The Strøget, Copenhagen’s most famous shopping street
We started with the department stores: Ilum and Magasin du Nord. The stores were modest in size, but were more “hip” than the stores of home, tempting with simple and vibrant clothes, all designed with a distinct and lively Scandinavian flair. I was in love.
Therese found a jacket she wanted at one of the smaller boutiques, but they did not have her size. We ran back to Ilum to see the same collection and get the right size for her – and they had it.
She taught me about two of her favorite shops, Fillipa K (“Kaa”) and By Malene Birger. There are always big sales around Midsummer because everyone is out that time of year, and the sun doesn’t set until midnight. I was quite taken by the By Malene Birger boutique and bought a pair of caramel leather gladiator sandals with gold studs. I love them – and I love that they came from the Strøget.
Back out on the little streets, we walked past lighting stores, their windows filled with sculptural shapes, fantastic lamps, luminescent and dreamy. There were funky children’s stores and household shops with classic printed fabrics in fantasy colors of greens and yellows and orchids – like gardens. Earrings in semiprecious stones and gold almost found their way into my bag. Now I only have a picture.
At just the right moment we stumbled on a café – in green and gold and wood, perfect like my sandals or a summer garden, and illuminated with candles set in the bottom of a birdcage.
Do I need to tell you that the men had ditched us earlier? When we succumbed to shoe shopping next door back at the fabric place, they had wandered away. We reeled them in again with the promise of food
We elbowed our way through the central square of the Strøget past table after table filled with people enjoying the late day sunshine and Danish food and drink. We finished our afternoon of shopping the Strøget, which I remember as a midsummer’s Danish dream – for me and Therese, anyway – with big pieces of chocolate cake.
If you go, be sure to keep both eyes and mouth open – and hand your wallet to someone else to hold.
Copenhagen
lots to do. can’t help wonder what the guys did after they deserted you. 😉
paz