Bicycles dominate the city of Copenhagen. More folks bike to work than drive cars, by a long shot. Tourist beware, because stepping into a bike lane could get you a scolding or bruising. Walk with your head on a swivel, and you’ll be just fine.
Once off the bikes these tall, fair-skinned Vikings look straight ahead and avoid eye contact. Marilynn feels right at home with her Scandinavian background, while I stare up and study every face. This be the land of long-legged women!
Denmark used to be ranked as the happiest country in the world. Currently it’s ranking dropped to number two behind Finland. All the Scandinavian counties dominate the top of the happiness rankings. Some say this is due to the free health care, free education, and more free time from work for family and friends.
Nine out of ten Danes are happy to pay the extra taxes for these benefits. It has also been said that Danes are very trusting. They don’t show off or boast, and in fact, embrace “being average.” Imagine that.
This walkable city fills the senses with color, architectural design, and street side cafes peddling culinary delights.
The market wins out as our favorite place to eat, where we enjoy an eclectic array of choices from land and sea.
Today we’ll have the pickled herring, tapas, and of course, smorgasbord. Too bad we don’t have a kitchen to cook some fresh seafood.
Enter a craft distillery featuring Akvavit, an exclusive Danish spirit at least 50 proof, and made with different varieties of herbal flavors. A local fellow sitting next to me had already consumed a few. “Akvavit is made from condoms and boxing gloves,” he says. “Because after drinking it, all you want to do is fight and fu…!” Well then, “Let’s have another round bartender!”
As Mare and I eat and drink our way through the world, we appreciate the culinary callings of Copenhagen, especially after arriving from Greenland. You don’t go to Greenland for the food.
Coming back to Copenhagen after our Greenland excursion, our hotel sits in the meatpacking district. We arrive late at night, a bit discombobulated from the travel. While wandering around looking for beer and food it becomes apparent we are in a rather “sketchy” neighborhood.
We find strip clubs, drunken men staggering and slouching in doorways and window displays full of sex toys, but no open restaurants. A man asks me “What are you looking for my friend?” I reply, “Nothing exciting.”
We cop a couple of lamb pitas and a bottle of wine from a mini-mart to devour in the privacy of our hotel room.
In the morning light this same neighborhood appears more “hipster” than sketchy, full of coffee shops, quaint cafes and some of the city’s finest restaurants. Who knew?
Best of all we find the “War Pigs” brewery which serves up an excellent array of craft beer and Texas style barbecue.
Alas, it is time to head back home to the 19th happiest country in the world.
Thank you Abundant Universe!
Ron Mitchell
Great pics!
Marilynn has the gift!
Ron….you crack me up, love this post.
Thank you. Yes, I have a talent for bringing the conversation into the gutter.
Happy Cico del Mayo Bro!
Thank you for reminding me, bro.
HAAAAAAA.. LOVE IT!!!
We love you too, Skip!
What’s with the last photo – people saw the bbq and just dropped the bikes and ran in? Great food shots; I brought home an addiction to rye bread and open-faced sandwiches from Denmark!
We weren’t sure about the bikes, several packs of them on the ground, perhaps too drunk from night before? I know what you mean about that rye!
Awesome storytelling and photographs!
Thank you catahoulagans!
So the question is – Are Danish people really the happiest people on the planet? I read that a lot.
Yes, that is the question. Interesting that the numbers one, two three and four are all surrounding Scandinavian countries. Now, if we were looking for the most miserable people on the planet, there would be many more in contention!
Love you travel reports and photos Ron 🙂
Thank you, Mia. The photo credit goes to Marilynn Windust!