
 
    After completing the 25-minute crossing, we began to hunt for the kro
    where we had reserved a room.  A check in the Dansk Kroferie brochure
    indicated that the kro in question had a swimming pool - and there was
    much rejoicing.  A check of the signs by the side of the road indicated
    that there are a heck of a lot of places in Denmark with the endings
    -r�d (MFTC says this occurs in Norway too, although i can't remember
    any such places off-hand) and -lev.  We were later to add to this list
    -rup, -drup, -strup, -l�se, and (MFTC's favorite) -balle.  A suggestion
    was made that -l�se means "without", since the first place we came to
    with this ending was Stenl�se... without stones, therefore good farming
    land.  But then another place called V�rl�se was located.  "Without
    weather" doesn't make much sense, and the suggestion was dropped.  If
    anyone actually knows what these endings mean - and if they have any
    descendents in the modern Scandinavian languages - Steinar and me would
    appreciate the explanation!
 
    Now where were we?  Ah, yes, arrival.  A quick dip in the pool restored
    out spirits and probably made us a heck of a lot nicer to be around. 
    We then had supper -- which is when i discovered one of the first
    important (well, to me anyway) differences between Denmark and Norway. 
    In Norway, when one orders a cola, one is about 90% certain to get
    Coca-Cola, with Pepsi taking up the other 10% of possibilities.  In
    Denmark, however, an unspecified request for a "cola" is as likely to
    result in a sweet, colaish beverage called "Jolly Cola" as either of
    the above.  I quickly learned to check first and avoid or at least be
    prepared for the  stuff.  MFTC had no such problem; his drink of choice
    on this trip came was based on barley malt rather than cola nuts.
 
    We spent a good part of the first few days in Copenhagen.  Now, all
    cities have one problem in my eyes, and none can escape it, because
    it's in the definition: lots of people.  However, Copenhagen made up
    for it in my eyes.  The people there created some life as well as noise
    and heat, and the city also has some cozy old districts away from the
    worst of the rush.  Both of us liked Nyhavn especially.  
 
    I don't know if bicycles have the absolute right of way in Copenhagen
    or not; traffic seemed to work on the assumption that they do.  If you
    are a pedestrian this is an advantage, because you can win a fight with
    a bicycle (as opposed to a car).  It is confusing at first if you are a
    driver, however, because the bicycles are expecting you to let them
    through.  There were several times when i was sure some bicyclist was
    going to be imbedded into a tourist's radiator grill... fortunately we
    didn't witness any actual collisions.
 
    Of course we made the obligatory visit to Tivoli.  Alas, expectation
    exceeded reality - which in normal English means it was a very nice
    place, but not as fantastically magically perfect as its reputatation
    claims.
 
    We also visited Roskilde.  The cathedral there is full of old dead
    people buried in fantastic caskets - or rather, not buried, because the
    caskets are just sitting around in alcoves.   Modesty was not the
    strong point of the kings of the Middle Ages - particularly the one who
    called himself (in Latin) "King of the Danes, the Norwegians, the
    Vandals, the Goths, etc".  
 
    The real purpose for visiting Roskilde, though, was the Viking ship
    museum.  Those of us who are not afraid to be accused of being stuck in
    advanced childhood are not afraid to say that Vikings are way cool 8-) 
    and so is the museum.  It doesn't have as much "stuff" in the way of
    tools etc. as the similar museum in Oslo, but it has much more
    organized and informative displays and a wider variety of ships.  The
    movie about the excavation of the ships, and the weird problems that
    had to be overcome, was also quite interesting.
 
    We had originally planned on three days for Copenhagen and one for
    Roskilde, but Roskilde took less than one day - the remainder of which
    was spent in Copenhagen - and we began to wonder if we were unfairly
    giving too much time to Copenhagen at the expense of the rest of the
    country.  So we headed south... to find that Falster and Lolland really
    are flatter than the "big island" of Sj�lland... and to see Knuthenborg
    Safaripark.  This was one of the best parts of the trip!  Tigers
    walking ten meters in front of the car... llamas sticking their heads
    in the window to get a closer look... giraffes and zebras and the whole
    bit.
 
    It was around this time that i discovered what the word "bageri" means. 
    Visiting Denmark is hazardous to your waistline...
 
    The next day... which by this point is Friday the 14th... we set out
    for Odense.  On the way we stopped at the site of an old Viking
    fortress, where i bought a Thor's hammer to have around for those...
    er... appropriate occassions 8-)  The fortress has one reconstructed
    house, but most of it is simply stones marking where the buildings  did
    stand - much to the disappointment of a young German boy who i
    overheard asking his mother..."Aber wo _wohnen_ sie, mamma?" 
 
