It’s love, but not at first sight.
Door: Claudia
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Claudia
22 December 2004 | Denemarken, Kopenhagen
Wednesday 15 December, day 3
For a second there, I was afraid that the travel fatigue had kicked in. Walking home Monday night to Maria’s place, on the outskirts of Copenhagen centre, I tell Helen that I don’t see how this city is going to entertain me for 3,5 weeks. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just that it’s just another city. Buildings, bikes, restaurants, nightshops, just another mixture of city-elements that you can find anywhere else in the world.
With its rather spacious streets and pretty apartment buildings it’s different from Rotterdam, it’s breathing more or less the same atmosphere as decadent The Hague. The huge amounts of bicycles remind me of Amsterdam, although a closer look tells you that that’s definitely not where you are: only one, easy to open, lock on every bike. The people are well dressed and good looking, so apart from the fur boots it could just as well be Paris. And the changing of the guards at the palace that takes place every day, to me it’s a reminder of London.
But after a good night sleep and a day on the town I could take a deep relieved breath: it’s not travel fatigue, I’ll be fine. Just walking around to get a feeling of the most beautiful city of the north, I spotted museums, nice shops, Irish bars, coffeebars, cinema’s, plenty of attractive restaurants and don’t forget a Hard Rock Café that for some reason always tells me, that things are happening here. Maybe 3,5 weeks will turn out not to be enough.
Arriving Monday night in Denmark it was dark, pitch-dark. Coming of the boat it was only 16.30 but we couldn’t see our hands before our eyes. Not does it only get dark really early, there was a terrible fog as well. I couldn’t suppress the urge and opened the window to call out and see if anybody was there. Felt like we were all alone in the universe. I read that Denmark is just as flat as Holland so I suppose I didn’t miss that much, not being able to see anything of the landscape. But it must be so depressing living here, with so little light per day. How do these people stay so cheerful, cause trust me, they are. Maybe there is a law against grumpiness. If so, we should investigate and introduce it in Holland.
After meeting up with Maria for a meal, we had a drink in a small bar. Although it was Monday, you know that night that you won’t find a soul in any bar in Rotterdam, this particular bar was almost too small to hold all the people. And supposable it isn’t even a very popular bar. Apparently the Copenhageners like to go out.
After our walk around the city centre, we had a beer, and another one….and another one, at The Dubliner. A big Irish bar which I definitely will visit again. Just to get something in our stomach, we went to this place that offers you pizza as much as you like for only 59 Dkr (8 Euro) and that would help us to run through Tivoli. Unfortunately we had only 1 hour left to run through this romantic amusement park, but at least I got an impression of the 110.000 lights that are used to light up the trees, the ice-skating pond and buildings. Unfortunately standing under the mistletoe didn’t bring me anything else than funny looks.
Monday 20 December, day 8
I probably still had to get used to the heavy and clean air around here, cause after I waved goodbye to Diana, Helen and Jens I just managed to make it to the Tourist office and back home again, before I fell asleep on the sofa again. When my host rang me, I was still too lazy to do anything and we decided to stay home and watch a film (I know it’s not the air to blame and I’m just plain lazy, but please give me some slag). The next day, I decided to have a walk around town, and using this walking tour I found in my Lonely Planet, I was sure I would at least see some of the highlights of Copenhagen.
Starting at Rådhuspladsen, where I had a brief encounter with Hans Christian Andersen, I walked down the pedestrian area where we shopped the other day. Now I didn’t just notice the great shops, but also some beautiful old buildings, churches, fountains and statues. Hooray for travel guides. At the end of this apparently longest shopping street in the world I came to a large square with the royal theatre, Magasin du Nord (which was beautiful lit with hundreds of Christmas lights) and Hotel de l’Angleterre (which was not lit yet, bus was decorated with huge Christmas presents). I crossed this to get to Nyhavn, a man dug canal that instantly reminded me of Cape town. Although it was a lot smaller and a lot colder than the original, it had the same atmosphere of the Waterfront. There were restaurants and bars and even a Christmas market, selling toys, Christmas decorations (including the Danish version of Santa’s helpers: Nissen) and warm sweaters.
Continuing along the harbour, my hands tugged away deep into my pockets, I made my way to the royal palace. A funny one, for it’s build in four mansions, surrounding a square, which makes it possible to more or less cross the palace by crossing the square. Guards were walking up and down. Not to lose any time, I left the interior of the palace for later, because I wanted to see the little mermaid before it got too dark. It was a good thing that my expectations were not too high to start with, because indeed the little mermaid is very little. And to be honest the place where she’s situated…..who came up with that idea? It’s a harbour, nothing beautiful or fairytale like about it. Sunset was already setting in and the weather hadn’t been that great that day, which made the water almost black. Seeing this pretty mermaid, sitting on a rock surrounded by blackness is not something you expect. Poor girl.
