I really hope you guys come to fyn or jylland when everything opens up. As a dane and a jyde (from jytland) i’m tired of turists thinking that all Denmark is is Copenhagen. We have so many exciting and beautiful thing to offer outside of the capital. So come on over. I’m sure you’ll love it😘☺️
Yes, for sure. We have some travel planned - especially when things open up more so we can really highlight other Danish towns and regions 😀 We were actually in Keterminde and eastern Fyn a few weeks ago so we are going to compile our videos into a short travelog 🇩🇰
I remember working two summers as a teenager on the canal tour boats. The standard exclamation from our US guests were almost always “Gee! Isn’t she bigger...? I thought she was, like, HUGE!”. It always cracked me up as the most American thing you could ever say in Copenhagen. Yes, it’s the *little* mermaid, indeed.... As a Dane, I very much agree with your description of our attitude towards her. She is a much bigger deal to tourists, but I think none of us would want Copenhagen without her. Thanks for your always entertaining videos.
Oh what a cool job that must have been! It's so funny - we can hear Americans asking that in our heads haha. It's the style for Americans - big and overstated - even for the "little" mermaid haha Thank you so much for the comment and kind words - we'll keep the videos coming 😀
I remember seeing a documentary about teenage sailing cadets on a sailing ship (in the '80s or '90s -- since there are a few "tallships" still around) -- indeed I think these were Danes, if memory serves me correct. But, when they made their first trans-Atlantic journey and were sailing into New York harbor, one impression I have in my memory of the program were these European kids exclaiming how SMALL the Statue of Liberty actually was in comparison to their imagination of its size.
@@MrJm323 I remember my first time seeing the Statue of Liberty and thinking it was much smaller than expected. I thought it had a restaurant in the crown, but in reality it was a 1-2 m2 platform so you could look out the windows. You stood in line for two hours on a spiral staircase to take a picture and enjoy the view for a few seconds and then walk down again. I think people confuse the restaurant in the space needle with being in the Statue of Liberty.
You should do an entire episode on what "all that beer money" provided Copenhagen in regards to statues, buildings, etc. especially during the days of Carl Jacobsen :D
I remember when I was really little, my mom made this amazing huge cross-stitch framed artwork of this exact little mermaid statue. Sadly, she sold it for very cheap at a garage sale. My grandmother also had photos of this gorgeous statue. I remember being obsessed with mermaids and seeing pictures of her sparked something in me. I also found out later in life that part of my ethnicity is Danish, which would explain why my family had an appeal to her and to the country. It just brings back a lot of warm memories whenever I see her. I might buy one of those mini statues, and would love to see the statue up close one day, too.
As a danish person i definitely think she has her place, and i wouldn't want her to go. But that being said, i still feel meh about it, like you said, it's just a statue.
The H.C Andersen tale doesn’t end with her turning into water, but rather her becoming a Sylph (air spirit) instead. So it is actually a happy ending, even if not in a romantic sense.
Dane here as well. A couple of years ago in the city of Kolding, there was a plus-size little mermaid in the lake of the castle. it took only 4 days from when it was planted till she was headless.
All four of my Great Grandparents emigrated from different parts of Denmark to America in the late 1800’s. My father and grandparents were 100% Danish-American and my family was raised with their traditions that we continue to this day! To us, the statue is one of many symbols of our connection to our past. Thank you so much for this, and all of your other vids. You guys are awesome!
As a university student from Odense (Funen), I was really curious to go visit Copenhagen whenever I had the opportunity. I think, for Danes living outside of Zealand or Copenhagen, the capital is a mysterious, magical and probably an overhyped place, in which we have lots of stereotypes or misinformed information about, such as the habitants being snobbish and arrogant. This is probably due to the lack of knowledge and experience of big city life, as it is our single city that has a population of more than 1,000,000, as well as it being the English speaking and multicultural melting pot that is is, which then is passed on to it's landmarks, people and attractions. So for me, the Little Mermaid was a must see. It was a symbol of the great city and all of the hype that heard about growing up. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by her size, as I had this rose colored and magical expectation of her. But now that I have seen her and visited the city, I have become much more realistic and less biased about my perception of it. I do not put it on a pedestal. Neither do I precieve it as snobbish or arrogant. I just see it as Copenhagen, our common capital city that is pretty in its own way, but is neither better nor worse than any other city or small town that we have. We all got our own charms and faults. But more importantly, we are all living in the same small country that is Denmark - instead of fighting over the regional differences, appreciate it and love it all the same.
i was a member of a USA junior hockey team that was touring scandinavia and copenhagen was our last stop. we had only a day or maybe 1.5 days to explore the city, so i went to see the little mermaid. i didn't really know the story, but was charmed by it when i learned the tale and history of the statue. i bought a small souvenir statue for my mother and she loved it. almost 50 years later now, that little statue rests up front on my bedroom dresser, so i see it and remember the past every day. i hope to return for another visit some day with the young mermaid, who loved so well.
Oh btw the DFDS ferry you sit «in front of» is the ferry to Oslo, Norway, very close to where I worked when I sold tickets for our local ferries. A tip if you guys ever want to visit the old Danish province of Norway.
I remember watching a TV program back in the 1990s - Danish TV2 I think it was - and a tour-guide was telling a story about two American tourists who had asked him if he thought it might be possible for them to book a table in the Little Mermaid. They were rather disappointed when he told them no, but they soon realized why. :) Personally I think the Little Mermaid is a little like the Mona Lisa. It's a piece of art that is way overrated, but it is nevertheless a piece of art. I always take my foreign friends to see her just to get it over with, and their reaction is for the most part "is that it?"
