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- » i». t‘hr llnnshurg Castle, Copenhagen. where A. HOME AND COUNTRY C.W.W. iieeuugs Were held. (Continued from page 5) feasible and necessary to deal with agricultural surpluses. It aflirmed its sympathy with the basic principles of the international wheat agreements. “At the election of officers, Mrs. Sayre was reelected President by ac- clamation. Eight viceâ€"presidents were chosen, of whom I, as President of F.\\’. , , was one. The others came from 'idely separated areas of the world. The other officers are resident in or near England, where the central office is presently located. “Social functions were wonderfully planned and carried out. The gracious patronage of the Danish Royal Fam~ ily set a very high stande for the Conference. The glowing beauty of the red and white flags and flowers used so lavishly bring back to us all a picture of loveliness that we will never forget. We have invited the Conference to come to Canada in 1953. I wonder if we can equal the Danes in hospitality? “Was it worth while to take such a group of women from their homes, across continent and ocean at such an outlay of money and time? Could this money have been spent to better ad- vantage at home, be it South Africa or Canada? The answer is 'No’. It has been said that without vision the people perish, and we have come to realize that our responsibilities are not only to our own Country, but that on our efforts, the future of the world depends. “’2 are a heterogeneous people: our culture has its roots in all the countries of the world. Let us guard this heritage from the past, and treasure what it has brought to us; and let us turn our eyes and thoughts toward the future”. Delicacies of Denmark An article on the A.C.W.W. dele- gates' ten-day visit in Denmark would not be complete without special men- tion of those Danish delicaciesifood, hospitality and manners. Although Denmark is austerer ra- tioned in many commodities, the foreign visitor receives the best in Danish culinary arts because Danes are excellent cooks and the foreign Visitor provides a good excuse to make the larder groan once more. With restrained modesty the Danes pride themselves’on the food they serve, the foreign languages they speak and the cozy homes they keep. The stranger is made to feel so welcome in the Danish home that one could imagine that these people had always been friends. The delegates realized the truth of the expression, “A stranger is a friend you haven't met yet,” for everywhere they had met “friends”, Many of the delegates were guests in the homes of Danish members for the duration of the Conference, but on Saturday night at the close of the sessions every delegate and visitor registered had a taste of that re- nowned hospitality. They had a full evening.r within the family circle of those cozy Danish homes. when invited to a Danish home it is customary to take with one or send beforehand a few flowers. On enter- ing one begins by saying, "Thank you for inviting me". Even though the in- vitation is just for the evening and not for dinner, the guests 5 ortly after entering are invited to the din- ing room for food: then again food is served in the living room later in the evening. Always, on arising from the table, one says, "Thank you for the food”. On departing after the even~ ing is over, it is “Thank you for the evening” and on next meeting, it is “Thank you for the last time we were together”. (One courtesy report at a Danish Women’s Institute meet- ing would never do!) Shakinx.Y hands is another custom entered into ‘with great gusto’. It is not unusual for ladies to stand up and shake hands when introduced and it is not con- sidered bad form for a man to reâ€" main seated when a lady enters the room. It is considered impolite to leave food on one's plate and, when people are asked to dinner, the host and hostess might think the party un- successful if the guests left before midnight. Breakfast in a Danish home is usu- ally cofiee and an assortment of rolls. both sweet and plain. It may include uncooked oatmeal, a soft-cooked egg, marmalade and pastry. Lunch con- sists of “Smiirre'brfid”, (open»face sandwiches), the national dish. Rye bread is the favourite base for these sandwiches and shrimp, herring, smoked salmon, or thinly sliced roast beef, the favourite top. They are taste- fully garnished with parsley, thin, twisted cucumber slices, onion slices or rings of tomato. Dessert is cheese or a pastry. Coffee is served after everything else is taken away, There is never any hurry or flurry about Danish meals. Dinner is quite similar to the Canadian dinner and is served about six or seven o’clock. Vegetables are not used by the Danish people as much as their nutritionists would have them. Danish specialties include "Riidgrdd med Flode", or “SEdsuppe” made from strained red-coloured fruit (usu- ally raspberries), thickened with flour and served with rich cream; “Able- skiver", a Danish variety of dough- nut, and “Klejner”, made from dough- nut dough cut in a diamond shape with one half the diamond slit and knotted; “Kransekage”, a special Danish pastry built up in beautifully decorated tiers and used at weddings. christenings and birthdays: “Lage~ kage", like a thin sponge cake in sevâ€" eral layers with cream filling; “Gear- in; Cakes", so named only because Coering always ate them; "Viner~ brad" or bread from Vienna. With all these delicacies available and the overwhelmin insistence of the kind hearted Danish hostesses, it was no wonder some had to loosen belts because of excess ‘avoirdupoia’i It is easily understood why Danish countrywomen have a tendency to be 'chubby’. Rural Denmark To add to the enjoyment of the delegates several tours were arranged through rural Denmark immediately following the Conference. On that sunn Sunday, September 17, North