Fact or fake: Robert Skov on Denmark

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11 November 2023, 03:16 yayınlandı

All Danes ride bicycles

“Almost all of them do, yes. There are a lot of cyclists, and it’s so convenient and pleasant to cycle in Denmark. That’s because the Danish government and cities prioritise cycling – there’s plenty of space for bicycles and good cycle paths all over the country. And of course, in Jonas Vingegaard, we currently have a two-time Tour de France winner. Everyone in Denmark watched it – and that made cycling even more popular.”

All Danes embrace “hygge”.

“It is part of our mentality to be a little more relaxed, to be laid-back. Perhaps that is why we are always around the top of the rankings when it comes to the happiest people in the world. Humour is certainly very common in our country, and it also involves a lot of irony. It is our way of not always taking things so seriously. It’s a somewhat different culture than in Germany. But of course, there are laid-back people here too – luckily!” (laughs)

Queen Margrethe II is the most popular monarch in the world.

“I think that since the death of Queen Elizabeth, who was also very popular and ruled for a long time, you can say that. Queen Margrethe is very special to us Danes, she has ruled since 1972 and is affectionately called ‘Daisy’. Of course, there are people in Denmark who reject the monarchy in principle, but most find Margrethe very cool. I’m definitely proud of our queen.”

The Little Mermaid is the biggest attraction in Copenhagen.

“Definitely not. You can tell by the name – she isn’t called the ‘Little Mermaid’ for nothing. It’s more of a tourist trap than a real highlight. Finn (editor’s note: Ole Becker) recently visited Copenhagen and said: “I visited that mermaid and thought: ‘What is this?’ Then I looked at him and said: ‘Yes, what did you think? ‘It’s just another statue.’ I always say The Little Mermaid is just for the visitors.”

All Danish children love LEGO.

“Definitely. LEGO is a great invention, but it’s actually not only for children, but also for older people. My father, for example, has a good friend and they occasionally meet and build things out of LEGO. Houses, cities, machines – with LEGO you can be incredibly creative. A great toy, very good for the mind – and it means that children aren’t always staring at an iPad or mobile phone.”

“Røde Pølser” is the best Danish food.

“Definitely not! That’s an outrageous thing to say! (Laughs) I don’t eat red sausage, I’ve never liked it. It may be that some of my fellow countrymen like it, but Pølser are definitely not the main attraction of Danish cuisine. On the contrary: Denmark is now a top country when it comes to gastronomy and has really come along over the past ten or twenty years.”

The Danish national team were always at McDonalds during the 1992 European Championship.

“No, it was just one visit the day before the semi-final against the Netherlands. But since then, there has been the legend about the so-called ‘Big Mac team’. Without a doubt, that European Championship win was a special moment in Danish sports history. Every fan grows up hearing about that triumph, no matter when they were born. It is also an incredible story, starting with the fact that we hadn’t qualified and only came in as a late replacement for Yugoslavia. A great story from start to finish.”

In Denmark, you are always within one hour of the sea.

“I think the maximum distance to the sea from any point in the country is 50 kilometres. Of course, it’s amazing that you can get to the sea so easily. And the beaches in Denmark are really good too. That is something special about the country.”