That is so funny, our friends usually react the same way but that's why now we make a fun bike ride out of it 😂 A couple of friends we talked to about making this video told us the story of the American tourists who asked for a table there haha. Were they thinking of the restaurant in Nyhavn maybe? They could have definitely just been uninformed Americans lol
I live and work in Norway, but I have family connections to Denmark and Sweden as well, and I’m very fond of den lille havfrue. People have oppinions about the size and so on, I dont mind but find the location a little dull perhaps? I used to work for the public transport company in Oslo at our then harbour ferry ticket office. One day in summer I noticed a little group of Korean (American) ladies who walked past my office batling with big maps and pointing and arguing. They were NOT agreeing about something, that’s for sure, but they seemed to be arguing in Korean so I could not hear what the problem was. A couple of times they walked past from various directions until one of them dragged the others into my office and came up to me, and dropped their big map on my desk and in a perfect Californian accent one of them said, «Please Sir! Can you help? We can’t find the Little Mermaid or anything!» I took one look at the map and said «That’s a map of Copenhagen, you are in Oslo, Norway!» She turns around to the others and shouts «I told you guys!» Turns out they came in on the cruiseship that left Sweden the day before, overslept and grabbed the wrong maps at the information desk or when them left their cabins before leaving the ship». They were so sweet and I pointed them to the Nobel Peace Centre and some other stuff and they came back later and thanked me». I loved working down there 😊
For me personally, I think the woods, beaches and hiking trails are more important to me than statues. But then again, I do live between the fjords and Rold woods. You two are really great, keep up the wholesome laid back videos🙂
The little mermaid does not turn into sea foam. She is offered to return to her old life if she kills the prince. She refuses, and due to this selfless act, she turns into "a daughter of the air".
Hej og tak! Another recommendation I might add is to take advantage of whatever travel card (rejsekort, copenhagen card if you're a tourist, etc.) and use the harbor bus. The 992 and 991 lines have a stop at Nordre Toldbold and run to/from there and Refshaleøen. They don't come all that close, but it's better than paying for a canal tour just to see the mermaid. That stated, a canal tour is still the best way to see as much of Copenhagen as you can in the shortest amount of time (e.g. if you have long layover).
I was half expecting you to talk a little about Rictor Norton's theory about Hans Christian Andersen and his friendship with Edvard Collin. but I guess it is more about the story than the statue. I think it is one of the more interesting things about the story. And I'm a Dane from northern Jylland who has been to købengavn several times but never seen the statue myself. And as others say, I'm pretty meh about her. she is pretty and I would not like to be without her, but not something I feel that strongly about.
8:59, there is public transport there though, it's a harbor bus. It's like a bus but a boat and you can use the rejsekortet, from train, bus and metro, for it.
I'm a Dane.... For me, the statue is just a statue. Once a year I visit Langelinie Pear to see the Sakura Festival (celebrating of cherry Blossom - a lot of dance, teaceremony etc). I see a lot tourist around there. It's ok for me... Again it may inspired people to follow Hans Christian Andersens steps around Copenhagen and to Odense on Fyn (my favorite place). Copenhagen have a lot of history and Odense is the birthplace of HCA - there is statues about he's fairytales around the town, a museum and a park behind the church - with he's fairytales. But the town have a lot more.... I know they is building a new attraction about HCA. It's not finish yet.... But it sounds great. I love the surroundings a Langelinie...
It's nice to have the world famous little mermaid in the city. After all I need it to show my friends from outside of Denmark 😊 that we have famous tourist spot. It is also a nice walking path in that area.
I usually tell people that they should go see the statue, but not so much for the statue itself, but rather for the nice walk along the harbor. Or I suggest they take a guided canal tour where they always stop close to the statue. Then you can cross it off of your list. Whether the statue is really worth seeing is difficult for me to assess as a Copenhagener, because I have often heard people point out nice things about Copenhagen that I never really thought about or appreciated myself, so I understand that I wouldn't know how others would perceive it. For someone visiting the Little Mermaid can either be wonderful or a shrug of the shoulders.
So true. It really is little. I don’t have a personal relationship with the statue but I recognize it as a landmark that attracts tourists and for that reason I think it’s got its own value. By the way, I have visited the statue in Philly back in 19something something and that city has a great vibe.
I'm Danish, and I seen it a couple of times in my life. I would say its nice to see. But I do think it will be more interesting if one knows about the story or the author behind the story some, before seeing the little mermaid statue. Other then that, its part of the danish family.
I saw this statue when I was 13. (I’m now 48) We left Turkey 🇹🇷 for Florida in a Volvo station wagon for what felt like a 6 month road trip. I was 13... I just wanted to get home to Florida! 🤣 One of the things I have fond memories of is this statue. (However, my child brain remembers her as bigger than she actually is) There must be a ferry somewhat close by because I remember taking our car on it to get to our next destination. Out if nowhere today I decided to look up the history of this statue and Here I Am! 😬 Turkey to Scotland to West Canada to Florida. That was one hell of a road trip!
3:39 nah, it's because you have to make a template in another material before you can make the real one. It's is a copy but it's the real one and the other one is not. It's the same with Tordenskjold at Helsingør castle - Kronborg, there is also a template to that, think it was out in the media that some hotel got it somewhere on Strandvejen. That do not make the statues copies as such though in some way they are. All statues of that type are made like this, though it's not that often the templates still exist.
