Copenhagen

Let’s begin our Scandanavian reports with notions of crisp blue skies and placid seas, chilly mornings that melt into balmy afternoons, and sunlit evenings that never quite go dark. You know, Nordic things.

I’m ready to move to Scandinavia. Doesn’t matter where; any place that will accept a swarthy troll of an American with few redeemable business skills. (I’m not kidding. I told Brett to tell his boss he’s available for international relocation. And those Swedes you know, they love engineering.)

Let’s continue our Scandinavian reports with notions of smoked fish atop freshly baked bread, hot cups of coffee and an unexpected fondness for waffles. Viking ships, mountain fjords, people that don’t necessarily smile at you when you walk by; these are the gems of the Baltic north. 

We had a great trip. I’d argue it’s in my all-time top three Family Adventures. This is for a few unforeseen reasons.

One – We got to experience a place that was newish to all of us. (Helps keep up morale.)  

Two – I’m older now. Which translated into;

            2.A: a sudden interest in regional history

            2.B: a preference for the clean, quiet surroundings

2.C: appreciation for sluggish mornings with family 

Three – Ellen had a good attitude and never really turned on us.

I know! Here’s how it all went down. Before the trip I pulled Ellen aside and we discussed a game plan for her in-flight meltdowns and mid-cruise detachment. I was not to become immediately discouraged if she needed a break and she was not to opt-out of activities on the grounds of disinterest, sleepiness, bloat, or any other universal feelings that can arise in the human race.  I explained to Ellen that it’s important to have her with us on day trips and at dinner tables and she explained to me that she doesn’t always feel in control of her attitude and we opted to work together. A few times when Ellen got testy, we sent her off to the pool or put her down for a nap and she always came back trying, if nothing else. Seeing her try was enough to keep all of us patient, which kept Ellen trying. A vicious cycle of gentleness. 

We start our adventure in Copenhagen. To my delight, Mom unknowingly booked our hotel in what used to be a Red Light District of sorts, so there were strip clubs on either side of our hotel. Typically this is not a hot region so most buildings do not have air-conditioning. As luck would have it, we arrived during a heat wave and had to leave our windows open in the hopes of catching a breeze. Leaving your windows open when located next-door to a gentlemen’s club sets you up for a wild night. Though leisurely shrieks did occasionally wake me up, I enjoyed listening to the rambunctious drunken laughter grow dim as it moved through the streets of Copenhagen. My family found the noise much less charming and complained about it each morning as if it was new to them. Ellen and Dad tended to wake up grumpy and sweaty – though they won’t admit it. I also enjoyed watching for Mom’s dismay any time we came or went from our hotel. Life-sized portraits of lingerie-clad bimbos lined our street, pasted over doors or pressed into windows. I know it’s childish, but it added an element of anticipation. I love watching Mom hate things. Most days she pretended not to see them. That strikes me as very funny.

We walked 6.2 miles the day we got there and Ellen and Dad were unimpressed with purposeless wandering. Copenhagen is a big small city and Mom led us around to hit main streets and city highlights that did not require us to hop on a bus. We found the very busy pedestrian shopping street and all were immediately put off by pushy crowds. I become a mean person that I don’t recognize when forced to exist in a crowd and I almost pulled an Ellen and bowed out of the day. We ambled and milled and lollygagged and that about sums up our activities for Copenhagen. All the while Ellen took flawless photos fit for dental advertisements.

I have happy good feelings towards this city. It’s got a young, spunky vibe while getting things done in an old, charming setting. It’s busy and colorful but also has lots of quiet streets and green spaces. What else could you need?