I think you can imagine the picture: 15 hours on planes, a train ride into the city, a walk to the hotel. If it had been raining, I’d say I looked like a drowned cat. But since it wasn’t, I just looked like a really dirty cat.
After checking into my hotel and taking a much needed shower, I decided to venture out to a place my friend Lisa had recommended called Motley. It was less than a mile away so I went on a lovely evening walk to my destination. There were lots of people out and about (it was a Friday night after all), so it felt plenty safe to be out wandering on my own.
The place was small, cozy and very warm. There were games on some of the tables, plants on the walls, and some colorful lights around the edge of the room. It felt like just the right spot for my first dinner.
The woman who seated me welcomed me and came back a few moments later and said, “I thought you may need some help, the menu is only in Danish.” I laughed and said yes, and that my friend had said, no matter what the dish of the day is, get it, so I said I’d have it (without even knowing what it was). She replied it was braised pork cheek and I said YUM!
The meal was delicious and I sat leisurely with my food and wine, basking in the warmth of the place. Even though I was not interacting with anyone, there was such an interesting feel to the place like I was part of it even if not with anyone else. Funny enough, I didn’t feel like an outsider, even though I quite clearly was.
When the waitress came back to the table, I asked for another glass of wine, and she said, “Your friend has been here, yes?” My jaw dropped and my eyes widened, and even in that moment before the next words, I knew this was not a mistaken guess. I stuttered something barely intelligible, like “Wha…..who…..what?” And she said, “You have a friend, Lisa, yes? You have the same vibe as she does.”
Let me just stop and say my friend Lisa is vibrant, decadent, beautiful and just all around lovely. That someone who had exchanged maybe 20 words with me said I had the same vibe – now THAT was a compliment of the highest order.
I was shocked and tickled. In fact, I almost burst into tears right there on the spot. I should also add…Lisa was here EIGHT MONTHS AGO. Not like last week or earlier in the day. EIGHT. MONTHS. AGO.
I had somehow been recognized and welcomed in this brand new city within hours of arriving. What a way to start my solo adventuring trip. Hello, Copenhagen.
Katerina…the most welcoming face in a new city…