Six PM - Six AM

On Wednesday I had another tutor session at CIS and afterwards I met my friend Tom, from New Zealand, for a catch-up at Floss.  I went upstairs to get our second round and looked out the window to see that my bike was not where I had left it.  I didn't go outside to check if it was there, my logic was that if it had been stolen, it would still be stolen when I left the bar.  We had a lovely chat and then as we were leaving the strap on my bag broke and then it was the moment of truth - was my bike still outside?  I went outside and could not see it for the life of me, I had a whole minute just looking around wildly in disbelief that someone had actually taken my old, partly broken, locked bike.  I persevered though and found it halfway down the street.  I can understand someone moving my bike to get to theirs, it happens all the time here but I was surprised at just how far they felt they had to move it.  Anyway, I cycled home and decided to take my exam for Scandinavian Political Systems as a 30 minute oral exam instead of a 5000 word essay.

On Thursday, I met Max and we cycled into Norreport and bought our tickets for Kultur Natten (Night of Culture) on Friday.  We headed to the library where it looked like Max did lots of good work and I felt a little bit inadequate.  Also, everyone else in the library had a Mac and they were all silent and lovely.  I turned on my laptop to the most horrific noise in the world, very embarrassing.  In the evening we cycled down to Marias to do some more planning for our Stockholm trip next week.  Also got amazing post from a Miss Phoebe McHale, everyone loves getting post!

Friday was a slow day, did some reading, watched some Sex and the City.  Simon was having a little party at our apartment and I did this to his plastic wine glasses.

I was resting up for what I knew would be a big night in the form of Kultur Natten.  And it sure was.  Kultur Natten is 85DKK (£10) and you can pretty much get into all of Copenhagens attractions for free.  I cycled down to Max's and from there we went to Copenhagen Zoo, it was already dark so some of the animals were asleep and some had been taken away for the night for safety reasons I think.  It was cool though (normally the ZOO is more than £25) and we saw lions, tigers, sea lions, penguins, elephants, giraffes, rhinos and some farmyard animals.  In the elephant arena there was even a cool jazz trio. Perfection.

The above photos are mine.  Thanks goes to Max for the ones below.

From the Zoo we got the bus (for free!) into the city centre and I was stunned.  I knew this night was a big deal but it was incredible, I had never seen the streets this busy.  A lot of shops had decided to stay open because there was so much passing trade and there was a real carnival atmosphere, lots of street performers and things going on everywhere you looked.  We fought our way through the crowds and went to Christiansborg Palace which houses the Danish Parliament.  We cut the queue (so un-British) and took a pretty extensive look around.  It was really cool and all the parties had a room with activities and stuff.  Me and Max were loving the Socialdemokraterne room. 

After we left the Parliament we came across another jazz street performer who was amazing.  He was stood on the steps of this grand old building and the shadows were so Jazz.  From there we went to the Rundetaarn (Round Tower) and walked all the way up to the top.  The tower doesn't have steps, it is just one great slope upwards (I heard a rumour this was so that some King of Denmark could ride his horse to the top!).  We got to the top and the views were pretty amazing, it definitely makes me want to go up in the daytime when there is more to see.

Before, or after the Rundetaarn we came across a tiny side-street where some cool cats had an insane BOOMBOX blasting old-school 1980s American rap.  They were absolutely going for it, it was a beautiful sight to witness.  We then went to Kobenhavn HovedBibliotek (the main public library) where there was a Finnish garage rock/rockabilly band called Black Magic Six playing. 

It wasn't really Maxs thing so I got a 6DKK (70p) beer and bumped into this Itralian guy from my course who was also loving it.  I thought it was a bit more metal than they were pretending but it was so nice to hear some live music, I seriously want to listen to amazing musicians live every night of my life.  After this Max decided he was too tired so he went home, but I had a text from Matt so we headed down to Tivoli to meet some Italians we know, this was around 12.  We found them and got the train to the Carlsberg Museum where there was meant to be a great party. 