6:43 sure they come in big numbers, btw if possible you should come when the cherry trees are blossoming. Anyway, I do hear some tourist being kind of disappointed that it actually is little, as they expected something like the Statue of Liberty!
9:55 but with the canal boat, you will only see it from behind, but I think one of them you can sail from Nyhavn and then see the harbor the Little Mermaid then end the trip close by.
For me national symbols that Im proud of are Roskilde Cathedral representing the worlds oldest monarchy still ruling. Especially Queen Margareth I. And of course the Jelling Stones. The little mermaid is a bit like Manneken Pis in Bruxelles, something when you have seen it once - you have seen it What though might make Manneken Pis in Bruxelles more popular is that its like any fashion diva has hundreds of sets of clothes. So you never know what it wears
@@RobeTrotting Love that building! Speaking of architecture: I'd love to see a vlog from you guys on all the iconic buildings on Amager Island. 8 tallet, VM houses, The Mountain, the Royal Arena etc. I don't know any other city with that many architectural highlights.
I'm a Dane and you pretty much summed up my feelings on The Little Mermaid; I think the original fairy tale is more important as a cultural... something. But I like the statue well enough. And I think it's a good thing to have the statue so readily available for political action. It provides a safe way for peole to react that won't actually hurt anyone and you can definitely send important messages with maybe a little more oomph than writing an angry letter to Politiken.
I adore the Little Mermaid! I'm Danish....she is part of our history, as well, as our literature. I realise that most Danes are fairly meh about her! but don't you dare touch her, move her or deface her! then the Danes will get their ire up!! I take my visiting friends on a canal trip, bc you can see her in her element and it gives you Copenhagen, from the water 😉 best of both worlds!
She's almost the perfect representation of Janteloven lol. An amazing thing really, not so much disappointing as anti-climactic for me - when we're used to big spectacles being made out of landmarks and statues elsewhere - I think there was a Pølsevogn nearby and 3 coach-loads of tourists looking lost and a few of us (Danes) giggling at their bemusement. Ultimately she's inoffensive - well a puritan FB aside. We'll look forward to seeing you lads on the mainland once the time comes.
I have only seen her once when I was i kid, I wanted to see her because of the story. I think seh is somthing to see, because of her story, and what makes her great is that she is just a pretty teenage girl in love looking at the sea, she dose not pose, like look at me! She dose not have to be big, to be great. Kinda like Denmark ... ;-)
I think you're missing an important bit of context about the statue: It was used as a deliberate ploy by the Danish tourist organization to brand Denmark. It had never been seen as anything special by the Danes, but it was discovered, especially right after World War II, that foreigners were really attracted to the idea of the peaceful, innocent "fairy tale country", so the Little Mermaid was used heavily in promotion because it played into that image. But of course leaning into that kind of stereotype always seems a bit gross when you're a Dane. Denmark isn't any more innocent or pure than any other country - which is probably why the statue has been the target of so much political activism.
It's nice to see her, but I think you're right in not prioritizing her (even when in KBH). I recommend something with real national importance like Kongernes Jelling, the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde or even touring Christianborg while in KBH to friends who are visiting.
@@RobeTrotting Personally, I do not think many Danes bother to look at her because she is so "ordinary" in our eyes ... Conversely, I understand well that tourists, from countries that may not have the same view of nudity, find it "naughty / exciting" to look at the "naked woman" at the water's edge. I can easily imagine that a picture of her in the photo album, can become a topic of conversation when sitting and discussing holiday pictures, because even though we have a rather loose relationship with the naked body, (just look at advertisements for breasts, on the city buses, or the advertisements for sex toys for adults), - then we do not like strangers standing and taking pictures on the beach. maybe a bit double-minded, but hey ... we are Danes .. right ??
Hej med jer. Ja jeg skriver på dansk, da jeg ikke er den bedste til at skrive engelsk. 😆 Jeg følger jeres video med glæde. Det er sjovt at høre hvordan I opfatter os. Denne video omkring den lille havfrue er rigtig fin, men syntes at det havde været ekstra godt, hvis I havde startet ved Gefionspringvandet og cyklet ved voldene og langs Langelinie. Da det er en smuk tur, og kønnere udsigt enden den vi ser over på med skorsten og andet (smukt)😂😂😂. Jeg syntes I er et par dejlige fyre, som også kan lære mig noget om København. Jeg bor i Jylland, og er derfor ikke super kendt på mange af de steder i fortæller om. Derfor får jeg som dansker også noget ud af jeres forslag Jeg har forslag til nogle besøg I kunne tage til her i Jylland. Der er bl. andet Dollerup bakker som er virkelig smuk. Har I ikke været i Ebeltoft var det også et smukt sted. Jeg har set jeres video fra Den gamle by, men syntes I skulle tage og vise en video af de statister der er der for at gøre den mere levende og som kan fortælle noget om tiden. Det kan være at der I oplevede det da I var der men det fremgår ikke af jeres Video. Endnu engang tak for jeres videoer, glæder ligetil at følge jer fremover. Rigtig god dag til jer. 😊 med venlig hilsen Vivian
I have an idea! If you ever visit malmö or want to make a video about malmö/Cphgn, one interesting fact is that we just got “havsprinsen”. A prince looking for the mermaid across the sound. 🇩🇰🇸🇪🥰😘
Yeah I think its "must see" statue. Its a landmark afterall. Same as a trip to Tivoli and Nyhavn, if you come to copenhagen as a turist spend the few hours, they are all within walking distance. Start at the statue, walk to nyhavn and finish the day at the amusement park. Sounds like a good day to me :) - From Nørrebro :)
I often hear tourist complain about the size about "The little Mermaid"" :-( ! It's in the "EFFEING" name! What part of "Little Mermaid", do tourists not understand ? The sculpture was created by Edvard Eriksen. His Wife actually created her own version, witch can bee seen outside The "Black Diamond" (A.K.A The Royal Danish Library ) ;-) ! As always, Good job, guys ;-) !
