Denmark was the last destination of my journey to the north, but it had been the most south of them all.
Finally, I was in the city of Copenhagen, where Soren Kierkegaard had lived. From that side, it has been a fantastic experience seeing the weather and atmosphere that brilliant philosopher has been through. They call him the father of existentialism, but for me, he is more than a founder. He had accomplished conveying things very initially and comprehensively that, I believe, is unique. He started a lineage and became a "Prince" in philosophy. Hence, he was the first and the last, in my opinion.
Sadly and very sadly, I missed a famous statue of his. If only I had a chance to greet his symbolic stone form with my gratitude. But, let's say for the next time. If you haven't read still, his famous book Either/Or and Sickness Unto Death would be an excellent introduction. I believe you will see something deep in yourself in what Kierkegaard has written. The book is long, but you will probably wish it had been longer.
In my time in Copenhagen, It really felt like you are living for pleasure. I do not know, for a certain event or perception, why I had felt so much hedonism. Thus, with just that feeling, Copenhagen is a very nice place to visit occasionally for thinking, reflecting and chilling. After all, they are Island countries making them on the very trading routes and riches.
In the city, what I adored most was the hedonistic aura of the natives. They really liked the look they lived for pleasure of all kinds: both abstract and material! You could say you are tasting life in Copenhagen. That being said, if you like holidays that involve relaxing but not the hot sun, Copenhagen would be a great destination. Both for its food and the entertainment it offers in these vibrant streets.
The saying goes that Norwegians come to Swedes, Swedes come to Danish and finally, Danish to Germany for the drinks! That has been confirmed by my observations too. There are centres established for the Norwegians at the Swedish border too! But the meals in Denmark were the best. The materials brought to this country by trade routes and other things had infested themselves in every restaurant. Even in chain restaurants, the taste was quite different for the better. The whopper, for example, was nothing I had ever eaten in any other country. This is another clue why Denmark is probably a hedonist's heaven. You feel the taste.
People in Denmark have been looking cunning compared to northern Scandinavian countries, which looked a bit different. That is in parallel with the country's geo location. Many trade routes and increased border interaction with the neighbours must have forced those people to think diplomatically and strategically.
The Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen was terrific. There were many elements from many cultures that have been merged in this exciting entertainment garden. You feel the cosiness of the crowd here. The two never come together so often unless you are in Scandinavia, of course.
The bicycle routes in the city and the number of people using bicycles have crazed us literally. You could, most of the time, count more cycles than car users per second! What a great rate. But beware that Danish people use them very agile. And if you try to ride with them without practice, then there could be an accident. There were some signals they used to convey the directions and intentions, which were not meaningful for the outsiders. If you like bicycles, Denmark is a beautiful place to live. I remember Amsterdam had the having a high bicycle-user ratio, but in Denmark, when your roads meet with the beautiful nature outside, you get what I had meant in the first place.
The people are more talkative in Denmark. A person had spoken with me as if I was their colleague! Probably because of the interaction of borders, those people are used to talking with strangers and journeymen. You could feel the German influence in Denmark. I encountered the most significant number of Deutsche people in any of the three countries I have visited. This confirms the bounds, especially the German coastal towns and Danish people—what a pleasant interaction.
The Kronborg castle has been a fantastic experience of what it would be like to live in! You could feel the separation between the outer world and you with those walls and halls. The most exciting part was observing Sweden from the top divisions. You could say those people are different but the same at the same time. The Scandinavian people were the same but were different at the same time.
Denmark, Copenhagen is a place to reignite yourself if you ever run out of fire. This is why I would call Denmark the fire. The pleasures of life and the cunningness would reanimate even the most hopeless soul and a person who had lost why they were living. I presume most would keep with life even for the hedonistic pleasures and the atmosphere this city offers.
If you enjoyed sharing my experience, you are welcome to read my Journey recorded by clicking on the country you want to visit:
Initially published for Polyhedron on 11/10/2022
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