Copenhagen!

Last night ended with a bang. As I was wrapping up an Ocean post, I looked out my tiny round windows and saw an explosion of fireworks over the Tivoli Gardens. (I am changing rooms today: a room with larger windows has opened up and I want it!)

I am right across the street from this park and I know that the fireworks are a weekly thing in the summer. I could have watched from my hotel's rooftop, but it was near midnight and my eyes were definitely protesting my long long period of no sleep. 

And the next thing I know it's morning.

I learn very quickly that the weather in Copenhagen is like the weather in Scotland: it changes quickly. I look out those round windows and see wisps of sunshine, but I am not fooled! There will be clouds today. There will be periods of rain. And the temps will hover in the mild 60s F (15-20C) range. I am prepared!

But first, breakfast, which at the Villa is downstairs in their courtyard restaurant. Except that I doubt anyone ever eats outside. It's just not the climate for it. Perhaps the name should be "Adjacent to the Courtyard."

Normally, a breakfast in a big hotel is uninteresting in that guests have expectations and they are uniform, no matter where they travel. Hotels strive to meet them (except for the French who hold fast to the idea that outsiders are not going to dictate what foods a French person should serve). So you see the same stuff everywhere. Eggs. Bacon. Bread. Recently, everyone tries to present a credible croissant. Cheese, meats, and what I call hotel fruits (lots of melon). Still, in hotels that care to bend toward the local, you do see a little bit of a country's flavors and the Villa cares a lot about local (their Scandinavian shampoo and body lotion are awesome! I want to take some home!) and so I get to fill my plate with what I believe to be real Danish favorites. And the one really nice thing about eating breakfast at a big hotel is that they can afford to bring in variety. You can taste more than one cheese, more than one pastry, more than one bread, and pick your own favorites for the week.

Now, we all live with stereotype ideas about other lands and I bet you and I will have come here with some pretty standard ones about Danish foods. Like, that this is where Sara Lee danishes were invented! In fact, a version of the American sticky danish which we all grew up with is popular here, but it was introduced fairly recently (in the 19th century) by bakers who came here from Austria. And indeed, you can deconstruct this even more, because some would say that Poland planted the seeds of the yeasty pastry into the minds of Austrians, but then in those years, much of Poland was under the Austro-Hungarian rule, so pastry origins can get pretty complicated. Putting all that aside, you can comfortably say that the Danes love their danish-like pastry, though it looks a bit different here and often comes with cardamon. This is the Villa's breakfast pastry presentation:

And this is my breakfast, which has the very common here rye bread (again, we have this in Poland and I love it!), the "danish" bun, a bit of salmon, Danish yogurt with a Danish strawberry jam that is beautifully runny and flavorful, Swedish cheese, Danish cheese, and here's a treat -- awesome strawberries!

And I have a dessert! A second cup of coffee with something that I swear is a cross between a danish, a croissant and a fruit tart!

I really haven't time for much else this morning. I promised I'd meet the young family at the airport at around noon, and so I just have a few moments to walk over to their apartment (about fifteen minutes away from my hotel). They chose a lovely residential neighborhood and the walk in fact is very nice...

I pass a small grocery store and notice the berries. Wouldn't it be cool to take some over now to their Copenhagen home...

And then I am back on that fast little train that within fifteen minutes puts me right in the land of planes, travelers and suitcases. 

The four travelers were lucky on several fronts: the kids both slept well on the overseas flight, the flights were all more or less on time, the suitcase did arrive with them. Were there snafus? Of course! It took 90 minutes for the suitcases to come out on the conveyor belt. That is a long wait for little ones, and, too for me, as I stand with camera poised, ready to capture the moment they step outside. But, we all managed just fine and here they are!

My daughter is a superb planner and she knows better than me the fastest way to get close to their apartment and so we all take not the train, but the subway (imagine -- the Copenhagen people have a choice of speedy options!).

During the ride I hear more of the details of their trip -- how Juniper entertained everyone at the gate by trying hard to do a real jump (she is almost there!), how Primrose told anyone and everyone that she was on her way to Copenhagen to visit her grandma (leading all to think she was going to reunite with her Danish relatives) and all the while, Primrose chatted away and Primrose looked around her in amazement. So much has changed so quickly!

In the apartment, after some snacking and exploring...

