Two Days in Copenhagen

Issue #183 - Walking Through History, Cardamom, and Quiet Moments

We only had two days in Copenhagen. May 1st and 2nd. A short stopover before heading to Iceland. We weren’t expecting much. Just a few walks, maybe a pastry, a photo or two.

Instead, we walked nearly 50 kilometres, barely touched our phones, and left feeling like the city had whispered something to us. Quiet, but lasting.

Here’s what we found in 48 hours of wandering.

Day One. May 1st: The City Exhales

Labour Day. Blue sky. First warm day after a long Nordic winter. And Copenhagen responded like a switch had been flipped.

The parks filled. Blankets and beers. Students stretched out on lawns. Bikes in every direction. Café chairs pulled toward the sun. The city felt like it had exhaled all at once.

At Nyhavn, we walked past rows of 17th-century canal houses once used by merchants. Now, tourists posed in front of them while a pair of girls filmed a TikTok dance with a tripod, taking turns changing outfits behind a jacket. The old harbour is still a stage. Just a different kind of performance.

Later, we visited the Round Tower, built in 1642 as an observatory. It doesn’t have stairs. Just a wide spiral ramp once designed for horses. We watched a father carry his daughter on his shoulders to the top. She pointed at the skyline full of spires. Same wonder, different century.

The city balances its layers like that. History here isn’t hidden behind ropes. It’s part of the background noise.

In King’s Garden, once reserved for royalty, old men played slow games of chess under flowering trees. No audience. Just concentration and calm.

Nearby, students reclined with open books and unopened notebooks. Someone threw a frisbee. Someone else passed a beer. It looked like summer had arrived for everyone at once.

Later, the smell of cardamom and butter stopped us on a side street. We followed it to a bakery with a small line and big windows fogged with warmth. We ordered buns, still hot from the oven, and ate them standing on the curb. Sticky, warm, perfect. No photo. Just the taste.

In the late afternoon, jazz floated from a trio near the Round Tower. The saxophonist had his eyes shut mid-solo, lost in it. Around the corner in Nørrebro, we passed a couple mid-argument. He reached for her hand. She paused, then gave it. A private moment, but real. These are the things we remember.

Day Two. May 2nd: Quieter Streets, Slower Pace

The city changed on Day Two. Most people were back at work. The crowds thinned, the rhythm softened. The same streets felt like a different city.

We walked by the lakes and saw an older woman with white hair walking a small dog. It stopped to sniff nearly every tree. She waited each time. No rush. Just years of companionship moving at the same pace.

Bikes dominated again. This time businesspeople in suits with briefcases balanced in baskets, moving efficiently without any of the rush that defines other cities.

We went back for another cardamom bun and a black coffee. Sat by the water and watched the city move. Strollers, joggers, kids in helmets on tiny bikes. Ducks in the lake. No music, no hurry. Just the rhythm of the city on an ordinary Tuesday.

We stopped by Tivoli Gardens before sunset. Open since 1843, the second-oldest amusement park in the world. Hans Christian Andersen came here. So did Walt Disney, years before building his own. The lights came on early, even before dark.

We watched a child drop her ice cream cone and begin to cry. Her mom gently handed her another one. Problem solved. Scene reset. Like the city itself. Never dramatic, just ready to move on.

We didn’t take many photos. Not because we were avoiding them, but because we didn’t need them.

We remember the third cup of coffee that hit just right. The smell of fresh bread at 7 a.m. A child pointing at rooftops. A soft jazz solo drifting through cobbled streets. The quiet smile exchanged between two strangers on a bench.

Copenhagen isn’t a city that tries to impress you. It just is. Layered, gentle, deeply human.

We explored almost the whole city on foot, covering nearly 50 kilometres in two days, about 30,000 steps each day. And honestly, this is the best way to experience any place. Walking lets you see the city breathe. You catch the details, the rhythms, the real life. It’s how you feel the culture. Not just observe it.

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Incase you missed the previous issue on Understanding Anger, here are the highlights:

1. Anger Is a Symptom, Not the Cause
   The true source of anger lies within us—external events don’t cause anger; our beliefs and reactions do. Owning this truth is essential to reclaim personal power.

2. Uncontrolled Anger Escalates Quickly
   Left unchecked, irritation can spiral into rage, hijacking rational thought and leading to destructive outcomes. Understanding the neuroscience of anger helps in interrupting this cycle early.

3. Power Lies in Response, Not Reaction
   Practices like “Let Be and Let Go” teach that emotional mastery isn’t about suppressing feelings but about responding with awareness, protecting your peace instead of giving it away.

4. Personal Boundaries and Acceptance Are Key
   Dividing life into “Let Them” (accepting others’ emotions and timelines) and “Let Me” (asserting your needs and limits) helps cultivate balance, self-respect, and healthier relationships.

Thank you for taking out time to read the whole newsletter. We are glad to see you read this message. ☺️

Hope it added value to your wonderful day. If yes, please consider sharing your appreciation on social media and sharing it with anyone who you think might benefit from it.

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Meet you on the Nineteenth Sunday (19/52) of 2025. Take care