Right!?!? It's so funny, but Americans especially expect everything to be big and overstated to be important haha. Even something with "little" clearly in the title. We had no idea Elin Eriksen has her own version - definitely going to go see it! Thanks for watching and the supportive comments - we really appreciate it and God Påske 😀
If you do come by? Ask if Security officer 201 is at work ? Or leave a number (or email), and I'll show you around :-) ! BTW! Expect Elins version to be much much smaller ;-) (Outside: Southwest corner of "The Black Diamond"). Og God Påske til jer ;-) !
Calling it a statue is maybe a little overstatement :-), or what? (it is very small). But no. There is only that one (around the Black Diamond). Just googled it! Your totally right. It's a copy of the artist you mentioned. My BAD :-(
Nice episode about the little mermaid that we like to show to tourist. You shoud maybee also do the big mermaid, on the other side that have a revolving fish restaurent in the head...
Yes she is pretty, and I think every Dane has to see her at least once. But there are many other landmarks that make me feel more patriotic like the Jelling Stones or Dybbøl Mølle.. 😁🇩🇰
I admit I went to see the Rocky statue, when I visited Philadelphia. But I agree it was pretty underwhelming compared to the much more impressive museum.
3:16 back then it was kind of normal for older men to have much younger wife though. Often younger men didn't have the time or the money to marry so they had to wait till they were older, and the younger women wanted an established man that gave them economical safety.
As a dane, the little mermaid is not that important. I think the H. C. Andersen museum in Odense, is more valuable, and gives you a better idea about who the writer was, and how he lived his life. Sure the little mermaid statue is nice, but it is just a statue, and is useually, just used for turist to take photos with, without leraning about the beautiful history behind.
If you want to see the little mermaid, do not use a tourist bus. You should instead spend an afternoon enjoying a walk from Nyhavn along the harbor to the little mermaid and back.
you dident tell the whole ending of the little mermaid, she becoms a sister of the wind whom have to help peapole for 100 yers to get a soul and get in to heaven.
The Little Mermaid will disappoint you. It's small, sitting a few feet from the shore, and the industrial buildings in the background will ruin any magical feelings you might have had. I guess it's like viewing the pyramids from the wrong angle
🇩🇰 I bliver bedre til dansk. Jeg har set den lille havfrue én gang, hun var smuk, og et dansk landemærke, men som i siger, meeh 🇬🇧/🇺🇸 you guise are getting better at Danish. I've seen the little mermaid once, she is beautiful and a Danish landmark, but, as you say, meeh... 😁
I like our statue. She is part of our history, and does not impose herself on us. Small and known around the world - like Denmark
I really hope you guys come to fyn or jylland when everything opens up. As a dane and a jyde (from jytland) i’m tired of turists thinking that all Denmark is is Copenhagen. We have so many exciting and beautiful thing to offer outside of the capital. So come on over. I’m sure you’ll love it😘☺️
Vesterhavet, blandt andet
Yes, for sure. We have some travel planned - especially when things open up more so we can really highlight other Danish towns and regions 😀
We were actually in Keterminde and eastern Fyn a few weeks ago so we are going to compile our videos into a short travelog 🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting That’s great☺️ Looking forward to watching the video☺️
I remember working two summers as a teenager on the canal tour boats. The standard exclamation from our US guests were almost always “Gee! Isn’t she bigger...? I thought she was, like, HUGE!”. It always cracked me up as the most American thing you could ever say in Copenhagen. Yes, it’s the *little* mermaid, indeed.... As a Dane, I very much agree with your description of our attitude towards her. She is a much bigger deal to tourists, but I think none of us would want Copenhagen without her. Thanks for your always entertaining videos.
Oh what a cool job that must have been! It's so funny - we can hear Americans asking that in our heads haha. It's the style for Americans - big and overstated - even for the "little" mermaid haha
Thank you so much for the comment and kind words - we'll keep the videos coming 😀
I remember seeing a documentary about teenage sailing cadets on a sailing ship (in the '80s or '90s -- since there are a few "tallships" still around) -- indeed I think these were Danes, if memory serves me correct. But, when they made their first trans-Atlantic journey and were sailing into New York harbor, one impression I have in my memory of the program were these European kids exclaiming how SMALL the Statue of Liberty actually was in comparison to their imagination of its size.
@@MrJm323 I remember my first time seeing the Statue of Liberty and thinking it was much smaller than expected. I thought it had a restaurant in the crown, but in reality it was a 1-2 m2 platform so you could look out the windows. You stood in line for two hours on a spiral staircase to take a picture and enjoy the view for a few seconds and then walk down again. I think people confuse the restaurant in the space needle with being in the Statue of Liberty.