I had planned to take a bus home, but after finding out what that would cost me, I decided to walk back. I made a stop at Burger King, expecting it to be not too expensive (forget it, 10 euro for a meal) and stumbled home, put my feet up and did not move for the rest of the evening.
Friday night we went to see Ocean’s Twelve, which I can recommend. I thought it was better than Ocean’s Eleven. We had one drink and went home, to save our energy for the next day. That Saturday I was going to have my first Danish Christmas party. Two of Maria’s friends would come over and we agreed that they would take care of the main course and that we would be in charge of the starter and dessert. An hour and a half before, we get a phone call from one of the girls and Maria realizes that we need presents. They bought presents already, but we didn’t. We need 3 presents each of 10 Dkr (1,33 euro). We run to the nearest shop and buy chocolate, chewing gum, lollipops and Christmas beer. While Maria works on the salad, I wrap the presents in newspaper and tie them with red string that we got from the shop. When I’m working on the last gift, the first guest arrives.
Diner is lovely. After our salad, we have duck with potatoes and red coleslaw. During diner I have to try this typical Danish, I believe Christmas, thing: snaps. Like they said, it does not taste good and it contains 38% alcohol. No wonder that after a few glasses of wine and snaps I have no problem taking on this bet: going across the street and try to get in front of that steamy window, where obviously a large group of men are throwing their own Christmas party. Who ever gets there first wins…..I believe it was 3 nissen. Getting in was no problem, but we both failed to make it to the window. As quickly as we entered the house, we left it again. No idea what these guys must have been thinking, these 2 strange women running into there house, trying to get to the window.
When we arrive at The Dubliner I have a beer and funny enough it does not sober me up. Then I start to realise that I’m not really a good representation for the Dutch and start apologizing and explaining that it’s just me being drunk and that there are very nice, sober people living in Holland as well. Until Maria comes up with a solution and suggest that I tell everyone I’m from Belgium. Only 2 minutes later I blow my cover already when someone tells me he’s been to Holland. Anyway, at 6 in the morning I’m safe and sound in my bed again. That Sunday I just spent waiting for this hangover to go away.
For a second there, I was afraid that the travel fatigue had kicked in. Walking home Monday night to Maria’s place, on the outskirts of Copenhagen centre, I tell Helen that I don’t see how this city is going to entertain me for 3,5 weeks. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just that it’s just another city. Buildings, bikes, restaurants, nightshops, just another mixture of city-elements that you can find anywhere else in the world.
With its rather spacious streets and pretty apartment buildings it’s different from Rotterdam, it’s breathing more or less the same atmosphere as decadent The Hague. The huge amounts of bicycles remind me of Amsterdam, although a closer look tells you that that’s definitely not where you are: only one, easy to open, lock on every bike. The people are well dressed and good looking, so apart from the fur boots it could just as well be Paris. And the changing of the guards at the palace that takes place every day, to me it’s a reminder of London.
But after a good night sleep and a day on the town I could take a deep relieved breath: it’s not travel fatigue, I’ll be fine. Just walking around to get a feeling of the most beautiful city of the north, I spotted museums, nice shops, Irish bars, coffeebars, cinema’s, plenty of attractive restaurants and don’t forget a Hard Rock Café that for some reason always tells me, that things are happening here. Maybe 3,5 weeks will turn out not to be enough.
Arriving Monday night in Denmark it was dark, pitch-dark. Coming of the boat it was only 16.30 but we couldn’t see our hands before our eyes. Not does it only get dark really early, there was a terrible fog as well. I couldn’t suppress the urge and opened the window to call out and see if anybody was there. Felt like we were all alone in the universe. I read that Denmark is just as flat as Holland so I suppose I didn’t miss that much, not being able to see anything of the landscape. But it must be so depressing living here, with so little light per day. How do these people stay so cheerful, cause trust me, they are. Maybe there is a law against grumpiness. If so, we should investigate and introduce it in Holland.
After meeting up with Maria for a meal, we had a drink in a small bar. Although it was Monday, you know that night that you won’t find a soul in any bar in Rotterdam, this particular bar was almost too small to hold all the people. And supposable it isn’t even a very popular bar. Apparently the Copenhageners like to go out.
