'Here Comes the Summer Sun, It Burns My Skin'

Tuesday was another pretty nice day, but slightly chillier and windier so I stayed at home and studied.  Only left the house to food shop.  Boring.  By Wednesday I had 'cabin-fever' so I went to the library to pick up a book I had ordered and sat in the sunny empty-holiday time courtyard at CSS.  Nadine joined me an hour later, then Sam showed up, then Lis finally made it and my reading for the day was very much over.  Late in the afternoon we headed to town, then we baked Sams birthday cake at Lis'.  We then took it over to Sams where we watched the Lion King and at 12midnight I lit the candles and we sang Happy Birthday and had a piece of cake. Yum.

Thursday was actually Sams 21st so we had plans to go to Tivoli which is an amusement park in the centre of Copenhagen that was founded in 1843 (quite a long time ago).  It has rollercoasters and rides, restaurants, pretty gardens, and a boating lake.  Those of you who are avid readers of this here blog will recall me going there with Matt and Charlie to do the big rides in September.  This time I just hung out and drank a really massive beer.  The weather was insanely nice, so I donned my shorts and tie-dye and slapped on the sun cream.  It was delightful.

We ate pizza at Sams and I tended to my very very very slightly burnt skin.  I don't even understand, I was sat in the shade all afternoon.  The curse of the Evans'.  We headed to Drone for birthday Drone about 1am, after Sams friend Berny had had to be put to bed next to a bin.  Oh dear.  We all slept over at Sams, so the morning was all nice and breakfasty.  The weather was even nicer... on with the shorts again, and out for a walk.  We sat at Christiania lake for a while, was so nice with the kiddies playing in the sand.  I cycled home (after watching The Wild Thornberrys (!) at Sams) in the lovely sun, but with a cooling breeze.  I think I might have had a big smile on my face the whole way home.

Thats the thing about Copenhagen/Denmark.  Yes, the winters are very long, and yes, sometimes it is nearly unbearably cold/windy/rainy/snowy.  But I swear to ....... when the weather is nice, I completely understand why Danish people are some of the happiest on earth.  Cycling, sun and smiles is the best combination.  Friday was also my 8 month anniversary of living here, and its just incredible.  It feels like I just stepped off the train at Hovedbanegaarden with 3 heavy bags trying to memorise the route to my hotel, dinner on my mind.  Its a bit overwhelming to think about all of that.

On Saturday morning I cycled 12km south to Copenhagens largest shopping centre, and then back up to the city, and my legs might be dying a little bit.

We hung out, saw 2 amazing street perfomances.  The first was this American dude on his piano called Yul Anderson.  I have seen him about twice before, but yesterday his music and the day just matched perfectly.  Then we walked to Sams, and bumped into our favourite CPH performers, Flaskedrengene (the Bottle Boys).  This isn't yesterday, as you can probably guess from their apparel - but this is when I saw them last, playing a Danish pop hit.

Lovely dinner at Sams, then the first Harry Potter film - Snape is so awesome in that one.

Forgotten Photographs That Have No Story

Mr. Blue Sky

Long Weekend.

Been chilling, studying, going out.
Friday was a bit of a weird one.  We decided to go to Jura Fredagsbar (Law Faculty) instead of Social Sciences (CSS).  It had quite a different vibe and it was nice to be surrounded by actual strangers, but I think the atmosphere at CSS has the edge over Law.  There were girls dancing around their Mulberry handbags, rather than boys downing pints.  Went home quite early.

BECAUSE
Me and Lis had plans to meet at 8am on Saturday morning to go Flea-Marketing.

It eventually got pushed back to 9am, and then the Market wasn't on.  But we found another one in my part of town.  After we cycled down to Vesterbrogade and had pastry for breakfast.  Then we cycled into town (Lis no-handed, haha) to take care of some business.  I returned home to say 'Farvel' to Simon, who has now moved to Germany for 2 months, so I will be gone by the time he returns to Kobenhavn.  It was a bit sad, and I will miss him for sure, but now I live alone in a large apartment with a balcony looking over Kobenhavn.  Then Lis came on over and we decided to ride all the way to a huge shopping centre - just to see if we could buy a tool that would put our handlebars up.  We put our seats up as well and now I am the highest of the high.  Returned to mine for food and tv, and ended up both having a nap.

Sunday I headed to Amager for Loreleis 24th Birthday BBQ.  They have a terrace in the sun, and yummy food.  Sang Happy Birthday.  Then me and Lis cycled to Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (a museum) as it is free on Sundays.  Then we went to Christiania for a nice fresh, vegetarian dinner.

Then we went to Hannahs for brownies, then back to Christiania for Sunday Night Jazzclub - which was amazing.  All sorts of people getting up on stage, Nadines incredibly generous father buying us beers all night, and lots and lots of dancing.  Ended up getting home pretty late/early this morning, so my plan to study today was pushed back a little bit.  But I managed to do some stuff on my balcony in the hot hot sun.

