Working Mum: Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen

A first time visitor to the Danish capital, I didn't know what to expect; I was pleasantly surprised. Aside from Singapore it has to be the cleanest city I have ever visited.

As we had three children under the age of five in tow, we rented out an apartment instead of checking into a hotel.

Our three-bedroom base was located in the centre of the city and was the residence of a doctor, his interior designer wife and their three children.

The apartment was like living in an Ikea catalogue - everything was white, minimal and perfectly placed.

In every room, there was evidence of the family - black and white studio photos of the three young children, framed holiday snaps, wedding pictures.

In the children's bedrooms certificates, trophies and gold medals pointed to successes in everything from reading and maths to running and swimming.

The office was home to mementos of exotic foreign travel including wooden African tribal masks, a poster of marine life in the Maldives and a set of Japanese sake masu. These trinkets were purchased at source, not from Habitat.

The whole place painted a picture of a perfect family living a perfect life - a Danish version of a Marks and Spencer advert.

The kids put to bed in their designer rooms each evening, my friend and I withdrew to the wrap-around balcony. As we sat overlooking the sights, fireworks at the famous Tivoli Gardens lighting up the sky, glass of Veuve in hand, we became part of that perfect picture.

"One of them has got to be having an affair," my friend said on the last evening.

"Nobody's life can be this perfect!"

Working Mum, still wanting to believe.