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I was strolling through the commotion of downtown Copenhagen, past chain restaurants dressed up to look old and under towering hotels that seem to be part of a different international chain each year. Then, as if from another age, a man pedaled his wife in a “Christiania Bike” — two wheels pushing a big, utilitarian rounded bucket. You’d call the couple “granola” in the USA. They look as out of place here in Copenhagen as an Amish couple in Manhattan.
Later I paused to watch a parade of ragtag soldiers-against-conformity dressed in black venture through the modern bustle of downtown Copenhagen. They walked sadly behind a WWII-vintage truck blasting Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in The Wall.” I never listened to the words until now. They’re fighting a rising tide of conformity. They want to raise their children to be not cogs but to be free spirits. On their banner — painted onto an old sheet — was a slogan you see in their squatter community: “Lev livet kunstnerisk! Kun dode fisk flyder med strommen.”(“Live life artistically! Only dead fish follow the current.”) They flew the Christiania flag — three yellow dots on an orange background. They say the dots are from the o’s in “Love Love Love.”
In 1971, 700 hippies took over an abandoned naval camp in Copenhagen and turned it into a free city. It’s been run as a commune ever since — with routine run-ins with the city. But it has survived. Those original hippies are pushing 60, and their community has become the second- or third-biggest tourist attraction in town — famous for geodesic domes on its back streets, swap shops, vegetarian cafés, and shacks selling pot on its main street (nicknamed “Pusher Street”).
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Biking through the community myself later that day, it occurred to me that, except for the bottled beer being sold, there was not a hint of any corporate entity in the entire free city. Everything was handmade. Nothing was packaged. And, of course, that will not stand.
The current conservative government is feeling the pressure from developers to “normalize” Christiania. There is a “take it or leave it” “final solution” on the table for leaders of the commune to deal with. The verdict is that the land (which no one wanted 35 years ago) needs more density. Much of it will be opened to market forces, and 1,600 people who aren’t in the community will be allowed to move in. Injecting outsiders and market forces into the last attempt at a socialist utopia surviving in Europe from its flower-power days will bring great change.
Marijuana has been the national plant of the free city. (Hard drugs have always been strictly forbidden.) The police have really cracked down. Pot is no longer sold from little kiosks on Pusher Street. The police drop in 10 times a day. Cafés now post signs warning no pot smoking.
It’s a classic case study in the regrettable consequences of a war on pot. For the first time in years, the Copenhagen street price is up, gangs are moving into the marijuana business, and crime is associated with pot. There was actually a murder recently, as pushers fought to establish their turf — unthinkable in Copenhagen in previous years.
I recently got an email from some traveling readers. They said, “We’re not prudes, but Christiania was creepy. Don’t take kids here or go after dark.”
A free city is not pretty, I agree. But “Pusher Street” and pot is not what the free city is about. Watching parents raise their children with Christiania values as I biked the free city’s back streets, I came to believe more strongly than ever that allowing this social experiment and giving alternative-type people a place to be alternative is a kind of alternative beauty that deserves a place.
Say Rick, I will be traveling 7/25-8/2 from Fort Wayne to Budapest via Amsterdam to visit my brother, Nick, who lives in Budapest. I want to take he and his fiance out for dinner and a show (3-4 star)–what should a school counselor budget to spend for the night?? By the way, I watched your most recent trip to Budapest and thought it was fabulous! Thanks for All Your Insight Into Travel, Andy
I’m enjoying this year’s blog more than ever. I’m fascinated with the actual travel portion, but enthralled with what I preceive to be an element of critical evaluation in the process that hasn’t been overtly present in the past. Travel on…
Hi Rick, Traveling through Amsterdam in early September, 2001, I beleive there was a display about an Amsterdam ‘commune’ similar to the one you describe in Copenhagen, highlighted in the Amsterdam City Museum, when I visited it. I’m not sure if it still exists, but it may be a Dutch partner to Christiana.
