Day 17- Last day in Copenhagen

Unfortunately the wifi in the hotel has had issues for the last couple of days and my day 17 post vanished into the internet vortex so I'm rewriting it on the way to work this morning.
Started the day in Norrebro again, we liked the vibe here and we wanted to check out the shops since all things shut down on the weekend. We walked through the parks again stopping to feed the ducks and the swans, one swan scared the bejesus out of us!



First we checked the antique shops for the most part they had stuff that didn't suit our taste with the exception of some mid century mod furniture, really overpriced and we didn't want to ship anything. Next we hit a shoe store that was a bust, lots of comfort shoes and the apotek where we grilled the chemist for everything we can't get in the states, the guy was super helpful.




Next we went into Goggle, another shoe store, strange name for a place that sells shoes. I keep wanting to call it google. They had reallly nice shoes here, poor Debra did not have any luck with shoes. I got lucky and the shoes I liked, a pair of suede grey granny shoes fit like a glove and the price was right!


Time to eat! the favorite past-time of this team. We ate at Beatroot, they had a 3 part mixed plate, I would love to say it's a deal but that's hard to come by in Copenhagen, but you can say it's a deal in Copenhagen about $16 usd.


Meatballs, hummus, and artichoke chickpea salad. Debra had a delish creamy artichoke in her mix.






After our meal we walked up to the big park, Faelledparken, in Osterbro. We hung out under a big shady tree until we realized we should get going back to the hotel and start packing.


We jumped on the 3a bus and hopped off at Vesterbrogade and walked the rest of the way back.


A couple of blocks from the bus stop there was a museum with this neat model of the city of what it looked like in Medieval times. Two pigeons were hanging out near the moat and it look like a Godizilla movie.


We got back to the hotel pack for an hour, then went for our last meal in Copenhagen at
Biomio. I we ate there the previous two nights but it's tasty and we knew it wouldn't make us sick to our stomachs. So long Copenhagen.


- Posted by misskitty1970

Day 16-Turn right at the first hooker

Oh Copenhagen. So we found out that we are staying on the crappiest block in the neighborhood. But the neighborhood itself is totally fine and the hotel is really nice at a great price. We have had no troubles with the local criminals we aren't the customers they are looking for so they leave us alone.
This morning we had a great brunch at the hotel in the very sunny courtyard amongst the heavy European smokers, we got especially lucky, two old men smoky their pipes, yummmmm...love me a lung full of tobacco smoke with breakfast.
Okay on a side note, Debra and I have been having the discussion about how parents and kids here actually make you want to have a family. Having a child here doesn't make you a naurotic mess. People take their kids out and don't make a fuss everything is private. Their kids aren't pitching fits, or skating in a restaurant and any inappropriate behavior is not tolerated . They make parenting seem enjoyable. Okay side note ended.





Today we went to Norrebro on our bartender's recommendation, he lives there. He suggested we head over to Blågardsgade that there a bunch of cafes. We walked through this amazing park with multiple lakes in the center with swans and ducks. The park starts at Gammel Kongevej and Svineryggen, it seems to have few names depending the section you are walking through. People jogging in this park can be quite aggressive, its like there running for their lives and you better get out of their way or they'll knock your ass down.
Then we made our way over to Blågardsgade, it was not the coolest place in town and our friend at the hotel suggested. But we walked further towards Norrebro's epicenter (according to Time Out) Skt. Hans Gade on the way we found Laundromat cafe which our friend Dada let us know about which we later have a nice beverage at and they a nice menu too.





I picked up a couscous salad and breaded eggplant at Beatroot on Elmegade and went to eat it on the benches at Skt. Hans Gade in front of Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (which is great place to use the WC). Debra and I spent the afternoon just walking around the neighborhood until we came to an antique store that was floor to ceiling junk! Debra ventured in and confirmed, lots of junk.






We kept passing cafes with tons of people just spilling out onto the streets watching the soccer game today the match between Germany and the UK, it was insane you could hear the screaming down many of the streets.





We found Laudromat again and got nice people watching seats ordered some beverages and watched beautiful Danes on the bikes ride by.





Next stop Irma City the supermarket for some water and treats. We bought some delicious honey waffles,hot chocolate and beer, the beer was for drinking when we got back to the hotel. Coming out of the market we met a very sweet Scottie.





Got back to the Axel, dropped our supermarket finds and drank our brewskies.





