A Wren Says

I headed to Denmark without knowing too much about the country. While I felt comfortable traveling on my own there, there were a few things I noticed that caught me off guard

1 How sunny it was

Yes, I knew it was the summer time. And yes, I even brought a pair of sunglasses. But for some reason, the level of sun was at Florida levels. It was intense enough for me to buy a new pair of sunglasses and to consider stopping into a shop to buy a hat or a visor.

2 So many smokers

Admittedly, this was likely because I am based in the U.S. where smoking is prohibited in most places. Regardless, I regularly passed through plumes of smoke. This is not to say that everyone was smoking, but it was a culture shock for me.

3 MOM written on my receipt

I was confused to see a reminder of my mother on my receipt, but I learned this was the Danish acronym for a particular tax.

4 Tipping is still a thing

One of the glorious things I was looking forward to was not having to worry about tips while I was away. Instead, it was included on every restaurant bill. I couldn’t get a read if this was an expectation like the U.S. or just a way to take accommodate the large number of tourists who engaged in the practice.

5 Low visibility of homelessness

This might be more commentary on me and how I have come to see the world, but I expected to see a number of homeless people in the major city of Copenhagen. Somehow, that has just become a given to me, that homeless is a problem that is always and will always be there. I will add that doesn’t mean that homelessness doesn’t exist in the country or there isn’t any income disparity. There were, after all, a couple of panhandlers in the heavily touristy areas. There is also government interest in doing more to address homelessness, which they wouldn’t do if it didn’t exist. There is a problem, it just isn’t seen as easily as it is in major U.S. cities.

6 Licorice is a thing

I thought it be important to end with a little levity. I don’t know why, but licorice and licorice flavored things were everywhere. It made me rethink things. Was I misguided in disliking the flavor? Did I just need to try the Danish variety? No, and no. I still don’t like the flavor, because I prefer my candy to be sweet. But maybe I went in with the wrong approach. In either case, to me it indicates a piece of the culture through the flavors that are commonly enjoyed.

That’s it, my top six things I didn’t expect before my first trip to Denmark. What about you? What are some things in your travels to other countries that have surprised you?