Rick- I just got back from a 2 week trip through London, Rome, the Cinque Terre, the Berner Oberland, and southern Germany. My family and I used your book the whole time, and I just wanted to say thank you. I also used your book last fall when I was studying in Denmark (and traveling throughout Europe). I’ve used a lot of guides, but yours are the best. Thanks for that. I hope you are enjoying or enjoyed Denmark. It’s a great little country, and I miss it a lot. The Danes are… well, they’re wonderful. Good luck throughout the rest of your trip, and I hope you have better weather than we did.
I was in Christiania approx two years ago. I didn’t find it ‘creepy” at all and would have not hestitated to take my nieces or nephew. What a nice area of calmness in the middle of hectic-ness. The kids could have run and played and made some Danish friends as I found the kids there to be quite friendly (as were the adults). It’s sad to think of government-approved business, retail, people, etc moving in. It’s hard to imagine it staying how it was. The loss will be a shame.
I have to go to Denmark! Happy travels!
Wow comments coming back calling Rick “Rush Limbaugh” for his comments on immigrants and then this love letter to Christiania. Thanks for being so all inclusive! I love it!!
We really liked Denmark both visits, but on the main street of Copenhagen in 1979, we saw a booth manned by several young people, set in the middle of the shopping street, with an advertisement for “Lyndon LaRouche for President of the US.†I asked what their opinion would be if people in the US campaigned for a man to become the head of Denmark’s Government, and they didn’t like that idea at all. In both 1979 and in 1985, on the main walking street in Copenhagen, there were young people collecting money to feed the “poor children in America.†They advertised, and invited people to see a film that showed hungry children in gutters, people being shot, and all other kinds of problems in the US. When World War II ended, there were many members of the German Military stranded in Norway. As the Germans tried to get home, dozens, or hundreds (depending on which story you want to believe), were shot and killed by the Danes, as they tried to cross Denmark, on the way to their home in Germany.
&Rick: I think we are about ten meters behind you as I write this from Radhuspladsen, Copenhagen. No need to take your kids to Christiana at night – that’s what Tivloli is for. Copenhagen has treated us to some wonderful experiences, not least among them our visit to City Hall where a very helpful employee helped us find a long lost friend on the citizens’ register. Only 52 kroner to see how nice dealing with government could be in another world (and with free coffee!). The blue boat cruise was great (and cheaper than coffee!). And we were in the fabulous Cinque Terre last week where we also appreciated your recommendations. We have been following you now for fifteen years. Keep moving! Tom Isobel
We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know several Danes that were living temporarily in South Florida where we reside. And, our daughter and son-in-law have lived in Copenhagen, also on a temporary basis, two separate times. Our combined experiences with the Danish culture (albeit on a limited basis I admit) has left me with the impression that Danes are wonderful people…..and, they’re even better than that when both “sides” leave their politics at the front door. “Skal!”
Hi! I was strolling through Christiana after gazing down upon it from the top of the spiral at the nearby Church, and I took a photo (Joe Tourist, I be) of the Pusher Street central market. . .a minute later a young rabblerouser confronted me in a threatening manner and (with his “friends” and 2 pitbulls in close proximity 30 feet away) and scolded me for taking their photo. . .(in fact, I took a wide angle shot of the whole central square with his group of guys hanging around a barrel comprising about 20% of my photo on the left side of my photo; of course he didn’t know that). Anyway, he ordered me to pay them money or delete the photo. . .(he preferred the money as the other option only presented itself after I said, “No Way!”). . .so, I showed him the photo, apologized, and erased it in front of him. He walked back to his friends and I could hear there remarks (upset with me, etc.). I didn’t need any hassles when travelling alone. The rest of my day in Christiana was great! Eric
Unlike most of the bloggers visits to Denmark my experience was to rent a timeshare on the on the northwest side of the island that Copenhagen is located. It was about a 25 minute train ride to Copenhagen with many nice Dannes, who spoke wonderful English with little or no accent. Local restaurants in the many villages were very good to excellent, but don’t expect cheap food. Some of the villages still are fishing for a living with fresh fish dinners. By the way, neat castles and museums should be seen with the great Louisiana Museum not to be missed. The road system is very good and the superhighways spectacular with bridges and tunnels and ferries, connecting the islands. The Danish are a happy people and visiting them can make you a very enjoyable trip. Of course, Copenhagen should be seen, but just as starter point as any large city.
