Copenhagen and the area around it was our last stop in Denmark. First up we walked from the main train station to Kingosgade to see Mona and Rene, another set of host parents from when I was an exchange student in 1995. They still live in Odense but the timing didn’t work out for us to catch up there so we saw them while they were on holiday in Copenhagen, staying at their son Klavs’s apartment. Klavs & Anders were away overseas at the time so we didn’t get to see them unfortunately.
It was just lovely to see Mona and Rene again, catch up, hear about the family news, Christmas and so on. Lunch was really good as well and in typical Danish style we sat around the table eating and talking for several hours.
The eating and talking continued at my friend Louise’s apartment in Norrebro, where we stayed that night. She’d made a yummy vegetable/ lentil curry soup that we ate together – her flatmate Magdalena joined us too. It was so good to hang out and hear about Louise’s interesting job working with prison inmates and coordinating volunteers and projects in that space.
Louise hopped through to sleep in Magdalena’s room giving up the couch (which converted to her bed) for us. It was interesting to stay in an inner city Copenhagen apartment where the dining room/ living room was also the bedroom and in our case guestroom too! The kitchen was small but functional and the toilet was tiny. If you wanted a shower you just screwed on the shower head hose to the small basin by the loo and took one there… the whole toilet/ bathroom was about 1m square. So different to our place back home which just seems enormous in comparison.
Louise headed to work the next morning so we said our goodbyes and a bit later on we too headed out for our lunch date with my other host parents, Ulla and Lars. They had within the last year moved from their large home and garden in Odense to something more manageable and closer to their daughters and grandchildren, near Copenhagen. After so many years in one house and with much stuff accumulated, they were still getting used to the downsized move and new home. It was lovely to see them again, also my host sister Signe who collected us from the station, showed us her house briefly (really cool design) and joined us for lunch.
Lunch in Denmark is typically rugbrød (rye bread) with various toppings, eaten with a knife and fork. All kinds of options are laid out on the table and you eat and chat taking a piece at a time and put on your topping. There are all sorts of combinations of toppings that Danes eat and you need a book of instructions to really find out what goes with what! Antony enjoyed trying all that was on offer with herring being his favourite. For me as a vegetarian the options usually include cottage cheese or cream cheese, tomato, boiled eggs, red pepper and cucumber. I really like this lunch but often find myself eating more and more as it is just sitting there in front of you!
We took the train further north to Hillerød, a town about 35km from Copenhagen. Charlotte, a friend from teachers’ college and her husband Michael live here and it was nice to stay a night with them. Once again we had a delicious meal and also enjoyed Charlotte’s homemade buns for lunch the next day and also an apple cake she made. They had since our last visit chosen to eat a vegan diet and I got a few recipes from her. I started to look forward to getting back home to my normal way of eating (plant based) and getting back into cooking, with a well stocked kitchen. It has been rather limited what I could make on the road.
Over dinner we heard more about Charlotte’s job working with kids with autism which interested us both and then we were introduced to a new game, Sequence. It was quick to pick up and really quite fun. An old game I think but not one I’d seen before.
Charlotte and Michael have a lovely view from their home, overlooking a small lake surrounded with trees. The neighbouring property had belonged to Charlotte’s parents and was where she grew up. It was now for sale. And in front of their house and driveway was Michael’s vetinary clinic.
The next morning we just relaxed at their home and enjoyed the peaceful setting and not having to rush off to a lunch date elsewhere. As nice as they all had been, it was a bit tiring visiting so many people in such a short space of time! Charlotte was home from work by lunchtime and Michael popped in and out so we had a bit more time with them before we headed off in the afternoon, on the train to Virum.
Elizabeth is the only person from my class (when I was an exchange student in 1995) that I still see. She has lived in Copenhagen for most of the time since finishing gymnasium and I always enjoyed catching up with her there on my visits back to Denmark. We didn’t see each other last time we were in Denmark though so this was the first time Antony met her and first time I met Morten and their two kids.
We had a nice time here with the family and yet another lovely meal which we helped Elizabeth to make (grilled vegetable lasagne). Elizabeth’s mother was also visiting and had made a nice salad and dessert… it had been a decade or two since I’d seen her last! We had a lovely evening catching up and getting to know Morten. One of his hobbies is cup-stacking which he’s represented Denmark in at the world champs. He gave us a demonstration and we had a go doing it. Requires a bit more coordination than I possess but was fun and I could see how it gets a bit addictive, trying to get faster and faster.
After a lifetime in/near Copenhagen for Morten and 20 years for Elizabeth, they were actually preparing a move to Aalborg in northern Jutland – a big change for them! We wish them well.
My host sister Camilla (Lone and Per’s daughter) picked us up from Elizabeth’s and took us back to her place in Brønshøj. It was late but we talked a bit with her and Thomas before going to bed. Next day we played a game of ‘Africa’s Star’ with their two boys before they headed off in the cool bike with Camilla to get haircuts.
Later in the morning Louise, another host sister, arrived with her two children. Both the husbands were busy all day helping clear out Lone’s dad’s place which had recently sold so it was Antony with the kids and the girls all day. The children all play really nicely together and largely entertained themselves while we got things ready for lunch.
Lunch was so good- the rugbrød particularly delicious and many yummy things to try on it. Even plain boiled potatoes, cold and sliced with some salt (and optional mayo) were pretty amazing – and a first for me on rugbrod. After all the eating it was good to head into the city for a little walk and then a bike ride. Louise, Antony and I took the bus into town, walked around then met up with Camilla who had biked in with all 4 children in the cosy box on the front of the bike.
We three hired some bikes we found at Nyhavn and then all headed off for a rather fresh bike ride around town. Copenhagen is a gorgeous city, just stunning on a summer’s day… but even in the winter, it was nice to bike around and admire the lovely buildings and soak up the city vibes.
It was back to Camilla and Thomas’s place for more eating- first a rhubarb crumble with a cuppa to warm us up and then later a great dinner with a Middle Eastern theme. Again I over-ate! There was just so much to try. The evening was filled with chatter, magic shows by the kids and before that a little last minute visa stress as we realised we needed to get visas for Oman. We did this online and then just hoped they would process them quickly as we were heading there the next day!
Next morning I woke and checked my email, thankfully the visas were in my inbox so we were all set to head to Oman, via Istanbul. It had been really nice to spend time with both Louise and Camilla and their families and next time we’re in Denmark Antony wants more time in Copenhagen so he can bike all over. Perhaps we should come in summer. Until then, goodbye Denmark og tak for denne gang!