World's most expensive cities

Swiss bank UBS has released the results of a survey into the most expensive and the cheapest cities in the world and, predictably, the Scandinavia capitals score high on the list. In fact, Oslo ranks as the world's most expensive city excluding rental costs, with Copenhagen in the number 2 spot and Stockholm coming in at number 6. Including rental costs, London jumps from third most to the most expensive city. The results can be found in Swedish on the Dagens Industri website.

You know you've been in Denmark too long, when...

• You think there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
• You understand why not every type of meat can be put together on top of bread.
• You think it's impolite to sit next to someone in a bus if there is a bench where you can sit on your own.
• You can open a beer bottle with almost anything.
• You honestly believe that the distance between Copenhagen and Aalborg is long.
• You can tell the difference between a Grøn Tuborg and a Carlsberg beer
• The first thing you do on entering a bank/post office/pharmacy etc is to look for the queue number machine.
• You accept that you will have to queue to take a queue number.
• Silence is fun.
• It no longer seems excessive to spend 800 kr. on alcohol in a single night.
• You know that "religious holiday" means "let's get pissed".
• You use "Mmmm" as conversation filler.
• The word "yes" is an intake of breath.
• You don't mind paying the same for a 200-metre bus ride as you do for going 10 kms.
• You start to believe that if it weren't for Denmark's efforts, the world would probably collapse pretty soon.
• It feels natural to wear sport clothes and a backpack everywhere.
• You know the meaning of life has something to do with the word "hyggelig".
• You don't think it strange that no one ever comes by to visit without being invited and you never show up at any one's place unannounced either.
• You wouldn't dream of coming even 10 minutes early to a party. (Once around the block is always an alternative.)
• You find yourself lighting candles when you have guests - even if it is brightly sunny outside and 20 degrees.
• You offer people strange-tasting brown alcoholic liquids with their coffee in the morning...
  

I was sent this little gem today. And it's too true...

Lovely, lovely lists

The slightly oddly named Danish Enterprise & Construction Authority (Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen in Danish) has produced a fantastic page for those wanting to buy or sell property in Denmark. boligejer.dk (seems to be in Danish only, I'm afraid) even helps you create a seller's checklist, letting you know everything that you need to do as part of the sales process, depending on how involved you want to be and how much you want to leave up to your estate agents and/or lawyer.

The site also provides the equivalent information for those buying property.

Perhaps I need to get out more, but I find it fantastic that you can get all this info and create lists at the same time!

Useful packing tips?

I found some tips for packing up ahead of the moving day. However, they are not the most useful – downright obvious might be a better way of stating it:

• Use packing cases
• Buy a large roll of tape
• Don’t pack all books in one box
• Wrap glass and china items in clothes or paper before packing
• Load the vehicle carefully so accidents don’t happen during the move.

Hmmm, glad they are there to help us out.

Liveable cities

A special feature in the latest issue of Monocle (the brainchild of Wallpaper* creator, Tyler Brûlé) listed what the magazine sees as the top 20 most ‘liveable’ cities of the world (quality of life), with Copenhagen coming in second. The article about the city was very interesting, especially the quote about the number of Porsches now seen around the city. Also amusing, given the delightful summer weather that Copenhagen is experiencing now, is that one of the criteria they used was hours of sunshine – and Copenhagen still managed the no.2 spot.

The list in full:

1. Münich
2. Copenhagen
3. Zürich
4. Tokyo
5. Vienna
6. Helsinki
7. Sydney
8. Stockholm
9. Honolulu
10. Madrid
11. Melbourne
12. Montreal
13. Barcelona
14. Kyoto
15. Vancouver
16. Auckland
17. Singapore
18. Hamburg
19. Paris
    
20. Geneva

Not sure how much I agree with Copenhagen's high ranking as Monocle states in the accompanying Urban Manifesto that the survey is 50% scientific and 50% subjective, but then I am obviously biased as I am moving from the no.2 city to the no.8.