On day two of my four day long weekend in Denmark, I decided to take the train to the city of Odense. This city is the birth place of author Hans Christian Andersen. I did not have time to wait for any restaurants to open at 10am, so instead I munched on a tasty vegan cranberry oat bar for breakfast.

After my quick breakfast, I rushed to the train station to catch the train to Odense. Although it is the third largest city in Denmark, the old parts of town still remind one of days gone by with its picturesque streets and architecture.

The first item on my day’s agenda was a visit to the vegetarian(mainly vegan) bread bakery “Det Gode Brod” (Det Gode Brod Bread Bakery). The bread shop bakery offers both savory and sweet breads and a few pastries. There is only one vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurant Kaernehuset (Kaernehuset) in town that is not open on Sundays.

I purchased a sweet bread of figs,dates, apricots, and spelt for my breakfast and a savory bread made of spinach, spelt, kamut, sprouts, and oats for my mid-day lunch. My other purchase was the fig, date, and apricot energy ball for a light snack. Everything tasted so freshly baked, nutritious, and delicious!

I walked through the quaint alleyways and narrow, cobblestone streets across the town center.

Finally, I made my way to my destination: The Hans Christian Andersen Museum and Birth Home. The fairy tale author is a favorite son of Denmark.

The H.C. Andersen Museum brings the tourist through the period of world history that took place during his lifetime. Inventions and political scenarios of that age are also part of the exhibit halls. Hans Christian Andersen’s belongings, such as his boots, dentures, awards, and original copies of his books are displayed.

The museum exhibits also tell of Hans life from childhood to famous author. Even personal belongings such as Andersen’s dentures, passport, and international travel purchases are part of the exhibit.

Upon exiting the museum building, one can enter Andersen’s birth home. The small rooms were decorated with simple furniture from the time period. He came from a poor family that did not own the home, but lived with relatives.

The quaint cobblestone street was lined with colorful, small homes from the 19th century.

Further in the town center, I found St. Canute’s Church where young H.C. was confirmed as a Christian.

The other Andersen home in town is the house where he spent his childhood from age two until his teens.

The family of H.C. Andersen lived in one small room of the house with a few families that shared the remaining rooms.

After spending the afternoon immersed in the history of one of the world’s finest fairy tale authors, it was time to head back to Copenhagen by train. Though evening and darkness had arrived, I just had to fit in some time to visit the infamous Little Mermaid statue. My walk took me quite a distance by the edge of the waterfront. The statue is on every tourist’s itinerary, as it is based on the title of an H.C. Andersen fairy tale story.

My walk back to the metro brought me through the gorgeous Nyhavn waterfront. Pretty colorful restaurants and shops dotted the harbor.

I took the subway to Cafe N(Cafe N) in another part of Copenhagen. The vegetarian/vegan-friendly restaurant offers a variety of sandwiches, desserts, and juices.

For my main entree, I selected the veggie burger made of grains and vegetables. It was absolutely fabulous!

My beverage was a raw juice of vegetables and fruit.

For dessert, I selected the vegan chocolate mousse topped with vanilla creme. It was superb! I highly recommend Cafe N to any vegan visitor in town!

The second day of my Denmark vacation had come to an end. My visit to the Hans Christian Andersen homes was truly memorable, as was my evening walk around town to visit the city landmarks! It was time to call it a night, with eager anticipation of the next day’s itinerary at Fredericksborg Castle in Hillerod!