Friday 12th July
After quite a pleasant flight I arrived in "Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen". Or rather Kobenhavn. I passed immigration customs and baggage claim. I momentarily attached my small (as I call it, Clingon bag) to my large pack and regretted it immediately. The weight of my iPad and few other items that high and far behind me totally effed up my balance and I very nearly fell over several times. So off it came, small backpack yet again slung across one shoulder. It didn't take long like that for me to adopt the classic backpacker image of big bag on the back, small bag on the front. And you know what? I now understand why this image is so common. It is amazing. Such an efficient way to get around. The little bit of weight on the front helps balance you out all over. Also you then have everything you need conveniently right under your chin. Nice.. I bought a ticket for the train into the city and away I went.
I had chosen a hostel near the central train station and had screen captured a map with the path marked. I set off from the train station and turned left, I don't know why, my gut just said that. Also, I had been chatting to two Aussie boys in the train and after we said goodbye I didn't particularly want that awkward, "oh, we're walking the same way hey" thing going on. Then I whipped out my iPad and looked at the map. Damn, wrong way. So I walked all the way to the marked point on my map. No hostel. So I asked a local who was so nice, looking up the address on her phone and informing me it is a few km in the completely opposite direction. So back I go. But it was a long and complicated route so I planned on asking more people on the way. One pointed me in the direction of the tourist information centre. There was a big of a queue so I grabbed one of the free maps and Ta Da! There is Danhostel marked on the map, way way way far away down by the river. So off I went again. Now don't get me wrong, all this walking was pretty fun. Copenhagen is beautiful, and I got some people watching in. So another huge walk later I arrived at Danhostel. The wrong Danhostel. Sigh. The girl at the desk did mark the one I wanted clearly on a map though. So back I walked pretty much to the exact place I began.
As I rounded the what looked to be the last corner I heard some sweet jazz music wafting and saw a huge group of people mingling and drinking in the street, it as part of the jazz festival I knew was on while I was here. And it was right, and I mean right outside my hostel.
It is, without doubt the coolest hostel I have ever seen. Absolutely stunning, with huge amounts of benches, tables and bean bags out on the street. People were everywhere drinking, the sun was shinning and the jazz was crooning. Amazing.
I checked in, headed up to the 5th floor to my room and promptly locked myself out but not before taking off my shoes. Embarrassing much. My roomies weren't in, guess I would meet them later. So I headed down with my iPad to use the free (and brilliantly fast) Internet. I had to reassess heading off to Hamburg the very next day. So I cancelled my first night in Hamburg and booked another in Copenhagen. Good call I think.
After a shower and change I followed the advice of two American boys I met in the common area I rented a bike from the hostel. Making a dick of myself first struggling to unlock the beast and then struggling to both ride and understand the road rules. I was on the wrong side of the road at one point I will admit. There are bike lanes absolutely everywhere and oh so many bikes. So off I cruised in search of Christiana. Christiana is a hippy commune in Copenhagen and meant to be rather cool. So off I went slightly lost but discovering things along the way. I stopped for a coffee near a canal and accidentally stole someone's beanbag, but they forgave me and then even gave me some tips and even a vaugish offer to come and eat with them later. So off I went in the correct direction now to Christiana.
And it was so much more than I was expecting. It is sensationally hippy and Indie area. Rustic bricks covered in graffiti and hippies - hippies everywhere. I then entered the "green light district" where they sell certain organic items. Lol. I went in to look at this weed smelling little bar and as I was walking out this probably 55-60 year old guy said hello and asked me to sit down. I bristled up and prepared myself to avoid the seedy old man. And then I thought, why? Why should I assume this guy is not nice just because he is older than me. So I sat down and had a really cool conversation. Well a language barrier, accent and loud music disrupted conversation. But cool nonetheless. The other guy was about the same age but Italian and gave me an in depth speech about the benefits of communism and fascism. Awesome.
But I did eventually leave and wandered a bit more. I then sat with a table of guys in another bar, being upfront about being alone and just wanting to chat. They welcomed me, and much to my joy they were actually locals. It can be quite hard to meet locals while backpacking, only meeting people in the hostels. So this was cool. We chatted about everything from the irregular police raids on the green light district (the weed being mostly tolerated, but occasional interventions to keep things in check and only on weed, nothing stronger) to Aqua the Danish band of our childhood.
After probably two hours with them we went our separate ways and I rode back to the hostel. Getting hopelessly lost along the way, despite my map. But really, what is better than getting lost in a foreign country.
Back in the hostel common area I joined in a game of 'Kings' with a group, made up of one other Aussie, pommys, Germans, Americans and a Norwegian. We played a horrendously botched game of kings but had fun nonetheless.
The night turned into one of beer, beer and more beer. The hostel charged 35krona per beer which is not exactly cheap. But the German guy discovered the corner store across the road sold beers for 1krona. So he all chipped in and he did a run coming back with several beers. Much better. However then we were told that we weren't really allowed to drink our own booze in the hostel due to licensing laws. But, we were free to drink on the street. It's legal here after all. Lol.
