Chefprefers BLOG

My wife and I travelled to Copenhagen for a look-see. We arrived from Darwin via Singapore and Dubai and were both weary from the 29-hour travel time. We booked six nights in the Ascott Hotel. (The hotel building used to be a public bathhouse in 1901, and was converted to a hotel in 1903) The accommodation was central, and we didn’t need to walk far to the excitement. Getting to the city centre from the airport was easy since a remote-controlled train travelled the 20km railway line. The driverless electric train cars are controlled from the central command post. Interesting how they disembark the passengers. The platform is entirely blocked by a plastic barrier from the moving train. When the train doors open to allow passengers on, so does the platform protective shield. From the airport, the train line tunnels deep under the city centre. Our stop was at Rådhuspladsen station. We ascended many floors to the surface in the elevator.

When the elevator doors opened, I was impressed by the Rådhuspladsen plaza. The streets were paved with cobblestones, and a statue of a dragon fighting a bull lay in the centre with streams of water coming from the dragon’s mouth. The hassle and bustle of occupants were walking here and there. Just ahead was the Copenhagen town hall. The clock on the bell tower was accurate, and the bell could be heard every hour. We chose a good day to be here since the weather was fair and warm. However, the tranquil moment was interrupted by the sound of suitcases being dragged across the cobblestones. If you lived nearby, this would be endless, and also no city is immune to homelessness; living on the street is a reality. As we walked across the square, small pockets of makeshift camps were laid out. The park benches were occupied by the sleeping gypsies, people resting in the middle of the day, suggesting that the previous night was filled with action. I can only imagine the peril of these people. 

Racks of old and decrepit bikes were left in the plaza, which reminded me of the bicycle culture here (See previous post). Bike commuting is very popular here because I can see many riders on the on-road bike lanes.

We decided to check in and drop our bags at the hotel, then explore this marvellous city. Because it was still morning, the idea was to stay awake from our jetlag and time zone changes.

We walked along the narrow streets shaded by the exotic European-style buildings. Occasionally, you would enter a square filled with outdoor cafes, bars and restaurants. The exotic life style appeared to be a very prevalent thing to do. Sipping Carlsberg beers or the local wines were a favored outing, although our goal was to stay awake by walking around and resisting the temptation. Our stomachs were still adjusting to the time zones, and it was late in the afternoon when we finally sat down for lunch at the Cafe Vidaldi. We ordered a simple meal: nachos, salad, and two beers. That’s where my idea of a perfect place took a turn. The bill was $130 Australian.

Holy sh&t! 

We learned that in Denmark (ie Danmark spelled by the Danish), we pay double for things we usually pay for in Australia. Beers are $25, typically pay in Australia ($12), coffee is $11 ($5), sandwiches are $40 ($21), museum entries are $30 ($12), the hotel is $500 ($180-$250), etc. 

WTF! I definitely couldn’t live here on my superannuation. Here I was thinking, being retired with money not really an issue; we could spend and enjoy. Well, that was all going to change for the next six days. Sitting on a park bench, eating salad with a baguette and a block of cheese from the supermarket was going to be the norm, just like the old days when we had no money. Well, it couldn’t have been that bad, could it? Over the next few days, we visited many museums, castles and tourist amusement centres. My Danish education begins…