Even though,Rick,you an I are idealogically opposed on certain issues, I truly enjoy your travel show and website. My wife and I are traveling to Vienna and Budapest this September, and are taking to heart much of your expert advice. We are really going to immerse ourselves in these two Habsburg capitals and do not plan on being the “ugly American”. I certainly hope there are not too many “ugly” Europeans.
What a great blog/diary Rick, thanks. Next summer, my adult daughter and I will take a similar trip. We’ll begin at the Czech Republic, then travel to Austria, the north tip of Italy, and Croatia. Most of out time will be at the last location. We have the entire month of June. If possible, we would like to contribute in some way to the community during our stay. Any suggestions? Amy
Don’t be an Ugly American, or and Ugly anything else. And in my 1,000 days of travel in Europe, I have seen many more Ugly Someone Else (a visitor not a resident) European than I have seen of US citizens. Thirty to Forty years ago this was printed as a Letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal, this is the only way to go: In addition to clothes, money, and a passport, the most important thing to take with you on vacation is a positive attitude. It’s amazing how many stupid, ignorant, inefficient, obnoxious people we meet when (if?) we are in a bad mood. That’s true even when we aren’t on vacation.
If your are still doing research, I believe the national museum has preserved some of the hash shack from pusher street, they may still be on display. If your interested in alternative living, you might consider checking out the Ecological Village near Torup station on the north shore (of Zealland), or near the Sydhavn station in Copenhagen, there is another alternative living village (can’t remember the name) with alternative building construction (less restrictive building code). As American, the thing that I find even more interesting is commune living (in the state we would call ownership in joint tenancy), people/families/retirees sharing a stake in a home, as well as, eating, cleaning, and living. Just happen to be staying in CPH with the in-law this week myself. Cheers.
My wife and I were in Copenhagen the same time Rick was. We thought Christiania was one of the more interesting places in Copenhagen, and we loved it. The Thai place food stand serves the best red curry I’ve ever had in my life. We took two of our German friends there, but they pretty much hated the place. The other great thing we did in the city was visit the Carlsberg brewery. They have a great tour. I think Rick under rates this in his book. Three triangle for sure! You can save the hike to the mermaid too, they have a replica in the brewery, and it’s just as bad as boring as the original. We were sad we didn’t see Rick touring around.
Out of interest and the way it was described, I was anxious to make Christiania a stop on our family’s recent trip to Copenhagen. A friend of mine from Copenhagen suggested not going, but my curiosity got the best of me. In less than ten minutes of walking with my three children, I decided quickly to make an exit. My moral concience tells me that no child should be brought up in such disgusting traditions such as those taught within those city walls. As previously mentioned, there are too many other great places to visit than to waste time in a drug environment where “anything can happen”!
once again, I was a little taken back by Rick’s obvious opinion that there should be no laws regulating marijuana use citing “the regrettable consequences of the war on pot”. Another recent newsletter piece described a new wine as having ‘marijuana like effects’ and the guidebooks and web give plenty of advice on legal use of pot while traveling. Now having said that, I think it is naive to encourage drug use of any kind in a travel forum. Having dealt with an addiction/dependency problem with my son and pot I am sure I am not the only fan of ETBD that this makes uncomfortable. You may like to get high in the privacy of your own home Rick or on the road where it is legal, but I think you are irresposible to condone drug use of any kind.
I took an English guided tour of Christiania a few weeks ago and I was told that the dots in the flag represent the 3 dots in the 3 “i’s” in Christiania. Either way, it was probably one of the most interesting places I have ever been to; there’s no other place like it!