Wow, it seems like it really rains a lot in Copenhagen.
In Stockholm, we were greeted with a bright sun and high temperatures, but Copenhagen’s sky has been blanketed by gray clouds since we arrived. The first full day in Denmark, I got hailed on as I was leaving the Christianshavn metro station.
I’ll confess that I was feeling nostalgic for Stockholm after my first few days in the Session Two, if only for the weather.
That’s not the only reason why I missed Sweden. The metro in Copenhagen is more confusing than in Stockholm, at least in my opinion. Here, the metro operates on the honor system where riders don’t need to scan a ticket to enter the station, but instead just walk onto a train or bus and go to their destination. Occasionally, inspectors will scan your ticket to make sure that you’ve paid your fare, but otherwise it is much less structured than in Stockholm. Another difference is that the train passes provided by DIS in Copenhagen are limited to specific travel zones, so wanting to venture outside of the zones that are covered by the ticket requires extra work and extra money. I’ve found myself walking more in Denmark than I did in Sweden; I consistently take over 20,000 steps a day here.
The trains are consistent and predictable, which is more than I can say for the bus system. Drivers have ignored me as I was waiting for a ride, and the secret I’ve discovered to get them to stop is to make intense and prolonged eye contact with the driver. Still, it’s seemingly up to chance if I’ll get picked up or not. One last thing about transportation in Copenhagen: the cyclists reign supreme. They are on a mission to get where they’re going – whether you’re in the way or not. It’s beautiful to see how much people rely on their bicycles to get around and how sustainable the city can be, but the amount of times I’ve almost been clipped by a cyclist has made me slightly nervous to be a pedestrian.
One of the things that Denmark does right is food. Danish food is delicious, and breakfast food especially is better here than in Sweden. Both countries have food markets that offer a huge selection of cuisines from cultures around the world, and Copenhagen’s outdoor street food venue Reffen is one of the coolest things I’ve done so far. There are so many enticing options I didn’t have the stomach space to try, so I’m definitely planning on coming back before my trip is over.
Like Stockholm, waterways are a ubiquitous part of the city (and the subject of half of the photos I take), but in Copenhagen the canals are involved in so much more of daily life here. There are designated swimming spots in different spots around the city where locals will dive in right before complaining about how cold the water is, which has successfully deterred me from doing it – so far.
Both tourists and locals rent boat, kayaks, and paddle boards to travel along the canals.
Some friends and I rented a GoBoat to explore the Copenhagen canals. Of course it was cloudy and windy, but it was still so fun to drive our own boat around the city. We passed by over a dozen other people who had the same idea as us and we waved, cheered, and cheers-ed each other as we drove (sailed?) by. Copenhagen is a beautiful city, and one I’m excited to spend more time exploring. I just hope for some sunnier days.
