Denmark for a Day!

Take One, on the train!

An awesome combination bridge/tunnel connects Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark by train. The trip costs less than twelve euro, and lasts about twenty-minutes. Its pretty cool to think that some people make this commute between COUNTRIES daily. I could not give up an easy opportunity to add another country to the list and explore the beautiful eclectic city that is Copenhagen. 

Annnnd Take Two!

The only downside to our day in Denmark was the pouring rain/sleet/snow that lasted the first few hours upon arrival. But hey, we might as well experience a country's typical weather to better understand its people and culture. And the time was not wasted as we watched the sleet come down from inside a relaxing coffee shop. 

The sun eventually came out (for a little while), and we walked our way to Freetown Christiania: an 84-acre self-governed commune in the midst of Copenhagen. Established in 1971 on an abandoned military base by hippies, squatters, and artists as a social experiment. Having been shut down at times by Denmark's governing body, Christiana is currently open as a community that governs themselves. Pictures are highly discouraged, so I only caught one at the exit, but it is quite a site to see. The concept of living communally is one I'm drawn to, but the state of the area made me wonder whether a balance between simply "being" and "being productive" is necessary. 

A few sights on our way to Christiana:

Our next stop was Nyhavn Harbour, a famous row of colorful houses, businesses, and restaurants that puts some waterfronts (I'm thinking of Myrtle Beach) to shame. This is a charming spot you can't miss when in Copenhagen! 

Last stop - gourmet food market and an excellent meal! If there's one thing I have found SO FAR in Scandinavia is that they take pride in quality food, and their chefs are top notch. I love the concept of a food market, where local restaurants, local specialty food providers, and chefs have a booth in a large market house. Think of a farmers' market but kicked up a notch. Some of the booths sold goods, but many others sold and provided samples of gourmet recipes, meals, snacks, desserts, and drinks. It makes for an easily accessible culinary experience!