Having failed with my German language mission in Berlin (and felt little remorse), I departed three weeks earlier than anticipated for a brief journey in Scandinavia, starting with Copenhagen.
Not very educated in Danish history and background, my references are few:
- Karen Blixen’s memoir Out of Afrika.
- Nicolas Winding Refn, a movie director.
- The Little Mermaid.
- In the top four of the happiest nations on the planet according to the World Happiness Report.
- Land of tall people.
- Copenhagen dominating the bicycle friendly city rankings.
Even two hours into my stay and I could already attest to numbers 5 and 6. Number 4 would probably require more time to analyze, a project for which I have the curiosity, yes, but not the initiative or the patience. In regards to the Little Mermaid, I’m not sure I share much personal interest in the saga, suspenseful as it may be. And as far as the individuals in numbers 1 and 2, both have produced quality content on a worldwide scale, a feat always respectable especially in a small country.
The bus journey from Berlin to Copenhagen also deserves a mention. I was curious how the advertised 7.5 hour journey accounted for the lack of terrain between Northern Germany and the Zealand island housing Copenhagen. (This is where my lack of being informed about many practical matters gives rise to fantasy.) I entertained the idea of a bridge (not considering the distance from the mainland to the island) or an underwater tunnel, but purposely refrained from research to make room for suspense.
Incredibly, I did not even consider the cruise ship in the hypothesis space. In the end, the solution lent itself to sheer simplicity: the bus docks in the cargo area of the cruise ship, the passengers enjoy a 2-hour pleasure cruise along the Baltic Sea (or is it the Kattegatt?), and ultimately reembark the bus to continue the seamless journey. I had not seen the Baltic sea since 30 years ago in the Soviet Lithuania, but this “bus journey” arguably provided the most inexpensive means under the circumstances.
I will provide a further report of my time in Copenhagen. That’s probably a lie.
Questions, comments? Connect.