Froda Travels to Europe and Canada 2010 Part Six: Copenhagen

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Wednesday June 16th

Copenhagen: (The first homeexchange of our trip)

Still on the train. We crossed the bridge from Malmo to Copenhagen and then dived down into the tunnel. Just before arriving in Copenhagen I got a text from Ina saying she was waiting for us with smiles. And she was. Very smiley. So we were ushered first to an ATM, then to the ticket info office where we bought our 7 day ticket for 2 zones, and finally to the toilet. Then out we went into the hot sun to wait for ages for the 2A bus. Ina recommended getting this rather than the other one as it was likely to be not so crowded. Oh dear, she was wrong! It was about a half hour journey, then a short walk to her house – our house. We then needed to be shown the various functions – light switches, TV, computer, then downstairs (6 flights, 46 steps) to the communal laundry and then further to outside to the clothesline and garden. As she left us she said something about towels that had us worried so we phoned her later to clarify that we could use her towels and that the bed was made up. All OK. After a rest we ventured to the local supermarket for supplies. Very hard to find things – maybe the other one will have a better range. Generally (apart from Ina) we have not found the people here as friendly as they were in Sweden. Found a 3 pack of Pizzas for tea. Larry cooked it. I really felt pretty washed out and just flaked. We watched Tv – an English drama with Danish subtitles – about a male actor whose forte was playing female roles and how the King Charles II was persuaded to change the law prohibiting women on the stage. Interesting play. But the digital reception is dreadful. Kept breaking up. Also the power connections in the flat seem a bit dodgy – lights flicker every time you turn something on or off. TV connection was draped across the doorway – quite a hazard. Once in bed I don't think it took long to get to sleep – it was surprisingly comfortable despite being right up against one wall and a rather odd pillow. (Hard and wedge-shaped).

Thursday June 17th

Sunny but very cold wind from time to time. I still have a rather debilitating cough and sore throat and feeling tired. So today we will take things easy – again! We caught a 5A bus into town, stopped by the info counter at the station to establish times for buses to the airport on Tuesday early morning. The 5A takes us directly to the airport. One at 5.10a.m. And one at 5.34a.m. The late one will be fine and gets us there by 6.30. We'll need to be up by 4.30 and leave here about 5.10! Then we found a No 11 Circle bus to take us to NyHavn where the canal boats leave from – only it was quite a mission to find the ticket office and main departure point. Walked about for ages in the HOT sun and/or COLD wind. Larry took to wearing his woolly hat to protect his head. Our boat left at 12.30p.m. - it was very low and totally open. No commentary. Just identifying each stop (it was a hop on hop off boat). So we went past the New Opera House, the site of the Little Mermaid (on loan to China but there's a replica in the Tivoli). The fortress – used only once – against Admiral Nelson, Beach-club – no beach at all but lots of deck chairs with people trying to pretend they're at the beach! Very odd! Past the Royal Palace with a view of the Cathedral. The trip lasted about an hour then we caught the No 11 circle bus – this time we were the only passengers and the driver, having established we were from NZ, took it upon himself to give us a guided tour – pointing out places of interest along the way. When some Danish passengers got in he continued his commentary bilingually. Connected with our 2A or 5A bus for home for eggs and tomatoes then an hour's sleep. A trip to the Big Supermarket where we found most things on our list – but no cottage cheese and no cotton thread. Also checked out the bus stop that we'll use on departure day. So home for beer and skittles.

One thing that's even more noticeable here – tho' we've met it in Munich, Stockholm as well – is the cycle lanes. You have to be very alert crossing roads and even getting on and off buses – often getting off directly on to a cycle lane. And gosh, do they go at a rate of knots! As I write I'm looking out over the rooftops from 3 or 4 stories up – orange tiled roofs – lots with little dormer windows. Occasional trees as tall as the houses. They are all, as far as I can see, blocks with about 6 apartments (as is this one) some many more. There may be one or two 2 storied places that are individual homes. Hard to tell. We made a dinner tonight of tinned spaghetti Napoli (spaghetti in tomato sauce with funny little sausages) and a tin of green peas. Then settled down to watch Channel 2 "Charlie" which seems to offer a diet of BBC crime dramas in English with subtitles. We watched "New Tricks", "The Bill", :Inspector Lindley", well I went to bed part way thru that one. Occasionally I have really bad bouts of coughing – but at least I'm sleeping really well.