So Danes don't care much about the piece of their artistic heritage ..nice
You should do an entire episode on what "all that beer money" provided Copenhagen in regards to statues, buildings, etc. especially during the days of Carl Jacobsen :D
I remember when I was really little, my mom made this amazing huge cross-stitch framed artwork of this exact little mermaid statue. Sadly, she sold it for very cheap at a garage sale. My grandmother also had photos of this gorgeous statue. I remember being obsessed with mermaids and seeing pictures of her sparked something in me. I also found out later in life that part of my ethnicity is Danish, which would explain why my family had an appeal to her and to the country. It just brings back a lot of warm memories whenever I see her. I might buy one of those mini statues, and would love to see the statue up close one day, too.
As a danish person i definitely think she has her place, and i wouldn't want her to go. But that being said, i still feel meh about it, like you said, it's just a statue.
Same
We were really surprised how small she is compared to the way she looks on postcards and online photos.
@@RobeTrotting Its in the name :)
I have a mini statue of her that I bought when visiting family, and It reminds me how small she is on that rock
I have just discovered your channel. You have such beautiful, warm personalities. Please keep making more videos.
Thank you so much for the kind words! We definitely will keep the videos coming 😀
The H.C Andersen tale doesn’t end with her turning into water, but rather her becoming a Sylph (air spirit) instead. So it is actually a happy ending, even if not in a romantic sense.
Dane here as well. A couple of years ago in the city of Kolding, there was a plus-size little mermaid in the lake of the castle. it took only 4 days from when it was planted till she was headless.
All four of my Great Grandparents emigrated from different parts of Denmark to America in the late 1800’s. My father and grandparents were 100% Danish-American and my family was raised with their traditions that we continue to this day! To us, the statue is one of many symbols of our connection to our past. Thank you so much for this, and all of your other vids. You guys are awesome!
Thanks for the kind words and sharing your connections - we're glad you found us and that you're enjoying our content 😀🇩🇰
Denmark is a very small country. So if they came from different parts they could have almost been neighbors.
As a university student from Odense (Funen), I was really curious to go visit Copenhagen whenever I had the opportunity. I think, for Danes living outside of Zealand or Copenhagen, the capital is a mysterious, magical and probably an overhyped place, in which we have lots of stereotypes or misinformed information about, such as the habitants being snobbish and arrogant. This is probably due to the lack of knowledge and experience of big city life, as it is our single city that has a population of more than 1,000,000, as well as it being the English speaking and multicultural melting pot that is is, which then is passed on to it's landmarks, people and attractions. So for me, the Little Mermaid was a must see. It was a symbol of the great city and all of the hype that heard about growing up. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by her size, as I had this rose colored and magical expectation of her. But now that I have seen her and visited the city, I have become much more realistic and less biased about my perception of it. I do not put it on a pedestal. Neither do I precieve it as snobbish or arrogant. I just see it as Copenhagen, our common capital city that is pretty in its own way, but is neither better nor worse than any other city or small town that we have. We all got our own charms and faults. But more importantly, we are all living in the same small country that is Denmark - instead of fighting over the regional differences, appreciate it and love it all the same.
i was a member of a USA junior hockey team that was touring scandinavia and copenhagen was our last stop. we had only a day or maybe 1.5 days to explore the city, so i went to see the little mermaid. i didn't really know the story, but was charmed by it when i learned the tale and history of the statue. i bought a small souvenir statue for my mother and she loved it. almost 50 years later now, that little statue rests up front on my bedroom dresser, so i see it and remember the past every day. i hope to return for another visit some day with the young mermaid, who loved so well.
Oh btw the DFDS ferry you sit «in front of» is the ferry to Oslo, Norway, very close to where I worked when I sold tickets for our local ferries. A tip if you guys ever want to visit the old Danish province of Norway.
I remember watching a TV program back in the 1990s - Danish TV2 I think it was - and a tour-guide was telling a story about two American tourists who had asked him if he thought it might be possible for them to book a table in the Little Mermaid. They were rather disappointed when he told them no, but they soon realized why. :)
Personally I think the Little Mermaid is a little like the Mona Lisa. It's a piece of art that is way overrated, but it is nevertheless a piece of art. I always take my foreign friends to see her just to get it over with, and their reaction is for the most part "is that it?"
That is so funny, our friends usually react the same way but that's why now we make a fun bike ride out of it 😂
A couple of friends we talked to about making this video told us the story of the American tourists who asked for a table there haha. Were they thinking of the restaurant in Nyhavn maybe? They could have definitely just been uninformed Americans lol
I live and work in Norway, but I have family connections to Denmark and Sweden as well, and I’m very fond of den lille havfrue. People have oppinions about the size and so on, I dont mind but find the location a little dull perhaps? I used to work for the public transport company in Oslo at our then harbour ferry ticket office. One day in summer I noticed a little group of Korean (American) ladies who walked past my office batling with big maps and pointing and arguing. They were NOT agreeing about something, that’s for sure, but they seemed to be arguing in Korean so I could not hear what the problem was. A couple of times they walked past from various directions until one of them dragged the others into my office and came up to me, and dropped their big map on my desk and in a perfect Californian accent one of them said, «Please Sir! Can you help? We can’t find the Little Mermaid or anything!» I took one look at the map and said «That’s a map of Copenhagen, you are in Oslo, Norway!» She turns around to the others and shouts «I told you guys!» Turns out they came in on the cruiseship that left Sweden the day before, overslept and grabbed the wrong maps at the information desk or when them left their cabins before leaving the ship». They were so sweet and I pointed them to the Nobel Peace Centre and some other stuff and they came back later and thanked me». I loved working down there 😊
LMAO LIKE MIKES HAIIIIR, I was thinking it but you said it. Omg you guys are great!
