Chapter 3: Vi har en fri dag i København
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07.21.2023 - 07.21.2023 70 °F
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Chapter 03: Vi har en fri dag i København
Friday, July 21, 2023
KØBENHAVNS HAVN: Copenhagen Harbor offers boating, fishing, sightseeing, waterside dining, swimming, sunbathing, kayaking and makes this a most livable city. Research indicates stops at the Inderhavnsbroen Bridge--the Inner Harbor Bridge--would be a good start. There is a lot of art to see along with old buildings, lots of towers, new on-the-edge architecture and more.
But, given B4's walking limitations, we determined that the best way to experience all of this is to become the ultimate tourists: Take the "Hop On Hop Off" Bus and minimize the hopping off portion. That proved to be a fine strategy. The RED SIGHTSEEING COPENHAGEN BUS + NETTO BOATS package is , for us, the optimum choice offering a pickup point right outside the Marriott front door. Cost for two: $86.81.
Interesting people walk the streets, tourists are underwhelmed when they come upon the iconic Little Mermaid statue due to its diminutive size and odd location. There are signs of opulence--the Rolex building and other luxury brands--and normalcy such as the occasional McDonald's restaurant. Oddly, one of the first things we notice is that today must be opening night for movies Barbie and Oppenheimer here--just as it is back home. The posters, big and small, are everywhere.
After a complete circuit of the city, we determine that a sidewalk cafe at Nyhavn is the perfect tourist lunch idea. Nyhavn is the most photographed postcard venue. A 17th-century harbor, it is just over the bridge from Christianshavn, site of the oldest houses in Copenhagen. In the neighborhood of Nordhavn we find everything from rental wooden hot tubs and saunas that overlook the water to coffee tuktuks. There are even "sailing spas" that float so you can navigate the canals while warming up and electric boats to rent--and act as your own captain.
We need to try the national dish of a classic pork recipe 'stegt flæsk med persillesovs,' and Smørrebrød (open faced sandwiches) on Rugbrød (rye bread). There is also Frikadeller pork meatballs, and Flæskesteg roast pork and Karbonader pork patties. The pig industry is a world leader here. We find a table for two that allows for optimum people watching and order the three Smørrebrød luncheon special and a bottle of champagne. Fine choices all.
But, after a lot of champagne, our conversation turns frisky. We marvel at all who pass and recall the famous Seinfeld episode where Jerry and Elaine discuss that she is going on a blind date; she says the guy "sounds good looking." A discussion ensues whereby Jerry inquires what percentage of people are good looking. She estimates 25%. He counters, "No way. It's like 4 to 6%." She asks, "So basically what you're saying is that 95% of the population is un-datable?" "UN-DATABLE," he opines, waving his hand for emphasis. "Then how are all these people getting together," she asks. His answer, "Alcohol."
Well, our alcohol at lunch coupled with the unending parade of people of all nationalities, all shapes and sizes, speaking a multitude of languages, behaving in varying ways among family groups of varying sizes offers us unending theater over our smørrebrøds. Should adults consult other adults about what they ask their stylist to do with their hair? Are tattoos really a good idea? Who should, and who should not, wear crop tops? Would it be a good idea for the average pedestrian to consider employing a wardrobe consultant? We wonder if he or she passing by "always looked like that?" We agree that it will be a great reward for us to be like the occasional elderly couple passing holding hands as they stroll. We consider that public displays of affection--in moderation--are a fine idea for the over sixty set. It is clear to us that most babies are darling while laughing and sleeping but that they represent a lifetime of expense, worry, and heartbreak with happiness thankfully followed by the reward of joy, amusement and a place to leave one's money. A word from me, underlined so that you know we have switched authors. Don't get Paul wrong, we love our kids and our grandkids. We're just happy that in our 70's our kids are great (which does not meat that we don't still worry about them), we can give our grandkids back when they aren't happy, and we are footloose and fancy free. We wouldn't trade any of them for the world.