Friday June 18th

Overcast then sunny. Very windy. Cough still bad. But after breakfast I felt up to venturing out. Our usual bus to town. We stopped first by Central Station where I asked about an Apotek and we were directed across the road. Took a queuing ticket and sat down to wait, was seen and sold a packet of tablets to help the dry cough. Before we caught that No 11 bus, we explored the Rathaus Platz. Civic Square, where a great open air stage was being set up and a sound system was belting out recordings at very high volume. We walked into the inner courtyard of the Townhall Building – nice to be out of the wind. On the way back we passed a statue to Hans Christian Anderson. Then we found the circle bus to go to NyHavn again. This time to look for the several houses occupied by Hans Christian Anderson. There were lots of brightly coloured houses in the area along the canal – Anderson's were on the other side of the street (out of the sun). These remind me of Amsterdam: 4 or 5 stories high, some very narrow squashed in beside their broader neighbours. We bought a hamburger from a street vendor – Larry had a pork one with crackling, meesy with red cabbage juice, mine was just minced beef. Anyway, tasty and filling. We walked round the square (it was actually a circle) where I was astounded to see a woman crouching behind one of the seats that lined the circle fence – then pulling up her pants! She'd been doing a poo! As Larry said, if they charge 5Kr to use the toilets, what else can the homeless and destitute do? Two imposing buildings here. Hotel D'Angleterre and the Magasin du Nord. They say the latter is the equivalent to Selfridges. We walked through it for a bit but I wasn't up to thinking about buying anything, so we soon left and retraced our steps this time walked past 2 of the HCA houses, one with a plaque to say he lived there, the other didn't. Back on the bus and kept a watch for where we might get off next time to explore the Palace, Cathedral and the Little Mermaid site. The Golden Circle, I believe it's called. Back on the bus and home (very crowded bus) by about 2p.m. Bought milk. Rest for an hour or so. Then out to the Supermarket groceries. Wine and chippies. TV: Heart Beat; Mash; (just the end of Columbo). The Bill; New Tricks. Dinner was cup a soup Leek and Potato with a knobbly cracker and cheese, followed by pizza. Coffee and sandwich biscuit "Fuldkora" – with kakao creme in the filling. To bed quite early 9.30ish. Larry stayed up watching soccer, then web stuff and bed by 11p.m. Very tired.

Saturday June 19th

Overcast, sunny, fresh, light wind. Got up several times during the night but no trouble getting back to sleep. A few bad coughing bouts. Up at about 7a.m. Washing on the outside line. Breakfast. Diary. Plans for the day: Looked at a trip to the Elsinore Castle (Hamlet's). Went out for a local walk – down the street a couple of blocks, noting the pretend castle and that there are many single dwellings as well as the apartment blocks of varying sizes. Very few people about. Made a cracker sandwich then set off for Christianborg and looked at some market stalls at Hojbroplads – this was mostly bric a brac and pretty junky. Spotted a church with a spire down a wee lane but couldn't find its opening. It's obviously used in part as a restaurant but maybe there are other doors . . . . a long and confusing walk to find our No 11 Circle bus – the map does not give a clear indication of the streets. We came across our friendly driver again but got off at the next stop in order to explore the palace in its octagon. Several guardsman with their sentry boxes and quite a crowd of tourists waiting for the guards to change. We walked up to the marble church which was closed for a funeral. Then tried to find the No 11 stop yet again. We waited at a stop with a french family and a bus finally came along . .. drove past . . . driver waving to indicate sorry not able to stop here! We were all completely bewildered. So we all (and an older man) walked the streets in search of another stop. And here yet another bus ignored us! Finally found another bus stop and a bus that actually took us on board. - but by now we only needed one more stop – we'd actually walked almost the whole of the distance we'd wanted to travel. So off at the Kingsgarden where we found a seat in the shade/sun and ate our cracker cheese sandwich. Groups of people playing, practising ballet, listening to music etc. Out to the bus stop again and were ignored for a 3rd time!!! but ultimately caught a 350S bus home. Got home much more quickly. (I dozed in the bus). Clothes off the line. Cooked eggs and tomatoes for lunch. Then sleep. Larry downloaded photos. It rained lightly. Read. Supermarket for just a few things but were hurried out because they closed at 5p.m. Learnt that "Lordag" means Saturday and not Sunday! (I'd thought Lordag=Lord's Day). Drinks and chippies (gosh that wine is AWFUL.) Then watched some TV. A couple of the usual dramas but then we switched to the football to watch Denmark beat Cameroun 2 – 1. Dinner was tinned peas and tinned meatballs. Not really enjoying the meat I've had here so far. Read a bit more of Ruth Rendall then to bed.

