Getting Hygge in Copenhagen
At the start of our visit in Denmark we all had to admit we knew almost nothing about the country we had just arrived in. Our knowledge could be counted off on one hand.
1. Vikings
2. Danish language
3. Part of the EU
4. LEGO
5. Danish pastries
And nothing else. Not how to say hello, not anything about the currency, and nothing about its history, other than Vikings of course. And it turns out number five isn’t even Danish. Without going too in depth to how embarrassing this is I do want to acknowledge the astounding privilege us Americans really have when it comes to traveling the world.
To remedy our lack of knowledge we took a walking tour our first day in Copenhagen. It was a fascinating and interesting tour and we learned so much! I particularly enjoyed the tidbits about the Vikings as I have Viking ancestors on both sides of my family. I am sure it shows through in my everyday personality, at least when I’m hungry 😊
We got to hear amazing anecdotes about Hans Christian Anderson, the history and rivalry between Denmark and the other Scandinavian countries, and about how the two great fires in the 1700’s destroyed everything except the one street used for sewage and low-end prostitution. We also learned all about the Danish concept of Hygge (pronounced Huga) which generally translates to cozy. The Danish people hold this concept in very high regard and make a point of having cozy houses and take the time to spend time indoors with their loved ones, eating and telling stories while the winter rages outside. This is perhaps why a great story teller like Hans Christian Anderson was so successful in this country.
The Danish people are also some of the happiest on earth and it was interesting to hear all about their social safety nets, taxes, and general economic structure. Also, if you are interested they have a very popular, and adorable, royal family.
So for the second half of the day we toured one of their old royal palaces. I’ve seen a lot of palaces this last month but this one had some amazing pieces and was fun to explore. The family has ruled continuously in Denmark for hundreds of years so their palaces were never ransacked to have their valuables sold off like so many others we have visited. It was also not overrun with tourists the way every other had been, which was a huge plus. They are actually the longest ruling, still active monarchy.
We have been pleasantly surprised by our visit so far, and oh so happy to be together. Tomorrow is our much anticipated visit to the birthplace of LEGO!
