Weekend #2
NB: I apologize in advance if this post has any inconsistencies as I have a bit of a cold. And now to our regularly scheduled programming.
Friday heralded the annual Danish Jazz Festival, a large…well, jazz festival that runs from July 4-13 this year. I saw a bit of an open-air concert at the famous anchor memorial by Nyhavn. Saturday, I took a stroll through Fredericksberg Have, a nearby park that is one of the most enjoyable parks I have ever seen. Many other people agreed; it was very crowded, with people of all ages–from young families to groups of youth and teenagers to old couples–walking around, sunbathing, playing games, and just in general having a good time. An added bonus is that the Copenhagen Zoo is adjacent to the park, specifically the elephant exhibit, and although I intend to visit the zoo properly, I happen to have gotten a free preview.
On Saturday evening, we hosted a BBQ/Garden Party at our dorm, as we have a nice yard with a concrete patio that’s furnished with a grill. It was a pleasant experience; the air was filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter, and the aromas of barbecue and alcohol. I’d say we are quite liable to host more of those. Some people hadn’t had enough and went out afterward, but I did not join them due to a slight exhaustion and lack of interest.
The social program had a canal tour planned for Sunday afternoon, leaving from Nyhavn, going through Christianshavn, past Christiania (the “Free City”), Holmen, and up to the renowned Little Mermaid statue, before heading back. I took many photographs. Following the boat tour, I walked around on my own for a few hours, exploring the jazz festival by Nyhavn. I then went to a flea market across the street in Kongens Nytorv, and again took many photographs of the food and wares. One of the more particularly interesting goods I saw on sale was wooden figurines of ducklings wearing sneakers.
I continued walking down Gothersgade, a main street, and arrived at Kongens Have, Copenhagen’s oldest park, where there was another, much larger, free concert as part of the festival. And once again, I took many photographs. After Kongens Have, I contued walking down Gothergade and quickly came to Botanisk Have, the botanical gardens, where I did not take many photographs on the account of discovering that, sadly, my camera battery had died. Rather than walking around the gardens for the 38 minutes that it would remain open, I found the nearest Metro stop and went back to Fredericksberg.
Once back in my room, I decided to forgo my readings and watch as much Flight of the Conchords as I could manage. Between then and today, I managed to watch nine of the twelve episodes from the first season. I did eventually go to the library and do some of my readings, eventually getting frustrated with the fact that the reserve copy of one of my textbooks was out–without a time limit–and I subsequently bought a copy. Luckily, they have the softcover, international edition, which is much cheaper than the regular edition although it was still pricey. I may buy a slightly older edition from Amazon.co.uk.
The good thing about that expedition was that it was my first time using a bicycle to get around over here. I was slightly nervous to be riding one lane over from moving motor vehicles, and to have impatient Danes cycle past me at high speeds, but all in all, it was a beneficially quick way of transport that I will definitely use again, perhaps even back in New York.
As usual, here are some links to my photos:
Canal Tour & Nyhavn
Flea Market & Jazz Festival
And, of course, you can find selected photos at my deviantART gallery.
Got nat.
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