Sunday June 20th

Fine, sunny, warm. But sudden rain p.m.

We had decided to go to the Tivoli this afternoon to catch some of the music performances that looked interesting, so we puddled about at home during the morning, writing a bulk email etc. Realised we do not have copies of the homeexchange email addresses on the ibook. Got a text from Ina asking about dinner tonight . . .. I replied explaining that I was not well enough. An early lunch of soup and crackers and cheese, then set off in the bus. It starts to get crowded about 2 or 3 stops from home and it really is an uncomfortable trip. Only ½ doz in the queue and we paid over our 190Kr. The first thing we saw was a ballet/pantomime performance in the big open air concert hall – orchestra pit and all – a small area with seating for audience but huge space for standing. Watched for about 10 minutes then moved on. There are at least 3 other concert stages: one set up ready to go for an orchestra or big band. The other seemed closed. All around us fair ground rides were operating: roller coasters of varying sizes and scariness; sort of vertical bungy, chair-o-planes, machines and all the side show stalls for taking money off gullable youngsters. Also a myriad of food stalls and restaurants. All set in elegant gardens, fountains, trees, walkways. One section predominantly Chinese. Somewhere was a replica of the Little Mermaid which we never did get to see. Larry was taking photos but suddenly it started to rain. Before long we were all quite wet and the trees didn't afford a lot of cover. We waited it out for a while in the covered entrance of a posh restaurant but when we decided it was not likely to ease off we packed up and left. It really was tricky trying to find the bus stop and we were wet and the rain was still falling steadily. We finally found a bus stop but had to wait more than 4 minutes! To my right was a large woman – half asleep and with more than cleavage exposed. Finally in the bus. Not too hot, not too cold. By the time we reached our stop it had stopped raining and my parka was dry! We walked almost to the next stop to the mini market (the supermarkets were closed) and we'd earlier tried a 7/11 in town, only to find that they basically only only sell sweets and cigarettes. We bought a bottle of Argentinian wine and some milk. When we arrived home NZ had just started their game against Italy so we watched to the end. One All. Very pleasing since Italy had been the overall champions last time! Slept for an hour. We then went across the road for dinner to Cafe de Sert. I had a beefburger and Larry a Greek version of the same. I didn't like the taste of the meat and it was a huge plateful and seemed to contain bits of bone. The chips were very brown and didn't taste nice either – even dipping in sour cream didn't help! Home to find something on TV. It was an orchestra concert – very elegant young man playing a cello concerto with the DR orchestra. Beautiful concert hall – all red – perhaps that was part of the Opera House complex? Larry was interested in the camera coverage. This was followed by an interesting doco in English on Churchill. I had an early night.