One London boy and I decide to do another booze run, only to discover the shop was closed. But we knew of a 24/7 7/11 and though "hey let's go on our bikes! Yeah!" So we grabbed our bikes and away we went.
Then the poms, Norwegian, Dane that worked at the hostel and I went for a stroll, were harassed by a crazy Danish girl hanging around us.
Back in the hostel the poms made coffees from those disgusting packet cappachino blends and proceeded to choke them down. I suggested that adding beer would definitely improve the taste, so beer was added, and you know what? It was actually vastly improved. It was slightly more than drinkable. We really need to patent that shit.
I stumbled off to bed at about 4am, phenomenally managing to not wake my roommates. Well one stirred a little but the other remained dead to the world.
All in all. Damn good day.
Saturday 13th July
Amazingly I awoke bright and early and chipper as all get up at 7:30. Not tired, not hungover, not jet lagged, nothing. I don't understand.
A blond head then poked itself I over the edge of the top bunk and said a cheery "hello, feeling good?" To which I could actually respond. "Fantastic".
The blond head was Charlotte, an Aussie who has been living in Cambodia for a while, who I chatted to for a while and then we decided to go and get breakfast together. We walked out in search of a cafe or something, instead finding a fruit vendor in one of the many squares around Copenhagen. So we bought some perfect and delicious strawberries and ate them sitting on the old execution blocks. :P
We then decided to stay together a bit longer and went for a ride all over Copenhagen. We saw streets and canals and the Little Mermaid statue (stupidly popular with the tourists), the royal stables (which were closed), stumbled upon a statue for one of my favourite philosophers Soren Kierkgaard, beautiful fountains, parks, and just so much more.
Feeling a bit peckish by now we found (after much time being lost) a little bakery, bought some cheese and bread and some beers ( 2 for 18krona here. The cheapest yet). Then we headed for a park, settling on the botanical gardens and had a lovely picnic.
Back at the hostel I remembered I had said I would go to some art gallery opening that the pommys had been invited to. They had met this hipster on a plane that had invited them. Now I must be clear that the reason this appealed was that this hipster, she can't even be called a human really, was said to be living so far up her own ass that only good things could come of going along and laughing. Also there was free booze. So Charlotte, Joe, Rob and I set off, beers in hand to find this place. Armed with very limited directions we somehow miraculously found it. And oh. My. God. It was everything we had hoped for.
The air was thick with so much pretention - we could hardly breath. And it was such a struggle, a struggle we lost, to not laugh. All four of us were embarrassingly cracking up and loosing our shit over the "art".
A black box on the wall
Cardboard tubes stuck above doorways (which we dubbed pasta)
A newspaper clipping with a obituary for charlie brown circled
A piece of writing about the 'smurds' or something
And our absolute favourite. A hand towel with strips of Velcro stuck on it. And two diamanté earrings.
It was everything we hoped for. We also had to engage with people, the "artists" included. I lost it when I referred to the person who made one of these things an artist. Rob, was sensational, he bombarded artist with question upon question and gave input and interpretation like he was a professional wanka. Brilliant
The beers it turns out we're not free, but 5krona each. So, we drank a lot. We ended up sitting on the floor in front of one of the works, drinking and laughing. The event photographer took a photo of us because we were just so into it, alternative and moved by the art.
Bahahaha. Best decision ever.
We then drunkenly walked back, stopping for about an hour to sit on the water front and contemplate stealing a boat. We didn't.
More drinking at the hostel and just a pretty great time.
Another amazing day in Copenhagen.
Friday 12th July
After quite a pleasant flight I arrived in "Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen". Or rather Kobenhavn. I passed immigration customs and baggage claim. I momentarily attached my small (as I call it, Clingon bag) to my large pack and regretted it immediately. The weight of my iPad and few other items that high and far behind me totally effed up my balance and I very nearly fell over several times. So off it came, small backpack yet again slung across one shoulder. It didn't take long like that for me to adopt the classic backpacker image of big bag on the back, small bag on the front. And you know what? I now understand why this image is so common. It is amazing. Such an efficient way to get around. The little bit of weight on the front helps balance you out all over. Also you then have everything you need conveniently right under your chin. Nice.. I bought a ticket for the train into the city and away I went.
I had chosen a hostel near the central train station and had screen captured a map with the path marked. I set off from the train station and turned left, I don't know why, my gut just said that. Also, I had been chatting to two Aussie boys in the train and after we said goodbye I didn't particularly want that awkward, "oh, we're walking the same way hey" thing going on. Then I whipped out my iPad and looked at the map. Damn, wrong way. So I walked all the way to the marked point on my map. No hostel. So I asked a local who was so nice, looking up the address on her phone and informing me it is a few km in the completely opposite direction. So back I go. But it was a long and complicated route so I planned on asking more people on the way. One pointed me in the direction of the tourist information centre. There was a big of a queue so I grabbed one of the free maps and Ta Da! There is Danhostel marked on the map, way way way far away down by the river. So off I went again. Now don't get me wrong, all this walking was pretty fun. Copenhagen is beautiful, and I got some people watching in. So another huge walk later I arrived at Danhostel. The wrong Danhostel. Sigh. The girl at the desk did mark the one I wanted clearly on a map though. So back I walked pretty much to the exact place I began.
