One at a time: Copenhagen

Writing these is proving to be a daunting task. But don't worry, I took notes.

First stop was Copenhagen, sparkling bit of Scandinavia that it is. There Erin and I stayed at a nice 2-star hotel near the train station, which is basically near downtown. The city was sunny and seemed to be just coming out of hibernation. People were very helpful, traffic was ludicrously well-managed (especially in contrast to my fair Athens, birthplace of Democracy and road rage), and bike paths lined every street. Everything works really well in Copenhagen, that was my impression at least. 

Nerd alert at the royal palace

The royal palace (Rosenborg Slot) is seated on a beautiful lawn where we ate delicious bagels with the rest of the under-30 population of the city. Beautiful scenery, beautiful people. Inside the palace, however, was underwhelming, especially in comparison to the lavish palaces of France. And let me tell you something, no offense to any Danes out there, but the Danish royal family has to be one of the most unfortunate-looking royal families of all time. And it wasn't looking up from generation to generation: talk about foreheads. But kudos on the lawn.

Glorious Nyhavn Street in the sunshine

Beyond the palace, the city is definitely manageable by foot. We strolled down Nyhavn Street for coffee, a small waterfront pedestrian street lined with cafes, daffodils and colorfully painted apartments. The daffodils were a recurring theme in Scandinavia -- growing in parks, along streets, sitting on tables. We walked across the river to Christiana which is the location of old barracks that have long since been taken over by anarchists and weed aficionados. It exists as something of a commune thanks to some peace-keeping legislation passed in the late 80s. Grungy, largely dilapidated, young population. And a long walk. 

We didn't go in, but it seemed beautiful.

Overall, the city was beautiful. The people were friendly, welcoming, there was lots of good food to be had (Erin and I skipped a park called Tivoli for a huge Indian dinner), scenic back alleys to stroll. But, buyer beware: this is most expensive place I've ever travelled to. From Copenhagen we set off to Stockholm...