Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine September 2016 | Page 126

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Travel | Copenhagen
© S-F / Shutterstock

Don’t be deceived by those dark Nordic detective stories
and glum philosophers. It seems there’s plenty to smile about
in the Danish capital. Over the years, all manner of surveys
on wellbeing and life satisfaction have placed the Danes – and,
more particularly, residents of Copenhagen – near the top of
happiness lists.
This is often explained by their personal
freedoms, top-notch education system, good
social services and security. And Danes have
a rather pleasant life, pedalling about on
bicycles, playing with LEGO and listening to
their nifty Bang & Olufsen stereos. But will
any of this happiness rub off on mere visitors
to this cheerful and chirpy city?
Surely yes, because Copenhagen’s relaxed
lifestyle and considerable chic and urban
assets are available to anyone. You can get on
a bike yourself, wander safely about after
dark, and enjoy the best of Danish design in
both fashion and food, because Copenhagen’s
style and experimental flair is seen in
restaurants and boutiques alike. Something
else to make you happy: Copenhagen blends
lovely old things (castles, cathedrals,

cobblestones) with just as lovely new things
(designer furniture, avant-garde architecture,
music festivals). The city is unexpectedly
contemporary and cutting-edge, yet also
fulfils the stereotypes you expect of
Scandinavia: chic bars, minimalist chairs,
houses that look as if they’re made from
gingerbread, long summer nights. But, even
in the chill darkness of Copenhagen’s winter,
there are things to make you smile. What the
Danes call hygge (cosiness) is everywhere.
Candles flicker on windowsills, lights sparkle,
snow falls. You can ice skate in an old town
square and feel as if you’re in a fairy tale.
Maybe Danes are happy because they know
that fairy tales really do come true. After all,
they aren’t just brought up on the stories of
Hans Christian Andersen, but are familiar

with the tale of Australian girl Mary
Donaldson, who met ‘Fred’ in a Sydney
pub and is now the crown princess and
future queen of Denmark. Stroll down to
Amalienborg for a glimpse of royal life:
Crown Prince Frederick and his wife live
in one dainty palace, Queen Margrethe II
in another. At noon, soldiers in blue jackets
and bearskin helmets perform a Changing
of the Guards ceremony that could be
straight out of a children’s fantasy.
Queen Margrethe has often been spotted
pedalling around the city on her bicycle.
If you want to feel cheerful in Copenhagen,
follow suit. This is one foreign city where you
won’t have to work out bus routes or cram
into overcrowded trains. A bike provides you
with fresh air, exercise and an intimate look
at the city, and will certainly bring you
closer to its residents. Half the people here
cycle daily, using 300km of cycle lanes,
many with their own dedicated traffic
lights and parking bays.
Pedal out along the waterfront, taking in the
Little Mermaid statue as you go – actually
one of the few people in Copenhagen who
looks a bit glum as she sits on her chilly rock.