Although the others weren't very impressed, I quite liked it.  They had created a gallery space and there was good music coming from the DJ.  Looked like there were some pretty interesting characters there as well.  But we didn't stay long.  We went up to Norreport again to go to our Friday Bar at CSS.  Then we met these Danish girls who invited us to their Friday Bar (Biology) so we followed them.  It was pretty cool but so tiny compared to our Friday parties.  The walls were black and covered in UV painted sealife and there were blacklights.

Stayed there quite a while and then me, Matt and Roberto decided to go to our Friday Bar.  When we got there it had already shut so we went exploring in the Politics Department building.  We left there and went up into Osterbro to Robertos apartment to get some food, and I ended up not getting home until 6am.  I was sat on the train home and there were all these early-risers that had got up early to catch a flight or something, and then me.

It was a great night and excluding my Kultur Natten ticket I only spent about 40DKK (under £5) but on the downside now I have to go and collect my bike from far away, if its still there.

The city is humming, the country is cold. But you give me something, something like hope.

Wow, it's been a traumatic few days.  Quite the emotional rollercoaster.  To illustrate this point I will just say that I am crying a little bit into my cup of tea as I watch the Chilean miner rolling news - pretty amazing.

I had a lovely relaxing, yet productive weekend.  On Saturday I just sat and read... for hours and hours, from about 11 until 5/6ish, with very minimal breaks.  The rest of the time I just hung out in the apartment and went for a couple of walks in the neighbourhood.  I was trying to be at one with my Chi, and get to know the real me.  Sunday was more of the same, formulating ideas for my autumn semester essays and just CHILLING OUT. Very theraputic.

I've been in a terrible mood the last few days and as anyone who has ever lived with me will testify, it is not fun to be with Katy when I get like that.  Anyway I think I am coming out of my funk now so feeling better.
I've just been going to my classes, going to the library at ungodly hours (I was sitting in a computer room at 8.30am on Monday morning), and taking unplanned naps.  Of course I am still cycling everywhere, and loving it.  Last night had a drink and dinner with Matt who just got back from France, which was lovely.

And this post is so jumbled up I might come back and organise my thoughts in an understandable way at a later time. Or not.

Oh my gosh!!! I almost forgot.  I had the freakiest nightmare in the world on Saturday night.  In the evening I had seen the trailer for this film called CASE 39 (you should all take a look) and my imagination ran wild, as it does.  Woke up at half 3 sweating and gasping, it was horrendous.  Had to go outside the apartment for a glass of water and the loo and I swear to God I saw the little girl from the film in the hallway.  This is probably the most scared I have ever been, and this is why I do not watch horror films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLVkljuBdnE&feature=related

BUI (biking under the influence)

Ok, I'm not so sure of what I will remember from the past week as it feels like years since my last blog.  I will try and remember the funny little incidents though. 

On Tuesday I had Scandinavian Political Systems (snore..) and International Relations in the 3rd World (slightly less snore...) which is 4 hours of old men talking at you.  Had a lovely lunch in the campus kanteen.  I didn't want to go home quite yet, I really wanted to ride my bike - so me and Charlie rode to Kongens Nytorv in central where we picked up this Californian guy Alex.  We rode all the way down to Christiania to hang out for a bit and then rode all the way back to Rosenborg Have and met Massachusettes Matt and went to his place to cook dinner.  We made a mean bolognese and I proclaimed that I was the best chef in that kitchen.  We ate and watched this weeks Inbetweeners and then I rode home.  Definitely got to ride my bike on Tuesday like I wanted to.

Wednesday I did some chores and rode to Norreport station and got the train up to CIS to tutor, again very enjoyable and person-moulding.  Rode home and did boring stuff.

Thursday I had a massive lie-in and a very disturbing dream and then stayed home and tried to do some work.  Again pretty boring.  Worked on my CHI.

