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Published: September 30th 2006
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Drågør
Old cottage Well its time to pack our bags again and we're really sad to be leaving - have fallen in love with Copenhagen. We've crammed so much into the last three days but realise we have barely scratched the surface.
It's a balmy evening with the temperature around 19 degrees, light streaming across the Axeltorv plaza (altho its almost 7pm) and we're sitting at an outdoor cafe enjoying red wine and nachos while we update the diary. One of the girls in hotel reception told us it's the warmest September Denmark has ever had and we can well believe it - our bags stuffed with heavy jackets and scarves look a bit unnecessary. We've been in short-sleeve t-shirts the whole time with only the odd use of jackets to keep out the wind, Adrian even got sunburnt.
Bikes Rule in Copenhagen for sure - probably more bikes than cars. Cyclists have their own wide lanes and traffic lights and travel very fast - don't even think about walking through a bike lane if the pedestrian lights are against you. (Jaywalking or disobeying traffic lights are capital offences in Denmark!). We still cant get used tio the sight of very elegantly (and
Drågør
A load of fire wood delivered ready for winter expensively) dressed people walking out of offices and restaurants and hopping on their bikes. Adrian's eyes have been out on stalks for 3 days watching the MANY attractive young lady cyclists (pathetic isnt it)
Had our first experience of football yobs on Thursday - there was a big game here that night and several hundred fans from another part of Europe invade Copenhagen. One of the nicest streets in the city is The Strøget, a lovely winding cobblestoned shopping mall streching 2km from the magnificent Town Hall square down to the harbour. It has lots of beautiful elegant shops and cafes but was a scary place with hundreds of chanting drunken yobs surging through the narrow lanes. The police surrounded them with vehicles blocking every entrance to the Strøget and they were well-equipped to handle trouble but chose to just eyeball the mob and not provoke mayhem. Street drinking is obviously allowed here as they were all carrying alcohol in large quantities. Litter is also surprisingly bad but it doesn't alter the fact that it's a beautiful place and seemingly very safe as we saw women and girls walking or cycling alone at all hours. One night we caught
Drågør
cobblestone lane the bus home at 10pm and a young woman got on with a little boy about 5, a toddler asleep in a pram (and another due any minute by the look of her) - they got off at the same stop we did and disappeared down a sidestreet with no apparent concerns. The whole time here we've walked all over the place from early morning till late evening and felt a lot safer than we would after dark in Perth.
Yesterday we went to a quaint old fishing village called Drågør, like stepping back to the time of Captain Cook. The harbour smelled of smoked herring and fresh cut Baltic pine with wooden boats being built and ropes and sails everywhere - Adrian's idea of heaven. The little maritime museum was actually an old fisherman's home and dated back about 4 centuries - all handhewn timbers and the displays of relics and artifacts found in the area dated back to the Bronze Age. Down the cobblestone back lanes were the loveliest thatched cottages,all now owned by mega-rich Danes apparently. They are beautifully maintained with colorful displays in their windows and blooming gardens - amazing how well things grow so
Københåvn
Floating restaurant on canal close to the Arctic (55 deg. N).
Back in Copenhagen we got lost AGAIN and walked an extra million or so kilometres looking for the National Maritime Museum. Apart from the throbbing feet getting lost here can be a wonderful exerience with superb sights round evey corner. There is much use of copper domes and gold spires which are fairly dazzling in the late afternoon sun - spectacular is an understatement - check out the pic of Vor Frelsers Kirke. We had planned to climb to the top (around the OUTSIDE for the last 150 steps of the 95 metre spiral stairs) but ran out of time - next visit! (Did we mention we're sorry to be leaving!)
A. here. AFTER we got the message from Rach this morn about Eagles win we went down the street in the city for a coffee. Couldnt believe it, we had hardly got off the bus when a young bloke saw our small kangeroo on our backpacks and saiD.. Have you heard who won the grand final?.....turns out he was giong for Sydney, so we had a bit of a laugh at his expense, but all good humoured. After he went
on his way we encountered another 2 coupltes the same (from Oz).....THEN, to top it off the young waiter in the coffee shop saw our bags ans said.. Gidday mate....and on it went....
will leave M to finish off as is getting late ans we must go and pack......see you later, A.
Could go on & on - watched Changing of the Guards at the magnificent palace, canal cruise under the incredibly low bridges past incredibly beautiful buildings, coffees and Carlsbergs sitting by the watersedge people-watching till dark. Better wrap it up and get out of this smoky internet cafe if we've got enough money to buy our way out.
NEXT MESSAGE FROM pRAGUE HOPEFULLY ( DID WE MENTION WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE?)
Love to all, a&m
Getting way too long but
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Jeannine & Kim Whisson
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enjoying your blogs
Hi Mary and Adrian We are thoroughly enjoying your blogs, can just picture the whole thing. Extremely jealous it all sounds just awesome. Go the mighty Eagles, great win. Keep on blogging! Enjoy love Jeannine and Kim