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I AM AN INTERNATIONAL GIRL!
Duh! You're in Italy, Camille.
Silly, people! Italy is my home now. Meaning anything outside of Italy is international travel. Meaning I AM AN INTERNATIONAL GIRL! February 4-6 was my trip to Copenhagen. Feels like it was yesterday. The weeks go by so fast here, it is scaring me! If you read my Florence post, thank you. If you didn't, you're fake. Ha, kidding! But seriously. Go read it. Not only is it fun to read everything in chronological order, but you'll also know that I shared my journal entry in the post, instead of recalling from memory. I am doing the same with Copenhagen, and think I might keep it up! Not only is it easier on my end, but it is more authentic this way too :) Plus, I can keep posts more up-to-date. so, WHO'S READY TO READ ABOUT (one of) THE MOST MAGICAL PLACE(s) ON EARTH?!?! (I can't leave Disney out of this, c'mon. You know me) Here we go, la mia Famiglia e i miei Amichi! Get ready for some Italian AND a bit of Danish thrown at you!
Let's do this thing...Copenhagen, Denmark!
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February 4 - February 6, 2022
Who? Kellie and Meaghan (Reese, Riley, Hannah also but we were only with them for a bit)
Alright, so here's the deal. Copenhagen might just be my favorite city. Ever. And here's why.
Hygge (pronounced "HUUGA" or "WHO-GA." yeah, trust me. We were shocked too, especially after calling it "high-ge" all weekend. FOOLS!): meaning coziness and comfort, celebrating and sharing moments with loved ones. I love this concept.
Danish hot dogs (& all the hot dog stands)
Actual Danish pastries- so good!
The PEOPLE. The kindest, warmest souls.
The atmosphere and energy. Comparable to Walt Disney World (more on this later). Absolutely AMAZING.
Mask-free, baby!
Street music: trumpets, clarinets, accordions, the Danes go all out!
The nightlife was INSANE (on the edge of scary and overwhelming)! It was the first weekend clubs were open since COVID. Mostly overwhelming, but long live the Irish Pubs...more our speed).
Decor: the Danish/Norwegian decor and style are so simple and trendy and cute. I'm in love.
Steelhouse Copenhagen: the hostel we stayed at. The BEST hostel in Copenhagen and in all of Denmark (in my completely inexperienced and completely biased opinion). We could have stayed in the building for all three days and I would have had the best time.
Houses: colorful n cute n lovely! (see picture above)
Mark my words: I will be back. Copenhagen was so fun, I am truly obsessed.
FRIDAY
Flight info
04 Feb- FCO - CPH: 06:35 - 09:20
06 Feb- CPH - FCO: 20:20 - 22:55 [Delayed]
Woke up at 3:55 am (yes you read that correctly) for a 4:20 taxi to the airport with all the girls. Our driver, the sweet man he is, waited for 10 minutes for us and didn't charge us any extra. Literally so sweet! Security, once we were at the airport, was a BREEZE. Shoes on, put everything in a bin, and BAM. Good to go. Our flight was a breeze too - other than the smell of burning tires (?) Or burning fuel (??) We had to walk to the plane on the tarmac, which was kinda cool at 6 am (the picture is wrong bahaha, Kellie was trying to make it seem earlier than it was). I was ZONKED! I didn't sleep well, per se, but I slept lol. Please see pictures below for a chronological walk through of the flight.
Upon arrival, I needed COFFEE (and lots of it). Meaghan and I were able to get an Americano (Danes drink coffee just like Americans! Everywhere had lattes, cold brew, and other "American" drinks that Italy doesn't typically have. It was marvelous) and a Kløbenboller, a Danish pastry with raisins, orange, & walnuts. I don't like 2/3 of those ingredients, but I panicked and said "Great! I'll take that!" Apparently, international Camille can't handle the stress of picking out a pastry when the barista speaks ENGLISH. Anyway, the bakery (named Lagkagehuset) was SO cute. Turns out it is HUGE in Copenhagen because there were different ones everywhere! No real meals were eaten until la cena, where we went to a burger place. I got the ol' Mr. Cheddy Eddy, which cost 75 dkk. Anddddd this is a perfect example of the reliable, Danish Krone (dkk) and how freaking confusing it is. Like...why was the bill 467 dkk?! I could not even tell you how much that is without looking it up. But I do know 1 dkk -> 0.15 USD, which does not make for easy mental math!!!
In between the airport bakery run & dinner, we went to Steelhouse to put our luggage in a locker (we only brought backpacks, how fun!! Told you I was an international travel girl). We then went to Rosenburg Palace, which was so beautiful.
