July 29th - August 4th, 2015 - Copenhagen, Denmark
I've been a bit too relaxed about my writing of late, and the reality is that I am only writing now because I am stuck (by choice) laying on a yoga mat on the marble floor of Oslo airport before our flight to Dublin in the morning. It's 12:35am and I can’t sleep.
We stepped off a seven hour bus ride north from Berlin at 6am on July 29th. Scandinavia is somewhere I had heard so much about, but didn't think we would see on this trip. Norway was the ultimate destination on this leg, but a few days in Copenhagen on our way through seemed appropriate.
It's ridiculous to think you can fully understand a country simply by visiting its capital city, so I won't pretend to know more than what six days of exploring will teach. That being said, I can say that Copenhagen is magic. It seems the further north we travel in Europe, the more connected, cultured and innovative societies become, and the Danes don’t skip a beat.
Let me paint a picture: Denmark is recognised as the happiest country in the world; the Danes were the first country in Europe to legalise same-sex marriage back in '89; they boast the highest employment rates anywhere in Europe, and is of course famous for high taxes, Lego, Vikings, butter, pastries, and non-existent income inequality (and badass looking cash!)
Throughout Scandinavia, there's a 25% VAT (GST for us Aussies) added to pretty much everything, in addition to high personal income taxes. That means there is sweet-fucking-nothing that you can buy and think to yourself 'wow, that was a great deal'. But, that means the Danes enjoy community benefits that are simply unheard of throughout the rest of the planet: Free world class Universities, 100% paid maternity leave for up to 52 weeks after birth (yes, that's a whole fucking year!); if you're unlucky enough to lose your job, the government will pay 90% of your current income, for up to two years and healthcare is not only free, but is considered a civil right. Couple this with very low crime rates, a second-to-none public transport system and social welfare schemes, and you end up with a very, very happy bunch of people. As a traveller, this makes for wonderful interactions with locals, and it's one of the first things you notice.
Stepping off the bus and making our way to the train station, we were met with a homeless man, who was possibly the friendliest and most well-spoken gentleman I've ever encountered in such a situation.
The very next thing you notice however, is just how expensive it is to travel in Scandinavia. A one-way ticket to Valby (tree stops from the city centre) costs in the area of AU$5.00 - it's not outrageous, but it reaffirms why Scandinavia was never on the cards for this trip. Thankfully, Copenhagen has around 20 per cent more bikes than it does inhabitants, so finding a ride is easier than falling over in the snow.
A new initiative called Go Bike (bycyklen.dk) was established a few years ago and is arguably the best bike share system in Europe, and arguably the world. An initial membership fee of a little over AU$10 allows you to hire a well maintained, motorised bike with GPS, city guide and programable planner for 30 minutes, entirely free of charge. Simply pick up your bicycle from a charging station, conveniently located all over the city and cycle to the closest charging station to your desired destination - usually a train station or popular attraction. Return the bike and you’re on your way. So, for AU$10.00, we saw everything we wanted too see, kept our exercise up, and saw a bunch of other cool stuff we’d never have had the chance to if we’d been travelling on metro lines - the minimum spend if we chose the metro option would have been in excess of AU$120 for the same six days.
On our first day exploring Copenhagen, we cycled down to an area called Christianshavn - a quarter of Copenhagen proper originally established as an extension to the city fortifications by Christian IV in the 17th Century. Originally, the town was designed as somewhat of a haven for the wealthy merchants, inspired by similar dutch port towns like Amsterdam. Today, the area exists simply as a suburb of Copenhagen, which makes for a great place to wander and explore.
In the boroughs of Christianshavn, lies a unique little commune called Christiana. The self-proclaimed freetown has been the subject of great controversy since it was first squatted in 1971. What makes the area so unique is that is exists under a special law (The Christiana Law of 1989) which essentially permits the use of the area by its residents, without the need to follow the laws of the surrounding country. Residents need no building permits, pay no taxes, and can freely sell and distribute cannabis (the only real draw card for tourists), among a bunch of other things. On paper, it seems like a paradise for an anti-authoritarian consciousness-adventurer like myself, but the reality is that it’s a dump, void of purpose or value to anyone bar the inhabitants. Why such a commune would need to exist in a place where the government is one of the best in the world, is entirely beyond my comprehension.
Follow this journal for any period of time and you’ll come to realise that it’s an anti-tourists guide to travel, so it’s a comfort that there is little in Copenhagen to attract the typical hotel-dweller. Don’t get me wrong, I think Copenhagen would be a wondrous place to live, to run a business, and to raise a family, but as a traveller just passing through, it lacks the attraction of other European cities.
That being said - here’s how we made the most of Copenhagen’s most famous attractions:
Historically, I avoid anything where I am captive for any period longer than twelve seconds, but Louise (our kick-ass Danish host) highly recommended we take a ride around the harbour, so off we went. Head to Nuhavn (probably the most photographed place in all of Copenhagen) and keep your eyes open for the Netto Boat tour - it’s 40-50m from the end of the canal, where the more expensive operators reside. You can get a 60-minute tour of Copenhagen harbour for AU$8.00. If you’re really keen on the history, it’s a great way to see a lot of the city from a unique perspective. If however you are like me, just grab a few beers before you climb aboard and start drinking - you’ll find the tour becomes much more interesting by the conclusion.
If there is one thing Copenhagen is famous for, it is it’s Little Mermaid statue. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen wrote the fairytale in 1837, and the small and unimposing statue was crafted in 1913. Since then, it has been vandalised, dressed, beheaded, and stolen entirely a number of times, yet it remains the city’s most notable icon. In reality, it’s small and pretty boring, but there’s still fun to be had. Head down to the rocks and watch clumsy tourists fall into the water while trying to be photographed with the statue - it’s a fucking riot! We were there for no more than fifteen minutes and saw two Chinese tourists, a selfie stick, a purse and an SLR end up in the drink. It’s a fine way to spend the afternoon.
Perhaps It’s just been too long since I got out into the wilderness, and my inner cave man is just feeling oppressed and restricted. Perhaps I have just been spoilt and should take a long hard look at my privilege. Whatever it is, I did find Copenhagen a little too plain for my liking. It’s clean, efficient, safe, comfortable, friendly, welcoming, tolerant and pleasant, it’s just a bit too beige.
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