When you're hanging out around Aalborg...

Hi everyone!

Today I’ll show you some “spots” close or inside the city of Aalborg that you can visit if you want (I’m sure you’re curious, so…).  

Okay, firstly I’ll talk about the Kunsten Museum of modern art, situated close to the centre. Actually, it’s the perfect area to have a look at weird things! It’s not like classic museums at all: in most cases you’ll find works of art about modern issues in society, like slave trading or wars worldwide. For instance, when I visited the museum, there was an exhibition made by Imran Qureshi, a Pakistanis artist, about wars in his own country and its consequences on people’s lives. As you can see, the artist has created a large mountain of 30,000 pieces of crumpled red paper for the main gallery of the museum. He wanted to denounce the growing number of people who still die because of an unjust and violent war. This kind of art permits to figure out some global issues in the world and could raise any questions in people’s mind.

Denouncing a particular issue...

... or giving a funny view of life ! That's the way we like modern art museums !

Moreover you should visit the Aalborg Zoo. Even if this zoo is pretty small, going there to have a good time with your friends is a great plan. You can discover animals from tropical countries you’ve never seen before like, for my part, orang-utans or coatis. But if you’re enough curious you can just learn some little stories about the animals. I think it was a fun experience to go there, especially when we caressed the goats (be careful, don’t trust them!).

She's trying to tell me something...

Goats are my new friends !

It looks like savannah.

However, I think the most inevitable place in Aalborg is Sogaards Bryghus. Actually it’s a restaurant in the Aalborg’s centre where you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner in a great atmosphere. This spot is well-known for both its craft beers and tasting meat. I decided to eat there when my parents came to Aalborg in March, and I really enjoyed it; I guess you got it by seeing the pictures… Beyond that the employees were very friendly and cooked with a talented way.

So tasty !

What a dessert !

By the way I’ll never forget the Mortens Kro Restaurant. On the one hand this restaurant is situated below a small glass tower, thus it’s so easy to find it out when you visit the city ! On the other hand, just look at the pictures… And enjoy your meal! No joke, in this restaurant, gastronomy is considered for modern art. Actually your plate is like a wonderful painting. I shared this culinary experience with my family and obviously it was one of my best moments in Aalborg.

Quail egg.

I can't describe it...

Fresh  fish.

Finally you’ll find out many events at Nordkraft cultural centre, which is situated in the old power station. For instance Nordkraft Theatre is one of the most spectacular theatres in Denmark, as they produce new and challenging art scenes in a mix of both genres, nationalities and decades. For my part I haven’t been there, but surely I was wrong because I think it’s always enriching to have a look at both representations and spectacles in a foreign country, in order to figure out the Danish point of view in the culture field. Moreover in this cultural building you can play tennis table or foosball for fun and you’ll find some restaurants. Given that the cultural centre is close to Aalborg University, many students don’t hesitate to have a good time there; actually it’s a meeting place where it’s easy to get to know some people.

Other places you shouldn’t miss (or rather I shouldn’t miss…):

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 Musikkens Hus: into a stunning building you can listen to an orchestra consisting of 65 skilled musicians giving about 200 concerts every year. I recommend this place for classic music fans.  

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Restaurant Provence: you’ll find French specialities with typical traditions, music and gastronomy in a great atmosphere. Even if I haven’t been there, I think it could be interesting to see the way that Danish cook French meal.

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Springeren Museum: it’s a maritime museum; a main part of the museum is outside and you can visit the insides of a big submarine. 

   

      Thank you for reading !

      

      Olivier.

Denmark with Lorianne and Alexis

Lorianne.

A matter of ethic

This is clearly a highly topical issue of major importance, but let there be no illusions that it is also a difficult and controversial one that has generated a broad variety of opinions, analyses and comments. Today I will talk a little bit about political issues in Denmark. I wish to revisit this topic today, due to its currency and importance to the business you are in.

As you maybe already know, on January 26 of 2016, the Folketing adopted a legislative package containing amendments that alter the Danish legislation on asylum and immigration. The changes were supported by a broad majority in the Danish Parliament, including the Social Democratic Party. The amendments in question were strongly criticized in the press and the European Parliament . These criticisms focused their restrictive nature to discourage the influx of asylum seekers in Denmark. Among the most contested measures, even the most publicized, included those relating to the ability to seize assets of asylum seekers (value and cash items) having a value greater than 10,000 kroner (1,400 euros) and those for curing the right to family reunification. "The most evil bill including the history of Denmark", said the Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lokken Liberal Rasmussen responding to critics who were already circulating before the approval of measures in the Danish Parliament.

The approved law gives authorities the right to search the luggage and clothing of the applicants to retain the assets they have to cover the expenses of their welcome and their stay until their applications processed since "those who can help themselves should not be helped by the state. "

Other restrictive measures concern the criteria to obtain a permanent residence permit, reducing the duration of refugee status (from 5 years to 2 years), the abolition of the right to housing outside of camps for couples with children and finally the tightening of rules which disciplined the condition for acquiring a residence permit.

Anyway, the LIBE Committee said that even if a country constrained by legislative instruments , including the confiscation of property and other interventions at the same time stressed that the unilateral (selfish view )will be a factor of fragmentation of European policies on asylum, by removing the path to a common solution. The danger is especially that of seeing other countries in the region to adopt such measures. Indeed, measures of this type already exist in Switzerland (but... as I should remind... it is not part of the European Union).

Several voices were raised against the amendments. The Amnesty International, the Danish Institute for Human Rights  and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) accuse the Danish country to foster fear and xenophobia.

Because the confiscation of property is rather a symbolic act, to discourage the arrival of new applicants. 

But, on the other hand, the Danish government then sponsored the new measures by publishing an advertisement on a popular Lebanese newspaper (the Lebanon currently hosts about 1 million Syrian refugees). The announcement stressed that Denmark had reduced social benefits relating to refugees, providing that those who benefit from the status in question would have to wait at least one year so that it can access the right to family reunification, the residence permit “n” would have been granted that those who already speak Danish and finally that applicants subject to a refusal of protection would have been sent directly to their countries of origin.

We should bear in mind that Denmark hosted 21,500 refugees in 2015 and there are 25,000 expected in 2016. According to the Minister of Immigration, the country is among the 10 European countries that host the most refugees per capita.

The Danish case shows that what is called the "refugee crisis" has now become a crisis in Europe, which is facing now with nationalist tendencies and his populist countries and unilateral solutions that evoke a past that “n”statue, is not too far sometimes to a failure to find a common solution, never accomplished solution still further.

But as long as I was living in Denmark, I can assert that I have quite never seen any tramp staying outside (hopefully... because it is way too cold to do so). We can suppose that should show that Denmark has better integrated its refugees than other European such as France (or even Sweden where I have seen many tramps in Malmô and Gôteborg). Furthermore, the Danish government suspends the “social advantages” for them... but we should keep in mind as well, that the normal social advantages are quite significant. For example, nobody has to pay the doctor  visits. But this is permitted by high contribution taxes.

When I heard French people talking about this topic, they widely criticised Denmark for being a “racist” and “selfish” country. But they forgot to balance their criticisms with the benefits of the “good integration policy”. This may be due because they have never been there to see the  standard of living for real.

Eventually, emigration measures still being a matter of ethic and economic opportunities as well. But maybe, if the country hasn't yet the accommodations to host the refugees and career opportunities, it may be fare to declare those points through “not ethical emigration measures”. Mostly if it is a Northern country where you can settle outside more than one month during summer time. But given the global tremendous emergency of hosting refugees : “are, those last arguments, enough for ignoring the  European and worldwide solidarity ?”

Lorianne.