Copenhagen

My first day in Copenhagen Elaina and I took the obligatory canal tour, which was actually a really great way to see the city! I would have missed a lot of things (like the opera house and the library) if we'd skipped it, plus it was a great way to spend a rainy morning.

We then headed into town for tea and berry crumble at the Royal Cafe (as in, Royal Copenhagen).

... and some window shopping in a giant design shop. I didn't make it to the official design museum, but this store was HUGE/probably sufficient.

Elaina and her Danish pals took me to Ruby, a fancy ($20 per drink fancy) cocktail bar full of leather sofas, fireplaces and books - it felt like sitting in someone's dark, cozy den.

Coffee/tea and croissants the next morning at a little cafe near Elaina and Mark's. Scandinavians serve hot drinks in glasses! Why!

So many bikes! Literally more bikes than cars, everywhere; the bike lanes are harder to cross than the main streets. I saw so many beautiful bikes go by with giant baskets full of flowers, groceries, dogs ...

Everything looks like Playmobil! If there isss an ugly building in Copenhagen, I did not encounter it.

Really good used book stores.

An Indian cafe for mint tea and a delicious lunch.

A day trip out to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art:

A home-cooked Danish supper with Mark's brothers/family - so lovely:

Some light reading: Kierkegaard in old Danish.

Apricots!

Nationalmuseet/ The National Museum of Denmark. SO great - I can't believe how many amazing museums are free to the public in Europe.

A bench pic nic!

The most beautiful church interior I've ever seen, at Vor Freslers Kirke.

We also walked through Christiania (no photography allowed!), ate cupcakes with some of Elaina's pals and visited Kierkegaard's grave. I want to go back!

And last but not least, my lovely hosts:

Thank you thank you thank you to Elaina and Mark for making room for me, feeding me and even supplying me with a Copenhagen LonelyPlanet and several bus tickets. I can't wait to visit again!