We arrived yesterday afternoon after a long red-eye from New York and a connecting flight in Brussels. The red eye itself was actually fine; it was the one-hour connection that we almost missed because Rafe and I somehow disembarked the plane through different exits (I know, how is that even possible?) and got temporarily separated with me and Theo in one terminal and Rafe (sans passport) in another. Theo also projectile vomited on the plane and…turn away if you’re easily grossed out…I had to catch it in plastic cups snagged from the drinks cart that happened to be going by. Let’s just say we were relieved when the flight was over!
Once we landed in Copenhagen, it was a quick taxi ride to our Airbnb, a little garden cottage in an interesting neighborhood where all the cottages surround a central community square. These cottages were traditionally used as summer homes but since World War II people started living in them permanently. The area is very central and close to downtown which makes it now a very desirable place for young families to live, a little bit of an oasis within the city. Wish they had something like this in San Francisco!
We were completely wiped out when we arrived but we forced ourselves to stay awake and adjust to local time as best we could. Our Airbnb host Rita showed us around and Theo was delighted to find out that a 3 1/2-year-old boy just like him lives in this house. There’s a kid’s room full of toys, a playhouse, a sandbox, and kid-sized gymnastic rings in the kitchen. It only took a few minutes for him to feel right at home!
Too tired to venture far, we had dinner at the neighborhood café where they serve a nightly community dinner. The whole vibe was so damn quaint. Theo played at the adjacent playground while we ate and then we came home and crashed out immediately. It’s a very odd sensation to arrive in a foreign place after not sleeping and being in the air for so long. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that foggy, underwater feeling. I’m just glad we didn’t arrive at night as that has always meant feeling extra disoriented.
Today was all about getting settled. We took the metro a few stops to Fields, a huge mall nearby, for SIM cards and walking shoes. Very exciting! (Actually, it kind of was as I discovered this Danish dollar store called Flying Tiger.)
In the afternoon, I attempted to go grocery shopping and had fun trying to decipher all the goods. Signs, menus, packaging, etc. don’t generally seem to be written in English so thank goodness for the Google Translate app that will translate text, even text on pictures, all in real time. It’s not 100% accurate but it’s incredible! The store was just a ten-minute walk away but the street names each have like 10 syllables so it was a little tricky getting my bearings. Once I made it home, I cooked a simple dinner while Rafe took Theo on a bike ride around the neighborhood. Our hosts are generously lending us their bikes while we’re here. Rafe’s bike fits him just fine and also has a child seat but mine is meant for a 6′ tall woman (people here are SO TALL) so I’m not sure how that will work out (that and that I haven’t really biked in over a decade!)
Traveling as a family certainly looks different than our travel days of yore, but there’s a certain pleasure in immersing ourselves in a new daily way of life.
McBergs Abroad 