The sun shone upon us, the food and bubbly filled us up and the conversation once again proved that we are the opposite of that couple who sits to dine, picks up their smartphones, failing to find anything to discuss while avoiding eye contact less that stressful behavior might prompt the question, "what's wrong?" It was a great lunch. On our way back to the HOHO bus, we spot a couple having lunch on the same street but spending a lot less. Lovely people, wise as well.
The "most free" place in Denmark: Freetown Christiania or, in Danish, Fristaden Christiania or Staden is just across the water and down the road a bit. It is a bizarre place, self-described as an international community--a commune really. Or, maybe a "micronation" sitting on the 20 acre island of Amager, completely surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The primary "crop" is marijuana, illegal in Denmark.
How did this bizarre place come to be? On September 26, 1971, Jacob Ludvigsen, an alternative journalist for the magazine Hovedbladet (The Main Paper), declared the area "conquered" and it became a drug haven of sorts. Too much of a good thing became a bad thing so in 1979, residents of the area decided to begin a "Junk Blockade" and for 40 days patrolled the area to push drug dealers out of the area. Aid was offered to addicts. In a reversal, however, in the 1980s, motorcycle gangs took over--one called the Bullshit Motorcycle Club fought off the Hells Angels--but even they were forced out by the end of the decade. In 1989, the Danish Parliament took the radical step of legalizing Christiania.
Trouble, trouble and more trouble continued. By 2016, things had settled down a bit. Today, around 1,000 people live here and a half million visit. The area can be "quite rough and dodgy." If one ventures in, one must...MUST...obey the rules. Banned are automobiles, guns and knives, bulletproof vests, hard drugs and biker or gang colors. Running is forbidden as it indicates that you may be running away from something and, due to the fact that fear is banned here, one never has a need to run. Makes perfect sense to me. Oh, and you may not take photographs. If you want a photo tour, simple Google Christiania and click the "images" tab. I've been there done that and I offer that more time on the HOHO bus makes more sense with fewer steps so we skip it.
Our original obvious observation is that there is no traffic. If we stop at a traffic signal, we are first or second in line. If we need to make a left turn (they drive on the right here, same as in the U.S.) there is no wait for oncoming traffic to clear. How can that be as this is a city of 1.3 million? It turns out that less that 30 per cent of the households here own a motor vehicle. How can that be? Is it the $6 per gallon gasoline? No. Is it the traffic jams? No. It is because there is a 150% tax on automobiles, down from a former 180% tax on automobiles. In the United States, the most popular Honda CRV (we lease one of these) costs $35,500 to buy. Here, that same car would have a tax of $53,250 added making it retail for $88,750. That $100K BMW or Mercedes would set you back a quarter of a million dollars. The result is: very few cars. That might explain why neither Uber nor Lyft operate here or why taxi fares are so high. In any event, the way people get around instead is via the metro, the bus, the train or--the most visible to us--by bicycle. It's quite nice.
We decide to shop. The cobblestoned Jægersborggade Street through the Nørrebro neighborhood is a must. Once dangerous, it is today gentrified and very hip. In what is a first and probably a last, the two items we purchase are for me. She buys nothing. I'm aghast. Maybe it's the champagne. Now that you've read Paul's take on shopping, i'll give you mine. Paul decided we should 'hop off' our HOHO to shop, his words were 'I know you love to shop so we'll do this for you'. So sweet - and it was him that really wanted to shop, he started talking about buying himself a sweater before we left KC. Very odd for Paul. We walk into a store and I see a great fashionable pullover and suggest it. Paul looks at the price tag and says 'I can't do that and I want a hood anyway', - it was $119.00; his cheeseburger and meat loaf taste level on display. Then I find him a great jacket with a hood. He starts with the price tag again and says 'no way' - it was $275.00. He did agree to buy the vest you see in the pic - it was 50% off in clearance. I reminded Paul that the chances of winning the lottery were 1 in 292,000,000 so if he is waiting for that to happen he'll have nothing to wear. He did break down and spring for the pull over. It's a good thing he has no idea what i spend on my clothes.
To polish our language skills, we attempt to learn the phrase, "We have a free day in Copenhagen." In Danish, that is: Vi har en fri dag i København. Our attempt at speaking this language is "utterly futile" (fuldstændig forgæves).