**just now remembering as I write this: we actually did get breakfast after the airport HAHA. I got the egg florentine and "De Lux" hot cocoa (because it was freaking cold! The whole weekend was high 30s-low 40s, with some wind). The restaurant was called Kalaset and it was full of hygge! Warmness, kind employees, real candles at every table, cute notes within the menu...it was so cozy and warm and wonderful.**
Okay so THEN we went to the Palace and some botanical gardens, though there's not much flora to see outside in Copenhagen in February haha. We somehow got to see the Queen's guards (yes, Denmark is a monarchy!) and the band of soldiers perform a parade type of thing in the streets! It was SO COOL and lively. Other fun parts of the day:
Danish McDonald's (don't judge. We've been down this street before...It's a cultural experience): and yes, better than America's.
Strøget shopping district: Finding & buying my "Camilla" mug: I'm not sure exactly why but seeing this almost brought me to tears. It brings me genuine joy, so I had to buy it as a memento. I can't wait to use it back home! I'm waiting to use it until then, so I can look back and think about the memories.
Bastard Cafe: this was SO COOL. It was a board game cafe where you could order food and drinks and choose one of the hundreds of board games they had along the walls. I loved this place because the people there were young and fun and there for a good time. I absolutely adore Europe in the sense that once you sit at a table, it's yours for the night. People really appreciate meals with family and friends, and they tend to last hours. How cool is that? I wish America was more similar to this! I got an Irish coffee, nachos, and fries (not all at once, that would be gross).
Accidentally walking into a couples wedding photos in the streets
El Dorado Bar: Meag, Kellie, and I got some drinks, listened to music, and started looking around only to realize we were the OLDEST ones there. Mhm. Somehow....in all of Copenhagen...we found the "hangout" for all the high schoolers. Awesome.
FUN karaoke spot!
SATURDAY
Our first full day in Copenhagen! Not sure why, but it feels like saying "Copenhagen" is the long way of saying the city name, like saying "South Bend, Indiana" versus "South Bend" haha. Okay. This day. Wow.
First stop of the day: Original Coffee...on a rooftop...what is life?! This was amazing and so beautiful. The view of the city was impeccable- the cafe was in the shopping district and it felt like a movie with the buildings and architecture and fountains and all the people and the music on the streets (like I said, the atmosphere = unmatched!).
I got a latte and a croissant and sipped and ate as the sun peaked through the clouds. Thank you, Jesus. I can't believe it. After this, we went shopping (mostly window shopping lol. Copenhagen, my dear friend, you are expensive!) This part of the city: miraculous. There was a moment that has become my favorite, looking back. An absolute core memory: Kellie on my left, Meag on my right, arms linked, passing waffle & churro & sausage vendors, listening to the accordion players on the streets of Copenhagen. Life is GOOD. It was like I was able to zoom out and look at the moment from the outside. We literally were looking around at the city and at each other, arms linked, tears rolling down my cheeks in disbelief and gratitude, saying "this is the best day ever." And why exactly? It was pure magic. And that's the only way I know how to describe it. Best day. I am so grateful. While walking, we accidentally bumped into Nyhavn Harbour. This is the harbour, lined with painted homes & businesses, always seen in pictures and whatnot.
Talk about magical (this is the one word I would use to describe the city and this trip). The atmosphere is similar to Disney, and I DO NOT use that lightly! Huge compliment coming from me!
Afterward, most of the rest of the day was spent at Strøget. Our daily eats consisted of:
A Danish hot dog from one of the many vendors
--I would like to take this time to show you all pure joy, pure excitement, and pure happiness. Don't know what that looks like? Let me help:
Now if you're wondering, Camille, why the heck are you so excited about a hot dog? I don't know, okay? Like I said, this was the best day ever. (Not being dramatic, I am so nostalgic for this day). It just seemed like such a Danish thing to do and I felt like I was meant to be eating a hotdog from that exact stand at that exact time hahaha.--
Momo Wok Box: an Asian noodle place, MUCH needed
Belgian waffle with white & milk chocolate melted on it with soft ice on top (vanilla gelato but icier)...the Danish know how to make a waffle.
Jagger: a burger place, much like Shake Shack. If you haven't noticed a trend yet, Denmark doesn't have many cultural foods, so it is a HUGE burger culture. Not complaining. I got a burger with fries and a coke.
Don't worry, my eating habits are not like this usually, but you know what they say...when in Copenhagen!
We met with Riley, Reese, and Hannah before dinner for happy hour at the hostel. BOGO cider? Yes, please. SO fun!
