Church tower in Christianshavn

For. My last day in town I decided to just enjoy walking around. First I had a coffee and excellent croissant at Mercado then headed for Christianhavan to see if I could find anything interesting going on with the 400 year anniversary of the founding of this part of the city. Couldn’t find any but did wander over to a beautiful old church with a lovely green copper spire. The interior is relatively spare but still ornate with a magnificent organ supported on each wall by elephants. Enjoyed another coffee across the street.

My walk soon took me to Christiania which hadn’t changed a bit. Still rough around the edges with tables in the same location – just out of direct sight of the front gate – selling hash. Christiania was an old abandoned navel base that the counterculture has commandeered as a refuge from regular society. The authorities had at first tried to evict everyone but soon gave up a let it be. I became refuge for all who couldn’t/wouldn’t conform to regular society. Back when I was in school the place was relatively new and still controversial i visited often as my danish host mother has a ner-do-well so who lived there and spent most days getting high. I joined him and his friends but so tired of the routine. Still, it was fun and I felt like a rebel. Today the area is best known for its Hash and the manufacture of Christiania Vagons. I box on wheels that fits in front or is towed behind a bike. They are used for everything from delivery carts to children’s transport.

Johannes, Alina, and Steine off to work and school with helmets.

One of the first things Johannes bought when he arrived in Cambridge was a variation on this design to transport Alina. While I love seeing them in Copenhagen I was always afraid for him and Alina in Boston where the separation of bike and car traffic is almost non existent and there are even fewer rules. In Copenhagen everyone bikes to work and almost no one wears a helmet. At rush hour there are easily more bikes than cars and you have to be careful because the bikes make no noise and their gringo was not used to them. It was amazing to see commuters riding along while texting or calling. I’m sure making brunch plans as they put other’s lives in jeopardy just like home. Stupidity has no geographical limit when it comes to phones. At least here everyone has lights and reflectors on their bikes. The Johannes/Steine family bucked the trend and all wore helmets when they left for their morning commute.

I enjoyed poking around the “shops” and sights of the area but moved on toward the waterfront to get lunch at the food kiosks across from Nyhavn. I still hadn’t has a Smorebrod or open face danish sandwich so I had two and watched the everyone else chow down on BBQ, Burgers and Pizza. Everyone on earth likes a burger or pizza so I guess that’s the norm here also. That and coffee. My biggest expense is coffee and with my 4-5 cups a day and $4-5/cup

Last lunch in Copenhagen

it really adds up. There is a coffee shop on almost every corner and all of them sell gorgeous pastries. How the Danes stay so slender with so much temptation I’ll never know. I’ve resisted mostly but every morning I do have a chocolate croissant with my coffee. BTW Ive loved indulging in cigarettes while traveling and while you can’t smoke indoors anywhere in Europe no one gives you the evil eye when you light up in a cafe. But just like my last two European jaunts i will adhere to my rule and refrain from any cigs in North America. But in the mean time I’m loving my vice and indulging at will. BTW cigs are cheaper here. ($7-8/ pack vs $12 in Boston) Not the UK, however, where they are 12 pounds a pack!

Spent the afternoon on the walking street and side streets just enjoying the people watching and coffee shops when the rain forced me indoors. 

Took the bus home when the rain wouldn’t let up. Still a lovely last day. The city is so pedestrian friendly that you can’t stop walking and I managed to do around 20,000 steps each day. I WAS tired each evening when I got home. For my last evening meal Johannes, and Alina and I went out for pizza and sat in the park on benches across the street from Johannes’ favorite pub. I was treated to a sour beer to accompany our food and while very good I just couldn’t finish my 100CC glass ( most people might call it a thimble ) Most people spill more than I drink. The weather was perfect and I enjoyed my last evening in town. Steine and Johannes were SO hospitable to put me up for so long and treat me to so many experiences that you would never get as a tourist. They made a part of their family and I loved every minute of it. Best of all were the hours of conversations. Both Steine and Johannes are very well informed and smart and I learned much about the European world talking with them. I miss having them in Cambridge. They are due in December so.  I don’t know when I get a chance to see them all together. Johannes has work at Harvard in October so I will get to see him.