On Friday I was rudely awoken by a builder walking into my bedroom.  Max and Maria came round to book a hostel for STOCKHOLM BABY.  We found a really cheap place with a 4 bed room (there are 4 of us going) ON A FRICKIN BOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im very excited - there will be Swedish people and lots of islands and a new currency to deal with.  We then went out and got lunch, then I cycled down to Frederiksberg Have, the largest park in CPH which also happens to be on my road.  Walked around for like 2 hours, stopping sometimes to read a page of my book.  It was so nice to be out in nature, the sound of my footsteps crunching, and the smell of trees and rain.  Went back to mine to find Simon had let Charlie in, we lay about for a bit and then he went off into the night.  He came back about 2.5 hours later pretty drunk asking for money (at least it was actually his money that I owed him).  He went off again and I met my friend Max and we rode to FridayBar together.  Had a really nice time again, it was 90s night so i fit in wonderfully.  I wore my tie-dye top and there were loads of people there in crop tops, double denim and high-tops, I LOVED IT.

Had some conversations with some people, as you do.  Met some Danish boys who made fun of me being from 'Great' Britain.  One of them was really cool though.  Then caught up with Charlie who introduced me to 'the Machine' Johan.  He got me a drink which was potent, it took me probably over an hour to drink it all.  After some more dancing, chatting and watching some French people play strip table football (one guy in his teeny tiny pants only) I cycled home with Max.  At this junction where there is roadworks I crashed into a bollard but apart from that managed to cycle all the way home 'biking under the influence'.

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW

Sunrise City

So, I didn't manage to get a nap and ended up going to Friday Bar with 3 hours of sleep inside me.  Met Matt at 9ish and sat down to psych myself up before the party really got going.  Probably about 11pm I decided to dance, which I did for quite a while before the place being so packed out I could hardly move.  Spoke to lots of people outside and decided to go home at 2am because I was dead on my feet.

I awoke on Saturday about 12 to loud bangs in the apartment.  Ventured out of bed to find Simon in the kitchen.  He had only gone and made breakfast for us!  Scrambled eggs and bacon on toast - delicious, just what I needed.  Rested during the day and decided to get out around 6pm.  I was planning to just meet Charlie for a beer and then go home and cook dinner and get an early night.  Things did not work out this way.  We met some Italians from our course at 8pm and went to Floss, this cheapo bar for some more drinks with them.  They were going to a dorm party on Amager but Charlie had plans to meet his Danish friend and his British girlfriend so I tagged along.  On the way to their apartment we saw some guys playing computer games that they had projected onto the side of a building.  Massive.  After some time at the apartment we headed out on the town at 12midnight.  From there it was onto a couple of bars.  We met some Spanish girls who were extraordinarily nice.  So nice to talk to nice girls.  Ended up staying out all night and watching the sunrise with Charlie, one of the Spanish girls and this Danish boy we picked up along the way.  Walked home at 9am which was horrible and slept from 10-2, definitely not enough rest.  As you might imagine, did absolutely nothing with my day and hit the hay at 9pm so as to get a nice long sleep.

It is now a new week so I am all about a turning over a new leaf and having a super-productive week.  I plan to do lots of activities that involve no drinking or late nights at all.  This morning I got up early (for me = 8.30am) and went and got my CPR-number (social security number) from the Town Hall.  The building has these insane lifts that only fit one person, have no doors and don't stop, you just have to step into the one going in the direction you want to go and then step off just at the right time.  Pretty fun.  I also bought some tights and posted some letters to England.  Cost £3 for 3 letters which is not too bad.  Did some reading for my Climate Change class and then went to my Climate Change class.  Was so interesting today, we learnt about the science of climate change which is just so good.  But not in a good way.  Now I am eating my dinner (tomato soup if you were wondering).

