Godt Nytår - Happy New Year

In Denmark Christmas is celebrated all month long. Infact there were so many Danish "Jul" traditions to try, experience, and learn about it was a full time job. No seriously actually my 'full time' occupation from November 12-December 20 was Danish: Module 1. And therefore as my handful of readers may have noticed December was not a month of blog writing. Being given daily homework, and then actually doing the homework had to take precedence. However in lieu of posting at the time here are some photos taken around Copenhagen during December

Jette Frolich

This was an ornate showroom, in an older house in Gentofte, just north of Copenhagen city center which for the month before Christmas was showcasing the paper and metal ornaments designed by Jette Frolich. To quote the publicity blurb on the packaging for Jette's products, they are 'a poetic blend of Danish refinement and inspiration .... and they bring a touch of Scandinavian living into your home'. I don't think my family is any more refined, but the new ornaments did look stylish on our Danish fir tree.

 

 Illum Bolighus

A superb design store on Stroget in the centre of the city. I love this festive display featuring Arne Jacobsen Alphabet Cups.

 Julemarked Christmas Markets

I wasn't so inspired by the stalls at this one which seemed to be very much catering for the tourists. However these two dogs were definitely living the high life! I did go to the Christiania JuleMarked which had beautiful hand made crafts for sale, but you are not permitted to take photos there [if you don't know about the history of Christiana here is some more information]
http://www.spirehuset.net/christiania-facts-and-history

Royal Copenhagen

Each year the world famous china flagship store invites artists to design Christmas table settings. in 2012 it was the turn of four danish musicians. The rest of the store's three floors  were also fully decorated for the season.

 Punkt 1: electrical store

Using the Smeg "Flag" Fridge as the main feature of their Christmas window display

 Nyhavn

Neptune of the Lakes with Christmas Cherubs

And then it snowed

New skill=commuter biking in the snow

Sun setting before 3PM

The big freeze - it snowed hard at the beginning of December, and on and off for the next two weeks. The city looked stunning on the sunny days, and even on the greyish of days the whiteness provided a contrast to the greyness. Then it warmed up, rained and couple of times and all the snow was gone.

Godt Nytar

Fun Fridays: "A Pølser on the Lake"

A few years ago a fellow working mother in Nederland, Colorado, came up with the 'Fun Fridays' concept for her sons. It was during the long summer school break (typically 11 weeks) and she was looking for a way to ensure that each week she did something with the boys at the end of her work week: hence Fun Fridays. My son R loved to be invited to join them occasionally on these outings. Typically one week would be a 'free' activity often in the local mountains, and the alternate week would be a $$ outing.

What has this got to do with 'living in Denmark'? Nothing directly, however, I was reminded of FF these past two Fridays, as I have been at home doing the joyous round of "household chores". I have found light relief and actually downright hilarity at the recurring views I get of a one-off phenomenon - a floating "pølser (hot dog) sculpture" on the Pebling Sø.

The Pølser appeared a few weeks ago, and to my continued amazement it is still cruising out on the lake. Honestly slightly more flacid than when I first spied it mid-October, but the red fabric remains vibrant, and the wavy yellow mustard line glows. Really I'm now just waiting for an enterprising Dane to decorate it with fairy lights!

Finally needing a break from cleaning, laundry I took an afternoon walk around the Pebling So lake, camera in hand, chortling my merry way as I admired the sky, the swans, and the temporary resident giant hot dog. Enjoy!

Happy Fun Friday.

Copenhagen K

I have had several emails from friends in the US asking about the adjustment from living in a rural Colorado mountain community to a European capital. Honestly I think for my part it comes down to two things: firstly intrigue, the logistics of changing how you live, how you react to a new setting; and secondly challenge, how you cope, how you respond, how you can find humour even when tested to the limit. I would be seeing through "rose-tinted glasses" if I claimed that the adjustment process for our family had been easy or that it is a quick process!

Here are a selection of photos taken over since our arrival at the start of August from central section of the city: Copenhagen K - our neighborhood.

cykling i København

One of my favorite Copenhagen views is a row of parked bicycles, seen here outside the University Library on Fiolestraede. It is hard to wrap ones mind around the changes that occur when you move a family across the ocean to a new country, to relocate from a Colorado mountainside to urban Scandinavian living. This photo was taken the day we landed and were navigating our way along the downtown streets, finding the route between the temporary housing and the unfurnished nineteenth century apartment we had rented for the year.

Now a mere six weeks on, I barely blink at the sight of more bikes than people as I make my way around the city. For every one cyclist you see riding along the raised bike lanes there are countless rows of parked bikes within view. It is not hard to see why Copenhagen is referred to as the bicycle capital of the world.

I am in "love" with cargo bikes. They are used here to transport pretty much everyone and everything: children of all ages, dogs, luggage, shopping, girlfriends, boyfriends.... The beauty of a cargo bike is you can take someone out on a date, and they can enjoy a beer and check their cell phone while relaxing in the cargo cab en route!

So as far as bike style goes black is the default for most dansk cykel, after that the choices are around accessories: what type of basket - metal or woven cane; how vibrant a bike seat cover, to a) keep your bottom dry after rain, and b) help you find your black bike; and most importantly an additional lock, so that your bike remains where you parked it!

My new red "Holland-style" bike is aiding me daily - for exploring, food shopping, commuting and errands. I am starting to feel more like a local, as after a couple of weeks of practice riding during the quieter times of day I am now prepared to venture into the rush hour melee of throngs of cyclists. Still working on a speedy start when the bike lane traffic light changes, thirty seconds before the car traffic light and the masses start pedaling furiously.

  
Not everyone it seems wants to blend in - here surely is a bike to stand out in the crowds!