... the kids are settled down for a nap. I go out to grab a cup of coffee...

... and eventually, we all head out... 

(ready to go! "can I take my goldfish crackers?"))

(loves to ride the tiny elevator)

(so windy!)

... to do some grocery shopping at the local supermarket. This is always a lovely part of foreign travel: visiting a grocery store that does not overlap in many ways with yours back home.

(like in France, their grocery baskets are on wheels; no big shopping carts here...)

(someone else likes the idea of rolling it around!)

In the evening we go to a place that is again familiar to the parents, as they'd been there before. I dont know how to describe it except to call it a neighborhood of brewpubs (scores of them!) that opened in what I think is the old meatpacking district. The one they like is called WarPigs -- a place that is styled after the smoked BBQs of Texas, but with a Danish twist.

It's crowded, happy, very informal and everyone is in great spirits!

It's now after 8 and way past the kids' bedtime, but the parents want to shift them to a later schedule, so they propose we walk over to Tivoli Gardens for a first but certainly not last visit there. For me it's perfect because my hotel is close by. For the kids it's perfect because even if you do not ride the rides (they'll do that another day), just walking through this famous and old fashioned park brings out sparks of joy, even if you've been traveling forever and you are on a totally weird schedule and everything around you is crazy different.

Here we are, amidst showers and sunshine, pausing for ice cream for the kids...

(Danish people do not pause in their fun just because it rains; they merely take out their umbrellas!)

And in the end being magically embraced by a rainbow, making this truly a memorable end to their first day here. Hey, my first full day here!

We part ways now. I marvel at their stamina! They bravely trudge home as I turn toward my hotel. 

(the hotel's courtyard has a lovely glass dome, converting it into an expansive lobby...)

We'll meet up tomorrow morning. 

In the meantime, I enter my new room, feeling happy about the bigger windows! 

(A real dilemma: would you like small windows with a great view or large windows with a lesser view? I tried both. Turns out big windows trump great view!)

It is of course wonderful to be here with "the kids," but moreover, it is also wonderful to not be the planner, the one responsible for choosing the right amount of food, of walking, of excitement. They make all the day's decisions. I merely go along and for good reason! They choose well!

Until tomorrow then! 

With so much love...

getting to Copenhagen

I THE JOURNEY

PART A

Good afternoon from some airport in Europe that I'd never been to, waiting for a flight on an airline I'd never heard of!

In other words, things did not go as planned. Let me recap the start of it all: I'm on my way to Copenhagen!

Off to a good start: a flight from Madison to Detroit leaves early, gets into Detroit early. I was to wait a couple of hours and then board a flight from Detroit to New York's JFK, where, after a four hour layover, I was to catch a direct flight to Copenhagen. But in Detroit all hell breaks loose and small snafus escalate and multiply and now, here I am, updating Ocean from Hamburg!

First of all, my flight from Detroit to JFK posted a two hour delay. If you read yesterday's post, you already know that. So now I have a four hour layover in Detroit. No problem, right? I relax. I run into a friend. I read. Four hours go by quickly.

PART B

At the gate now, with many anxious passengers. They're all wanting to connect at JFK to international flights. Why else fly to JFK airport, right? It's inconvenient for the city. So, everyone wants this plane to leave NOW! But first the aircraft has to arrive from Dallas. There it is! Pulling up to the gate.

Meanwhile, the passengers at the neighboring gate are really agitated, because their plane's cabin is overheated, registering close to 100 degrees F. (nearly 38C). They are, therefore, not allowed to board. Delta does not want to kill off its paying customers. Poor guys. Their trip to Houston will be dismally delayed. But we, who are JFK bound, are all getting ready to board ours, except, what's this? There will be a gate switch?? The Houston guys are getting our incoming plane and we get their overheated loser?? That's just evil!

We wait as various instruments and machines are brought in to cool off the plane. Tick tock, tick tock. Slowly the passengers leave with resignation. Their connections to Zurich, to London, to Sao Paolo are all falling by the wayside. I'm still hanging in there, but I set the wheels in motion for a change as well. If you stand near the counter and eavesdrop in on the conversations, you can easily figure out that Delta is just biding its time. This plane is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Now what??? All flights across the Atlantic are booked solid! I get on the phone. And this is where airline loyalty helps. I am put on a flight to Amsterdam (very late departure, so I feel I have lived at the Detroit Airport for half my life) on a standby basis. But as I am so loyal, they promise I will get a seat.

