Denmark, the general idea II

Thanks to Ricardo Diogo for bringing this up:

http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/denmark/pages/dk-minority-symbols-007.htm

Denmark, the general idea I

Ok, so I've been living in Denmark for about three months now, which means, I should already have a pretty good picture of what this place is like. But you won't like my description. If you're danish, I recommend you turn away from this site, unless you are open minded and strong enough to swallow what I'm about to say.

And, of course, my apologies to the notable exceptions I know. Because even in the dirt you can find gold.

I thought that a lot of the things in my own country were retarded and pure stupidity. But as I came to find out, a lot here is even worse. So far I fail to see how does this country hold up with a strong economy. My only theory so far is that this country does so many things wrong that they end up canceling each other, you know, two wrongs make a right.

So, by topics, what have I found out about this country, bad things first:

1. People here are racist. Yes, they are. Both people and corporations. Even when girls dig you, when they realize you're not danish, they turn away. For some of them it's enough that you are not danish, even if you speak danish. If you are not danish and don't speak danish, you're basically screwed and not in the way you probably wanted to be.
2. Companies are racist. Yes, they are racist. Even though you live in Denmark, pay danish taxes, work and abide by the law, you have no right to, for example, engage in applying for mobile broadband. Because they will not accept your CPR Number (a citizen number). I had my residence permit, my citizen number, my taxes in order and I was refused a mobile broadband contract for not being danish.
3. The myth about danish people being efficient is utter crap. Streets are as dirty as anywhere, restaurants are disgusting (workplace hygiene is something danish people are years away from mastering).
4. Bathrooms have no bathtubs or shower separation. I hate that. Water runs everywhere in the bathroom floor disregarding the curtain existence.
5. Danish people are rude and are oblivious to the existence of something called politeness.
6. The transportation system, even though 50% of the times has a very low schedule miss rate, is a complete mess and extremely time wasting.
7. Danish people are very happy to lie to you, whoever you are.
8. Stores always round the change in their favor, ripping you off a few ore or kronner at a time.
9. Taxis are twice as expensive as in Portugal.
10. Taxes are way high.
11. Beautiful girls everywhere. This is bad. Distracts you from your work.
12. Public transportation charging system is a mess and far away from being flexible and efficient. I miss the Portuguese Andante system (in place in Porto).
    
13. Stores close very soon in the day, you don't even have time to get off work and go to the store.
14. Even shopping centers close soon and they're mostly closed in the weekend.
15. Even if you don't drink beer, you have, in most of the bars, pay for it and carry your cup around.
16. The car taxes result in you paying twice the car value when you buy one.
17. There is no real freedom of speech due to the racist and xenophobic mentality of the danes. They all say bad things about their political law system, but when any one non-danish expresses his or her opinion about it, they immediately turn into strike mode and bash you. Every one can have an opinion, and the right to express it, as far as I believe. What people don't have is the right to impose or force their opinions into any body's mind. Danish people are like so. The most ridiculous part of it is when you are a foreigner but you still abide by danish law. They still bash you like if you committed a crime. I pay my taxes, I follow the rules, I work. Why shouldn't I be entitled to have and express an opinion? If I didn't follow the rules... ok, then I guess I'd be hypocritical if I expressed an opinion. But I do follow them.
18. The street stop lights policy is extremely dangerous both to pawns and other cars.
19. Danish food tastes really bad, half of the recipes taste like rotten food.
20. The language is extremely hard to learn, as it's based on exceptions and not on rules.
21. Denmark is mainly opt-out for every policy of the UE.
22. Everyone's drunk by 20:00 everyday. Even us Portuguese people are more responsible.
23. Gangs, Nazi bars.
    
24. Danish landlords are even more irresponsible than the Portuguese ones.
25. They don't know how to make good pizza (the next to good pizzas sold here are made by non-danish people).
    
26. It's not all, but I'll add new things as I remember.

Now the good things:

1. Taxis accept credit cards and are GPS equipped.
2. Lots of caviar.
3. The decent danish people here realize the stupidity of the rest of the country and are fighting their ass off to earn enough to move some other country. I came to know more than one danish person that has visited Portugal and seen it for a long time and actually would prefer to live there.
4. Gellygum sold everywhere.
5. Lots of friendly, polite, interesting and helpful immigrants - like Romanians, Spanish, Polish, etc. (Thanks André for remembering me this one).
   
6. I would say "beautiful girls", but, you see, this place works like a strip club, you can see, but you can't touch... because they're racist.
7. Chicken sticks.
8. Ramt I Natten.
9. Mew
   
10. Flights to Portugal.
    
11. can't remember anymore.

That said, I'll be more than happy when time comes for me to go back to Portugal.

Fun stuff

"Russia, the number one source for weapons-grade jailbait."

(I don't think the guy who said this ever came to Denmark.)

A tribute to Lolcats

Credits

Momento Zen: Live your life

"Better to live one day to fuck, than a whole life to be fucked.

So live your life as if each day was the only one."