Copenhagen Day 2, Nyhavn Obsessed and a Sunny Day to get in all of the Sightseeing

Monday, May 26th

Happy Memorial Day! The holiday this whole trip is centered around and the three days of PTO my company gave me to celebrate this splendid holiday! The weather was looking up for the day, and I was planning on taking full advantage of that. My shoulder was worn from my bag weighing it down, but I found a way to carry on. I got a coffee at Cafe Copenhagen; I would soon learn the prices were very much insane. $9 for my cappuccino meant that actual breakfast food was not in the budget this morning, but so far, I was getting along with my packed snacks and caffeine hit. And to be fair, the cafe was very cute, so it was bringing that to the table at least. 

After the coffee, I knew the first thing I wanted to see was Nyhavn. It’s what convinced me to come here in the first place, and what would bring me back because it was the most remarkable sight. I walked along the bank so slowly, stopping, taking it in, taking photos, seeking out the tourists to give them my digital camera so I could have some photos of me with the view. I captured some incredible shots. It helped that I visited earlier in the morning, without the rush of the people, but even so, it didn’t seem like the town was that touristy. 

I was loving the good weather, my camera around my neck, and the beautiful town to stroll about. I kept along on my journey, Megan recommending me a good loop to walk, spotting some great photo opps and at the same time looking for a quality and relatively affordable meal. I was planning on going to a food truck, but I couldn’t bear to pay $18 for a veggie burger from a food stall. I was so close to Kaf and thought I might as well have another pastry and call that brunch. I also picked up a vegan protein shake and banana at the grocery store, and that filled me up until dinner. This is the budget traveler in me coming out strong.

I kept walking around Copenhagen, now west of the canal, which I would soon cross over to check out the fortress and the Little Mermaid. My legs were feeling a bit fatigued, but my spirit wasn’t. I knew I should take advantage of the sun and see all I could today. It got windy and overcast as I came up on the fortress. I didn’t pack an umbrella because I didn’t want my bag to be even heavier. So when it was drizzling and I retreated to a covering with an open spot on the bench, I reasoned it both as resting my legs and waiting out the rain. I was there for maybe 30 minutes, during which it ended up down pouring. It felt so good to rest, and I had to wait out the rain somewhere, so may it be at the fortress. 

I walked into the grounds of the fortress; it felt aged with its symmetrical buildings, cannons, and the moat. I saw a cool windmill while walking along a ridged path that made the perimeter of the fortress. I only spent about 30 minutes walking around before making my way to the Little Mermaid, a monument right outside the gates of the fortress. A simple and inquisitive statue, questioning her rise to fame. There were almost more people standing around this small mermaid statue than Nyhavn. I got my photo and thought I might as well stay for a bit to analyze what could be the rationale for her importance. 

I did like how subtle her legs turned into a tail and her somber face. Was it the beauty of the statue? The details? I would soon learn that it is because of its deep cultural symbolism and story. The statue is based on the fairy tale The Little Mermaid by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, gaining even more recognition after the Disney movie adaptation. Unveiled in 1913, the statue was a gift to the city from the owner of Carlsberg beer, who was so moved by a ballet performance of the tale that he commissioned it. Over time, the statue has become a symbol of Copenhagen much like the Eiffel Tower is for Paris or the Statue of Liberty is for New York. Tourists flock to see it because it’s the landmark you’re “supposed to see” in the city. And here was I, said “tourist” coming to see it because I ‘have to.”

As the afternoon was approaching the evening and my phone was on the cusp of dying, I knew I would have just enough time to walk back to the hostel, get my portable, and meet Megan for the dinner plans we had. On my way back, I walked past this cool fountain and admired the details and size for a handful, but had about a 40+ minute journey back to get my portable charger. 

Charger in hand, I began walking back in the city, meeting Megan by Nyhavn instead of the dinner spot as it was only 4:30 pm and we both weren’t super hungry yet. We walked around a bit until we finally decided to make our way to dinner, confident we could figure it out without using maps. We made 2 wrong turns and were hungry enough to turn on maps and navigate to the restaurant I picked out for dinner. On the agenda was trying a hot dog from DØP (“Den Økologiske Pølsemand” or “The Organic Sausage Man”) on the main shopping street, Strøget. The meal stayed around $7, which is expensive for a hot dog stand but probably the cheapest meal you could find in this city. 

We sat on a park bench, and I ate the hot dog so carefully to not spill on my all-white outfit. We stayed there so long, eating, chatting, people-watching. We only got up as we were craving a sweet treat, and I eyed up a place with a veganized traditional Danish dessert. The shop was at a food market, TorvehallerneKBH, about 15 minutes away, so we got up and made our way there. The market was super close to her school, so she showed me where she had her classes and her daily route to school. 

We got to Glean and ordered a Flødeboller. Essentially, it has a whipped marshmallow-like filling covered in dark chocolate. Megan and I split one, deciding on caramel coffee, which we picked so wisely because it was absolutely delicious. Megan gave me the best compliment, saying I went 2/2 on the night for food picks. Plus, she hadn’t tried either yet, so it was new for her too and a bonus that they were relatively affordable. 

We sat and talked until we got kicked out of two places as they were closing, so we walked around until the sun started to set. I had the best night with Megan. We were together for almost five hours and talked the whole time about all things in life. By the end, we were just walking up and down Nyhavn, beautiful. We said goodbye, making plans for tomorrow before making my way back to the hostel. But, before leaving the area, I took one last stare at Nyhavn, taking in the beauty. I wanted to immerse myself in this view, more than just taking a photo of it and moving onto the next. I recognized its beauty and was grateful to be in its presence. I stared out for probably 10-15 minutes, and then made my way back to call it for the night.

Below are more photos I took of the city while walking around exploring :)