first 24 hours in copenhagen

jojo:
what do i like?
-everything just makes sense – airport baggage pickup has a small play area for kids near the turnstiles to keep them occupied, metro ticket machine is preset to purchase tickets to the city center (with appropriate signage as well)
-the attention to detail – airport signs are amazingly easy to m
-how the city moves people around – bikes and boats.  love how there are designated bike paths on almost every street we’ve seen thus far.  side note: look before you step sideways; some mother with three children in her front buggy could be charging in the bike lane behind you
-the complexion of the city – from the red brick to the big windows to the modern, clean cut designs.  a very nice mix of architecture.

what do i dislike?
-the pricetag – we’re looking at nearly double the price for everything compared to portugal, even more in many cases.  even a simple burger will run you 150dkk ~$30cad

what do i like/dislike about the new accomodations?
-it’s going to ruin me especially with our upcoming destinations being in the less developed countries like albania and montenegro.  this place is modern, spacious, fully stocked (with beer too!), cozy and located in a quaint neighbourhood (frederiksberg).  oh, i guess if there had to be a negative it would be that the neighbours upstairs had a really loud karaoke night going including tracks from kanye west and shania twain.

biggest adjustments from the previous stop?
-sticker shock.  post-barcelona, our spending has been decreasing and lisbon was the cheapest of them all.  having said that, i feel it’s going to be fun couple of days as our next city as large as copenhagen won’t be for at least a month

what was our first meal?
-all of us had something different at the street food market in kobenhavn.  awesome place with a massive selection to choose from.  nearly 40 vendors ranging from dessert to breakast crepes to moroccan to italian and even sushi.  i had a brazilian street food platter; roasted pork loin, barbequed chicken and housemade chorizo.  on the side was salsa, potato salad, chimichurri and sweet steamed corn.  set me back 125dkk (~$25 cad) which was decent in relatino to how much a proper restaurant-meal will run

overall impressions?
this is my first time visiting a scandinavian country and there are so many differences between copenhagen and the cities that we’ve travelled to thus far.  i love the overall feel of the city, the locals seem laid back… it reminds me a lot of japan but with taller people.  definitely excited about our short stay as well as hanging out with my parents for the first time since leaving vancouver

haha:
what do i like?

Summer seems to have arrived in Copenhagen. Lots of gardens with trees and flowers in full bloom. Everyone is wearing shorts and sandals. People are having picnics along the canals or having drinks at outdoor patios. It’s a pleasant surprise as I was expecting it to be cold.

what do i dislike?

Lots of trees and flowers in full bloom mean that my allergies are at an all time high. My nose is so stuffed up I can barely breathe. It’s embarrassing when my nose just starts to drip without any warning. I’m walking around carrying a roll of toilet paper for sudden nose drippage.

what do i like/dislike about the new accomodations?

The airbnb is super spacious, with stylish Danish decor and comes with a fully equipped kitchen. I would love to live in an apartment like this in Vancouver.

biggest adjustments from the previous stop?

The cost of everything and dealing with the Danish Krone. Why do they have to have such large coins? So heavy. Things are very expensive here, even the cheap donair costs 65 krones (~$13cdn). I popped into a clothing store at the mall and saw a plain cotton tank top selling for 295 krones (~$60cdn). Craziness.

what was our first meal?

I broke down and had a chicken pad thai, it was yummy. At 100 krones (~$20cdn) it was the most expensive pad thai I’ve ever had but it hit the spot. With spotty access to decent asian food, I’ve got to get it when I can.

overall impressions?

Copenhagen is a very expensive city with lots of tall people. I can’t even reach the handle bar on the metro. Also, I am pretty sure that if I stay here long enough, I will meet an untimely death by a horde of cyclists. People ride the bikes fast here and you can’t hear them coming.