Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
We have spent the last couple of days trekking around Copenhagen. We took an awesome bike tour. Our guide was a graduate student in History from the University. Spoke great English and obviously, knew the history and current affairs of Copenhagen. You can bike anywhere in downtown Copenhagen in 10 minutes, so in 3 hours you can really see the city. Bikes are everywhere. People in expensive clothing riding down the street. They have bike lanes on all major streets, and if you are standing in one when a bike is coming, you’re going to get hit or yelled at. Luckily, I don’t understand Danish.
Christiana
This is an old army base that some hippies took over 30 years ago, and the military basically said, “Let them have it”. Big mistake. They turned it into a commune (they don’t like that word) and now 800 people have this area where they can do what they want. You get admitted to the commune only when someone leaves or dies. Right now there is a 30 year waiting list. No one owns their shack, no cars, no hard drugs (grass is sold on Pusher Lane), peace and love abound. It is now the second most popular tourist attraction and their main source of income is from the tourists. Interestingly enough, across the canal from Christiana are condos going for 1 million dollars. Locals think it is only a matter of time before the establishment takes on the pot smokers.
Tivoli
This 20 acre amusement park has 30 restaurants, rides and a great atmosphere. Over 100 years old, and the inspiration for Disneyland. We were there on Saturday night, and the place was packed. The #1 tourist attraction, it offers something for kids of all ages. Just make sure you bring plenty of $$.
Rick Steves
We religiously use Rick Steves books when we travel to Europe. We find his take on things matches up closely to ours. So we are walking down the harbor canal close to our hotel and there he is filming a segment for an upcoming show on Copenhagen. No one recognizes him here, so he walks around like a tourist. His 2 man film crew was very interesting to talk to. Read the new posting for tomorrow for an update on this.
Copenhagen is certainly more liberal that Norway or Stockholm. The tax rate can reach 80% (no typo) here, but recently Denmark was voted “Most Content” by its citizens. A couple where they both work, the second income is taxed at 80%. So why work, stay home and make babies. And that is what they are doing. Baby strollers are everywhere. You can get up to 1 year (paid) off for parental leave. That would stop any US employer from hiring anyone under 30, but not here.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark fought wars for hundreds of years. Now they are like uncles, and rule northern Europe with oil, shipping, agriculture, and design. Everyone’s making money, and they are showing it. Expensive cars, clothing, and living abound.
We have rented a car and ventured out into the rural Denmark for the last couple of days of our trip. In small town Europe, when 5 o’clock comes, everything shuts down, but the bar and pizza place. Toll bridges here are steep. We paid 200 Kr today to get over a 6 mile bridge. Yes $40. Roadside fruit and vegetable stands are self serve and on the honor system. Great raspberries.
We have spent the last couple of days trekking around Copenhagen. We took an awesome bike tour. Our guide was a graduate student in History from the University. Spoke great English and obviously, knew the history and current affairs of Copenhagen. You can bike anywhere in downtown Copenhagen in 10 minutes, so in 3 hours you can really see the city. Bikes are everywhere. People in expensive clothing riding down the street. They have bike lanes on all major streets, and if you are standing in one when a bike is coming, you’re going to get hit or yelled at. Luckily, I don’t understand Danish.
Christiana
This is an old army base that some hippies took over 30 years ago, and the military basically said, “Let them have it”. Big mistake. They turned it into a commune (they don’t like that word) and now 800 people have this area where they can do what they want. You get admitted to the commune only when someone leaves or dies. Right now there is a 30 year waiting list. No one owns their shack, no cars, no hard drugs (grass is sold on Pusher Lane), peace and love abound. It is now the second most popular tourist attraction and their main source of income is from the tourists. Interestingly enough, across the canal from Christiana are condos going for 1 million dollars. Locals think it is only a matter of time before the establishment takes on the pot smokers.
Tivoli
This 20 acre amusement park has 30 restaurants, rides and a great atmosphere. Over 100 years old, and the inspiration for Disneyland. We were there on Saturday night, and the place was packed. The #1 tourist attraction, it offers something for kids of all ages. Just make sure you bring plenty of $$.
Rick Steves
We religiously use Rick Steves books when we travel to Europe. We find his take on things matches up closely to ours. So we are walking down the harbor canal close to our hotel and there he is filming a segment for an upcoming show on Copenhagen. No one recognizes him here, so he walks around like a tourist. His 2 man film crew was very interesting to talk to. Read the new posting for tomorrow for an update on this.
Copenhagen is certainly more liberal that Norway or Stockholm. The tax rate can reach 80% (no typo) here, but recently Denmark was voted “Most Content” by its citizens. A couple where they both work, the second income is taxed at 80%. So why work, stay home and make babies. And that is what they are doing. Baby strollers are everywhere. You can get up to 1 year (paid) off for parental leave. That would stop any US employer from hiring anyone under 30, but not here.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark fought wars for hundreds of years. Now they are like uncles, and rule northern Europe with oil, shipping, agriculture, and design. Everyone’s making money, and they are showing it. Expensive cars, clothing, and living abound.
We have rented a car and ventured out into the rural Denmark for the last couple of days of our trip. In small town Europe, when 5 o’clock comes, everything shuts down, but the bar and pizza place. Toll bridges here are steep. We paid 200 Kr today to get over a 6 mile bridge. Yes $40. Roadside fruit and vegetable stands are self serve and on the honor system. Great raspberries.
