The pursuit of a winter escape
It is February, and the Scandinavian winter has once again tightened its cool grip. The days are short, the nights are long, and the sun—what little we see of it—seems to be about to give up on us entirely. It is during these dark months that the collective Nordic psyche begins to entertain a peculiar fantasy: escape. Not the kind of escape that involves a permanent relocation or a dramatic life change, but the kind that involves booking a flight to somewhere warmer, sunnier, and altogether more forgiving. For us, this winter, that somewhere will be Lisbon . Lisbon , with its pastel-colored buildings, cobblestone streets, and seemingly perpetual sunlight, is the antithesis of the Scandinavian winter. And yet, as we sit here in our Copenhagen apartment, bundled in layers of wool and existential dread, we can’t help but wonder: is this annual pilgrimage to the south really the solution to our winter woes? Or is it just another form of modern esca...