Copenhagen: A Journey in Slow Time

Copenhagen reminds me of a mix between Paris and DC. The architecture feels European, the harbor gives it energy, and most people speak English. But what's different is the pace. In August, the sun stays out until almost midnight, and you see people biking home in work clothes, others in bathing suits heading to the harbor, couples just walking around. Things feel slower there. Food takes longer. Transportation is relaxed, except when a cyclist goes flying by.

Coming from Jersey City, the homogeneity was noticeable. Copenhagen feels small and similar. Locals like talking about politics, both Danish and American, but it's hard to compare when one place is the size of a neighborhood and the other spans a continent.

Before getting to Copenhagen, I went to Aalborg for Ethan's bachelor party.

The game was simple: Ethan dressed up in a chicken costume and hid at a bar in downtown Aalborg. We split into teams to find him. Every bar you checked where he wasn't, you had to drink. When you found him, you drank with him using pooled money until the next group showed up.

My team was the last to find him. We were just walking around checking bars, having a decent time. When we finally found him, most of the money was gone, but we bought some pitchers anyway. The Danish guys taught us a game where you flick beer caps into a cup. I showed them quarters and the boat race version we did in college.

Late that night, TJ went missing. Caelan and I walked around looking for him. He turned up fine the next morning at the hostel. Drinking is rough, but hanging with friends makes it worth it.

Back in Copenhagen, Natalie and I had a few days before my parents arrived. One morning we went to AIRE Ancient Baths.

The baths were nice. Hot and cold pools in good lighting. Not uniquely Danish, but relaxing. We floated around for a while before my parents' flight landed.

That night we had dinner at Høst, which ended up being my favorite meal of the trip. I thought Uformel would be the best since it was $150 per person, but it felt too stuffy for what you got. Høst was good food in a place where you could actually talk. Last year Formel B was my top pick. This year, Høst.

When my parents got there, we did the tourist stuff. The bike tour was cheesy but useful. It's slow, don't expect exercise. You don't go inside anything, just see it from outside. But if you want to know which areas to explore later, it works. I'd do it at the start of a trip, not the end.

Our last family dinner before the wedding was at Restaurant Barr, right on the harbor. This was the best meal as a group of four. Better than Uformel. Better food, better vibe, and you could have a conversation without whispering. It was a really nice last stop before heading to the wedding venue.

The surprise was Tivoli Gardens. I wasn't expecting much from an amusement park, but everyone liked it. The gardens look good and it's well-priced for the location. Feels like something that only works in Europe.

The wedding was at Feddet Strand, about 70 minutes south of Copenhagen. We took a Blacklane car there. The beach venue was nice.

Copenhagen is slower than the US. In America everything moves fast, we're not subtle. Copenhagen is different. Tranquil, intentional, active. People bike everywhere but don't rush. Meals take hours but nobody's on their phone. The harbor pools are open late and people use them.

If you're going: Don't try to do too much. Do the bike tour early. Skip Uformel unless you want photos. Go to Høst or Restaurant Barr for dinner. Go to Tivoli even if you think it's for kids. And just slow down. You'll be back to normal speed soon enough.

The metro from the airport is easy and cheap. People speak English. The food is good. And for a week, you can be someone who doesn't constantly check the time.