Afterwards we headed to Biomio again for a delicious second try. Debra had a 3 mix platter, with a summer salad, tzaziki with wholegrain bread, lentil salad with lots of veggies, I had the sirloin steak with new potatoes and summer salad. The summer salad had tiny strawberries, slices of oranges, aspargus, green salad with blue cheese dressing, really delish.
Then back to the hotel to hangout for a bit in the courtyard before bed.





- Posted by misskitty1970

Day 15-I left my heart in Sweden

This morning was a scramble to get to the airport. Our first disappointment was that breakfast is served on the weekends at 8am and we had to leave at 7:30am. Cab picks us up and drives to the Visby airport, it takes 15 minutes, so we get there at 7:45 but the airport opens at 8am!!! Who knew? not those of us waiting for the counter people to come into work. We check-in, get on the plane all flawless. Then we take the Arlanda Express to Stockholm Central Station without a hitch tons of time before our train to Copenhagen leaves.


Boarded the X2000 to Copenhagen left at 12:21pm, perfect. First class is awesome, roomy seats, lots of legroom, wifi, nice service. My two complaints are, the train seriously rocks to the point where I got motion sickness which in all my years alive it has never happen to me; and two the food is equal to airplane food. When we were almost by Malmo which is 20 mins away from Copenhagen they said that we would have to change trains because they didn't have the part to go to Copenhagen.WHAT!!! The instructions on the train over the loud speaker were in Swedish the only thiing in english said was the train to Copenhagen will be right behind this one. While on the platform we realized we were the only ones waiting and I finally asked the train attendant and she told us to walk to the end of the platform that the train is literally right behind our train. So we ran down the platform to get on a crappy commuter train that had human poop on the floor of a bathroom and on the floor outside the bathroom, obviously we were no longer in first class.


Thank goodness it was a 20 minute train ride to Copenhagen.
Checked into the Axel, got our old room again, freshened up.
We went out to dinner at Biomio on Söndergade, an organic restaurant with wok dishes it was pretty delishes. I had a noodle beef veggie entree and it was very gingery.








After dinner we went to Pate Pate for a beverage the place was really packed and buzzing with hipsters.
Time to head back to our hotel via the hookers, pimps and pushers. First we checked out the meatpacking district which started to bloom in the last two years according to our hotel bartender, it was pretty cool looking, one of the places was having a Cuban night.


Sleepy sleep time.

- Posted by misskitty1970

Art by the Sea, Day 4

Oh sweet Jesus! I woke up feelin' like a hell! Belly's not so good but went down to the organic hotel breakfast buffet stuffed face and came back to my room for a two hour nap! Between my belly and sarcardian rythm being off I needed to rest some more. Turned out well because it was pouring rain til late in the afternoon. So around 3:15 we set off to the Central Copenhagen station to get train tickets at the ticket counter, turns out you can by a roundtrio ticket and Museum pass for a reduced price there (176 kr).








We took the 45 min train towards Helsingor and got off at Humblecken and walked a few blocks checking out the cool Danish houses along the road. All the houses had intensely peak roofs we assume its so the snow does not accumalate in the winter and collapse their roofs.








We finally arrived at the Lousinana Museum it finally stopped raining, thank goodness because the sculpture gardens outside are spectacular with amazing views of the sea! We spent about 2 hours just laying in the sun absorbing the warm rays and smelling the cool breeze off the sea mixed with the smell of wild roses growing along the beach!!!








After our sun bath we had dinner on their huge patio, the food was really good I had roasted sirloin beef with seared tuna, mini parmasean potatoes, and delicious herb bread.








After our meal and a bit more of sun soaking we explored the museum and it did not disappoint. Between the architecture, the collection, the foliage and the sunset (@9 pm, museum is opened from 10am-11pm) it was an amazing experience! We saw Giacommetti, Henry Moore, Noguchi, Calder, Henry Heeper and many more.








The collection is a perfect size and not overwhelming like many museums.
We set out around 9:30pm, sun shining brightly train came right away we headed to our hotel. Got in around 10:30pm suns still out. We headed out for a beverage at Pate Pate a very hip tapas bar/ cafe on Sonder Blvd.








I had a rich hot chocolate some sparkling water and we shared som dates wrapped in bacon, yummy!









Then back to the hotel at midnight, since the place was closing. To bed again.


- Posted by misskitty1970

Christiana never again!

