Travel Trip Notes

Notes From The Happiest Place On Earth (Part One)

Back again from another trip and another two countries crossed off of my list. This time, it’s Denmark and Sweden. In this first part of my trip notes, I have a disappointing culinary experience, I encounter Danish drunkenness, I go for a cycle and I get a metaphoric punch in the face from Danish culture.

Thursday

0940BST
Cambridge train station is weird. It’s basically one long platform split into sectors. The trains dip into the platform area from adjacent tracks. Never seen anything like it.

1013
On the train to the airport. Rather crampt. Bunch of French speakers sat behind me.

1027
Wow! The countryside along this line is lovely. Passing through idilic English country villages and rolling hills.

1119
All checked in at Stansted Airport. Sat in a cafeteria called Ponti’s, having just enjoyed a Sausage baguette. I’m glad I have an apetite before this particular flight. Normally, I have so many butterflys in my stomach, I can’t eat a thing, but this time, I feel fine. It doesn’t feel right if i’m not eating something. The baguette was delicious, if a bit expensive. A staff member very kindly carried my tray to my table for me. Quite unnecessary, but much apprecited.

1145
Airport security always take a disliking to my shoes. Doesn’t matter which airport I’m in, I always have to take them off. The security zone really is dignity-free. Departure lounge is busy. I’m surprised at how good this airport is actually. It’s much nicer than I expected (it being run by BAA and all).

1153
Yay! Free wifi!

1431
Currently in the air. Lots of turbulance on this flight. My hands are a little sweaty as a result. The mighty North Sea passes below. Land is just reappearing on the left. Don’t know whether it’s the Nertherlands or Norway. Looks flat, so probably the former.

1505
A fighter jet just flew past in the opposite direction really fast and amazingly close. Amazing! Engine noise lessens as we start the descent.

1656CET
At the baggage reclaim hall in Copenhagen airport. Only took 4 minutes from landing to spot a Lego shop. This airport is swanky.

1815
Made it to the hotel. I’m staying at Hotel Front (my review has already been published) along a pretty boulevard full of embassies and consulates. Might try and find the British embassy. The room is nice. Pretty big for a single. Free wifi, free mini bar. The only sour note was the £200 deposit they took upon arrival for “extras”. Annoying!

1818
Two unbelievable things I spotted in the airport. In baggage reclaim, all the tvs were showing BBC World News. And I was shocked to discover four branches of major British retailer (and company I work for) WHSmith, with a fifth under construction.

1950
I’ve done something I’m not proud of. My first meal in Copenhagen was at Burger King. It’s not as if I didn’t try to find somewhere else. I walked for quite a while, but no where appealed. So, it was a case of surviving more than anything else. I did redeem myself shortly afterwards by having my first Copenhagen hot dog, which was ace! Really tasty! My first impressions of the Danish is that they’re a chatty lot. Everyone was chatting! Perhaps I’m noticing more because I’m not yet used to the sound of the Danish language. I feel a bit guilty that I don’t even know how to pronounce the word ‘thank you’ in Danish. But everyone speaks English so beautifully, it would be a shame to put their skill to waste I suppose. Two additional points I’d like to make that aren’t particularly connected to one another or indeed anything else; I’m about 2 minutes walk away from the Amalienborg Slot, the Royal Palace. And, on the way back to the hotel from Burger King, as well as discovering a photographic exhibition in one of the squares, I had a visual demonstration of Denmark’s love of beer. I watched as a fella, who’d clearly had too much, have a confused but heated argument with his own reflection in a shop window. The expression on his face was priceless.

2001
I’ve just had a free apple delivered to my room and the offer of a turn-down. Thanks, but I’ve only just arrived. I’ll take the apple though.

2343
I can’t believe I’m watching The Graham Norton Show in English with Danish subtitles. Surely no one could have forseen Danish broadcasting falling into such a state! Oh, plugging of forthcoming BBC programmes and the BBC website? Sure, just leave that in.

2351
Or, how about Allo, Allo? Ten to midnight and they’re showing Allo, Allo! It’s a classic, but COME ON! On other channels, Will & Grace and The Daily Show.