LATER

I Want To Ride My Bicycle, I Want To Ride It Now

Ha ha.  If this year is the Chinese year of the Tiger, then this week has been the Katy week of the Bike.  On Sunday, Max and me went out for a ride, my first time on the big busy roads, we also took a 'greenway' which led us down a path lined with tiny wooden houses and allotments, it was still right in the centre of the city, but so picturesque.  We ended up cycling for 3 hours (!) going down to Vesterbro then right up to our campus, into the city centre and then back to Frederiksberg.  Needless to say at the end of all this, I was dying.  My lung capacity is insanely poor and my legs have no muscles in them, apparently.  After a quick rest we headed down to a friends house for dinner.  Sandy cooked a ruddy lamb roast, which was wonderful after all the pain I was in.  Got home and did some leg stretches while Simon laughed at my pain.  We also watched the Weakest Link, tag-team style.

In the morning I was very surprised to find that I had no pain at all.  Cycled into campus and had my Climate Change lecture.  Followed that with a beer and dinner with friends in the Latin Quarter and then cycled home in the dark.

Tuesday I rode into campus again and had my other two classes.  Followed that with lunch with some guys and then headed home.  As I was crossing a major junction my chain fell off andmy pedals went crazy.  I was surrounded by cars and was about to get in everyones way on the bike lane but all I could do was lift my legs up in the air and glide to the pavement.  Very exciting.  Had to walk my bike home which really pissed me off.  In the evening Charlie and Matt came round and we cooked and drank and watched the Inbetweeners!

My bike had not been fixed by Wednesday so I had to walk everywhere.  I know I've only had a bike a couple of days but once you don't have it anymore, you really really miss it/the speed.  Met friends for lunch and me, Max and Maria booked tickets to go to Stockholm, Sweden next month.  Then I travelled up to the International School.  Still really enjoying that, thinking about asking if I can go up more often and maybe sit in on some classes.  It is such a nice school.  Spent the evening writing letters and watching BBC World News.

Yesterday I stayed home and did some reading for my courses, which I should really do today as well.  Mid-afternoon I took my newly fixed bike to Maxs and we ate cake.  Apart from my bike was not fixed, nearly died on the way over there.  But Simon says that there is something else he can do to sort it out so I think he's planning to do that when he gets back from class today.  Went out last night to the Australian Bar where it is 50kr (£5.50) to get in and then free beer from 10pm - 1am.  Pretty sweet deal seeing as in other bars you can pay 50kr for one pint.  I was the only girl in the group but I watched the boys play pool and had some strange conversations with this Australian guy, just talked about the kind of stuff that you don't usually with someone you have known for half an hour.  Also met this English guy who was really a cool guy and got chatted up by a bald Dane called Auto.  Got home at 4am and this morning got up at 7.30am when the man came to install our new windows.  Not loving life very much right now as our apartment lacks internal doors and there is nowhere for me to sleep.  Hopefully get a nap this afternoon before heading to the Friday Bar tonight.

All you've got to do is do it, to know there's really nothing to it

Oh my word, the rollercoasters were so immense.  I had adrenalin overload before I'd even been on any of them.  We went on the Star Flyer first, which lifts you up in your seat so that you can see the entire city and then spins you round really fast.  This was my favourite as it was a lovely sunny day and you could see for miles.  Then we went on the Demon, which was just a normal rollercoaster but it had loads of loop-de-loops and upside down bits, that was really fun.  We also went on the Golden Tower which lifts you up slowly and leaves you at the top for a while and then drops you incredibly fast, I flew out of my seat and tried to scream but no sound came out, that was crazy.  Anyway the whole experience was pretty epic.  Afterwards we walked past a shop that sold glasses, but in a funny kind of way.  Glasses and pasta.

I woke up on Friday with a horrible cold so just did some chores and read my book for hours.  Stayed in even though I was dying to go out (self-discipline) and had an early night.

Today is when things got really interesting.  Today was the day of the Mystery Jets concert at VEGA in Copenhagen which I had been planning to go by myself.  I woke up at 6.30am coughing violently and then had to sprint to the bathroom to be sick, very unpleasant.  Had a banging headache and generally felt terrible. 

In the afternoon I took my bike out for a little ride which was pretty exciting, and around 4pm I started getting better at an alarming rate.  So I started considering going to this concert by myself.  And that is exactly what I did.  I just got back from seeing the Mystery Jets at VEGA and it was bloody brilliant.

