SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

At the time of writing this, I’m currently in a hostel in Bergen, Norway. So spoilers, I made it north! I’ll detail that journey in a later post.

The Hauge, Netherlands: What started as a drip turned to this.

Where did we leave off? Right, The Netherlands. I took a few days further exploring The Hauge, smaller Dutch towns like Leiden and other surrounding regions by train. While riding the train back from the enormous port city of Rotterdam, Jordan texted to inform that his apartment was having major plumbing issues, meaning no running water. Remember how i said travelers need to be like water and prepare for whatever is thrown at them? Well, no water is a curveball to say the least. Jordan was covered; he could stay with a friend in Amsterdam, but I’d have to find another option.

The timing couldn’t have been better. I was actually planning on headed south to Belgium the very next morning. Proves my point: Be like water when you travel. Jordan, if you’re reading this I hope your plumbing is patched up.

BELGIUM

Belgium? I thought this was about Scandinavia? Well, Belgium was in-between The Netherlands & Denmark. I don’t want to just skip over it. But it’ll be brief.

I hate to speed-run through my time in this beautiful city, but I’m going to, because frankly, I didn’t do much besides sightsee, drink and inevitably recover from said drinking. I was hoping to get to the much talked-about countryside like Spa, Ghent of Bruges, but ended up just staying around downtown Brussels. That’s ok. You don’t have to do it all. People think it’s a waste to do nothing and that you’re wasting money, but I disagree. It’s important to factor in some days to relax and not pack in so much activity. Besides, I enjoyed hanging out with my Australian hostel bunkmate turned drinking buddy, Davey. A fellow solo traveler, Davey’s from Cairns near the Great Barrier Reef and like me, only had a few days in Belgium. We drank our way through the city, really exploring those famous Belgium beers. Thanks for hanging, man – you made Brussels memorable and fuzzy at the same time.

On top of beer Belgium is known for The Smurf’s, the Tin Tin comics, chocolate that rivals Switzerland’s and Diamonds. (Thanks to the Congo).

SOME BELGIUM SIGHTSEEING

ONWARD & UPWARD

My time in Belgium was fun but it only created more of a longing to head north.

So from Brussels, I hoped a 14 hour overnight Flix Bus to Copenhagen. Don’t know what Flix Bus is? Planning on covering transportation in a future post.

The bus ride was long but I couldn’t beat the cheap fare ($20 USD). I arrived in Copenhagen at around 10am and beelined towards the hostel. Most hostels won’t let you check in until 3pm but sometimes I play dumb, and once in a while they’ll have the room available early. Rare, but it happens. Wasn’t the case with this one. Dropped my stuff into a locker and explored to kill some time.

Nyhavn, meaning “New Harbor." Now the face of Copenhagen, it used to be where all the seedy bars and brothels were. This was amended in the 50’s to attract more tourism.

Take Advantage of Free Walking City Tours.

In most large European cities it’s common to show up at a location at a certain time and a volunteer-based guide will tour you around the city’s highlights. A good way to kill time, speed-run some history and orient yourself. At the end, it’s appreciated to tip what you want ($5-10). If you’re really strapped for cash a good review for the guide is appreciated too. Booking a day out is probably wise and just a quick Google search is easy enough.

My free tour was great. Learned a lot about Denmark as a whole, and an abbreviated history of Copenhagen. Conquests, vikings, World Wars, monarchies, etc. Saw the royal palace and watched the changing of the guards. Learned about Hygge, a uniquely Danish term. It’s a cultural practice of bearing the cold, dark winters. It’s indulging in the comforts of a good book, a comfy blanket, and the company of friends and family. In America we say “Treat yoself.” Here, it’s Hygge.

My first impressions were similar to that of Iceland. Unpredictable weather, tall, blonde people and again, a weird obsession with Hot Dogs.

COPENHILL

I’d heard about a place in Copenhagen where you could ski on top of a building. I didn’t know much more than that, but after doing some light research I rented a bike from the hostel and checked it out. Copenhagen is a city that’s environmentally conscious. The surrounding harbor is lined with hydroelectric windmills that rise out of the water, and most buses and cars are electric. Like The Netherlands, it has a complex network of bike and walking paths, making it easy for me to locate this Ski-Skyscraper hybrid.

It’s not a skyscraper, but a power plant. It takes in Copenhagen’s trash and converts it to water vapor, creating heat to sustain its unique roof. The roof, slanted roughly around 30° degrees, houses a little park complete with foliage and walking paths and a year-round ski hill. In the spring and summer, without snow, you can hit the slopes thanks to a special slippery material.

I walked the paths and visited the cafe at the top, and debated on trying out the skiing aspect. After mulling it over, and finding out the price, I caved and tried it. There’s always a trifecta every traveler should adhere to: Time, Money and Experiences. I try to balance all 3, and in this case the experience aspect won over money. When am I ever going to get to ski in early September on top of a roof in Europe? Glad I did it – no regrets. Even as a semi-experienced skier it was difficult. Snow creates friction and a surface for traction. This material made it feel like you were in a constant ice patch and frankly, it was exhausting…but fun. Would I do it again? Probably not but it was the novelty and the great views of the city. A highlight for sure.

PEOPLE VS PLACES

Sure, I like sightseeing. New places are always exciting. New surroundings, history, tourist areas or places off the beaten path. But traveling isn’t just about snapping pics for the gram; it’s meeting new people, both local and fellow travelers. Davey the Aussie back in Brussels, Jordan in The Netherlands, and now in Denmark, a group of fellow solo travelers from all over.

The place you stay plays an important factor too. The hostel I stayed at had a bar in the lobby and great lounge areas. That’s how I met these guys; sharing stories of where we’d been, where we’re going, our lives outside of travel, and our aspirations for the future. We ended up hanging out for the rest of my time in Copenhagen and I even extended my stay by a day.

KEEPING ON KEEPING ON

My time in Denmark has come to an end. I thoroughly enjoyed Copenhagen; it’s now one of my top 10 cities I’ve been to. I hope to be back in Denmark sometime to explore other regions. But time to move on: north to be specific.

Like I said previously, in the near future I’ll be detailing my transportation. I’m gearing up to explore Norway as well. Exciting stuff on the horizon.

I also want to hear from you guys: tell me about cool places you’ve been in northern Europe, or cool people you’ve met during your own travels. Drop me a line at ethankeister815@gmail.com

That’s all for now

-E

DENMARK: AN INTRO TO SCANDINAVIA