Day 11 - Riverfront Picnic for U.S. vs Belgium

Tuesday was a late start, which was fine because we didn't have a ton of sites to see or places to check off our Copenhagen list. The priority of the day was the highly anticipated U.S. vs Belgium World Cup knockout match that started at 10pm. We did a bit of walking around and while we were strolling the streets we came up with a great idea - a soccer picnic! We found a local super market, or Copenhagen's version of one, and bought some deli meat, cheese, beers, wine, and snacks and headed back to the riverfront area where they had the big outdoor screen. We figured that'd be a great place to watch the day's matches and with the sun out, it's best to be outside.

Great Dane in Denmark? Check.

We arrived at the riverfront area called Islands Brygge at 6pm, right at kickoff of the first game (Argentina v. Switzerland) and it was packed. It was an awesome scene, but the only open seating area was in the way way back or in the front row. We opted for front and center. 

Soccer picnic in full effect...we even brought a blanket

Argentina fans were there in strong numbers with drums, horns, flags, and more; it made for a great soccer vibe

The crowd exploded after Argentina scored a late goal and went on to win 1-0

The soccer game wasn't the only thing that was impressive. The fans were doing some serious grilling and tailgating.

Burgers, dogs, chicken and even steaks were on the grill and the most interesting part is that the grills were communal so you can bring your own meat and toss it on the grill when you were ready. It was a great setup all around. 

Fans were double fisting meat, my kind of party

After Argentina's 1-0 victory the crowd dispersed for the most part allowing us to relocate from the front row to a more central location for the U.S. game

We started out as one of only a few US fans, but as game time approached the park filled up with US peeps, most of which were students studying in Copenhagen for the summer

Game time...I believe...

We tried rally vino late in the match to spark a US come back, but it just wasn't meant to be

It was a tough loss no doubt. But the energy at the riverfront viewing party was solid and it was great to be a part of such a strong showing of American fans on foreign soil. We all represented well.

That's a wrap on Copenhagen. Four solid days eating, drinking, dancing, shopping, and exploring this beautiful city. Copenhagen, and the Danish as a whole, really surprised us. I guess we didn't really know what to expect. You don't hear much about the Danes on a regular basis, so their friendliness, fun upbeat lifestyle, their food, their love for being outside and enjoying the nice weather and of course their beauty were all pleasant surprises. Plus, the city itself had a lot to see and do. Like Amsterdam, it had that unique combo of vintage look and feel (historic buildings, scenic canals, cobblestone streets) with modern lifestyle (state-of-the-art opera house, outdoor cafes, lively shopping areas).

On Wednesday we fly to Stockholm for the last leg of this Euro trip 2014. We've heard great things about Stockholm, a city many consider the epicenter for Scandinavian culture, so we plan to wrap this trip up with a bang.