PART C

That was one long wait in Detroit. Nearly nine hours! But, you know, I am alone and what does it matter, really? Yes, I will have missed some hours across the ocean, but on the upside, I did finally get a seat and the flight to Amsterdam is pleasant enough, with just enough of the gentle bumps that lull most everyone except me to sleep. 

In Amsterdam now. I have about a three hour layover so I walk leisurely toward what I know to be the gate area for European connections. I check the screen. Say what? All flights are posting gates at this exceptionally busy airport. Mine, on the other hand, is posting a cancellation!

I'm back on the phone with Air France (the airline responsible for my original booking). I get scolded by passport control. Get off the phone! This is a security area! I hide the phone and pick up the conversation once officially in the European zone.

They have only one suggestion that would put me in Copenhagen at any decent hour today. I follow their suggestion.

PART D

And that is how I find myself on a KLM flight to Hamburg. I have never been to Hamburg. I hope I will not be there tonight either. I just want to pick up a flight on some strange airline that leaves Hamburg for Copenhagen pretty much as soon as I land in this German city.

For this part of the trip, all I remember is all the steps, with my suitcase: up the stairs to the ticket agent's desk. Down the steps to the bus that will take us to the flight. Up the stairs to the airplane. I am able to do this, with my backpack and carryon, even with the knee being still so very imperfect, but it's slow going.

On the KLM plane, I find out that the flight is going to be delayed. Airport traffic. And then delayed some more. Please, Hamburg airport! Be small! 

PART E

Hamburg Airport is not small, but nor is it too large. Sort of like Warsaw. But what is disconcerting is that my plane from Amsterdam again parks in outer space. Down the stairs. Onto a bus, up the stairs. And here's the real bummer: you have to exit the airport to connect to your next flight. This means you have to go through security again. Who thought of that dumb procedure?? Nevertheless, it all moves along, and I am at the gate for Copenhagen on time. Especially since THAT flight is also delayed. And it requires a bus. Down the stairs, up the airplane's steps, suitcase in hand. But hey! These are small steps. The flight on XFLY Airlines is on a tiny prop plane, the kind I used to get from Glasgow to the Scottish isles.

The flight eventually does take off and I eventually do land in Copenhagen at just about 5 p.m., which is in fact only about 5 hours later than my planned arrival.

II COPENHAGEN

What images come to you when you think of Copenhagen? Happy people, yes, that. Weather hardened (a mild but wet climate, which is sort of the opposite of Wisconsin!). Known for clever design, fisheries, the New Nordic cuisine, and Hans Christian Andersen. Who hasn't heard of the Emperor's New Clothes, the Little Mermaid, or Princess and the Pea? They're iconic! 

But of course, Copenhagen is so much more. Even as it's a small city. One of the smallest of the European capitals. I always thought of it as a finger jutting out into the North Sea, but in fact, Copenhagen is on an island and if you cross a bridge to the east, you'll find yourself in Sweden.

Ed says Danish people are more content because they dont have much strife nor complicated infighting between different demographics. In other words, it's a homogeneous nation. But Poland is homogeneous as well -- little diversity, very few Jews, Muslims or Buddhists, and yet, no one is surprised to see it rank rather low on the list of happy nations.

In my same old way, I want to get a feel for the place not necessarily through checking off the landmarks, but by walking the streets, looking inside public spaces, stores, bake shops --the usual.

But first, I have to change my mindset: from dry and hot and hazy, I have moved to crisp and wet and cool. 

I've been told that much must happen before you even leave the airport. For example: this is the time to purchase a Rejsekort -- a travel card that will let you hop on the train into town (and ride metros and buses up and down and all around). So I do that. And I hop on that train (well, more like drag myself onto it), which takes me to the Central Station, which happens to be steps away from my hotel (Villa Copenhagen).

The Villa Copenhagen continues the recent tradition of my staying at hotels that are not really something you'd think I'd choose. It's not small, not family run, not intimate. But it's lovely and proximate to the station, and to where the young family will be staying, and for all those stars it commands, the prices are not outrageous.

[Gone are the days when I can tag along with the kids and just crash in their rooms and rentals. Anything, anything at all will keep me from getting a night of fit sleep, so I have to disengage and shut off my mind, my thoughts, and keep myself removed from even imagined excitement for the night. So here I am, at the "Villa," ready to unwind and get prepared for the arrival of the foursome!]

