Copenhagen Delights

Last year one of our blogs was about some of the things we had observed and loved about Italy so on the same note, here are some of the things we love about Copenhagen (which may or may not be true of Denmark generally).

1. People ride bicycles. All people, from all walks of life and social classes ride bicycles. They will often be dressed in smart clothes, whether on their way to work or on their way to a cocktail party (the ladies may well be even wearing skyscraper heels). The handlebars are often set very high so that the rider sits very handsomely upright with wonderful posture, looking as elegant as though they are walking down a fashion runway. It appears to not be compulsory to wear a helmet, consequently gorgeous hairdos are not ruined by the time the destination is reached.

2. People transport their children (sometimes three, four or more) in a sort of large metal bucket contraption at the front of their bikes. It's very very cute. Children are likewise often transported in large numbers in prams by parents or child-minders.

3. It is far more common to see fathers in charge of their babies and small children for the day. They play with their children, read to them, laugh with them, feed them, cuddle them, console them and generally act publicly in a way which appears to me to be so much more openly affectionate than we are used to in Australia. Their role is much closer to what we might consider a maternal one. I'm sure some male readers will say, "What?? I do all those things with my kids!" but please don't be indignant - it's just my observation, and I'm sure there are lots of Australian fathers who fit that role.

4. In the supermarket you can buy 10 pieces of fruit for the equivalent of $AUD4. There are baskets laid out and you can choose any ten - bananas, pears, varieties of apples, etc. Good value!

5. The trains are very quiet inside, making travel quite peaceful. The windows are double-glazed, which helps. The seats are not ripped and there are no graffiti markings or scratchings adorning the walls, either. The seating upholstery is velvety and looks brand new. It's not, it's just looked-after.

6. If you take your dog or your bicycle on the train, you'll need a ticket for it. These are available from the ticket machine.

7. If you live in Copenhagen you are never more than about 45 minutes away from a walk in the countryside. It's very pretty here and the air is clear and clean, whether you are walking down the main shopping street or through a country paddock scattered with wandering sheep (I know, because we did that yesterday).

8. On the train there are two carriages just for bicycles, one at the front of the train and one at the end. You board with your bike, leave it in that specially-fitted carriage, then go and sit down.

9. Pretty much no matter where you're headed, the trains come every few minutes to take you there. The train system is very efficient.

10. We went to an antiques and bric-a-brac market on the weekend and guess what? The stalls were selling genuine antiques and really awesome bric-a-brac! Therefore I conclude that Danish junk is heaps better than Australian junk.

11. Babies drink water - a lot of water. They like it, too! Bottles are filled with water; I've yet to see one filled with juice or milk (presumably most babes are breastfed).

12. Shop assistants are genuinely attentive, helpful and knowledgeable.

13. There are dozens of varieties of bread in the bakeries and supermarkets and none of them appears to be made with white (bleached, overly refined) flour.

14. Organic milk, cheese, eggs, yoghurt and other dairy products are widely available alongside non-organic products at about the same price. Why wouldn't you choose to eat the stuff that's (allegedly) good for you?

15. Clothing and other goods are unlikely to be made in China - they are far more likely to be made closer to home. It seems to me that the quality is much better and the designs much more interesting.

What's not to like? I don't know. I haven't seen anything yet.

D1