~o~
Saturday 2nd. Up at 6.30. Still here in Copenhagen. All day sunshine is promised. First blog post by mobile phone! With additions on my return home.
The train was full yesterday but I managed to get a seat in the cycle storage department. I have booked a seat for the return trip. Many passengers don't give a damn for other travellers. Often leaving their bags on seats to avoid sharing.
My world is suddenly full of young people. They are everywhere and taking over! 😏
I went for a walk to explore. I can't post images via the phone.
More later: I have tidied up the blog after coming home. Added an image from a beautiful "yard" between imposing buildings. Copenhagen is all about tall terraces with private spaces in between. Most have imposing doors or "portals" at intervals. To provide secure access to these internal, open spaces. Shared by multiple flats for residents. Places to park their numerous bikes.
They keep adding to the tops of the buildings to increase the capacity. Many terraces are superficially "Georgian" in style but often reach to seven or eight floors. It has its elite areas and countless top names in "designer label"shops. Rows of high end cars grace some streets. With spoiled "silverbacks" racing about in super-sports cars. With illegal exhaust noise and insane acceleration. Presumably they are much too rich to prosecute.
The number of cyclists is huge and they can really move! Most streets are furnished with a raised cycle lane on either side. With the pavements still higher in level in places. This protects the cyclists and pedestrians from the traffic and each other. Though it can be amusing to find oneself missing the double kerb on crossings. The image is very typical for a street scene in early morning traffic.
Only tourists attempt to cross on the pedestrian red lights. The Danes wait patiently and obediently. There is remarkably little noise in the city. Despite the opposing walls of buildings providing an echo chamber. Nobody ever honks their horn and the police, ambulance and fire sirens are a rarity.
The one thing which stood out was the sheer number of building sites. These often detract from the whole. With little respect being shown for traditional architecture or prime facades. Waterfronts often seem completely unprotected from the latest architectural fad or monstrosity. Brutal concrete carbuncles abound! Depending entirely on personal taste of course.
Water is a major part of the city's environment. With premium buildings, like the national theatre, very prominent. A huge, glazed box with acres of glass soaring high and mighty. The image alongside is taken from the vast, open boardwalk outside the theatre.
Towering hotels are everywhere. For those who don't need to ask the price. Some are housed in converted, waterside warehouses. With only the name tag as visible evidence of internal luxury.
The bright, spotless, mostly stainless steel Metro is multilevelled and accelerates and brakes hard for mere beginners like myself. The Danes have adapted and stand or walk up and down the carriages completely without effort. I was clinging onto any available bars at first. Though I began to accept the remarkable G-forces after a bit of practice!
My hostess was well versed in finding her way about the city. A travel pass being the norm for most users. The travel cards had to be waved at special posts with blue lights. To be registered for their journeys. No drivers are involved. It is all completely automatic.
There are no dark corners. Tramps, with pushchairs full of their garbage, use the metro lifts. Without any sign of police or security personnel anywhere. One boarded a lift and he chatted away drunkenly to everybody and nobody. Probably the only sign of poverty I came across outside of Christiania.
~o~