First night in Copenhagen was cold and wet, but we manged to get to an amazing restaurant Soren K at the Black Diamond Library, which in itself was truly amazing. The library is a massive glass and steel structure in the shape of a black diamond and the interior had circular glass rooms. The restaurant was located inside facing the water, so when the rain cleared and darkness fell it was pretty spectacular. The food was really interesting and really expensive and we were soon to find out all food is expensive in Copenhagen. I got the smoked scallops that came on top of a bed of sour cream risotto and for dinner I had a free-range chicken and for dessert a rhubarb and chocolate mousse tasty treat.










Yesterday we got a late start due to Jetlag and my partner having a terrible cold. When we first stepped out in search of our first meal of the day, lunch, we were treated to an old dude having sexy-time with a Lady Gaga poster, YUCK! Moving on.

First we headed to an open face sandwich place that our friend Dada recommended, Sorgenfri, a 180 yr old restaurant!!! I had a hamburger steak with a fried egg and Debra had the shrimps and hard boiled egg sandwich. Mine was a little meaty for me but Debra's was tasty! The atmosphere was of a small tavern and the staff was nice-ish, homey decor.









Then we were off to Christian town via Christianborg. Christianborg was amazing I felt like we were at Hogwarts. Just beautiful old architecture and lovely gardens, plus fancy huge pigeons. We finally arrived at Knipplesbro bridge and walked over it to Christian town it was a 10 mins walk, easy peesy. I needed a loo in the worst way so we went in to buy a beverage at a cafe called Coco, had a delicious chai latte(which I'm totally addicted to here)&used their facilities. We got to watch True Blood while in the cafe, that's a bonus!









So we continued to meander around town looking for a mythical bakery our concierge told us about (never found it) and came across this park along the canal mind you everything we had seen so far in Copenhagen was like a magical faerieland, little did we know what was in store for us. As we traveled on this path along the water we realized the gents hanging out weren't gents at all they had a real seedy element. We kept walking until we reached a sign saying welcome to Christiania we saw more seedy people, it started getting scary. Well I needed another loo after my chai latte so I kept going we arrived in the middle of a music venue slash drug den! Used the loo, took some pics, got assaulted by a crazed junkie!!!! This very large toothless young blonde guy comes over to ask to look at my camera and I ignored him because I'm from NYC and that's what you do. He grabs me by the shoulders from behind and wouldn't let me go until I showed him my pictures and deleted the ones he deemed unwatchable. Because apparently amongst all the grafitti on the side of a delapited building there was a picture of a camera with an X running through it and I mistakenly took a picture of it. If my blog wasn't on the G rated side I would list all the foul things this guy said to me. So from what I read there's more ti Christiana than this but I have to say put me down for a big NO THANK YOU!

Debra did not want our afternoon completely ruined by this jerk so we decided to get some lattes at another Dada recommended spot Cafe Wilder. It a nice place to sit outside or sit in tbe lovely interior. The service was very good and the Chai latte was delish! Then off we werw again to Stroget to find everything closed because it's daytime here for so long that you forget what time it is we realized it was 9pm! So we went for dinner at Stella's nice service and tasty tomato soup! Time for bed.

- Posted by misskitty1970

The eve of Pre-Scandiness

Sweet baby Budda

On the eve of my amazing vacation I've begun to worry about my sweet boy and how he'll do for 18 days without his mommy. I feel bad about it, but on the other hand I'm super psyched to get on our way. Went to Wholefoods picked up some tasty snacks for the flight tomorrow and my iphone AND my ipod are loaded with hours of entertainment. Not sure if I will bring a crafting project with only because I'm looking forward to lots of reading but I will have a sketchbook and drawing acoutrements on hand. Gotta pack and drop my boy off tonight.Gonna just chill after packing, I'm hoping my supervisor decides I don't need to come in tomorrow, that would be so sweet!

Denmark and Sweden only one week away!!!!

(not my photo, borrowed from travel site)

OMG!!! OMG!!!! I'm leaving to Denmark and Sweden next week I cannot wait!!! I have not allowed myself to get excited at all because my last two trips had to be canceled, well one was canceled on me (my birthday trip to Iceland) So now I'm allowing myself some excitement since it's only a week away. Okay so I'm warning everyone that this blog will be temporarily a travel blog til I return at the end of June, but I think you'll forgive me since I will definitely be posting some neat stuff.