    Odense is, of course, the birthplace of a certain fairy tale writer. 
    If you don't know who, just go there; you will know in about 5 minutes. 
    I think there is a law against anyone leaving the city without knowing
    that.  More fun - for me at least - was the railway museum, full of old
    steam locomotives and a rather large model railroad layout (although
    the one my father wants to build in the basement someday is larger,
    this one actually exists ;-).
 
    Then, on Sunday, we headed off for Billund and LEGOLAND!  I think i can
    safely say this was the highlight of the trip... tiny villages and
    cities built of Legos... little Lego trains that really move around,
    loading Lego freight cars onto a Lego ferry that will move them across
    the harbor where Lego boats come sailing in and out... meanwhile a 
    Lego drawbridge lifts to allow a Lego boat through, so a Lego truck
    that wants to cross the bridge must stop and wait its turn....!!! I
    think i took about a hundred pictures there... give or take a few 8-)
 
    And i can't neglect mentioning the Lego stave church in the "Norway"
    section, can i?
 
    We visited a few other places in Jylland, but this is getting long
    enough so i'll just mention our mountaineering exploits and leave the
    rest go for now.  (None of them were so spectacular that they NEED
    writing about, IMHO.)  Believe it or not, we managed on the same day to
    climb Denmark's _two_ highest mountains, Ejer Bavneh�j and
    Himmelbjerget.  We drove to Ejer Bavneh�j, following the signs from the
    expressway... until we came within sight of a tower, causing yours
    truly to utter the immortal words: "Are they trying to tell us this is
    the _top_ already?"  Cheated of the chance to ascend on foot, we
    settled for climbing to the top of the tower, and then photographing
    the stone in front of the tower on which was inscribed these brave,
    heart-felt words:  "DE HAR NU NAAET DANMARKS H�JESTE PUNKT 170.95 M
    OVER HAVET"  (You have now reached Denmark's highest point, 170.95
    meters above sea level).  
 
    Later in that same day, we made the harrowing climb of Himmelbjerget. I
    believe we now hold the soc.culture.nordic record, having ascended in
    just under four minutes.  (To those who posted the previous claim of 15
    minutes, from 6 am to 6:15 am, we offer this advice:  it goes faster if
    you don't open the beer until you get to the top.)  And this is how we
    came to achieve what some would have called impossible - some would
    have called foolish - and others would have called really boring -
    ascending the two highest peaks in all of Denmark on one and the same
    day.
 
    Anybody but Steinar made it this far?  Good.  Thanks for reading.
 
    (Further comments may be posted when my fingers recover.)
 
   -Cindy Kandolf
    [email protected]
    Trondheim, Norway

    From: [email protected] (Lars Peter Fischer)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Date: 10 Oct 92 00:42:12 GMT
    Sender: [email protected] (UseNet News)
    Organization: Mathematics and Computer Science, Aalborg University
 
 
    >>>>> "Stein" == Stein J�rgen Rypern ([email protected])
 
  Stein>  It is with great regret I have to tell you that we yesterday,
  Stein>  october 10th 1992, at approximately 10pm, lost an important
  Stein>  part of our cultural heritage - "the great main airport debate (tm)".
 
    Ah, I'm sorry to hear that, but do not despair. Here in the slightly
    warmer south we have a project with an even longer history of debates,
    committees, ideas, changes, started then abandoned constructions,
    parliament decisions, etc. -- "The Great Storebaelt Bridge Project
    (TM)". 
 
    This project is truly part of our cultural heritage, it is the basic
    plot of a number of novels, and it has kept uncountable numbers of
    people occupied for years. Some years ago the nation was in shock when
    it was decided to actually start a constructions project and worse,
    people started doing something about it.
 
    After a time we where relieved to find that all was not lost, in fact
    the situation had improved a good deal. The addition of practical
    construction work, contracts with constructions companies and groups of
    companies, involvement of workers unions and more all add endless
    variations and possibilities without taking away or limiting the
    options for political intrigue.
 
    The Great Storebaelt Bridge Project (TM) has managed to surpass our
    wildest expectations, building *both* tunnel and bridge because it was
    too hard to decide on one in favour of the other, making the
    constructions project a matter of international politics by being in
    conflict with EC law, by deciding on a high-bridge for no good reason
    but the fact that political figures believe it looks good, by deciding
    on the wrong type of tunnel, making equipment fail, flooding the
    construction site, and not the least by giving endless opportunities
    for ministers and parliament members to look even sillier than usual --
    we all have fond memories of the minister of traffic and transportation
    that, when asked in TV why we needed the bridge at all (this was after
    the first EC scandal had surfaced) sat speechless for some 30 seconds
    and finally managed to say "We'll be able to bring fresh milk from Fyn
    to Copenhagen in the morning".
 
    Judging from the good news received from the construction site, we have
    all reason to believe that they will continue to work on this for many
    years to come and that it is in fact not unreasonable to hope that the
    project will never finish. The political and committee work will, of
    course, go on.
 
