DENMARK A FAIRYTALE LAND

[Music] [Applause] [Music] Once upon a time, you were a child lost in the romantic world of your imagination. Your daydreams filled with that magic so eagerly absorbed from the pages of your favorite books. In those enchanted days of youth, a treasured volume was the fairy tales of Hance Christian Anderson. Anderson was a Dne and this is the fairy tale land that inspired his wondrous stories. Come drop your cares and make with us the fairy tale tour of Denmark. You've left behind you the modern attractions of gay Copenhagen and suddenly find yourself transported almost a thousand years back in history to the famous Cathedral of Roskilda which marks the last resting place of Danish royalty since the 12th century. Rosskilda is a pleasant little town, peaceful and leisurely. [Music] The official fairy tale tour is made in modern buses, but because Denmark consists of 611 islands, a boat trip is inevitable. Bikes, autos, buses, and even an entire diesel engine train are included on the passenger list. It's an hour's ride across the strip of water called the Great Belt to the aisle of Finan. [Music] These modern trains, incidentally, are typical of transportation facilities all over Denmark. [Music] Perryboat passengers disembark at Nurebore, an ancient town where the kings held court in medieval days. The castle here, built in 1170, is the oldest in all of Scandinavia. South of Newore, you come upon the Chateau country, where beautiful castles and manorhouses are as common as office buildings in New York. Hessagore Castle is as romantic a home as anyone could depict for the fairy princess heroine of an Anderson tale. [Music] In the good old summertime, it seems that everyone in Denmark rides a bicycle, and you'll encounter many a sightseeing group of youngsters on wheels as you tour through the rolling landscape of southern Funan. The thick walls and forbidding towers of Aas Cow Manor are mirrored in the waters of the moat surrounding them. You're in another world here. The land of eternal youth and romance that haunted your childish dreams. Neither castle nor cathedral, but a picturesque church typical of the peaceful Danish countryside. Within the walls are unusual fresco in chalk, an artistic legacy from medieval times found in many of the old village churches. Just close your eyes to any distracting 20th century invention which interrupts your revery. This is that old world you came to see. Senbore is an ancient town, a busy port since the year 1200 with an ideal view across the waters of the beachwood covered islands of the Danish archipelago. Connected to Funin by a bridge is the tiny but fertile island of Tiro. Famous for its tulips and popular too as a seaside resort. The most impressive Gothic church building in Denmark is found in Odiner, third largest town in the country and famous the world over as the birthplace of Hance Christian Anderson, whose lovable stories first introduced you to this fairy tale land. Born in poverty in 185, Anderson, the dreamer, first yearned to be an actor, then instead achieved spectacular fame when he wrote what he thought was an insignificant little book of stories for children. Anderson's Odin home here is now a museum containing a collection of original manuscripts and copies of his fairy tales in 40 languages. The Fairyland tour proceeds to the peninsula of Jutland. Reeba, Denmark's oldest town, founded in 948, retains much of the character of the Middle Ages when it was the country's most important city. Though you may have grown up to be a hard-headed practical realist, a maker of history, or a moulder of men, you have never quite lost your nostalgia for the faraway places of your childhood dreams. Dreams that perhaps were inspired by the fairy tales of Hance Christian Anderson. Much of the scenery in his beloved country has scarcely changed since first he put his magic words on paper. The coast of western Jutland is graced with white sandy beaches where pleasant seaside resorts have sprung up to accommodate the holiday crowds. On the island of FA, the water is very shallow, a long way out, wonderful for the children. You a bit on the lazy side today? Just hire a portable cabana complete with horse and greet Father Neptune the easy way. Why walk when you can ride? Escorted by a fascinated codery of small sunbaked boys. Now there's a new angle on the hitchhiking problem. Pana is now the only place in Denmark where the inhabitants dawn their colorful folk costume and then only on Sundays and holidays. Pana was once a very prosperous community with a huge fleet of ships sailing the seven seas. Today it consists mainly of fishing villages and bathing resorts. Thatched roofs are common here affording excellent insulation against the wintry blasts flowing from the frosty North Sea. [Music] Keeping an eye on what's going on thorough style. She can see the road below by watching her carefully placed spy glass. Here there's someone looking at you. [Music] Only 2 miles from the German frontier is the town of Tund where lacemaking is the principal attraction for travelers who seek the unusual and appreciate fine handiccrafts. No tourist with a camera can resist this scene. So, our obliging expert wears her traditional costume to make the picture complete. [Music] It comes as a surprise to some foreign visitors that a country as small as Denmark and so densely populated has been able to make the export of agricultural products its most important source of income. Danish eggs, butter, cheese, and bacon are world famous for quality and are exported in quantity from the city of Espier near Reeba. The success of agriculture as an important source of national income is based mainly on the cooperative movement which made it possible to combine large-scale production with individual ownership of small farms. A progressive outlook and a democratic approach to modern problems of living are behind Denmark's remarkable stride toward perfection in social welfare, education, and a prosperous balance between industry and agriculture. [Music] Farming is often a family affair in Denmark where most of the farms are small. Thanks to the co-ops, the Danish farmer is a free man, his own boss, and this is no fairy tale. [Music] Our tour passes through some of the lush green acres of Denmark, where interested visitors are encouraged to see for themselves how the co-op movement works and how the farm families live. And for those who shun cities and seek local color and out of the way places, there's nothing like a small farming village for getting closely acquainted with a Danish character. [Music] Crossing over Jutland and through her lake district, the tour arrives at Orhus, where the most delightful attraction is the Old Town. Denmark's famous openair museum. Here, 48 carefully restored buildings representing Danish town life from the 16th century on have been brought together in a realistic setting. Note how each old shopkeeper proclaimed his services with a symbol over the doorway. It's like being in another world, a life-size history book of Danish civilization. [Music] The fourth and last day of the tour begins with a visit to Rosenholm Castle, which has been in the hands of the same family since 1560. Then on to a cozy old market village paved with ancient cobblestones. Mariager, which developed around a once famous convent established in the 14th century. The Danish postman may not always ring twice, but their cheerful red uniforms lend a bright note to what already are colorful scenes. Yes, a fairyland where storks are not fictional characters but regular tenants on the village rooftops and chimneys. That is when they're not occupied elsewhere with the traditional duties of stors. [Music] Fairyland, where syfaced chimney sweeps still ply their trade with sure-footed agility. It was such as he who inspired Hance Christian Anderson to write a charming tale more than a century ago. You remember it of course, The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep. The Fairy Tale Land tours are planned in such a way that each night participants will stop over in first class hotels and every day partake of the wondrous culinary delights available in the finest ins and restaurants. It's rumored that there are some tourists who would travel all the way to Denmark just to sample a certain famous and irresistible item always on the menu. Don't miss it. This food for the gods. Food fit for even the most finicky fairy princess. Danish pastry. The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, The Garden of Paradise, The Roses and the Sparrows, Thumbelina, The Emperor's New Clothes. Remember them all, Anderson's Fairy Tales, those favorite stories that colored the dreams of your youth. Recapture those dreams and once more look at life with the optimistic eyes of childhood. The world of enchantment lies before you here in the fairy tale land of Denmark. [Music]