It was a 500 capacity place but they are so unknown here that I just got my ticket on the door and there were not more than 300 people there I reckon.  They played brilliantly, all the great songs from their 3rd album and they seemed to be really enjoying it.  I considered sticking around afterward to meet them as my hair was looking ultra-glossy but I couldn't really be bothered seeing as it would just be 2 minutes, forgotten by them in a second.  There were other people there alone, but I was definitely the only girl but it just shows if you want to experience something badly you shouldn't ever be swayed.  With my train tickets etc, it cost under DKK200, very reasonable and totally worth it.

BEDTIME

I was dreaming of another world, but now I've found it.

OK, so Saturday I did nothing.  Boy, blogging about my weekends is easy.

On Sunday Charlie came round to use my internet, and we sat separately while I painted and did some reading for our classes and he read the Observer and watched the football.  Boys eh?  We went for a big circle walk and saw this huge grafitti on the side of a building that said, 'One Man's Trash, Another Man's Treasure', which I was a little overcome by as I thought it was very true.  We had fajitas for dinner and Charlie left to get the metro at midnight.  Little did we know that this week the metro is shut from 11pm until 5am so guess who slept on my sofa?? Simon got home at 8am to find him there but said it was fine, I love where I live.

Monday I studied in the library for a bit and had my Climate Change class.  Charlie got really involved with the capitalist-bashing that was going on and this girl said, ' I don't have any answers, I only have more questions' - like she was in a film or something.  We met Matt and this Finnish girl for a drink and then had dinner at this salad bar that is half-price after 8pm throughout September.  That was a good dinner.  Got home to find Simon had run a half-marathon on Sunday (INSANE) with no prior training and this week outside of his classes he has gone to a meditation session and a yoga class.  Anyway, we hung out and listened to some music for a while.

Tuesday I was up early (for me) and went to my Scandinavian Political Systems class where I was one of the lucky few to actually get a seat at a desk.  There was this guy in that class who was proper asleep and he would wake up every few minutes and then his eyes would shut immediately, it was hilarious.  Went to my first session of International Relations and the Third World which was such a good module swap for me.  Then I went shopping and spent quite a lot of money.  It seems to happen in spurts.  Had the apartment to myself in the evening so swanned around listening to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder and started reading someones copy of STUPID WHITE MEN.

This is a poster I bought.

Wednesday I went for a long walk and then went to the International School for a tutoring session.  Really enjoyed it again this time, it's really focusing my mind on what will happen once I graduate.  Met Charlie and his Italian friend for a beer, had dinner at the half-price salad bar again and met some other people for a drink in a kareoke pub.  A few of them got up and sang, well done Max and Sandy!  However I did get a bit annoyed when Sandy told me to sing - 'why are you scared?  you will never see these people again' - i told him that that is completely the wrong perspective to look at it, because I will see myself again and if I have done kareoke stone-cold sober I will hate myself forever.

And then here we are.  Today I will be a thrill-seeker, I'm going on the rollercoasters in Tivoli.

'Let's go on a living spree, They say the best things in life are free'

I do believe a wise philosopher called Kanye West once said the above.  Good man.

So here, whilst all my happiness and fun times are free, very little else is.  Thursday night, Charlie, American Matt and myself headed to this club not far from my apartment called RUST.  I do not want to alarm my relatives reading this but I want this blog to be a truthful account of my year in Copenhagen.  We left mine at 12 midnight and got home at 5am.  I am not used to this but it seems to be the norm all days of the week here.  I didn't really drink but the club was really nice, lots of seating and really good music, the likes of which Guildford has never seen/heard.  It was full of cool, youthful, beautiful Danes, lots of blond hair and trendy trainers.  Needless to say I slept well into Friday day.

