Six surprising things I’d missed about Denmark

After living outside of Denmark for six years, I knew I’d be happy to return to a few things. The diversity of bakeries and amazing pastries (especially during fastelavnsboller season!). A better funded public healthcare system (I’m sure there are issues, but I’ve found the Danish system far simpler and quicker than the NHS). The modern marvel of a tumble dryer (why are they so uncommon in the UK?). Lower prioritization of cars in favor of cyclists and pedestrians (living outside a major British city, it felt as though a solid proportion of motorists were actively trying to hit people on foot). And the relative ease of getting around on public transit (in Britain, our local bus came hourly at most and never on Sundays). 

I wasn’t so keen on the Nordic lack of bathtubs, but that seemed a small concession. 

Over the last few weeks, I have delighted in the reintroduction of tebirkes (and kanelsnegles and kardamon snurres and frøsnappers), online GP appointment scheduling, non-crunchy towels, a bustling mix of cyclists and pedestrians (although there are more scooters than I remember), round-the-clock Metro service, and the 2A bus coming every 7-8 minutes. 

There have been a few unexpected delights as well:

1. Mobile signal: I was astounded by 5G dependability l when we lived in Switzerland. From mountaintops to deep in many kilometer-long tunnels, the internet connectivity was nearly always as reliable as standing next to a transmission tower. That was resolutely not the case throughout the UK. Even in densely populated areas, the mobile signal would drop to 3G or disappear entirely. I hadn’t seen E as a network indicator for years, but there it was in the town center. Although I’ve yet to try in the countryside, mobile signal connectivity in Copenhagen is just as good as the Swiss reliability. And it’s somewhat of a thrill to be able to message from the Metro after coming to expect full disconnection on most trains and the Underground. 
2. Unscented products: It was a little easier to find products without perfumes or artificial scents in the UK than in Switzerland (maybe necessary to mask cheesy odors?), but it’s a downright breeze in Denmark. The default for basic dish washing liquid and laundry soap seems to be unscented and many personal care products come in ‘Uden parfume’ options alongside sea buckthorn, pomegranate, and other swish fragrances.
3. Church bells: There’s a gorgeous church spire almost directly outside our flat and I was highly apprehensive about round the clock clanging. But the bells are soft enough to be muffled by well-fitting Danish windows (another win over the draftiness of the UK) and their extended on-the-hour peals are airily joyful (and a bit fairy tale-like). The quarter-hour marks also serve as an effortless alarm for short at-home yoga practices. 
4. Dairy options: I was over-the-moon to see yoghurt in tubs rather than tiny pots. Finally, adequate provisions for my morning habit! (Although a certain producer with a Fyn-ish castle as its logo has gotten cheeky with a shrinkflation-happy 800g offering instead of the usual 1L.) The plethora of choices for yogurt in cartons (just don’t confuse it with milk!) and just enough variety for other dairy products (including kærnemælk, and one must also be careful not to confuse buttermilk with ordinary milk!) is moo-arvelous!
5. Quiet: Despite being the national capital and home to more than 600,000 people, Copenhagen is more tranquil than the 60,000-resident British town we lived in previously. It seems like the streets themselves produce less noise (something to do with far fewer pot holes? vehicles traveling at lower speeds? or the paving materials themselves?) and, of course, there are fewer vehicle tires clattering over them. Whatever the reason, I feel an unexpected peace here. 
6. Happier curls: When we lived in Copenhagen from 2016-2019, my curly hair didn’t know what to make of the climate and the hard water. This time around, it’s maintaining springy tendrils with little frizz and not getting overtly greasy. Maybe I’ve found better hair products or it could be that regional initiatives to soften the water are actually having impact.

If only Scandi countries embraced more luxurious bathrooms! Given nowhere in Denmark proper is more than 52 km from the coast, I guess Danes are happy to ‘bathe’ in the sea? But, c’mon, sometimes a good warm soak feels like the solution to all life’s problems—and that’s not a surprise.