Oops, disappeared! The mascot of Copenhagen is actually in China for the moment for the Shanghai Expo. She won't be back before November. In the meantime, see what is provided for mermaid-sick tourists:
"Mermaid Exchange-Remote" is the name of this piece of art,
by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei
It's supposed to be a live broadcast via the Internet of the Danish pavilion. Well, I don't recognize the Little Mermaid there, and then if you look at the picture carefully, you will notice that the video has... crashed!
If you want to surprise your friends, bring them instead along the Frederiksholms Kanal, on the little bridge leading to Højbro Plads. Bend you heard on Christiansborg's side, and you will see this:
This is a sculpture in the water on purpose. When the water level is low, you can see the skulls showing on the surface, it's scary. It's a creation of the Danish artist Susta Bonnen, and it was installed in 1992. The label on the edge of the bridge indicates "Agnete og Havmanden". English translation: The Mermaid with 7 Sons (?), inspired by a tale from the one you all know now.
One day I was wandering without asking anything to anyone on the docks of Christianshavn around the old warehouses (today a delightfully restored area), I came across a weird object:
Yes, a cabin with paws
Information taken from the young man who was inside, it is a scientific and artistic project called the Walking House, made by a collective of Danish artists called N55, in collaboration with engineers from the MIT. Yep, it moves itself, watch the video if you don't believe me:
That gizmo being supposed to be green, uses therefore solar and wind energy. It has a bed, a mini living-room, toilets (composting system of course), a wood burning stove and of course a lot of electronics. Its paws have hydraulic cylinders that allow it to reach the kick-ass speed of 5 km/h maximum. Suddenly you wonder if the project really has an ambition other than purely artistic (or if it's just coming from a big engineers'trip).
But in fact this is done on purpose, because I quote: "It is a common fact that walking often helps a person concentrate their thoughts and creates a mental state that enforces mobility of the mind. The Walking House is constructed to move at human muscle speed for exactly this reason".
It seems to me that the guy told me that the House was to be shown in an exhibition soon, but I do not remember where. Anyway, if you have the occasion, have a walk in this area, it really worth it.
And at a time, you will inevitably come across to the famous restaurant Noma, who was ranked "best restaurant on the planet" last month by British magazine Restaurant Magazine. If you feel like to have dinner there, the waiting list for a table is several months!
Here is the second edition of the top 10 of amazing bikes (here was the first one).
Today's theme: "extreme bike tuning". Be careful, I have to warn you, your eyes might sting a little bit.
10.
To begin smoothly, some entirely repainted, more or less successfuly.
9.
Arg, the mad striper struck at least twice.
8.
Yes, bicycles are a green mean of transportation.
7.
Made in Christiania.
6.
This one is actually is a sign shop.
5.
Pimp you bike yourself.
4.
Unidentified dead body, lying somewhere in Christiania, I would be unable to find it again. But is it a sculpture, or the remains of something that really drove?
3.
Nice idea.
2.
The stuntman, seen at the demonstration of COP 15. To measure up with that event, some have let their imagination go, and by putting two like this, you get the number 1:
1.
I was assured that both had indeed demonstrated that day.
As I was saying the last time, within Christiania is hidden an incredible alternative cultural life that a non-informed tourist wondering through the aisles couldn't suspect at first sight. Despite the fact that this zone is the third touristical attraction of Denmark, a lot of visitors ignore that it is a fantastic place to go out by night.
Indeed, there are actually concert halls, bars and even restaurants! They all have a special atmosphere unique to Christiania, and that's why I love them. So I will give you an overview of the key spots.
Let's start with the Loppen (the Flea). It's the easiest to find: the first building at the entrance.
It's reached through a very dark hall, and then you climb those weed-flavored stairs:
Upstairs is the Musikloppen, the concert hall with candles inside and exposed beams, one of the most popular concert venues in Copenhagen.
And at the second floor, you push a door with just black graffiti on it and then, this is magic:
You are in the Spiseloppen, an excellent organic restaurant. I tested it twice, I assure you that the food is delicious (no so cheap, but it's still reasonable). There is an exhibition gallery in the opposite room.
Going up on Pusher Street, you find the Børneteatret (Jazz Club). It was a children's theater at the beginning as its name indicates, then it was transformed into a stage dedicated to jazz, blues and hip hop. Famous jam sessions.
A little bit further, my favorite, Operaen. It does cafe, bar, concert hall and theater and its decoration is really lovely.
But I never go to Christiania without hanging out at the Woodstock:
(image spiseliv.dk)
It's a kind of crazy place, it looks like an old bistro, and it gathers all kinds of people: old, young, pure Christianites, foreigners, a bunch of Greenlanders, hippies, students ... They drink, smoke, get high, play backgammon and wiggle after nightfall.
In a different style, you have the Månefiskeren (the Moon Fisher). It doesn't serve any alcohol. In fact, you go there especially to enjoy a good coffee, eat cakes, and enjoy the cool atmosphere. And sometimes to play billiards.
From time to time I also go to the Nemoland café. It is less warm than the others in my opinion, but it has a beautiful terrace that makes sense in the summer, with an outdoor stage.
(images nemoland.dk)
And there are still others that I have not yet had the opportunity to test!
