Blogs from Copenhagen, Region Hovedstaden, Denmark, Europe - page 10

A few of my housemates and I had planned earlier in the week to go the last night of a film festival in Copenhagen. Being the last film, the title was kept a secret, so we didn't know what to expect but we hoped for the best. Friday night finally came and we headed off, after eating our individual dinners, to the city. Just a bit more than a hop, skip, and a jump away. At least, that's how it would have been if we had gone the right way. We ended up quite far away from the park and had to walk there with google giving us directions. By the time we reached the park, we were half an hour late to the film. There was a large open area surrounded by trees, and thousands ... read more

As we drive through the Belguim countryside we see different agriculture Barley, fields of Sunflowers and Corn. Villages much the same as Germany gothic style facades with tall chimneys. Large farm houses with grand barns which follow into the Netherlands as we finally reach Amsterdam. A cultural mixture of all ethnic groups and sex drug and rock n roll, and now a days expensive shops of designer brands. Canals, bicycles, sex workers and erotica it's all here. Hustle and bustle of the canal streets of people busking, cycling and enjoying what Amsterdam has to offer. It's quite strange that within 1 hour of being in a place a tourist stops us and asks for directions strange, And then too young lads from Sydney on a three month Europe trip straight off the plane and they ask ... read more

Saturday 20 June: A nice long sleep for Zachary who was up around 9. After all our morning jobs we headed off to Blijdorp Zoo in Rotterdam. Hannie and Anja are regulars here and we were joined by Sebastiaan, their nephew. He is a train enthusiast and also owns several lizards. The main priorities at Blijdorp were to see the new polar bear cubs and the elephants. Blijdorp has had a very successful elephant breeding program over the years. Much money has also been spent in recent years to fully upgrade enclosures. Just inside the gate were the raccoons. Not normally animals you see at a zoo and a keeper explained to us that these were all ex-pets. Raccoons are very small, cute, and cuddly when babies. When they are older they have sharp claws, eat ... read more

As I sit, looking at the lake in front of me whilst drinking a bottle of beer sat on a park bench just doing what the locals do, I know I am definitely not in the UK as no-one has thrown me a look of disgust. Copenhagen has been a wonderful place to visit filled with charm and surprise. I arrived on Thursday where it was slightly overcast and given I was jet lagged, what with the 55 minute flight and no change to the time zone I decided to take it easy. My hosts have been particularly helpful in aiding my true Copenhagen experience. Within hours of arrival I found myself in the Norrebro district visiting Assistens Cemetery. Although this sounds quite macarbe, it was a really beautiful place and doubles as a park where ... read more

Scandinavians are known for their simplicity, not only in furniture design popularized by Ikea, but also in their way of life. In fact, these people have a state of mind the Danes call "hygge," which is best described as snuggling on the couch under a warm, cozy blanket and watching a good movie. It's about slowing down to smell the roses, so it's no surprise these folks were voted the world's happiest people. While Americans deem Denmark's socialist system as promoting laziness, the Danish view it as a communal responsibility to each other, whether it be paying higher taxes to support universal health care and social security, or volunteering their time to help the underprivileged. They see it as investing in the future by giving families with newborns 52 weeks of parental leave, whereas maternity leave ... read more