Then we decided to go to this party in the Royal Library on Friday evening.  Met at mine beforehand and just chilled.  Headed there about 10pm, the party having started at 8.30pm to find that it was already at capacity and there were about 1000 people waiting outside to see if they would get in.  We decided to just go to our campus Friday Bar instead, but managed to pick up two other groups - neither of which got into the party.  It was absolutely heaving at CSS and we danced good and proper.  There are a few pictures to illustrate this but they are on Charlies camera so I'll add them later. 

I danced on the stage with some Danish boys and basically loved life. 

At about 2am, we decided to head to Christiania.  We went to this seriously good reggae club and I danced there too, but then the men started to get uncontrollable so I decided to head home to bed.  Today has been another wasted day so I am very determined to make the next week or so extremely interesting and productive.  My pizza is now ready in the oven so this is OVER AND OUT.

'I voted for John McCain'

I promise to start taking more pictures again soon, I've just been having too good a time, or its been beating it down with rain.  For this reason, this is just a quick update.

Tuesday my class was cancelled and I ended up staying at the apartment all day because the weather was pretty horrible.  In the evening I went to the International Dinner which consisted of everyone taking some food from their home country.  I was planning on Marmite on toast but at the last minute changed my mind and took Strawberries and Cream.  I don't really remember what I ate, although I know that something was Slovakian!!!  When this had ended myself, Charlie, an American and two Danes decided to head out for a drink or two.  By this time it was raining - SURPRISE SURPRISE - and we just ducked into an Irish Pub.  We debated who had the worst political/economic situation out of our home countries, and in my view the USA lost big time.  This had been confirmed earlier in the evening when we met some crazy Americans who I have quoted in the title of this post.  On my way home I got absolutely drenched to the bone.

Wednesday was slightly more productive.  I went to my Jean Monnet class, which I think I am going to drop, and take another one in its place.  Then I headed up north to Copenhagen International School where I had my first session as a tutor.  I really really enjoyed this experience and on the train back to the city was already thinking about what I could do for next session.  Had a relaxing evening in the apartment with a stir-fry and watched Bear Grylls.

Today I went to the library and did some reading for the new module I am thinking that I will take instead of my Europe one.  Strolled around the city for a bit and then walked home in the rainstorm, it was absolutely insane.  Tonight I think a few of us are planning to try and find somewhere good for a quiet drink.

NO CAMERAS

Saturday, I had a lazy start to the day and then met my freinds Max and Maria for a drink in the late afternoon.  Charlie came round to mine for tea (I made a scrumptious beans on cheese on toast - which was ridiculed by all, but I quite enjoyed) and then we headed out to see what there was to do.  Went to a party on campus but just stood there talking about the weird music tastes of Political Science students in Denmark.  Met up with some other international students and ended up getting the train out of the city at midnight to check out this really popular club.  However, it was not very popular on Saturday night so we just stopped in a pub for a drink before catching the metro home.  Denmark does have a smoking ban like the UK but some pubs refuse to enforce it and this was one of those places, I had not realised how much I had forgotten what having your throat and lungs engulfed in smoke felt like.  Pretty disgusting for a non-smoker.

On Sunday I was so tired from all this strenuous activity that I just stayed in the apartment and caught up on sleep and some reading for my classes.  In the evening I caught the metro down to my friends flat on Amager, south of the city and a big group of us watched a French film, which only had French subtitles.  Luckily, the concept was easy to understand and we had two French people there to translate the dialogue.  Got home, got in my pjs and watched TV with Simon.

Monday, I did some chores and met Charlie for lunch near campus.  We had a little wander around and then went to my Climate Change class together.  After that we went down to Christiania (the hippy commune and cannibis smoking area of Copenhagen).  Obviously, I did not smoke but it was an interesting place to be and I enjoyed my beer with a relaxed vibe and good conversation.  Sellers down there have lots of these strong looking dogs and Charlie told me they are trained to attack the police if they go down into that area.  Such a contrast to the rest of the city, but a very worthwhile experience.  Taking pictures is not allowed down there for obvious reasons.  Hence I have no pictures.