Dear Copenhagen

Dear Copenhagen

I am writing this letter to you for a few reasons; part love letter, part wish list and a hint of venting.

The darkness has come (Winter) and I have chosen not to complain about it, I know that this all part of your beauty and your cycle and I will not be the moaning woman who just refuses to accept seasons.
I will embrace this chilling winter that you have bestowed on us...but in return I would like you to cut me some slack in the employment arena...

Im finding it particularly difficult to find a job here, mostly because I don't speak Danish, but come on! So with a little give and take I am hoping we can come to some kind of understanding.

Looking forward to experiencing a bit more of your festive offerings this December and really falling in love with you.

Kind Regards

Gem

P.S I probably will love you more in Summer...just saying

The Absurd makes sense

As I cycled to check out a swimming pool centre in our area, It dawned on me that I have become part of a society that follows a straight and narrow line. Riding your bike on the other side of the road, crossing the street a second earlier, blowing your horn...these are all actions that are heavily frowned upon and I find myself  frowning with masses. I never thought I would slide and fit so snugly into such a conservative structured society that just does things the way it does. You dont ask questions and you dont bend rules and that naughty side of you that wants to rebel doesn't even lift its mischevious head to try and test the system.

Things just work here and people just obey...its so strange. No cowboys and indians over here, just well behaved Danes.

Sometimes it gets a bit mundane and robotic for me when I really stop and think about it, I am used to jay walking, skipping red lights, speeding and swearing, pulling a finger or hooting at the elderly woman who just skipped the green light for the second time. But maybe thats all wrong and where I am right now is right.

I wont lie, I miss the unexpected..but it also means I am safer and that in its self is far more valuable to have.

When you first get to Denmark, you are so aware of how to cross the road, get on a bus, swipe a ticket, you are so aware of yourself and your actions, it becomes very annoying. But then you are here for a few weeks and it just works so well, why challenge the system? why go right when you know you are meant to go left.

Guess you need to be here to know what I am talking about...

Bitter Sweet Weekend

On Saturday morning we find ourselves wheeling a bike home with no seat from an auction where nothing was understood (whole auction took place in Danish).


Saturday night, I wheeled home Wix; my bubblegum pink city style bike with a basket and seat!


Sunday we decided to do some sightseein and headed to Nyhaven which had been suggested by many, Nyhaven must be the most prominent site in Copenhagen in terms of teh picture that best shows Copenhagen; a cobble street lined with various coloured restaurants

A breakfast was in order after we had tasted a delicious pastry from one of the alley shops a cream cheese choc chip cupcake found its way down my throat 25dk later (R37). City centre is very pricey, my new motto for city centre is look but dont touch and definitely dont consume.


A simple breakfast in a beautiful cosy pub style restaurant on the Nyhaven stretch which consisted of a bottle of water, one capuccino and two plates of scrambled egg and two small strips of bacon, with a few lettuce eaves and fresh bread cost 230dk (roughly R350)


I must say the beauty, vibrancy and spirit is priceless and this is not even summer time.


Later in the afternoon I was adament to go for a ride on Wix, Mustang was left at home due to his lack of seat offering. A beatiful ride Charlottenlund way, led us through a caraven site with willowing autumn trees, a ocean promenade and tracks through the forest, the beauty is undeniable and awesome to experience on ones bike.


Apples and marshmallow snack pack for the ride

 View of the ocean

 Snack pack in my basket

 Gorgeous autumn tree

 Wix waiting for me as I take pics

 Autumn trees

 Stretch of the promenade

The Sweet day came to a Bitter end, as we headed home, 2min away from our front door, like the tomboy I can sometimes be, I decided after a afternoons ride I was a proffesional bike rider and nothing could stop me, so I decided to gain speed and ramp a curb...BIG mistake, I flew off Wix and landed on the pavement, when I realised what had happened I looked up to see 6 different concerned faces above me. For a moment I couldnt move my body, but I slowly got up and wobbled home on what felt like a broken leg. I must say the concern the Danes showed was overwhelming, one woman even got out her car and offered me tissues. It was a pretty bad fall and I appreciated the concern. As I type this post I am sitting on the left cheek of my bum as the right is non functinal today.


Overall the weekend was fantastic with a big Crash Boom at the end to finish it off.


So far so good

We have arrived

feels as though the contact with the outside world was severed with a knife (thats how final and dramatic it was) i felt island bound with no real connection to the outside world, but now i have healed my wound and I am proud to say we have wi fi so connection is up and running.

well, where to start, we arrived in the pouring rain and I got my first taste of copenhagen weather; it didnt taste good. But from the next day the sun was shining and out to welcome us,when the sun is shining even if it is cold; you just feel better.

the apartment is sorted and all our little odds and ends have found their corner and place. When you come from a place with a garage you realise what a luxury it is to have excess space, we have had to become very skilled when it comes to finding and utilising space...not  a bad thing I suppose

I must say that the area we live in is just gorgeous, the high street takes you down cafes and pastry shops with magnetic capabilities, boutiques and high end pet stores. If you go north you will be greeted by the sea and greenery as well as trails into a forest. So all around is nature and beauty.
I have not yet been into the city centre but will do so this wekeend and post pics.

Overall my first impression of Copenhagen is a pleasent one and looking forward to making it a homely experience.

Our new soon to be home