Skip to main content

8 specific things I liked in Copenhagen : )

What to say about Copenhagen first, but the fact that I walked away thinking, wow, this is a high-trust society. Because some of my earliest memories from walking around its streets were small shops and kiosks with no shopkeeper in sight!

1. Trust shops  
In fact, the only thing one had to do was pick the items and pay as suggested. With a first impression this strong, I was curious how the food scene looks like. 

2. Sourdough and other meals

I explored multiple places and let me just say, I have a newfound addiction to sourdough bread. Even more, food in general here tastes rather delicious. It is either the best of the best ingredients that reach Danish markets, or maybe there is innately a lot of butter in everything. Either way, I am happy.

3. Colorful buildings



And these colourful foods match the colourful buildings around the city, especially considering that Denmark remains under dark grey clouds during long winter months. The culture inherently revives liveliness through colourful buildings and stylised architecture. Oftentimes, it is hard to look away from medieval-era buildings standing shoulder to shoulder with modern and even futuristic developments.

4. Water integration in the city


In one of our long walks along Peblinge Sø, my wife mentioned how important a water channel is for a city. It is akin to a blood vessel that breathes life into everything, and as we discovered the carefully designed lakes and waterways, it was easy to notice the difference in birdlife and vegetation, restaurants, bridges, and tall towers that reside in the city. Evidently, this is super impactful to the way a city builds small neighbourhoods.

5. Freetown Christiania 

Speaking of, Christianshavn is one of the most well-known pockets of Copenhagen. In fact, its constituent Freetown Christiania has a history of claiming autonomy from Denmark and even having its own flag and currency, despite Danish law being fully applicable there. The residents here work in democracy and have a very artsy and communal way of life. In many places, we could see signboards distancing Freetown Christiania from its past of Pusher Street, which had a local drug economy. Today, though, we see a vibrant, easy-going, and welcoming space here.



6. Design elements

Looking at the variety of art and influences that coexist in Copenhagen opens a new understanding for me about multiculturalism, especially how different ways of life blend and thrive in a limitless environment. Naturally, this crafts the world we see around us, as visible in both public and industrial properties in our view. Sometimes they spotlight Danish folklore, and sometimes they bring a motif from their country of origin.

7. Buildings as hygge artworks!

Design is a big part of Copenhagen's spirit. In fact, the cultural concept of hygge (hoo-guh) dictates well-being and warmth in every element of architecture and living. At the same time, it is obvious that many architects who originated and built in Copenhagen have added their own flair and experimental tastes to building the cityscape. This is echoed even more plainly if you take a boat tour around the water channel. We had a multilingual guide who explained historical facts and stories related to many of the big builds on the harbour and the inner shoreline.

8. Multi-era streets

Within the city itself, every street captures its own era of redevelopment, and we can see quite well-preserved symbols of their time, for example, cobblestone pathways leading to the old city centre, all the way to newly plugged-in souvenir shops with merchandise for the years to come.



Perhaps it was the season we came in, or it is the vibe of Copenhagen that naturally sits well with us, but we had so much to appreciate in our short trip. Looking at the metro stops or discovering a spectrum of light on the floor do not sound like crazy things, but I suppose there is a natural awe of tourism that brings out the child in us. That makes us try new perfumes, snack on new foods, talk to new people, and try learning about the culturally important landmarks which are decorated all around us. And here especially, there is a big theme of sea creatures and mythological characters, which continue to echo the design theme of Historicism, as it connects the ancient to the present.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Staycation in Gingelom, Belgium!

  Look, I started this trip with a rainy morning, so I will make sure you relive it again with me. Sure, I had a couple of cakes and coffee to pump up my spirits when the joyful cloud of grey decided to accompany me on this vacation. And where else would I be headed to, but Gingelom, the most eventful of all municipalities in Belgium. I am being slightly sarcastic, but I actually had a great time—so why was I there in the first place? Let me take you back one month, talking with my friends about how nice it would be to enjoy the summer of Belgium in a relaxing BnB somewhere we have never visited before. And in that research, we discovered Gingelom. The official webpage for Gingelom describes it as a landscape of sunken lanes, orchards, rolling fields, authentic monuments, and much tranquility. That was the bait, and we were hooked. Right, back to the bus we come—fortunately rather empty and peaceful towards this side of town in Limburg—and to be at complete liberty switching seats ...

Kabuki's sushi train in Brussels : )

  If I only showed you the outside of this building, would you be able to guess where I am taking you inside? Well, if you've read the title by now, this video is shot at one of my favourite food spots in Brussels called Kabuki, and as long as you come with an open appetite and curious tastebuds, you will certainly appreciate the gifts of this menu. Which include, among many delicious plates, service by miniature trains at your table—I mean, how cool is that! I am already satisfied by the freshness of the sushi and fried foods being served, but when a train comes in with all these options, it is so difficult to choose which one to begin with. If you're here, I recommend keeping a bowl of soy sauce and pickled ginger at your table so that you refresh your palate whenever needed. There are sweet options among sushi as well, including fruit and mango-salmon pairings, which are surprisingly an amazing play of textures. At the centre of all the train tracks, you can feast your eyes ...

Climbing the tallest church of our savior in Copenhagen, Denmark : )

 Every road I took or boat I ferried on, I was just not able to escape the sight of this magnificent building in Copenhagen. Out of a lingering, unreconciled curiosity, I stepped into the Church of Our Saviour, which describes itself as Lutheran-Protestant. Since the actual interior was under construction at the time, I took a ticket to climb up the 400 steps and catch a bird's-eye view of the city. To be honest, I knew nothing about this 17th-century marvel, so all my next discoveries were as much overwhelming as serendipitous. The Baroque design inside was accentuated by actual pieces of the construction, including previously mended façade portions and statues, which oddly added to the spiritual effect of the climb. As I ascended over some creaking and thin wooden steps, I began realizing that the tower is really, really tall. I mean, the 90 m height totally creeps up on you with the full effect of a cardio workout as you carefully squeeze past woodwork and other descending peopl...