Day Three - Copenhagen
A short and relatively inexpensive flight on Norwegian Airlines got me to Copenhagen midafternoon for an easy check in Daniel & Jacob’s apartment, two bedrooms which made it more comfortable for me and my brother, and a washer that I needed after a week on the road.
A short walk took me by the central train station and Tivoli Gardens on my way to The Olive Kitchen & Bar for Beef Carpaccio (Parmeasean cream, pickled red onions, croutons), Panko Parmesan Chicken {Roasted potatoes, mixed salad, lemon caper sauce) and French Vanilla Creme Brûlée.
Copenhagen takes dining seriously. You don’t show up even to a pizza place without a reservation and expect to walk in. “The table will be yours for the indicated booking time of either 1,5 hours (Quick bite) or 2 hours 15 minutes (Standard seating).” Even dining by myself for a “quick bite”, the server confirmed that I was ready to have 15-20 minutes between courses. I was very happy to take my time.
Day Four - Copenhagen
After meeting my brother at the airport and dropping his bags at the apartment, we found Smørrebrød for lunch at the Food Hall and then wandered down town past the Copenhagen Cathedral to Strøget, Denmark's 1.1-kilometer-long, car-free pedestrian shopping street, and the Round Tower, before we went back to the apartment to rest. (Steve had just flown in from New York, while I had adjusted to the time while I was in Barcelona.)
During the months before the trip, I studied Danish on Duolingo (I never imagined that I could speak or understand the notoriously difficult language, but so that I could be sociable and read a menu, most of which were well-translated to English.) and studied YouTube. One of the videos was 12 HRS in COPENHAGEN - Where A 3 MICHELIN Chef Eats Ft. Local Gems, Shish Kebab & Late Night Chinese which recommended Frank’s Kro as a place for good Danish food. It was not the best Danish food, but it was an unforgettable experience. As we arrived about 20 minutes before our reservation, t he restaurant had just finished a party and was resetting everything for dinner service. Seated at communal tables for 8, we found that the party spirit remained and our table mates (and much of the room) were soon singing loudly to songs I did not know. After a while, I heard a familiar gospel tune “Over in the Glory Land” which the Danes were singing enthusiastically. I told the woman sitting beside me that we knew that song and that it was about going to Heaven. She was quite surprised and said, “Oh no, it’s about going to a big party.” I’m not offended by that comparison. Happily, that musical coincidence resulted in an extended conversation about Denmark and the US, our trip, US vs European football, and we made warm, if momentary friends.
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