The cold night air stung when I arrived in Copenhagen by bus from Gedser, a town on the southern tip of Denmark, as the rain began to fall. Some people might remember the Little Mermaid when I heard Copenhagen. But I knew that night, the capital of one of the nation’s oldest monarchy is an old town, wet, and cold.
Armed with a map of the Internet, I tried to find his way to a hostel called Sleeping in Heaven. Hearing his name, I wish I could actually sleep in it. But first, I was struggling with bus routes that I never heard of.
“Take the bus no. 250S leads to Budinge St., Fell in Åboulevard (third stop). After that, the road 200 m to Struenseegade 7. Search Kapelvej and turn left at the alley after the building no. 44.”
Wow. This all must be done in an increasingly heavy rain. Several Danish krona coins diverse forms that I be picky to ride the bus. A little confused with each other because of similar shape and the writing is rather difficult to read.
The streets in cities in Europe quite “exotic” for me, for the first time set foot into the continent. Copenhagen dominated low building with a variety of architectural styles, ranging from the style of the 16th century until a minimalistic contemporary style and industrialists. What is clear, I do not feel there is in the capital or a busy business district.
The city is relatively quiet for my people of Indonesia. Here, the sound of horns and traffic jams do not adorn the life of every day. This is possible thanks to the use of bicycles as a primary means of transportation of its citizens. Everywhere bikes milling around.
The first night I came, I almost get hit because they do not know the path I crossed it a special bike lane. My layman’s observation, the people here are not just avid style with bicycle-style youth Jakarta with fixie or a young professional athletes with the bike.
Bicycles in Copenhagen is very casual and functional, purely for transportation. Each bike is equipped brakes (though not always with the gear change), and many are berkeranjang and almost always have a place to ride. Young people too, though a man, not ashamed to bring a bike with a basket in front.
Young mothers who have children to modify their bikes to be like a small rickshaw, and put his son in front. In fact, there is a basket can accommodate two children at once. Small compartment at the front or rear of the bike can also be converted to carry groceries or other goods.
In the spring until early autumn, ie from April to September, Bike rental facilities are available for free to anyone (with a deposit guarantee 30 krona, or USD 30 thousand). Facility named “Bycyklen Kobenhavn” is limited to the zone in downtown Copenhagen consisting of Indre By (Copenhagen Center) and Christianshavn, an old district of eclectic with long history.
The second area is best visited. There are many interesting things such as museums (among others Statens Museums for Kunst, the Danish Museum of Art & Design, the National Museum, Thorvaldsen Museum), and city parks (such as Tivoli Garden, Orstedsparken, Botanisk Have, Kastellet).
With bikes, you can browse through the canals and coastal calm and soothing. Sempatkanlah to Kristiania in Christianshavn, “settlements” in the city’s eccentric, belonging to the anti-establishment who rejected the presence of globalization and capitalism.
If you are interest in history, do not forget to visit some of the palace / castle like palace Amalienborg and Christiansborg. Like shopping? Then try the world’s longest pedestrian street, Strøget, which in both sides there are lots of shops.
If you just love the sensation of “lost” in the city – which was very enjoyable – so cycling could be one way of fulfilling it.
If you’ve finished cycling, you do not have to bother returning to the place of beginning. Simply put the bike at one point of collection – numbering more than 100 points in Kobenhavn Bycyklen environment.
The cyclists in Copenhagen must abide by several rules: Do not ever cross the sidewalk or pedestrian traffic, never cross the zebra crossing, do not ever ride in a city park, do not ride late at night and always crossed in the right lane (Danish driving on the right road).
Cycling in Copenhagen is very pleasant and safe. Air is relatively clean, convenient infrastructure and flat land contours. You can see more, absorbing a variety of things and explore the lives of the citizens should Copenhagenites true.
Want, right? So, forget about traveling by tour bus or rent a car. Use a bicycle if you have time to Copenhagen.