I had planned some walks in the city, but of course, all those changed flights took away most of my daylight hours here (even though it does stay light for a wonderfully long time!). Too, I am mindful of the fact that I'm tired and it's very wet and I haven't yet gotten used to the Nordic climate, so I take it easy. Still, fairly quickly, I set out. 

I walk in the direction of Nyhavn, the iconic neighborhood by the canals. It's gorgeous and I'm sure I'll come back here. For now, let's take a look at the colorful blocks along the water's edge.

And I stop for dinner at nearby Iluka. My daughter sent me a list of possible eating choices and Iluka seemed so good! Small, seafoodish, informal. My favorite plate? The crab tail, with pumpkin seeds, fennel and peas.

(Walking home, while others bike... I cant believe she is not wearing a jacket!)

And so ends my first exhausted but happy day. Tomorrow, things intensify! Push "calm" by the wayside and plunge into excitement and adventure: the young family arrives!

Until then, godnat once more!

And then I'm off!

This morning, I do one last June walk to the barn..

(Penstemon and lavender flood the Secret Path)

One last quick weed, quick watering of the tubs -- outside and porch! One last appreciative glance at the emerging blooms (hold off for a bit, lilies! Okay?)

I eat one last June breakfast with my sweet, gentle, agreeable, strong Ed..

And then I'm off. To Copenhagen.

This is a trip that had been on the calendar for May 2020 -- or, a version of what we had conceived of back then. We -- the younger families and me -- were all to convene in Paris. One of those once in a lifetime things you do. There were fewer grandkids, life was stable. Some of us were also going to do some days in Copenhagen. My younger girl and her husband have visited Denmark in the past and they wanted to return, en famille. All set, hotels booked, flights paid for, and then of course all hell broke loose. Covid, the pandemic. Pregnancies, new jobs, on and on. There seemed to be no good time to do this anymore.

Until now.

We wont overlap in our travels completely. For instance, I'm leaving for Denmark earlier, so that I can give myself a day of recovery (my knee tells me I'll need it!) before they arrive. And "they" means the younger family. I've traveled plenty with the older one, but it's these guys who have been left by the wayside. Eventually, there will be Paris in the mix, but for now, I'm concentrating on Copenhagen!

With few exceptions, most of the European countries that I grew to know very well were ones that were good flight connecting points between the US and Poland. The UK, the Netherlands, France -- I first visited them through en route stop-overs. Their airlines (BA, KLM AF) offered good overseas airfares, so that is where I would land. I added Italy (because I bothered to learn the language). I added Spain (because Ed spoke Spanish). Denmark's airline (SAS) was, in those years, not competitive, I knew not a word of Danish, and so I stayed away. 

Eventually my perspective changed, my appetite for travel skyrocketed, but my habits were entrenched. Stick with the beloved. And so I never got to know Copenhagen. 

I do have a small jumpstart: a few years ago, my good friend moved to Denmark with her family and in corresponding extensively with her, I got at least a small feel for the country. So I am excited. And who wouldn't want to visit a nation of happy people (Denmark and Finland trade off for the designation of happiest country in the world)! And do recall that I try to practice the Danish art of hygge in the winter. And this spring, I even learned a few Danish words. I'm set!

My flight routing is a tiny bit different. Yes, I stick to my preferred airline (Delta), and I connect in Detroit, but then at JFK, from where I fly straight to Copenhagen. There was to be a long layover in JFK, but things unraveled a bit when the flight to take me there became super delayed.  I'm posting from Detroit, hoping that the schedules will work themselves out in the end, because believe me, on this busy weekend of a busy travel season, there are no switches to be made! Go now or wait forever for the next transatlantic flight. Still, in travel you are not allowed to worry until you have reason to worry, which is pretty much never. Right now my feet are up, I'm sipping tea, missing so much my beloved and beloveds back home, but so eager to meet up with the youngest family in Denmark.

Godnat! See you on the other side of the ocean.

Thursday

Another packed day today, even as I am not packed. (And I should be -- for an adventure that starts early tomorrow.) And a repeat performance of smoke, blanketing our beautiful landscapes. Funny how you can get used to some things. I reach for the N95 almost automatically and step outside.