Monday June 21st

Last day in Copenhagen. Warm, sunny. But cold out of the sun. Larry awake from 4a.m. I texted Ina. Also Texts to Canada for email addresses, but several only had landline phones. So sent emails to those people through the homeexchange sites. Caught 5A bus to Norport, turned left and walked first to the King's Garden where there stands a most elegant castle (Rosenborg). Before we arrived we almost tresspassed into a military base. But a guard stopped us. The castle was surrounded on 3 sides by a moat – slow swimming trout could almost be seen in the murky waters. Several guards walked (marched?) slowly up and down near sentry boxes – stopped, turned, did some funny tricks with their rifles and repeated the whole infinitely boring process. Then bus to Norreport and used the metro for the first time S train. Down lots of steps – hoping to find a lift to get up again! Then to the stop that took us to the area called Castellett we found the entrance – lovely gardens with walkways beside a moat. Then over a bridge and through a guarded enclosure. No sign of a castle. We finally concluded that it was simply a military place and not much to look at apart from the walls, walks, bridges and grounds. We found our way to the road and a long weary walk back to the metro station. Then home for lunch and rest. For our final forray we walked towards town looking for bookshops and a chemist. Friendly bookshop man found a suitable notebook for Larry but no books (in particular Steig Larrsen's Dragon Tatto books) in English. Then found an Apotek (Chemist) – I walked in and coughed. Friendly Apotekist laughed and said I'd come to the right place – questioned me about my cough and what I needed – recommended drops to suppress it. Also I bought a rub similar to Vicks but not nearly as strong. (Not much use actually) Then supermarket for: sliced turkey, 4 potatoes and a tin of peas. Home for beer and skittles – only I didn't have any of that revolying wine. Then our dinner. Watched quite a bit of TV: Mash, Heart Beat, some Inspector Lindley and bits of New Tricks. We packed and did what little cleaning needed to be done. And bed by about 11p.m.

Tuesday June 22nd

Copenhagen – Munich – Montreal.

The alarm went off at 4.30a.m. Shower, dress, pack. Last minute tidy and rubbish out. Left a wee gift and a card for Ina and were out the door by 5.10a.m. Dropping keys in her mailbox. Difficult walk to the bus stop because the handle of my trolley bag would only extend ½ way. We then had a 15 minute wait. In the meantime the handle fixed itself. The 5A bus arrived. We paid the 23Kr each for the 2 extra zones, stowed our bags and settled in for a 1 hour ride to the airport. Checked in with SAS counter then proceeded to passport control upstairs then security where I'd remembered to have my liquids in their plastic bag. Then, starving, found a DIY breakfast place – bought a yoghurt berry nut thing that I thought had muesli with it but didn't and wasn't very sweet either! Larry did get muesli with his. And kaffee. I think we first found a bookshop where I bought a copy of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" at WH Smiths.. I wish I'd looked more carefully at the cover: "Buy one and get 2nd half price" it said!. Then quite a wait before Gate A20 was open for us. So a short flight to Munich (small plane 2 x 2) on which we were served a ham or cheese sandwich and coffee (for Larry) tomato juice (for me). Arrived in Munich where we got into a 'standing only' bus to terminal 2, where there was not much time to do more than visit the toilet then walk a few miles to Gate H38 where they were almost ready to board. Plane: back row, 2 x 3 x 2 or maybe 2 x 4 x 2. It was an 8 hour flight but because it was daylight it always seems to be easier – everyone's awake and it feels OK to be up and doing stuff. I started "Dragon Tattoo" then did some code crackers, a sudoku, listened to my ipod. We were served drinks several times then a proper meal of beef stroganoff, mashed potato, broccoli and carrots. Also a salad, roll, camembert cheese and I desert that I didn't touch. When we were nearly there and it was lunch time in Canada they brought us a ham and cheese sandwich – hot – with drinks. Clocks back 6 hours. Larry watched Edge of Darkness and other stuff and read Morse. We had to fill in an immigration declaration for Canada – one per family.

Next: To Canada via Munich. First stop Montreal (homeexchange)

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