Two alarms were set this morning for our early flight out of CPH. Matt was reluctant to get up. He hates when we leave Europe. Perhaps I did this to him…

We left right on time and took the train directly to the airport. Easy peasy. We officially avoided taxis and cars altogether in Denmark—just metros, lots of walking, and a motor coach to Sweden. On this train, we had a slight flashback to Germany. A metro employee came around checking tickets. I pulled mine out… but Matt dug around and realized he had left his in yesterday’s pants, which were in his locked, double-strapped suitcase. We told the employee that they were purchased at the same time and that I had a receipt still and we could get it. He just shrugged and told us to be careful because it’s a heavy fine. Oh, we are well aware, good sir! We paid €120 when we lost them last year in Frankfurt. Crisis averted!

We got to the airport just under 2 hours before flight time. Check-in was fast and easy, and so was security. Passport control, on the other hand, was a nightmare. It was way easier to get in than it was to leave. As a matter of fact, when we landed in Copenhagen we followed signs that said “Nothing to Declare” and hopped right onto the metro. Leaving, on the other hand… that was a bottleneck, with a lot of impatient, frustrated passengers constantly checking their watches. Once it was our turn, the agent studied our passports and asked, “You came in through France?” We replied yes, while she neatly stamped our passports perfectly next to the French stamp. Matt was low-key excited, though he never got a stamp for Spain. I guess we have to go back soon. Boarding had started by the time we got to our gate. 

Ok… so now, I’ll share some insight on my “worst possible seats” to get upgraded to. Originally we had aisle + window on the right side of the plane in the regular economy section. There wasn’t a middle seat because the layout of this B767 was 2 seats on the left, 3 in the middle, and 2 on the right. We then got upgraded to the first row of Comfortable+, middle section, with a middle and aisle seat. No window view. No seat in front to watch TV or store bags underneath. Plus the tray tables and TVs are stored in the arm rests. If you’ve seen my hips, you know that I spill over into Matt’s seat; luckily he doesn’t mind. But the front row means the arm rests are fixed and rigid, and therefore the seat width is reduced. When I tried to switch back to our original seats, they were already reassigned, and they could only give us the 2 seats on the right in the very last row. The leg room and seat width ended up working out perfect. But last row means you just get whatever is left as far as food and drinks. Sigh. It could have been worse I guess. 

UPDATE: We were upgraded to First Class on our connecting flight. Yes it’s domestic, but this is a first for both of us, so quite exciting. 

Scandinavia Takeaways:

I talk about diversity A LOT. But I’ll just summarize: diversity is less than that of Paris and Barcelona… but it’s one of those things that nobody really thinks about. Meaning, nobody is surprised to see anyone that looks different, and they don’t react to different languages at all either. Everything just is. And it’s normal.

On another note, I saw very many young Nick Carter doppelgängers—they’re everywhere. Or maybe I’ve just had the Backstreet Boys on my mind.

I did, however, feel a tiny inkling of condescension from time to time. People really don’t like it if you don’t follow the rules, and follow them fast. Like if you don’t scoot up right away in a checkout line, or if you try to wait for a bicyclist that is clearly waiting on you. There’s not much small talk or exchanging of pleasantries. I like to think I’m a very smiley person, but it just didn’t get mirrored as much in Denmark as it has in other places. You will see down below which city stole my heart.

I did feel like Copenhagen very much lives in the future. They’ve totally nailed public transportation. I also got the feeling of a team spirit, or do-everything-for-the-greater-good vibe, albeit appearing sometimes as conformity.

Denmark definitely leans toward a social democracy—people here pay higher taxes, but in return they get healthcare, education, and social benefits covered. It feels less about individual hustle and more about everyone being taken care of. On the other hand, everything is very expensive, even more than California. The taxes on vehicles can sometimes reach over 150% of MSRP depending on a few different factors. If I’m not mistaken, I believe food and restaurant meals are taxed at a whopping 25%.

I often can picture myself moving to certain European countries, but Denmark unfortunately doesn’t make the cut. For me personally, air traffic controllers are paid significantly less in Denmark and cost of living is considerably higher. You can expect to pay about $802k for an average apartment in Copenhagen, and you already know about the cars. I even saw pilots and flight attendants riding the metro to work on several occasions. I personally prefer to own things, and that’s not quite feasible for most over there. Many folks even live in Swedish border towns and commute to Denmark for work. Smart.

End of Trip Stats

Alright everyone. We’ve spent 9 days total in Paris, Barcelona, and Copenhagen (and a few hours in Sweden). Here are the end-of-trip stats!

Averages:

• Walking: 8 miles per day
• Flights climbed: 13 per day
• Hours of sleep per night: 5-ish

Superlatives:

We’ve excluded Swedish cities for most of the categories due to limited time there.

A Sweet Ending

And now, a cute way to end this year’s travel blog.

Matt is seriously the sweetest. He officially has hundreds of candid photos of me on his phone. He’s been trying to capture my essence and all of my expressions, some very animated. I usually have something negative to say about my second chin or koala-like side profile, but he sees me very much like Shallow Hal saw his Rosemary. So here’s a candid of me yesterday from the eyes of Matt: I was very focused on crossing the street (much more difficult with a bunch of bicyclists).

On the plane I caught him writing a journal entry of his own to summarize the past 9 days. He’s very much a poet and a shameless romantic. And I love it. So, if you’re interested in some poetic reflection from a pure-hearted man who is still head over heels for his wife, let me know! Reach out to me via comment, text, or DM, and I’ll post it here.

Also, if you have any questions about the trip—perhaps a certain event or memory you want me to elaborate on—or you want to see if I have any photos of anything in particular that I may not have included, reach out and I will share it here as well. 

Well fam, this concludes Euro Trip 2025 Travel Blog.  We are back in the states and already missing walking on cobblestone while eating croissants and admiring timeless architecture. However, we are grateful for the ability to have these experiences, and to share them with you.The next few days will be spent in the company of our family and friends, and attending what I’m sure will be a beautiful wedding. Bye bye for now.