As I rounded the what looked to be the last corner I heard some sweet jazz music wafting and saw a huge group of people mingling and drinking in the street, it as part of the jazz festival I knew was on while I was here. And it was right, and I mean right outside my hostel.
It is, without doubt the coolest hostel I have ever seen. Absolutely stunning, with huge amounts of benches, tables and bean bags out on the street. People were everywhere drinking, the sun was shinning and the jazz was crooning. Amazing.
I checked in, headed up to the 5th floor to my room and promptly locked myself out but not before taking off my shoes. Embarrassing much. My roomies weren't in, guess I would meet them later. So I headed down with my iPad to use the free (and brilliantly fast) Internet. I had to reassess heading off to Hamburg the very next day. So I cancelled my first night in Hamburg and booked another in Copenhagen. Good call I think.
After a shower and change I followed the advice of two American boys I met in the common area I rented a bike from the hostel. Making a dick of myself first struggling to unlock the beast and then struggling to both ride and understand the road rules. I was on the wrong side of the road at one point I will admit. There are bike lanes absolutely everywhere and oh so many bikes. So off I cruised in search of Christiana. Christiana is a hippy commune in Copenhagen and meant to be rather cool. So off I went slightly lost but discovering things along the way. I stopped for a coffee near a canal and accidentally stole someone's beanbag, but they forgave me and then even gave me some tips and even a vaugish offer to come and eat with them later. So off I went in the correct direction now to Christiana.
And it was so much more than I was expecting. It is sensationally hippy and Indie area. Rustic bricks covered in graffiti and hippies - hippies everywhere. I then entered the "green light district" where they sell certain organic items. Lol. I went in to look at this weed smelling little bar and as I was walking out this probably 55-60 year old guy said hello and asked me to sit down. I bristled up and prepared myself to avoid the seedy old man. And then I thought, why? Why should I assume this guy is not nice just because he is older than me. So I sat down and had a really cool conversation. Well a language barrier, accent and loud music disrupted conversation. But cool nonetheless. The other guy was about the same age but Italian and gave me an in depth speech about the benefits of communism and fascism. Awesome.
And it was so much more than I was expecting. It is sensationally hippy and Indie area. Rustic bricks covered in graffiti and hippies - hippies everywhere. I then entered the "green light district" where they sell certain organic items. Lol. I went in to look at this weed smelling little bar and as I was walking out this probably 55-60 year old guy said hello and asked me to sit down. I bristled up and prepared myself to avoid the seedy old man. And then I thought, why? Why should I assume this guy is not nice just because he is older than me. So I sat down and had a really cool conversation. Well a language barrier, accent and loud music disrupted conversation. But cool nonetheless. The other guy was about the same age but Italian and gave me an in depth speech about the benefits of communism and fascism. Awesome.
But I did eventually leave and wandered a bit more. I then sat with a table of guys in another bar, being upfront about being alone and just wanting to chat. They welcomed me, and much to my joy they were actually locals. It can be quite hard to meet locals while backpacking, only meeting people in the hostels. So this was cool. We chatted about everything from the irregular police raids on the green light district (the weed being mostly tolerated, but occasional interventions to keep things in check and only on weed, nothing stronger) to Aqua the Danish band of our childhood.
After probably two hours with them we went our separate ways and I rode back to the hostel. Getting hopelessly lost along the way, despite my map. But really, what is better than getting lost in a foreign country.
Back in the hostel common area I joined in a game of 'Kings' with a group, made up of one other Aussie, pommys, Germans, Americans and a Norwegian. We played a horrendously botched game of kings but had fun nonetheless.
The night turned into one of beer, beer and more beer. The hostel charged 35krona per beer which is not exactly cheap. But the German guy discovered the corner store across the road sold beers for 1krona. So he all chipped in and he did a run coming back with several beers. Much better. However then we were told that we weren't really allowed to drink our own booze in the hostel due to licensing laws. But, we were free to drink on the street. It's legal here after all. Lol.
One London boy and I decide to do another booze run, only to discover the shop was closed. But we knew of a 24/7 7/11 and though "hey let's go on our bikes! Yeah!" So we grabbed our bikes and away we went.
Then the poms, Norwegian, Dane that worked at the hostel and I went for a stroll, were harassed by a crazy Danish girl hanging around us.
Back in the hostel the poms made coffees from those disgusting packet cappachino blends and proceeded to choke them down. I suggested that adding beer would definitely improve the taste, so beer was added, and you know what? It was actually vastly improved. It was slightly more than drinkable. We really need to patent that shit.
I stumbled off to bed at about 4am, phenomenally managing to not wake my roommates. Well one stirred a little but the other remained dead to the world.
All in all. Damn good day.
Amazingly I awoke bright and early and chipper as all get up at 7:30. Not tired, not hungover, not jet lagged, nothing. I don't understand.
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