Helu people!! Its been a while since i was out of the Blog world. and all for right reasons... I was having the time of my life!! I was at one of the happiest countries of the world - Denmark (Copenhagen).
So heres an account of my experience during my stay at Copenhagen. Beware though, it can be long and boring. The author is not responsible for your headache!!
It was that time of the year when i was planning about the probable places to visit for winter with my friends. November - December is generally the time i take a break from my mundane work and go out to a small trip with my friends. I thought this will be the same until my Manager informed me that i would be travelling to Copenhagen for a month on a project purpose. Having worked my back side off for two and half years this came to me as a happy surprise! My first travel abroad full paid by the company .. WOW!! I thought!!
The hoopla at home (arrey, beta pehli baar vilayat jaa rahan hai!! itna to hoga hi :P ) and the mad shopping spree accompanied by the viral fever gave me panic attacks!! I kept wondering if i could actually make it to the airport with all the fever and cough ( With all the h1n1 thing u never know !! ). But my dear mom took the best care and made me fit enough to travel. SO... there i was.. on the wee hours of November 2 , 2009 . On board The Lufthansa flight to Copenhagen - All set to rule the next few weeks of my life.
Copenhagen is a small, cozy and an amazing city. My first reaction coming out of the airport was a WOW !! They had Mercedes Taxis - I was awestruck!! I had to wait for 3 hours at the airport as i had to be picked up by a friend who was stuck at office. That gave me a great chance to see the entire Copenhagen airport.. So literally my city tour started with the tour around the airport, checking out all the outlets in the lobby, troubling the Information Helpdesk guys with tons of queries!
The city is a character in itself. Being a part of Europe it comes as no surprise to see the royal buildings and the aristocratic approach to life. The most intriguing part is the seamless amalgamation of heritage with the advanced world of today. One can see the the perfect synergy between old and the new. On one side you have the 18th century royal queens palace and there is the state of art Opera house a man made marvel standing right opposite to it. If you have the new age multi brand malls stretching across lanes, you also find the oldest amusement park TIVOLI right in the vicinity. Dont be amused if you see a sweet violin melody playing in the corner of the walking street and at the turn of the lane you suddenly encounter a loud metal music. They love to mix and match! Talk about having best of both the worlds... the Danes are great in that.
Copenhagen winters though are a little tricky, the sun never rises and it gets dark by 3 in the afternoon. There is wind and sometimes rain with the biting cold. But being a lover of cold weather i was living my life under sunless times!! The upside is that you dont feel overworked and tired. The downside though is at times it gets a little depressing with all the gloom and darkness around. But nevertheless, Its a great experience in itself. If you have the right clothes and good company, the cold will be a bliss too :) . The pace of life is as gentle as the people there. Nice and easy - you would never have to fret about anything. Denmark is said to be the happiest country in the world and you can see that there. You always see smiles around you. Whether or not you know the person, you get a warm smile when you see each other. Ask for help and you are sure to get clear, precise and perfect advice. The people there are such warm that i felt at home right from the day one at work.
Copenhagen has something to offer to everyone. If you are a history freak, this is heaven for you. Places like the national museum, Amalienborg Palace, Rosenborg Castle and Kronborg Castle can keep you mesmerized with their amazing history. Shopping seems a never ending process with Huge malls spread across the walking street. If you are a beer lover carlsberg brewery is a must visit! If you are a random traveler like me, you can walk almost half the city with ease!! trust me its fun!! If you are an amusement park goer, you have a history here.. The tivoli park is the oldest amusement park in the history of mankind ! ( they say, Walt Disney built Disneyland after visiting this ).
If you think its all work and no play there, you are terribly mistaken. Works starts at 8.30 in the morning Sharp and ontime everytime. Come hell down or heaven down there is no late turn in to work and the output is flawless. The concept of quality over quantity is highly valued there ( something that we should start believing too). Family is always the first and most important priority. In a world where competition is the only Buzz word, it was refreshing to see "collaboration" in full force there. Understanding each other abilities, accepting each others limits and achieving a common goal is the keyword there ( Again something we can learn, instead for the blame game we play).
The city is so lovely for one most important reason. It has least pollution levels.. all thanks to awareness about climate change and the increased cycling that people have taken up. It is wonderful to see each citizen trying their own bit to contribute to the common cause.
The greatest learning that i had from this trip was that it does not need rocket science to keep yourself and others happy!! All we need is an intent and effort!!
All in all .. they do not call it the HAPPIEST COUNTRY for no reason!! They say " Jab bhagvaan deta hai to cheppar phaad ke deta hai!". I never believed it till it happened to me. Damn!! i had the best time ever!!
P.S : I know i have not put up the pics like the coorg trip. I have put'em up in FB and am trying to post them on orkut too. So all of you can see them on FB. The Picasa though seems not liking the photos.. i cannot upload them!! will see if i can post some here ( there are too many to select from!).
All is all ... The time of my life!!
cheers!
rammy