Den Grå Hal (the Grey Hall) for example. It is the largest concert hall in Christiania, but it also hosts theater performances, meetings, the Christmas market ...
Or the Morgenstedet (the Morning Place). It is a very small restaurant, a little bit hard to find, which serves organic vegetarian cuisine from around the world, and ironically, opens at noon.
Phew, and I didn't even mention all of them. And I didn't say either that you can find in Christiania grocery stores, a bakery, a bike shop, a shoe store, another one for clothes, a movie theater, art galleries, recycling workshops, sculpter and painter's studios, a horse-riding club, a school, a common bathroom, a yoga center, a radio station, a post office ...
In all, there are about 120 companies registered as such in Christiania (source christiania.org). Here is a non-exhaustive list of them.
To finish, I have selected a video if you want to learn more:
In the next episode I will tell you the story of Christiania and the daily lives of its inhabitants.
This weekend, I was browsing through my archives of photos of Copenhagen, and I thought it might be nice to show you the best pieces of my collection. Coz I almost haven't seen the blue sky since four months, and at a time when the spring is desired so strongly, it is worth remembering how the city is beautiful. Only one more month to go. Yes, we can do it. And it is guaranteed without retouchings.
Here are fifty pictures of the city itself and the surrounding area:
And as a bonus, a selection of images taken from above:
When I see this review, after a year of pictures, I tell myself that I still have so much to show you ...
Well, the question of transportation starts to become a problem in town, because snow fell at full blast those days, even the subway entirely stopped for a while yesterday.
To be honest, Copenhagen has been non-stop snowy since I returned from vacation in early January. So ok, this is making the city even more picturesque and the lakes ice-skatable (something unimaginable last year). But it is not so compatible with my daily biking practise. I'm getting kind of tired of almost failing whenever I make a turn. And then I found that my bike chain put itself in bright orange alert, do you think that it's a good sign?
The Danes claim that they have never seen so much in the last 30 years. The fact remains that those irreducible Vikings, snow or not, still get on their usual bikes as if nothing had happened.
I've even seen some of them biking with ski goggles!
Yes, it's cold in Copenhagen this weekend, and it's a good reason to rub our hands (with glee). These drags from DMI had however announced snow, and then not, and I prefer it. The reason for this incongruous joy? This is the subject of an article on AOK (Alt Om København), thus my Danish had been useful. For the lazy ones who will not attempt to click + Google Translation, I will explain: yippee, it's cold enough to skate on the lakes of Copenhagen! And I looove skating.
Everywhere but not in Nyhavn
To help you to make to right choice, the Berlingske Tidende has graciously made a list of all the ice rinks available in the city and its surroundings on a beautiful map. There are both artificial and natural. (By the way, if you want to sledge read that).
I went for an exploring stroll on Saturday:
Number 1, at the end of Nyhavn:
Yes, it isn't so big, but it actually replaces the magnificent ice ring that was on Kongens Nytorv the previous years, which has not been installed this year due to the works for the future metro line. Well, it's the waterfront, so it's nice anyway. Skates rental.
Number 2, Kastellet:
That's for those who like skating in the wild But this mysterious circle seems to be made for skaters
It serves as a swimming spot as well
Number 3, the watering place of Fælledparken:
Well, there was also a similar ring. The immense park was incredibly deserted when I went on Saturday afternoon. Then I told myself that if there was a place where I could see some skaters, it would be on the great lakes.
Number 4, the Peblinge Sø, the lake in the middle:
I was right, you would have thought that all the Copenhageners with blades had made an appointment here. Well, it is understandable, those interconnected lakes make really giant ice rinks. But skating is only allowed on the Peblinge Sø, that not prevents the Danes drunk or not to walk on the others.
So in front of this heavenly vision, my heart skipped a beat. I immediately felt a urge that I had to relieve only Peblinge Sø straightaway: I rushed into the nearest mall to seize the only remaining pair of 41-size crappy hockey skates (*). For only 279 kroner (40 euros), I didn't ruined myself, but I suspect they were running out of skates.
I went back triumphantly the next day to try my new toys. It was the first time I was skating on a real lake. What about the sensations? The ice is naturally bumpy and brown, and the small ice chips we tear off form the surface with our blades are instantly swept away by the wind and accumulated in certain zones it is better to avoid skating on. As a result, the surface is cleaned continuously and we can admire the water content, like algae, herbs, and other plastic bags frozen in their movement, amazing.
Here is myself just above gritting my teeth in my new torture devices
But, there is the snag, no skates rental. And I brought friends without skates. So we came to the spot number 5, just a couple of steps away, on the cute little Blågårds Plads, where we could rent.
Number 5:
Watch out, it is overrun by trolls
I confess I didn't have time to test the rink in Frederiksberg (number 6), but I know that the park next door (Frederiksberg Have) is a good place for sledding. Perched on a micro-hill, this is the only place in Copenhagen in slope.
Otherwise, I presume that the spots number 7 and 8 in Christianshavn are quite delicious, surrounded by nature and funny houses, maybe I'll check it out.
(*) I implore you, if you know a BIG DECENT sports shop in Copenhagen, please tell me where it is.
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