Copenhagen

This holiday season, Drew and I had been planning on hitting up a city with a good Christmas market since we went to London last year.  We did lots of research and determined that the freezing cold city of Copenhagen would be the lucky winner.  It was a super quick trip, taking the 7am flight on Saturday morning and coming home at 11pm on Sunday night, but it was worth it.  We focused less on sight-seeing during this trip and more on being festive and finding cool Christmasy things to see and do.

The city itself is beautiful.  Old, covered in snow, a lot like Amsterdam - and absolutely. freaking. freezing.  It was truly the coldest we've been in years.  Scotland was really cold too but we don't remember our toes losing feeling and being in excruciating pain at the same time.  It. was. COLD.  But that didn't stop us!  And the pouring rain on Sunday didn't stop us either!  

I don't know a lot about Copenhagen.  I did a lot of research on tourist attractions in the city but I don't really know any spiffy facts to impress you with.  So anyways, here are some pics!

We trekked through a snow covered park to our hotel, then wandered around the city and found Bof & Ost.  Copenhagen is kinda known for these "tapas" style, open-faced sandwiches called Smorrebrod.  We went for it.
Clockwise from top left: herring with capers and onions (mine), Danish chicken salad, roast pork with onions and apples, and more pork with cabbage slaw.  

Nyhavn (literally means "New Harbor"_ is a 17th century waterfront area that looks like something stereotypical you'd see in ol' Denmark.  It's lined with old boats, bars, and cafes.  Super cute.

We were wandering home and a Danish man on a bike rode up next to us and told us to start snapping pictures and take advantage of the buildings with "ze light" behind it.  (Keep in mind that the sun sets there around 3:40pm.)  We obliged.

"Zis is vhere all ze clever heads in government sit."

Another pretty statue with the sun.

Another pretty nondescript building on the water.  See?  I have no clue what I'm looking at and am lost without Rick Steves.

We had another quick cat nap, because that's what we do now, and then we went out to Tivoli Gardens for the Christmas market!

Tivoli is an amusement park and "pleasure garden" built in the 1840s and it's been used for all kinds of things since then.  Now it houses a humongous market full of food, fun, and frivolity!  Or something.

Gluhvein vendor!  Mmmmm!

Trojan...reindeer?

The heart is a symbol of Denmark and they were all over the place!

Churros!!!  Who knew they were popular way up north?  They poured the chocolate over the fried batter and it eventually settled in the bottom of the cone.  I discovered this thick pocket of chocolate and started referring to it as Chocolate Heaven.  "Drew!  Get your churro way down there in Chocolate Heaven, that's where all the good stuff is!  No, Drew, like this...you have to DUNK it into Chocolate Heaven.  Oh man.  I love Chocolate Heaven.  Chocolate Heaven's the best."
#fatkidproblems

Me: Drew!  Let me take a picture of you with your warm Christmas nuts!
Drew: I'll show you some warm Christmas nuts.
Ugh.

Hanging out in the biergarten, trying to warm our feet.  Or forget we ever had any.

Drew read about a delicious meaty place called Nose2Tail and it didn't disappoint.  I got a burger and Drew got a pulled pork sandwich.  Yummm!

They had funny signs all over the wall like "Eat more BACON" or "Have more sex!"
Ok!

 Sunday...was a much slower day, due to the rain.  We ate brunch at another popular place in the gentrifed Meatpacking District, went to the National History Museum, and went to another Christmas market in Christiania.

Brunch at Mother.

Christiana is an old abadoned military base that even eventually became a home to some unsavory squatters.  They then turned it into their own hippy commune and declared themselves independent from...everything.  Copenhagen recognizes them as a "free town" and they basically govern themselves.  They sell lots of weed and other paraphernalia there, but also have a delightful Christmas market where we bought some ornaments and knick-knacks for our future home.  Fun!

I needed a brownie and a hot chocolate for sustenance.  

We had a surprisingly good dinner at the bustling mall that is the Copenhagen airport, and came home exhausted!  While this wasn't the most amazing trip we've been on, the city was cool, the trip was fun, and it served it's joyous holiday purpose.  We're even more ready for Christmas and the countdown to Dallas is in full force!

Goodnight party peeps.