Yes, thankfully it's been cut since the day we filmed this haha 😂
Love you guys - you know more of copenhagen than most of the Danish
When I'm in Copenhagen I love the Gefion springvand 😊
For me personally, I think the woods, beaches and hiking trails are more important to me than statues. But then again, I do live between the fjords and Rold woods.
You two are really great, keep up the wholesome laid back videos🙂
The little mermaid does not turn into sea foam. She is offered to return to her old life if she kills the prince. She refuses, and due to this selfless act, she turns into "a daughter of the air".
Hej og tak! Another recommendation I might add is to take advantage of whatever travel card (rejsekort, copenhagen card if you're a tourist, etc.) and use the harbor bus. The 992 and 991 lines have a stop at Nordre Toldbold and run to/from there and Refshaleøen. They don't come all that close, but it's better than paying for a canal tour just to see the mermaid. That stated, a canal tour is still the best way to see as much of Copenhagen as you can in the shortest amount of time (e.g. if you have long layover).
I was half expecting you to talk a little about Rictor Norton's theory about Hans Christian Andersen and his friendship with Edvard Collin.
but I guess it is more about the story than the statue. I think it is one of the more interesting things about the story.
And I'm a Dane from northern Jylland who has been to købengavn several times but never seen the statue myself.
And as others say, I'm pretty meh about her. she is pretty and I would not like to be without her, but not something I feel that strongly about.
8:59, there is public transport there though, it's a harbor bus. It's like a bus but a boat and you can use the rejsekortet, from train, bus and metro, for it.
She is just very delikate and beautiful. That is what makes her “great”.
I'm a Dane.... For me, the statue is just a statue. Once a year I visit Langelinie Pear to see the Sakura Festival (celebrating of cherry Blossom - a lot of dance, teaceremony etc). I see a lot tourist around there. It's ok for me... Again it may inspired people to follow Hans Christian Andersens steps around Copenhagen and to Odense on Fyn (my favorite place). Copenhagen have a lot of history and Odense is the birthplace of HCA - there is statues about he's fairytales around the town, a museum and a park behind the church - with he's fairytales. But the town have a lot more.... I know they is building a new attraction about HCA. It's not finish yet.... But it sounds great. I love the surroundings a Langelinie...
It's nice to have the world famous little mermaid in the city. After all I need it to show my friends from outside of Denmark 😊 that we have famous tourist spot. It is also a nice walking path in that area.
I usually tell people that they should go see the statue, but not so much for the statue itself, but rather for the nice walk along the harbor. Or I suggest they take a guided canal tour where they always stop close to the statue. Then you can cross it off of your list. Whether the statue is really worth seeing is difficult for me to assess as a Copenhagener, because I have often heard people point out nice things about Copenhagen that I never really thought about or appreciated myself, so I understand that I wouldn't know how others would perceive it. For someone visiting the Little Mermaid can either be wonderful or a shrug of the shoulders.
As a dane, I would reccomend like 20 other sights before that statue. The harbour tour advice is the best.
So true. It really is little. I don’t have a personal relationship with the statue but I recognize it as a landmark that attracts tourists and for that reason I think it’s got its own value. By the way, I have visited the statue in Philly back in 19something something and that city has a great vibe.
I'm Danish, and I seen it a couple of times in my life.
I would say its nice to see. But I do think it will be more interesting if one knows about the story or the author behind the story some, before seeing the little mermaid statue.
Other then that, its part of the danish family.
I saw this statue when I was 13. (I’m now 48) We left Turkey 🇹🇷 for Florida in a Volvo station wagon for what felt like a 6 month road trip. I was 13... I just wanted to get home to Florida! 🤣 One of the things I have fond memories of is this statue. (However, my child brain remembers her as bigger than she actually is) There must be a ferry somewhat close by because I remember taking our car on it to get to our next destination. Out if nowhere today I decided to look up the history of this statue and Here I Am! 😬 Turkey to Scotland to West Canada to Florida. That was one hell of a road trip!
3:39 nah, it's because you have to make a template in another material before you can make the real one. It's is a copy but it's the real one and the other one is not. It's the same with Tordenskjold at Helsingør castle - Kronborg, there is also a template to that, think it was out in the media that some hotel got it somewhere on Strandvejen. That do not make the statues copies as such though in some way they are. All statues of that type are made like this, though it's not that often the templates still exist.
6:43 sure they come in big numbers, btw if possible you should come when the cherry trees are blossoming. Anyway, I do hear some tourist being kind of disappointed that it actually is little, as they expected something like the Statue of Liberty!
ah, you mentioned the cherry blossoms later in the video.
I think she is a beautiful mermaid, very well done, and attracting people from all over the world. She has her own history as well. Jan, Denmark
9:55 but with the canal boat, you will only see it from behind, but I think one of them you can sail from Nyhavn and then see the harbor the Little Mermaid then end the trip close by.
For me national symbols that Im proud of are Roskilde Cathedral representing the worlds oldest monarchy still ruling. Especially Queen Margareth I. And of course the Jelling Stones.
The little mermaid is a bit like Manneken Pis in Bruxelles, something when you have seen it once - you have seen it
What though might make Manneken Pis in Bruxelles more popular is that its like any fashion diva has hundreds of sets of clothes. So you never know what it wears
Of course it's a must see! But there are other mermaids in CPH that are even more impressive - like the one at the Black Diamond.
