“Hej” from Copenhagen!! (That’s hello in Danish and it’s pronounce “hi” with a little upward lilt at the end). We wandered off from Pula on March 20 and spent the last week of March in the beautiful city of Copenhagen in Denmark. From my time here I have come to the anti-Shakespearian conclusion which is the title of my blog today: “There is nothing rotten in Denmark!” It was an incredible place, and I wish we had been able to spend more than just a week there.
You could argue the weather was a little rotten because it was so bitterly cold (below freezing for most days we were there), and a little dreary on some days, but by traveling in such inclement weather you get a good indication of what the Danish people are made of, and it is actually quite good stuff.
We rented an Airbnb in a little area right outside of the Copenhagen city limits and enjoyed the quiet streets and beautiful house we made our home for a week. The owner Jesper was fantastic and made us feel very welcome even though he towered above us like a NBA player. His height and friendly demeanor were quite common among the Danish, who were seen in freezing rain or sleet and snow, on bikes and pushing baby carriages through the bustling city of Copenhagen.
It was remarkable to us Southern folks who would be bundled up in front of a fireplace in weather like this to see hoards of people on bicycles everywhere in the city. They carried babies in snowsuits on the front of their bikes with just their faces exposed, or zipped them tightly into baby carriages as the mothers leisurely strolled along the streets. The moms shopped, they strolled, they stopped in the many cafes for coffee, and guess where many of them left their strollers (with the babies inside them!) ?— prepare yourself —- outside on the sidewalk.
I’m told this is a common occurrence and nothing to be alarmed about (there is an extremely low crime rate and almost non-existent kidnap rate). Several factors play into this custom but the main ones are: 1) Again, it is extremely safe in Copenhagen and 2) Danish (and many Nordic) mothers believe the fresh (albeit cold) air is good for babies and strengthens their immune system. I did notice the large prams which held the babies were parked in front of large windows, so I’m sure a Danish mom or two would be checking to make sure the prams stayed put while they were in the cafe. Still though, it’s an extremely different custom than we are used to both weather-wise and safety-wise.
Our host Jesper said his 12- year old can ride her bike home from the city at midnight and he has no fear for her safety. Coming from New Orleans, this feeling of safety was quite surprising and reassuring at the same time. Most of the bikes we saw that were not being used were sitting leisurely by the side of the street or leaned up against a fence without locks on them. What a great testament to safety to be able to leave your bike without fear of it being stolen. The country on the whole has an extremely low crime rate with most of the crime taking place during the summer months when hoards of tourists descend on the beautiful city.
The safety of the city and heartiness of the people are just two of the reasons I believe there is “nothing rotten” in this beautiful city. I’ll have quite a few more posts on Denmark in the coming days as there is much to tell about this lovely country. I’ll leave you with a picture of some of the delicious food I came across in Copenhagen to whet your appetite for my next post, “Is the Danish really Danish?”
Hej Hej for now!!! (That’s good-bye in Danish.) Now if only the rest of the Danish language was that simple.
Great reading!
Thank you so much! I loved Denmark!