So entertaining to look down at the street and watch people cycling along in their lives.  Then I met Sam on Dronning Louises Bro to sit on the side basking in the sun with loads of other young Danes, watching the blue sky and cyclists.

'You Don't Have To Come and Confess, We Lookin For You'

Still loving the Danish classes - excellent teaching, learning really useful things, feel like my brain is expanding.  Pretty standard start to the week.

On Wednesday morn, I awoke to discover that my pals flight was going to be landing early, so I tried my best to rush down to the airport, but after some cycling difficulties, a long (5 minute) wait for the metro and stupid people at the airport, Phoebe was already sat waiting for me.  It was so lovely, some people you are just always 100% delighted to see.  We went from the airport to CSS for a coffee and some administrative shizzz. Then we went back to mine for the grand tour, and then took a leisurely walk through Norrebro and down by the lakes that seperate the neighbourhoods from the city.

Thursday and Friday the wind was utter madness.  On Thursday we went to Christiania, with the intention of chilling, but the place was all tense as the police had come for a visit.  All the stall-holders had scarpered, and policemen filled Christianias little streets, so we didn't stop.  We walked straight through until we got to a quiet bit by the lake, where we sat and chatted for a while, before taking a stroll around the lake and back into Christianshavn.  We stopped for a baked good, then continued into town, where we stopped in a shop with a 1-day 50% off SALE. Mentalness.  Home for dinner - and then onwards to Drone for beers, dancing and people-watching.  Afterwards we stopped across the road for amazingly big and delicious 20DKK Falafel Pitabread.  Friday was a slow start and a look around the Black Diamond (Denmarks Royal Library) and its Fotomuseum.  It was very small, but there were these amazing light installations by Jim Cambell which you just stand infront of in awe.  Our highlight was this video.  It was so uplifting and pleasant.  If you are patient, you should definitely watch it, you will be so happy afterwards, apart from if you don't have a soul.

http://vimeo.com/16929948

We chilled outside the library, then went on home, out of the wind, to rest a bit.  Then we hit Fredagsbar, where the usual soundtrack of chart hits and spice girls was replaced with 70s funk/soul, interspersed with 90s rap.  It was actually pretty good, and I think Phoebe got a bit confused.  We met Nadine there, and then skipped on over to Drone. Again.  Even better tonight, had a nice dance and then walked home in the early hours.

Saturday was 18 degrees and sunny, so we just took it easy, mooching about in Kongens Have in the centre of town, with many many Danes.  Then we went a-strolling down to Nyhavn which was absolutely HOPPIN'.  The sun had bought Copenhageners out in their hundreds to sip on beer and dangle their feet over the water.  We sat in the harbour area for yonks, then strolled toward the sea to look at Amelianborg (where the Queen of Denmark lives) and then to this massive church.  Can't remember anything after that....  Probably just sat around drinking beer and watching Summer Heights High. Hahaha.  Sunday was even bloody nicer, and also the day we had reserved for the things we most wanted to do while Phoebe was here.  So we went for a little cycle round my area.  Then got the metro down to the seaside, which was bloody lovely.  Soo sunny, pretty warm, nature at its best, that beach is the bomb.  We sat by the canals in Christianshavn for lunch, then climbed up Vor Freslers Kirke (Our Saviours Church) to the top of the tower.  You can see the whole city from up there, it was so incredibly beautiful.  When we came down, we went to Christiania, which is on the same road, hoping that the Politi would not be there.  And they weren't.  So we sat in Nemoland, had some beers, while the guys next to us played backgammon.  Then we took a beer each down to the lake in Christiania, where people had migrated en mass.  We found a tiny patch of grass to sit on facing the lake, and all around us there were happy people in shorts, one guy sat high up in his bike box.  It was delightful.  We walked home through the city, had an Easter beer and sat at Peblinge So, my favourite place in Kobenhavn.  Joggers were jogging, ducks were quacking, and the sun was beginning to set.  That evening after dinner, we took the bikes for a ride on the Green Parkway that goes through Frederiksberg and Norrebro.  I had never done it before but it is awesome, especially as a nightride.

Monday was mainly tidying the apartment, which we had completely not done at all, packing and doing the things in town, we hadn't had a chance to do yet.  Then we waddled off to Kastrup Lufthavn to catch our flight back to England.  This trip back was very confusing for me.  Being back for a day and a half leaves no time for re-adjustment.  I found it one of the oddest things I have ever done.  Anyway, I got home at around midnight.  Then was up at 7.30 in order to get to London for my BUNAC orientation (which was the reason for the trip).  It was ok, pretty standard, but lots of good info and exciting talk about the summer ahead.  Hopefully they will find a placement for me very soon.  I scurried home, sitting in the doorway of the fast train back to Twyford.  Home for FISH AND CHIPS!!!!! Wooooo!!!! And also my student finance form and other admin stuff.  Tanya picked me up later, and we went to the Duke for a pint and a giggle.  Home, 10 more minutes with my mummy, then bed.
Woke in the morning for 5 more minutes of quality time with my mother before she went to work.  Then I packed (again) and went into Reading to get some essentials, I also picked up a nice jacket from the Gap sale.  Then the stupidly long train back to Gatwick, a stupidly long wait, then a short fly, then 20 minutes of Danish class, followed by returning Sams bike to her and walking home.

