riding vs. driving: the world’s happiest country stays fit while skirting taxes
Bicycles are just about everywhere you look in Copenhagen. Roaming the streets of Denmark’s capital, you’ll see hundreds of fashionable two-wheelers stacked upon each other like a Jenga puzzle. And it’s not just the delivery guy or the “green” commuter. Girls sporting frilly frocks and blond braids, chain smokers and parents carting their children make up the 40% of the population riding as their primary form of transportation. The reasoning behind all of this comes with the fact that Denmark has some of the highest taxes in the world, often eliciting a 130-200% increase on automobile prices. But in the past 30 years, the Danes have beat out the rest of the world numerous times on the International Happiness Index. Maybe instituting 225 miles of bike lanes and a free bike rental program, City Bikes (sponsored by various advertisers for a refundable deposit of $4 or 20KR) equates to a happy city? That’s up to you to decide, so take advantage when you visit – various biking tours are offered (Bike with Mike is one of the best) and from April to November, City Bikes is available for everyone. Just get to one of the 100+ bike racks early in the day to secure one, pop in 20KR (you’ll get it back later) and explore the ins and outs of central Copenhagen.
in the land of smörgåsbord…
My recent visit to Copenhagen was filled with snapping pictures, drinking a whole lot of Carlsberg and sampling Smörgås, traditional Scandinavian fare consisting of tasty open-faced sandwiches. Starting with a thin slice of grainy rye bread slathered with butter, cold sliced meats are piled on and garnished with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. We especially loved the pork and roast beef variations, served with crispy fried onions and horseradish. A thick slab of beef carpaccio was sprinkled with capers and egg yolk and baby shrimp drizzled with lemon were set in the center of the platter. We were eating in Tivoli Gardens, one of the amazing and completely unique attractions of the city. Full of dozens of dining options, from American-style pommes frites and burgers to traditional Danish delicacies, Grøften was our pick and it was a great one. Located to the left near the entrance of the park, Grøften has been serving hungry diners since 1874. Along with the open-faced sandwiches, they have a reputation for their Lobscouse, one of the best selling plates at the restaurant – a type of meat stew cooked down with vegetables, meat stock and potatoes to create a hash-like substance. I knew of Danish beers but Copenhagen’s food was a definite surprise, and completely fun to eat.