(the lilies are just beginning their month of splendidness!)

(another lilium is opening up!)

And after a hurried inspection of what still needs to be watered today (a lot!), I return to the farmhouse to bake muffins. I've been promising a new batch for Snowdrop. Today, I will get this done! (And share some of that bounty for breakfast!)

Then I put on some speed. Out I go, masked, and I target those poor plants with a full hose. As thoroughly as I can, given that I only have a spare couple of hours for it this morning.

One big event for me is to check in with my surgeon over at the hospital, so that he can admire his handiwork on my knee. And he is very pleased. That 130 degree bend that I am now able to do? Words like super hero were floated about! Oh, but I love my docs! They're so full of enthusiasm! Toss the caution aside now! Swim, bike, ditch all the medications, and that nighttime pain? It will only get better! See you in a year! 

And there you have it. Suddenly all those inconveniences that came with the knee replacement, the struggles, the immobility -- tish tosh, all go by the wayside, life is good, seize it! (Only dont aim for a total bend -- you're not going to get it and you'll only do damage.) 

Equipped with that pat on the back, I return home for a quick half hour with the hose, and then I dash over to Snowdrop's summer camp: there is an end-of-week presentation and we're all there in the audience, watching the yoga presentations and the the dramatization of the Smart Cookie.

And after, the little girl comes to the farmhouse. Because of schedules and trips and adventures, it's her last visit here for a couple of weeks, hence the muffins, the protracted reading, the berry picking, the enjoyment of all that farmette life has to offer.

In the evening? Well, there's the watering to complete. And dinner to prepare. I want to fix a good one -- fish, asparagus, salads, but I don't even begin working on it until 7;30. 

The day closes with an evening with Ed, which is exquisitely delightful and calm, as always.

with love...

Wednesday

This morning, Ed comes upstairs to sleep and give an outside smoke report and I am reminded of that old adage -- never complain about (insert your favorite gripe here), because it could be so much worse tomorrow. 

Yesterday's reading of small particles in the air from the Canadian fires seems so wonderfully low! An AQI of 190? That's only "unhealthy!" Today we are at a whopping 285 which is "very unhealthy" and awfully close to "hazardous!" We have to hunker down inside and it's not even raining!

I walk to the barn wearing an N95 and I'm thinking -- this is so strange... even at the height of the pandemic we had the great outdoors where we could exhale.

(looking out through the mud room window...)

On the upside, we're all taking precautions and at least we can all huddle together inside and enjoy each others misery! Too, Ed and I are breathing okay, helped, I'm sure, by the running air purifier that we purchased as an easier fix to the unvented gas stove problem in our kitchen. And, knock on wood, no one is dropping bombs on our apartment buildings and hospitals. The list of beautiful things in our lives is in fact very long.

I do have to water though. A whole bunch. And so after breakfast...

I mask up and I go out with the hose, like some kind of an alien creature who can't stand the atmosphere of this planet.

(Look what's booming! Nasturtium...)

(The first lilies, which are the true Lilium...)

I am in a hurry, even though you cannot be in a hurry when watering! 

The day is a bit unusual in other ways too: Ed was supposed to go boating with his buddy. Locally, on one of the smaller lakes. Along with millions of others who had great outdoor plans for this summer day, that had to be tabled.

I do pick up Snowdrop... (exuberant girl...)

And I bring her to the farmhouse...

But our time together is a bit fragmented as I have to prepare a family dinner. 

(We read, then she plays with Ed's computer...)

My daughter's super good friend from New York has arrived for a visit and her travels here always sweetly include a stopover at the farmhouse.

So, we are a group of eight for dinner.

You'll have noticed that it's not on the porch.

Not many photos from the evening. Far too busy keeping up the meal prep and visiting with everyone.

(Speaking of visits, here are the two kids visiting over FaceTime with their two Chicago cousins!)

(And more antics, Snowdrop is showing her brothers the Downward Dog position from yoga)

A pause outside. For just a minute. The air quality index is still at 205. "Very unhealthy."

I wish we could linger in the garden longer, but, we have to be patient with that. The smoke will move on after all. And besides, it's way past the kids' bedtime.

It's dark by the time I have the house back in order. As I glance out the window, I see the repeated flicker of fireflies. It's that time of the year! Beautiful at all hours of the day.