Oh, haven’t seen that mermaid yet. Will definitely have to check it out - plus it’s a gorgeous building and spot in the city 😃🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting Love that building! Speaking of architecture: I'd love to see a vlog from you guys on all the iconic buildings on Amager Island. 8 tallet, VM houses, The Mountain, the Royal Arena etc. I don't know any other city with that many architectural highlights.
I'm a Dane and you pretty much summed up my feelings on The Little Mermaid; I think the original fairy tale is more important as a cultural... something. But I like the statue well enough. And I think it's a good thing to have the statue so readily available for political action. It provides a safe way for peole to react that won't actually hurt anyone and you can definitely send important messages with maybe a little more oomph than writing an angry letter to Politiken.
Nice to see… I’m from Denmark 🇩🇰
Hej Anna, we're glad you enjoyed the video 😀🇩🇰
There is also on in the Kastrup Airport now.
I adore the Little Mermaid!
I'm Danish....she is part of our history, as well, as our literature.
I realise that most Danes are fairly meh about her! but don't you dare touch her, move her or deface her! then the Danes will get their ire up!!
I take my visiting friends on a canal trip, bc you can see her in her element and it gives you Copenhagen, from the water 😉 best of both worlds!
Also a (really small 1 foot copy ) on Sct. Thomas. Right next to the Cruise Ships.
She's almost the perfect representation of Janteloven lol. An amazing thing really, not so much disappointing as anti-climactic for me - when we're used to big spectacles being made out of landmarks and statues elsewhere - I think there was a Pølsevogn nearby and 3 coach-loads of tourists looking lost and a few of us (Danes) giggling at their bemusement. Ultimately she's inoffensive - well a puritan FB aside. We'll look forward to seeing you lads on the mainland once the time comes.
Loved Your video :-) ! Pas på jer selv! Hilsen fra Valby :-) :-) !!
I have only seen her once when I was i kid, I wanted to see her because of the story. I think seh is somthing to see, because of her story, and what makes her great is that she is just a pretty teenage girl in love looking at the sea, she dose not pose, like look at me! She dose not have to be big, to be great. Kinda like Denmark ... ;-)
Sorry forgot, I am from Jylland.
I think you're missing an important bit of context about the statue: It was used as a deliberate ploy by the Danish tourist organization to brand Denmark. It had never been seen as anything special by the Danes, but it was discovered, especially right after World War II, that foreigners were really attracted to the idea of the peaceful, innocent "fairy tale country", so the Little Mermaid was used heavily in promotion because it played into that image.
But of course leaning into that kind of stereotype always seems a bit gross when you're a Dane. Denmark isn't any more innocent or pure than any other country - which is probably why the statue has been the target of so much political activism.
Dane here...
I know its bad, but i have never seen her IRL.
Have not had the time, when im in kbh.
It's nice to see her, but I think you're right in not prioritizing her (even when in KBH). I recommend something with real national importance like Kongernes Jelling, the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde or even touring Christianborg while in KBH to friends who are visiting.
@@RobeTrotting Personally, I do not think many Danes bother to look at her because she is so "ordinary" in our eyes ...
Conversely, I understand well that tourists, from countries that may not have the same view of nudity, find it "naughty / exciting" to look at the "naked woman" at the water's edge.
I can easily imagine that a picture of her in the photo album, can become a topic of conversation when sitting and discussing holiday pictures, because even though we have a rather loose relationship with the naked body, (just look at advertisements for breasts, on the city buses, or the advertisements for sex toys for adults), - then we do not like strangers standing and taking pictures on the beach.
maybe a bit double-minded, but hey ... we are Danes .. right ??
Hej med jer.
Ja jeg skriver på dansk, da jeg ikke er den bedste til at skrive engelsk. 😆
Jeg følger jeres video med glæde. Det er sjovt at høre hvordan I opfatter os. Denne video omkring den lille havfrue er rigtig fin, men syntes at det havde været ekstra godt, hvis I havde startet ved Gefionspringvandet og cyklet ved voldene og langs Langelinie. Da det er en smuk tur, og kønnere udsigt enden den vi ser over på med skorsten og andet (smukt)😂😂😂.
Jeg syntes I er et par dejlige fyre, som også kan lære mig noget om København. Jeg bor i Jylland, og er derfor ikke super kendt på mange af de steder i fortæller om. Derfor får jeg som dansker også noget ud af jeres forslag
Jeg har forslag til nogle besøg I kunne tage til her i Jylland. Der er bl. andet Dollerup bakker som er virkelig smuk.
Har I ikke været i Ebeltoft var det også et smukt sted. Jeg har set jeres video fra Den gamle by, men syntes I skulle tage og vise en video af de statister der er der for at gøre den mere levende og som kan fortælle noget om tiden. Det kan være at der I oplevede det da I var der men det fremgår ikke af jeres Video.
Endnu engang tak for jeres videoer, glæder ligetil at følge jer fremover.
Rigtig god dag til jer. 😊
med venlig hilsen Vivian
Also it Got us two giant pandas too Copenhagen Zoo
Which is a pretty good trade-off haha.
I have an idea! If you ever visit malmö or want to make a video about malmö/Cphgn, one interesting fact is that we just got “havsprinsen”. A prince looking for the mermaid across the sound. 🇩🇰🇸🇪🥰😘
I live in Copenhagen, and i actually never visited the little mermaid until my wife from Peru moved to Denmark with me 😅
Yeah I think its "must see" statue.
Its a landmark afterall.
Same as a trip to Tivoli and Nyhavn, if you come to copenhagen as a turist spend the few hours, they are all within walking distance.