I am now utterly pooped.

Not drunk

I have been informed by the authorities (my mother) that my blog makes it sound like all I ever do is get drunk.

To those concerned, I would like to say that I do other things - like enjoy the beauty of life un-intoxicated. Like right now. Thank you.

For Lis - 'Getting Lost is not a Waste of Time'

Ok.  I will now admit how utterly shit I have been at this blog this semester, my second in København.  After 7 weeks of forgetting and not being bothered, and my mother asking me whether I have been doing anything at all with my life, I will now try to summarize the last 2 months, its been a crazy time, and I wont be able to remember much.  As David Bowie once sang,

Time may change me, but you can't trace time.

February  mainly revolved around making new 2nd semester friends (of which there are few, haha) and doing lots of 2nd semester work (of which there is lots).  I properly started my classes - which include Danish evening classes twice a week, a Philosophy class, a Political Science class, and an African Studies class.  My favourite by quite a lot is the Danish language course, even though classes finish at 9.30pm!!!  But having never really learnt a foreign language properly, I find it very interesting, and much more so when you can start using it a bit day to day, especially having little conversations with drunk Danish people.  And the content of the African Studies class (Conflicts in Africa - lectured by a hero, Bjørn Møller) has sparked my thought processes concerning final year dissertation and the possibility of continuing my education after graduation from Surrey.

In February, my friends and I also discovered some amazing new places to hang out in the city.  Cafe Retro is an amazingly hygge cafe 60 seconds walk from Sams front door.  Their website says,

At our place, you can drop down into big comfy sofas while enjoying the art on display and the fact that your bartender is a voluntary worker. In the mean time, we send our profit to India and Africa.

They make lovely drinks, at discounted student prices, they have live music at the weekends and an open mic night on Thursdays.  I went there with Sam for Earth Hour on 26th March, and there were candles and a band with a saxophonist. Blissful.

We also discovered DRONE, a bar 5 minutes cycle from MY front door.  Drone is free entrance, open 9pm to 5am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  Thursday is band night.  DJs play Talking Heads, David Bowie and obscure alternative tracks from the 50s/60s/70s and sometimes 80s/90s.  Beers are £2.50, mixed drinks are £6.50.  The barmen all have mammoth beards.  The toilets don't all have doors or lights or toilet seats.  And the clientele are astonishingly good-looking.  HEAVEN ON EARTH FOR SURE.

We have also been down to the meat-packing district more often to party. And of course the CSS Fredagsbar.

So apart from these things, and just chillin with the new buds - there have been a few special events.  Which I will now tell you about.

• In February I went on a Political Science sponsored Cabin Trip on the north coast of Sjælland.  Main events included walking on an icy beach, watching the sunset, peeling apples, drinking games, beating people at backgammon and meeting some new friends.  My Danish friend Emma was here for one night as she was an organiser, and we had such a lovely time.  However, the cabins were very draughty and I had to sleep wearing all my clothes.  I arrived back in Copenhagen on the Sunday, severely underslept with a 3 day hangover, but managed to make myself stay up with friends and watch the Oscars (finishing at around 6am CPH time), what a waste.  So it took me about a week to recover.

• Me, Sam and Elisabeth used the first Sunday of April to use the free trains to get out of the city and into a cute Danish town, northwards, called Hillerød.  We took our bikes, and looked around the massive Frederiksborg Slot (castle) and rode through the Scandinavian woods and beside lakes, in the brightest sunshine.  It was actually almost my most perfect day ever. [These photos must be credited to Sam Rick and Elisabeth Paul, as I forgot my camera that day.]

• Last weekend the clocks went forward, which means that by June, Copenhagen will be light from about 4.30am until 10pm!  But before all that went down, I had to manage a manic night of parties.  First, me and Sam did Earth Hour at Cafe Retro (as explained above).  Then I caught the metro (!!!) down to Amagerbro to Max and Lorelei's house party.  I went as a Frenchman, and had a moustache. Had a lovely time there, tried to play darts, but I think the wine had gone to my head.  Then me and Nadine left, to go to CSS årsfest (my uni campus, årsfest means 'party of the year').  It was sooo manic, soo full, soo big with extra rooms with different themes for music and drinks.  Had a great time and there were relatively few International students there, which I always appreciate.  Cycled home, the most drunk I have ever cycled, but I made it, and fell asleep at nearly 6am.

And since all these shenanigans, I have been studying, hanging out by the water (harbourside/canals) in the sunshine, yesterday I met Lis at the Black Diamond, and then we cycled in the 15 degree heat over to Christianshavn, MY COAT AND SCARF WERE IN MY BASKET AND MY SLEEVES WERE ROLLED UP.  I am insanely excited for May, and possibly June here in the most perfect place in the world.