After our walk around the city centre, we had a beer, and another one….and another one, at The Dubliner. A big Irish bar which I definitely will visit again. Just to get something in our stomach, we went to this place that offers you pizza as much as you like for only 59 Dkr (8 Euro) and that would help us to run through Tivoli. Unfortunately we had only 1 hour left to run through this romantic amusement park, but at least I got an impression of the 110.000 lights that are used to light up the trees, the ice-skating pond and buildings. Unfortunately standing under the mistletoe didn’t bring me anything else than funny looks.
Monday 20 December, day 8
I probably still had to get used to the heavy and clean air around here, cause after I waved goodbye to Diana, Helen and Jens I just managed to make it to the Tourist office and back home again, before I fell asleep on the sofa again. When my host rang me, I was still too lazy to do anything and we decided to stay home and watch a film (I know it’s not the air to blame and I’m just plain lazy, but please give me some slag). The next day, I decided to have a walk around town, and using this walking tour I found in my Lonely Planet, I was sure I would at least see some of the highlights of Copenhagen.
Starting at Rådhuspladsen, where I had a brief encounter with Hans Christian Andersen, I walked down the pedestrian area where we shopped the other day. Now I didn’t just notice the great shops, but also some beautiful old buildings, churches, fountains and statues. Hooray for travel guides. At the end of this apparently longest shopping street in the world I came to a large square with the royal theatre, Magasin du Nord (which was beautiful lit with hundreds of Christmas lights) and Hotel de l’Angleterre (which was not lit yet, bus was decorated with huge Christmas presents). I crossed this to get to Nyhavn, a man dug canal that instantly reminded me of Cape town. Although it was a lot smaller and a lot colder than the original, it had the same atmosphere of the Waterfront. There were restaurants and bars and even a Christmas market, selling toys, Christmas decorations (including the Danish version of Santa’s helpers: Nissen) and warm sweaters.
Continuing along the harbour, my hands tugged away deep into my pockets, I made my way to the royal palace. A funny one, for it’s build in four mansions, surrounding a square, which makes it possible to more or less cross the palace by crossing the square. Guards were walking up and down. Not to lose any time, I left the interior of the palace for later, because I wanted to see the little mermaid before it got too dark. It was a good thing that my expectations were not too high to start with, because indeed the little mermaid is very little. And to be honest the place where she’s situated…..who came up with that idea? It’s a harbour, nothing beautiful or fairytale like about it. Sunset was already setting in and the weather hadn’t been that great that day, which made the water almost black. Seeing this pretty mermaid, sitting on a rock surrounded by blackness is not something you expect. Poor girl.
I had planned to take a bus home, but after finding out what that would cost me, I decided to walk back. I made a stop at Burger King, expecting it to be not too expensive (forget it, 10 euro for a meal) and stumbled home, put my feet up and did not move for the rest of the evening.
Friday night we went to see Ocean’s Twelve, which I can recommend. I thought it was better than Ocean’s Eleven. We had one drink and went home, to save our energy for the next day. That Saturday I was going to have my first Danish Christmas party. Two of Maria’s friends would come over and we agreed that they would take care of the main course and that we would be in charge of the starter and dessert. An hour and a half before, we get a phone call from one of the girls and Maria realizes that we need presents. They bought presents already, but we didn’t. We need 3 presents each of 10 Dkr (1,33 euro). We run to the nearest shop and buy chocolate, chewing gum, lollipops and Christmas beer. While Maria works on the salad, I wrap the presents in newspaper and tie them with red string that we got from the shop. When I’m working on the last gift, the first guest arrives.
Diner is lovely. After our salad, we have duck with potatoes and red coleslaw. During diner I have to try this typical Danish, I believe Christmas, thing: snaps. Like they said, it does not taste good and it contains 38% alcohol. No wonder that after a few glasses of wine and snaps I have no problem taking on this bet: going across the street and try to get in front of that steamy window, where obviously a large group of men are throwing their own Christmas party. Who ever gets there first wins…..I believe it was 3 nissen. Getting in was no problem, but we both failed to make it to the window. As quickly as we entered the house, we left it again. No idea what these guys must have been thinking, these 2 strange women running into there house, trying to get to the window.
When we arrive at The Dubliner I have a beer and funny enough it does not sober me up. Then I start to realise that I’m not really a good representation for the Dutch and start apologizing and explaining that it’s just me being drunk and that there are very nice, sober people living in Holland as well. Until Maria comes up with a solution and suggest that I tell everyone I’m from Belgium. Only 2 minutes later I blow my cover already when someone tells me he’s been to Holland. Anyway, at 6 in the morning I’m safe and sound in my bed again. That Sunday I just spent waiting for this hangover to go away.
Reageer op dit reisverslag
Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
