Where I go?

I want to give you very basic information about Odense by answering some questions. The answers are clear and short because my intention is showing you further details about the city and Denmark at the same time I’m discovering it. 

Odense, where are you?

Odense is located in Denmark, in Funen island. It is the third largest city in the country, after Copenhaguen and Aarhus, and has a population of 168.798 people (January 2012).

To arrive to Odense I have to take a plane from Barcelona to Copenhaguen (3:05h) and then a train to Odense (1:35h).

                                           

Odense, what you talk?

The official language in Odense is Dansk (Danish), but almost everybody can speak English perfectly. One word in Dansk? Øl.

Odense, what money do you use?

The Danish krone (DKK) is the official currency of Odense. One krone is subdivided into 100 øre. There exist coins of 50 øre and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 krone, and bills of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 krone.

It’s usefull to know that 1 DKK are 0.13€ and that 1€ are 7.46 DKK.

                                        

   

Queen Margrethe II 

     Odense, what government have you got?

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, in which Queen Margrethe II is the head of state. Royal power has only ceremonial functions and  the polytical function is represented by a parliamentary democracy, who elects the prime minister.

The current prime minister of Denmark is Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who is the leader of the social democrats and is the first woman to hold the post.

Odense, do you believe in god?

The most prominent religious is Christianity, in the form of Lutheranism (80% of population) and the second largest faith is Islam (3%).

Odense, what do you eat?

The cuisine of Denmark consists mainly of meat and fish. The meals are dividid into a plentiful breakfast; a simple lunch and a huge dinner.

Some of the most typicall dishes are:

•  Smørrebrød, which is an open sandwich that is very usual for lunch.
•  Boller and karry, that are meat balls in curry served with rice and cucumber salad.
• Apple pork, that are fried pork slices served with compote of apple, onion and bacon.
• Brændende kærlighed (literally "burning love"), which are mashed potatoes made with butter and milk, and in the top of the mashed potatoes there are fried bacon and chopped onions.

                             

                             Smørrebrød

Boller and karry

Beer is the national drink in Denmark, and two of the most popular are Carlsberg and Tuborg.

Odense, how do you move?

Odense’s people use to move by bike. Bikes have priority over cars and it exists a very complete bikeway around all the country. That’s why for example, the 60% of people who lives in Copenhaguen move by bike.

Odense, what sport do you practice?

Football is the national sport in Denmark. Other popular sports are handball, cycling, badminton and some water sports, like sailing.

Fioinia park, the stadium of Odense OB. 

Odense, how often do you see the sunny?

Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from 1ºC to 22ºC and is rarely below -7ºC or above 27ºC.

                                         

The length of the day varies over the course of the year. The shortest day is December 21, with 7:02 hours of daylight; the longest day is June 20, with 17:29 hours of daylight.

                                         

The earliest sunrise is at 4:35 am on June 17, while the latest sunrise is at 3:46 pm on December 12. The earliest sunset is at 10:06 on June 24, while the latest sunset is at 8:48 am on December 30.

                                         

Precipitation is most likely around February, occurring in 60% of days and is least in May, occurring in 42% of days.

                                             

Odense, which important people have lived in you?

Hans Christian Andersen has been the most important resident Odense has ever had. H.C.A was a writer and poet and he was the author of the Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Little Mermaid or the Ugly Duckling, among others.

                         

                     

        

Another important resident was Carl Nielsen, who is recognized as the Denmark’s greatest composer and is best known for his six symphonies and other pices, like the Helios Overture, which depicts the passage of the sun in the sky from dawn to nightfall.

Odense, what can I visit of you?

Saint Canute's Cathedral

There are different places to visit, but some of the most interesting are:

• Saint Canute’s Cathedral (Sankt Knuds Kirke), where the King Knud, who is the patron saint of Denmark is buried.

 

  

Odense Town Hall

• Odense Town Hall, where fans of Odense FC celebrate the trophies that the club wins.

• H.C. Andersen childhood house and his museum, that woulg give you an overview of the life of writer.

• Odense zoo, that is the only place in Denmark where you  can feed the giraffes. 

Odense, where can I go out to at night?

There are different places to go, for example, the Australian bar, where every Thursday is the Erasmus Day, or a disco called Retro, that is very popular on Saturdays.

                                  

                                     

Jo crec que amb això us podeu fer una idea general d'allà on vaig. Suposo que en futures publicacions, una vegada ja estigui instal·lat a Odense, aprofundiré més en alguns temes, i aniré explicant més coses sobre la ciutat. Així jo també m'informo de les ciutats, dels hàbits i de la cultura del país que m'acull! 

Per suposat, si teniu interès en algun tema en concret, digueu-m'ho i miraré de fer una entrada sobre el que volgueu!

PD: Com veieu, encara no domino el format i les coses es van descol·locant. A mesura que vagi agafant pràctica ja faré el bloc més maco!