Went our separate ways for dinner, then we made our way to the Old Irish Pub. This place was IT. There was live music, and it was SO COOL. The singer's name was Stephen Cooper and he was one of many highlights of the trip for sure. He was so engaging and fun with the audience and the energy was amazing.
The place was PACKED- there were lots of people and lights and of course, music. Later on, we met Riley, Reese, and Hannah at the karaoke place, but then we all went back to the Pub because we wanted them to experience it. Sang, danced, dance battled with some Danish folk, and had the best time. I LOVE COPENHAGEN.
SUNDAY
Breakfast: Buka Bakery, Nutella cappuccino, and the most amazing square croissant with raspberry and cream. To top it off, I ate it in the city center with Meag while Kellie and the other girls went to Original Coffee. Main character moments allll day long. I mean, just look at those layers!!
Lunch: Paleo, salmon wrap with sweet potatoes disks at Torvehallerne Market. This place was just like the Milwaukee Public Market and I loved it. There were two main buildings that had candies and chocolates, all types of food, and lots and lots of hygge. Loved the atmosphere (I know I say this about everywhere, but Copenhagen is magical, okay?)
Dinner: Ham & cheese on a baguette from the ~airport~ lol. I don't like ham but didn't hate it because the cheese was yummy. Not the most dreamy or ideal dinners but it was cheap (hardly- I will not miss your price tags Copenhagen!).
Snack: Gløgg! This is a traditional spiced/mulled wine! It was very sweet but good. The part that was not so sweet (or extra sweet, all about perspective!) was this:
Once we got our gløgg, it proceeded to HAIL. And I don't mean a few little nuggets, but an absolute (painful) DOWNPOUR of pellets. like...CIAO.
--It was one of those situations that is just so unfortunate that you have to laugh. So we did. A lot. And even though this whole weekend was cold and windy and wet (from the hail, lucky us), it was pure bliss. Life is so good, even when you're waiting for your bruises to come in from the natural disaster that the weather is. I can't believe I am living this life.--
Hannah dropped something as we were walking and Kellie whipped around to see what it was, further knocking my cup of gløgg around, onto her BRAND NEW, WHITE jacket she got the day before, and onto Meag's scarf she was borrowing (it was a big scarf weekend for the 3 of us girls. Especially in El Dorado. The scarves really made us look 30 years old next to the high school girls HAHA), and onto the ground. And so we laughed some more, kept walking, and the hail kept coming. And don't worry, Kellie miraculously got all the gløgg out of her jacket!
We also went to Frederick's Church, a Lutheran Church in Copenhagen. Fun fact: only 3% of the Danish population is Catholic, and about 80% is Lutheran! So different from Italy.
Then we saw Holmen Church, where the King and Queen were married! This was super cool because it was recent but is also part of history! And to top it all off, we saw Amalienborg Palace, the Queen's Official Winter Residence! We got there just in time to see the changing of the guards. On Friday, the "parade" of guards we saw was part of the changing of the guards.
Each day they march from Rosenborg to Amalienborg, and it was unbelievable to be there to witness this and to visit both of the palaces. It was also cool, while at Amalienborg Palace Square, the head guard/soldier was calling commands. While I didn't know or understand what they were saying in the moment, I knew after watching "Oh that was an eyes right" and "Oh my goodness, a left face!" The cultures and languages and customs and even type of government are extremely different from the US, but some things are similar or even identical, and that is pretty dang cool!!
And that is a wrap on Copenhagen, the very very best weekend. Got to the airport early, and got to Rome late (around 11:30 pm). Had some trouble with finding a taxi, but finally got one (bunch of scammers trying to take our euros!)
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There you have it, i miei giorni a Copenhagen. Could you feel the magic? I really hope you could, because almost a month later, and I'm still feeling it. If at anytime before reading this, or even while reading this, you thought to yourself, Copenhagen...how random. I could not tell you how impulsive this trip was. I was with Meag and Kellie and said, "Hey plane tickets to Copenhagen are cheap this weekend and I found a hostel with a great location. Wanna go?" And they just looked at me like "Why the heck not?" And so we went. It was so random. But it was so necessary. And (one last time...) it was so magical.
How surreal- I'm currently living in the stories I'll be telling for years and in the memories I'll have forever. I look back at this trip and at all my adventures so far with such peace and gratitude in my heart. Life is so good. God is so good.
Ciao for now,
Camilla
(call me Camilla if you want to make me sob tears of joy and happiness)
They were selling an MSU sweatshirt! That’s so crazy! 😂
best. weekend. ever. This brought the magic back for sure, truly blessed!!! Love you Camilla!