Friday

1540
Man, I’m exhausted! I’m currently resting in Mama Rosa, an Italian restuarant along Copenhagen’s famous pedestrianised street, Strøget. I thought at one point I wouldn’t be sat here as, on my arrival, no one acknowledged my existance. So, having seated myself, I’m now waiting to see how the Danish do spaghetti bolognaise. The pizzas on the other table look amazing, as well as authentically Italian, so I’m hopeful for a good meal. I’m tired because since 10am, I’ve been on a cycling tour if the city. The tour guide, Mike, was a charismatic and informative chap who showed me and the only other tourist on the tour, a gentleman called Shlomo from Israel, all the sights, including some I would have otherwise not have seen. My food’s arrived and I’m starving so… Nom, nom, nom!

1600
That was actually pretty good. Not particularly authentic, but tasty nonetheless. About £7.00, so fair value. If you can put up with the lousy service, Mama Rosa ain’t bad. Neither is Mike’s tour of Copenhagen incidently. The tour was scheduled to last around 3 hours, but it was more like 5, which only added to the amazing value (£15 for the tour, £7 for the bike). We started at the central railway station and then travelled west into Vesterbro (Western Gate) and the Carlsberg Brewery. Then, we doubled back, stopping off at Copenhagen Museum and then went north into Nørrebro (Northern Gate). Mike wanted us to see the Copenhagen not many tourists explore and so we weaved through residential streets and around the five lakes to the north of the city centre. Then, we cycled South East into an area called Nyboder where street after street of bright yellow terraced housing greeted us. Built in 1631, the homes were built to house enlisted men of the Danish Royal Navy and they’ve changed little since the first marines moved in. Continuing in the same direction, we then went to see the world-famous statue of the Little Mermaid which, true to her name was little, but very nice. Then, after a bone-shaking ride over the cobbles of the Citadel, we went south along the banks of the harbour, calling at the royal winter residence, Amalienborg Palace and the iconic colour of Nyhavn. Further south, we called at Christiansborg Palace, where the Queen greets foreign politicians and dignitaries and then across Knippelsbro to Christianshavn, which looked just as it was intended to look, like Amsterdam. Then, we came across the most interesting past of the tour, the self-proclaimed Freetown Christiania. What used to be army barracks is now a semi-self governing community. It’s legal status is sketchy and this, together with drug problems, means it is under very close scrutiny from the authorities. The only time where I felt a bit uneasy was while going down “Pusher Street”. You can imagine what sort of high-jinks goes on down there. Finally, we wound around an area called Holmen, before ending the tour under the controversial might of the new Opera House. All in all, a fantastic tour of Copenhagen. If you’re thinking of going to Copenhagen any time soon, you cannot miss going on Mike’s tour.

1617
Before I embarked on this trip, a few people remarked on how good looking everyone in this part if the world is. On the whole, I can’t say I’ve noticed any difference between here and back at home. I expect things to be slightly different across the sound in Sweden. Saying this though, you should see the stunner sat at the table next to me! Embarrassingly, we appear to have worn the same white shirt, grey jumper combination, but I suppose that just means that as well as being a beauty, she has good taste. That’s two things we have in common then.

1700
After the cycling tour, I popped into the tourist office to buy a Night of Culture ticket (which is tonight) and an Around the Sound ticket (which I’ll make use of tomorrow).

1733
The girl on reception at the hotel is pretty too.

2324
Back at the hotel after a night of music, museums, interesting buildings and other attractions. I went to places a never intended on going to and missed out on some that I did. Overall, the evening was well worth the money I paid. What I think I’ll take away from the evening most was the vast number of people that were out on the streets enjoying themselves. And of those people, the diversity of them. Elderly couples, big groups of middle aged people, families with toddlers and older children, groups if young people etc. I was amazed that the city centre was being enjoyed by such a variety of people on a Friday night of all nights. In Britain, town centres are practically no go areas on Friday nights, but here, young kids were out with their parents with nothing to fear. I didn’t pass a single noisy bar, neither did I encounter any drunken behaviour. Outside, it’s now blowing a stiff and chilly breeze. My windows are whistling as a result. Shortly, I’ll retire after a long, tiring, yet satisfying day in Copenhagen, but not before I’ve drunk a cup of the girliest tea known to man, Earl Grey! Good night!

In the second part of my notes from the happiest place on earth, I disclose exactly what I got up to during the Night of Culture, I go in search of ugly people in Sweden, I have a much more pleasing culinary experience, and I’m dazzled by the lights at Tivoli Gardens.

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You can view all of the photos taken during this trip on Flickr.