Friday:
Some of the international students decided to go to Copenhagen this weekend, and a few of us took the morning train since we didn't have class. The train was a good choice, with plenty of space for us each to sleep/read/listen to music, as opposed to the others who rented a car. It was also cool because the train got on a ferry and (by law) we got off onto the ferry and saw some great sights as it went across the water.
This also gave us plenty of touring hours in the city once we got there. As it turns out, Copenhagen is pretty small in area. We walked from our hostel in one corner, up to what appeared the furthest point North on the map, and back down, weaving East and West as we did so. It, like Hamburg, is a gorgeous city. There are canals and harbors all over and tons of green space. The building mix is similar too, with the quaint little homes next to big, ornate buildings. The weather was warmer than expected, and the rain held off for most of the day.
I think my favorite part was the Kastellet, an old fortification site where they built a monument, complete with eternal flame, to the Danish soldiers who had engaged in conflicts around the world. The Kastellet was surrounded by beautiful gardens and of course, more water in the forms of lakes, etc.
We ate dinner on this little cobblestone street right next to a canal. I don't remember the exact name, but we asked, and it meant fish trap in Danish. So obviously I got some seafood! I had mussels in a white wine sauce and these amazing french fries.
The nightlife in Copenhagen was disappointing, but I think that was more of a function of our large group (20 people from at least eight different countries) having a hard time finding agreement than the city itself. I'll give a warning, don't go to Pus Bar (don't know the spelling but it reminded of puss, which is never a good sign) or Billy Booze.
Saturday:
For readers that know me well, you may want to be seated before you read this. Ready? Ok. On Saturday, I biked all around the city...all day. Copenhagen, even more so than Hamburg, is incredibly bike-heavy. At points, the bike lanes were bigger than the car lanes! And when in
For those who don't know my past biking experiences, let's just say that it's been an interesting one. The low point in my relationship with bikes came in South Carolina when I was younger. The sidewalks were slightly elevated, and I was not all too great with stopping, so I managed to roll out into the street, just missing getting hit by a Mack truck. So it's safe to say that biking on the streets of Copenhagen, especially in places where there weren't designated lanes, was scary. I was thinking of Eleanor Roosevelt the whole time, as this was my one thing for the day (or week?!) that scared me.
We still managed to keep on the good side of the weather, as we only got rained on a bit during our ride all around town. It poured while we were inside at lunch, so we definitely had luck on our side. I did get thoroughly lost all day, including when I was an hour late to meet a friend from high school that is living in the city. As an FYI, it is infinitely harder to see street signs when you're cruising by on a bike and they are located on the buildings so you can't see them from the streets.
Despite scary cars and directional issues, it was an awesome day filled with the beautiful sights of Denmark. I managed to escape unscathed and back at my hostel before dark. I will not be challenging Lance any time in the future, but I think my panic-induced swerving (which is the last thing you typically want to do when panicked) got better over the course of the day, as did my starts/stops. In short, I was never in South Carolina-style danger of getting hit, which was a relief.
We ate lunch at this cute microbrewery on the edge of town that apparently had great beer and, as I can attest to, great food. I did indulge in the "homemade snaps" that they offered, and a salad with avocado, egg, and bacon. Whatever dressing they put on it was really fantastic as well. One of my companions had the Smoorsbrod platter, with the Danish specialty of open-faced sandwiches. Two others ordered the chef's recommended meal, a three-course dinner with suggestions for beers to drink at certain points. They all reported good things, so overall I'd recommend this place. I've heard it gets busier for dinner than lunch, so plan accordingly.
I then, as mentioned, had coffee with an old high school friend and her boyfriend. The coffee place she suggested was also a book cafe, with used books everywhere to borrow and read. I just got a regular coffee ("American style") but I'm really enjoying the European way of making it. I have no idea what the difference is. Once I figure out, I'll report back. My french press coffee has not reached the strength of even my usual drip coffee, so I'm still working on that.
The going out situation was again not ideal, but the Australian Bar was the best compromise we could come up with. It had a club for the younger and more energetic of the group and pool tables and people watching for those of us not interested in clubbing. I still called it an early night, in order to get breakfast before 10 at the hostel. (Food is very important to me, if all of my detailed descriptions don't reveal that already).
Sunday:
After cruising all around the city, I realized that I hadn't seen the inside of hardly anything yet. I had marked up my map at the beginning of the trip with all these places I wanted to see but kept getting sidetracked by waiting for the group or odd opening hours. I only had until 2:30 on Sunday so narrowed my list down to the closest places.
First, I tried to go to Tivoli Gardens, which everything lists as a must-see. It's an amusement park with gardens, beer houses, and dance halls. Sounds fantastic until you realize it's only open M-F. I got some pictures through the fence though, and will have to make it back if I ever return to Denmark.
Next, I hit up the museum sponsored by Carlsberg, the beer magnate. I'm convinced that he built most of the city, based on his name splattered everywhere. It had art from all kinds of time periods, from Ancient Greek vases to French paintings to modern art. I greatly enjoyed strolling through that.
Finally, I went to the National Museum, which was more historical than artsy. I would have stayed longer but after one day of walking, another day of biking, and then a half a day of museum walking, I was exhausted! I just found a salad at a local pizza place and more delicious coffee at the bar near the hostel.
EDIT: Both of those museums were free. I know Ny Carlsberg was just on Sundays, but I was just told the National Museum was free. That may also be limited to Sundays but since they're very close it's easy to visit both in one trip anyway. Just a tip.
Next weekend is Berlin Trip #1 so I will be sure to update after that. I will make a new post with pictures right now...
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