The rain today is the type that we folks from the north of England would call 'mizzle' - something in between a mist and a drizzle. You know it because an umbrella is useless on days like these, the moisture in the air seems to 'fall' and then back up on itself. You don't get wet, you get damp. But, as they say in Denmark, there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing - and so, with my son off to a birthday party, my daughter and I wrapped up and headed out to play. Her in her polka dot snowsuit and me in my red poncho - bright colours for a grey day.
Her favourite place to play these days is the new playground on the eastern side of Fælledparken known as 'den franske plads'. Newly renovated it is a mecca of outdoor fun for the children of Østerbro with its mass of sunken trampolines, wooden climbing frames, oversized red swings and spinning roundabout type things (that are guaranteed to keep the children and the parents pushing them giddy). For my daughter its all about the trampolines and she's as happy to jump as to watch the bigger kids do their tricks with flips and somersaults. Of course, this means a trip to the playground for me amounts to standing and watching (although I have also been known to have a go at jumping myself from time to time). Since becoming a parent, I've often thought a mobile coffee truck would have a roaring trade at a play area on weekends and this morning the little green van from Kalles-Kaffe was there to greet me.
Even before I got to taste the coffee, I felt the draw of a kindred spirit. I knew that whoever it was who had shared my thoughts and was cashing in on the weekend weary parents at the playground had also had the good sense to add some colour to the grey landscape and was making a statement with his bright green van. It's one of those curious things about Denmark that while the Danes have bright white interiors in their homes, when it comes to outdoor clothing, dark colours are the order of the day. Maybe its a metaphor for the Danish psyche - I couldn't possible comment - save to say that in our colourful clothing, my daughter and I stand out from the crowd in a very non-Jante sort of way.
Dry in our weather-tight clothing and with a warm cup of River Kaffe in my hand, we spent the morning happily sipping, bouncing, swinging, spinning and climbing. For a good cappuccino-on-the-go, the Kalles-Kaffe hit the spot, though the barista told me that the franske plads playground isn't a regular location for the truck as there is more money to be made elsewhere.
Cost: a double cappuccino costs 30 DKK
Coffee hygge factor: 4 out of 5 (which other coffee place can compete in terms of children's entertainment?!)
Find out more about the Kalles-Kaffe concept at their website www.kalles-kaffe.dk