Start at the statue, walk to nyhavn and finish the day at the amusement park. Sounds like a good day to me :)
- From Nørrebro :)
I often hear tourist complain about the size about "The little Mermaid"" :-( ! It's in the "EFFEING" name! What part of "Little Mermaid", do tourists not understand ? The sculpture was created by Edvard Eriksen. His Wife actually created her own version, witch can bee seen outside The "Black Diamond" (A.K.A The Royal Danish Library ) ;-) ! As always, Good job, guys ;-) !
Right!?!? It's so funny, but Americans especially expect everything to be big and overstated to be important haha. Even something with "little" clearly in the title. We had no idea Elin Eriksen has her own version - definitely going to go see it! Thanks for watching and the supportive comments - we really appreciate it and God Påske 😀
If you do come by? Ask if Security officer 201 is at work ? Or leave a number (or email), and I'll show you around :-) ! BTW! Expect Elins version to be much much smaller ;-) (Outside: Southwest corner of "The Black Diamond"). Og God Påske til jer ;-) !
I wasn't gonna put an actual Country on it ;-) .But yeah! Everything is bigger in the US :-D !
I thought that statue was made by Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen rather than by Elin? or are there multiple mermaid statues around the black diamond?
Calling it a statue is maybe a little overstatement :-), or what? (it is very small). But no. There is only that one (around the Black Diamond). Just googled it! Your totally right. It's a copy of the artist you mentioned. My BAD :-(
im from usa but my family is from denmark and i've got a pic with it
Nice! Hopefully you get to visit a lot 😊🇩🇰
Nice episode about the little mermaid that we like to show to tourist. You shoud maybee also do the big mermaid, on the other side that have a revolving fish restaurent in the head...
Mike's hair reminds me of Kramer on Jerry Seinfeld lol
Jeg kommer fra Danmark🇩🇰🇩🇰
I haven't seen the statue, and i have been danish my whole life.
The one in Copenhagen airport was all we saw for a while.
@@RobeTrotting To be honest - the real deal is quiet underwhelming. The history is not.
Yes she is pretty, and I think every Dane has to see her at least once. But there are many other landmarks that make me feel more patriotic like the Jelling Stones or Dybbøl Mølle.. 😁🇩🇰
Fully agree with you - both are good ideas for videos for when we take at trip to Jylland .
I admit I went to see the Rocky statue, when I visited Philadelphia. But I agree it was pretty underwhelming compared to the much more impressive museum.
We admit that it's pretty cool, but like... there's a Picasso 200 meters away haha.
She reminds me of Plymouth Rock. It's just a small Little Rock.
I will never understand why ppl get shocked . when they see she is not a big statue
We couldn't agree more Jørgen, it's so funny - just read the name people! haha
It's not an original Carlsberg. But it is brewed with the original yeast.
Ah, ok that makes more sense. Just the marketing of the label.
I've never had any real expression about any statue. They're nice to look at but it's just artwork to me.
Vi skulle være mere stolte af H.C.Andersen, han var af kød og blod, og konstant misforstået, lidt ligesom i dag. Men tak for jer 2.
3:16 back then it was kind of normal for older men to have much younger wife though. Often younger men didn't have the time or the money to marry so they had to wait till they were older, and the younger women wanted an established man that gave them economical safety.
I'm a dane and think the little mermaid is meh...
But I really like your videos. They are very well researched and very well put together 🙂
Tusind tak! Agree she is pretty meh, but has a good story to share! Glad you enjoy the videos - we love diving deep into the history!
As a dane, the little mermaid is not that important. I think the H. C. Andersen museum in Odense, is more valuable, and gives you a better idea about who the writer was, and how he lived his life.
Sure the little mermaid statue is nice, but it is just a statue, and is useually, just used for turist to take photos with, without leraning about the beautiful history behind.
Mermaid - Meh. You guys videos - fun. Dane here ;)
See it from the water.
If you want to see the little mermaid, do not use a tourist bus. You should instead spend an afternoon enjoying a walk from Nyhavn along the harbor to the little mermaid and back.
Absolutely! It's such a nice walk and it's a very quaint part of the city 😃
A dane here! We really dont like to brag about our stuff, as it just dosent lie in our culture. But yeah its a 'meh' from me...
I can promise you, if anyone goes after our mermaid, it's war!
That's all well and good but WHAT IS SHE HOLDING????
you dident tell the whole ending of the little mermaid, she becoms a sister of the wind whom have to help peapole for 100 yers to get a soul and get in to heaven.
The Little Mermaid will disappoint you. It's small, sitting a few feet from the shore, and the industrial buildings in the background will ruin any magical feelings you might have had. I guess it's like viewing the pyramids from the wrong angle
Haha agree - or it’s as if the pyramids were 3 meters high and in a strip mall
If you are interested in ww2, go visit Hanstholm.
I am a little embarrassed to say. As a dane. I have never seen The little mermaid..
🇩🇰 I bliver bedre til dansk.
Jeg har set den lille havfrue én gang, hun var smuk, og et dansk landemærke, men som i siger, meeh
🇬🇧/🇺🇸 you guise are getting better at Danish.
I've seen the little mermaid once, she is beautiful and a Danish landmark, but, as you say, meeh... 😁
Dane...been there, done that, tried it, have the T-shirt.......Naaa...no -shirt...
Élie barbur whish you
Ad 120 youre curageos
Sooooo ... The ONLY reason for you guys to make this video, was for you to be able to drink on camera, right? ^^