    So, don't worry -- be happy. I wish you good luck and an interesting
    project.
 
 /Lars
 --
Lars Fischer, [email protected] | It takes an uncommon mind to think of
CS Dept., Aalborg Univ., DENMARK. | these things.  -- Calvin

    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    From: [email protected] ()
    Subject: Re: The Best of Scandinavia
    Sender: [email protected] (USENET News System)
    Organization: Indiana University
    Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 20:43:33 GMT
 
    Well, without a doubt, I will give the typicals of Denmark:
 
    Tivoli, Gaagaden, Istedgade (for a good laugh), Rosenborg slot,
    Amalienborg, Den lille havfrue, and Frederiksborg.
 
    Now to really experience Danish culture and the freedom of the society,
    take the train to Middelfart and on a Friday night go the a discotheque
    called "Kauslunde Kro."  You will need a taxi (price per trip is like
    40 kr or so.) Kauslunde is a small landtown outside of Middelfart.  The
    discotheque is THE happening place full of fun and great people.
 
    Brent 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    From: [email protected]
    Subject: Re: The Best of Scandinavia
    Sender: [email protected] (Operator)
    Organization: Smith College
    Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1993 23:33:55 GMT
 
    When in  Denmark, don't, please don't forget Aarhus!!!!  There is lots
    to do in Aarhus, including Stroeget (the walking street), the festival
    week in September, and don't forget the cafes and diskoteks!  My
    personal favorites are Cafe Jorden and Cafe Smagloes and Blitz and Den
    Sidste Cafe.  Everyone there in Aarhus is friendly, so go and have a
    great time in Denmark...and oh yeah, save some time for Sweden and
    Norway!!
 
    med venlig hilsen!

    yours,
    Amanda

  From: [email protected] (Reuters)
  Newsgroups: clari.world.europe.western,clari.tw.environment
  Subject: Consortium submits new design on Swedish-Danish link
  Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 8:50:08 PST
 
	 STOCKHOLM, Feb 14 (Reuter) - A consortium building a fixed
bridge and tunnel link between Sweden and Denmark on Monday
submitted a new design for the project which it said met all
environmental requirements.
	 Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt's centre-right government
is split over the environmental impact of the first planned
fixed link across the Oresund Strait.
	 Bildt and his Danish counterpart Poul Nyrup Rasmussen agreed
last month that the consortium building the 16 km (10 mile) link
must submit an assessment of the project's environmental impact
to Sweden's Water Tribunal by February 14.
	 "The proposal meets all the environmental requirements
stipulated by the countries' authorities," the consortium said
in a statement.
	 Critics say the road and rail link, one of the longest in
the world, would interfere with water flows at the mouth of the
Baltic and that traffic would increase air pollution.
	 Denmark and Sweden agreed in 1991 to build the project but
Sweden's Centre Party, a coalition partner, objects.
	 The Swedish cabinet postponed a final decision on whether to
build the link in January and said it would only go ahead if the
Water Tribunal proved it would have no detrimental effect.
	 The tribunal is expected to complete its evaluation of the
new design by mid-April, and the Swedish government to make its
final decision soon afterwards, the consortium said.
	 The Oresund consortium said its design changes would have no
significant effect on the total construction budget of just
under $2 billion. It expects to start construction by the end of
this year for completion by 2000.
	 It would be the first permanent link between Sweden and the
European continent.
	 The consortium said its new design would not change water
flows and would limit sediment waste from dredging.
	 The design has a shorter artificial peninsula on the Danish
side and an artifical twin-island to connect the tunnel and
bridge sections.
	 The Oresund consortium is owned 50-50 by Danish state-owned
A/S Oresundsforbindelsen and Swedish state-owned SVEDAB.

  From: [email protected] (Reuters)
  Newsgroups: clari.world.europe.northern,clari.biz.industry.construction,
	clari.news.labor.strike,biz.clarinet.sample
  Subject: Danish bridge builders strike in union dispute
  Date: Thu, 11 Aug 94 5:00:02 PDT
 
	 COPENHAGEN, Aug 11 (Reuter) - About 1,100 workers on
Thursday halted work on a bridge over Denmark's Great Belt
waterway, part of the country's biggest ever construction
project, in a strike over union rights, the project management
said.
	 The strike was triggered when contractors ordered a union
spokesman to work on the same terms as other employees. He had
been previously allowed to handle union matters in working
hours.
	 Unions are pressing for improved safety regulations on the 
project, due for completion in 1996. Work has been dogged by
industrial disputes and accidents.
	 The 6.6 km (four mile) bridge is part of a 20 billion crown
($3.2 billion) project to build a road/rail bridge and tunnel
link between the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen, across the
main waterway leading to the Baltic Sea.