Zeald’nd, a province in Denmark. really measured up to its reputation us a fertile. productive agricultural country. Crops were excellent. fruit trees were laden and those Danish pigs and cattle really looked as though they could rowdo the finest bacon and dairy pro nets in the world. The forms were small and the neat, scrupulously clean farm buildings were. in general, grouped in a square around a cobblestone courtyard. Not a weed could be seen. The thatched houses with their stuccocd walls in white. yellow or pink provuled an artistic background for the lush, vividly-coloured flowers attractively grouped in the perennial borders. In two or three places a stork's nest could be seen picturesquely built on top of a thatched cottage. No wonder the chimney pots have hip-roofed cow ers so no stork could no trespassmgl At F‘redericksborg Castle. a perfect gem in Renaissance architecture, the art treasures of Denmark were seen. Beautiful oil paintings, tapestries, glass, silver, furniture, and carved and ornater decorated ceilings he- spoke the wealth and antiquity of Danish culture. In the kinvz's audi- ence chamber the king’s chair was peacefully reposing in a 300-yearâ€"old elevator shaft. This is reputed to be the oldest elevator in the world and was installed in order that the king could be raised and lowered into the room at his bidding. What a con- venient way to be relieved of bother- some courtiers and ambassadors! This castle, built by King Christian IV in the early 16th century was a royal residence until after a fire in 1859 destroyed nearly all the interior. It was restored and made a national historical museum in 1884. Until 1840 all Danish kings were crowned in the exquisitely beautiful chapel within the castle walls. With its red walls, its proud towers and its deep moat it gives a picture of the royal pomp of earlier days. Fredensborg Castle. a few miles further along the route, was quite a different. type of structure. Built in Italian baroque style it dates from 1720 and still is one of the king’s residences. It was in this residence that King Christian IX, dubbed the "father-in-law of all Europe", enter- tained his illustrious relations, among whom were several reigning mon- archs. (King Christian IX had five children: (1) Queen Alexandra, wife of ‘King Edward VII of England, (2) Prince Frederick, who later became King Frederick VIII of Denmark, (3) Prince Vilhelm who became King of Greece in 1863 under the name of George I, (4) Princess Dagmar, wife of the Czar of Russia, Alexander HI, (5) Princess Thyra, wife of Duke August of Cumberland,â€"â€"of the House of Hanover.) At Elsinore, the castle stronghold of Hamlet fame, Kronborg Castle, was breath-taking in its beauty and maj- esty. Here could be seen the ram- parts along which Hamlet’s father's ghost is reputed to have walked. Here also were the banquet hall, the huge fireplaces and the ornate chapel, heav- Overseue Tour Issue J ily curved and decorated in blue gold. In the cobblestone courtyiirig famous Shakeaparinn players from all over the world come each year to re. reduce the play. Hamlet. in this orig. inal setting. The count of Sweden was seen very clearly across the sound from Elsinore. From Elsinore to Hnl. singborg on the Swedish coast it takes only 20 minutes by ferry. Kronber Castle, the finest Rennie. sance cast e in Northern Europe, was arech in the 15th century as ,. stronghold to dominate the narrow body of water divrding the Baltic and North Seas and to force all passing ships to pay the toll or sound duug_ These sound duea were, for 600 years, of great importance to Denmark's in. come. Kronherg iu_now nn ofllccrs' academy and contains a commercinl and maritime museum. In the town of Elsinore the old com. mercial houses from the Middle Ages were seen. Their elegant fronts were a symbol of the wealth of thosr- former days. At Elsinore, too, is the famous In» ternntional Peoples College to Whirl] students come from all over the world This school aims to foster an inter. national fellowship in which the sill dent finds it possible to appreciate and yet to surmount the diil'crences of nationality. Along Stradvejen. the Danish Rive cm, on the drive back to Copenhaqen, groups of fishing vessels could in seen out in the beautiful. blue Baltii and beside the shore fishing nets won strung up to dry. Near Copenhagen is another royal palace, where tlu‘ king's father was a voluntary prisonvi for two years during German occupur tion. This palace has never been uswl since by the Royal family. After a delightful evening at th. Danish opera, to which the King and Queen came, the delegates were loath to pack up their bags ready to leavi- the charming city of Copenhagen During the week that had fleeted by. much had happened in the lives in the delegates. Now it was a incur cryâ€"but it was a glorious memory for it was to influence markedly tliv future thoughts and actions not only of the delegates attending the Copcnv hagen Conference, but also those fiw and a half million women with whoiw the delegates would come in contai-i back home. Bright and early the delegate- started out on their two-day visit in the district and branch groups of the Danish Country Women’s Organiznr tions. Many buses were lined up out. side Christiansborg Castle to take the A.C.W.W. delegates out on their counr try tour. Each bus went its assigned way to visit a special district and delegates were arranged so that rope resentatives from several countries were occuping each bus. This pro, vided a further opportunity to mInL'lL' wrth country women of many nations The personal contact and insight into the farm and home life of the people of rural Denmark was an en» riching and ever-to-be-remembered experience. Lasting friendships were established and much was learned from the Danish way of life. Particur Kronborg Castle at Elsinoreâ€"0f Hamlet Fame.