Uge Ni (Week Nine: 22.03.12 - 29.03.12) - Personal

This week was an exciting week for me as my boyfriend Dean, arrived in Copenhagen.  He was my first visitor and after being apart for eight weeks it was great to see a familiar face.  As he had never visited Copenhagen before we decided to have a very touristy weekend with me as the tour guide. 

Enjoying the view at the top of the Round Tower.

The weather has recently taken a turn for the better and Spring has finally arrived!  It is a welcome arrival as the weather had been extremely cold most of the time since my arrival.  We decided to make use of the clear blue skies and climb the ‘Round Tower’ in Copenhagen which was built by Christian IV and offers a magnificent view over Copenhagen when the skies are clear.  It wasn’t much of a climb though as there are no steps and  it is instead cobbled the entire way up, as the King wanted to ride his horse to the top rather than walk.  Once at the top the view is incredible and you can see many of the sights of the Copenhagen area as well as across to Malmo in Sweden.  We even managed to witness a couple who just got married getting their pictures taken!

Another interesting visit was to the Carlsberg Factory to sample some Danish beers.  Here I learnt about the history of brewing in Denmark and how J.C Jacobsen’s vision and techniques are still of major influence today.  The Jacobsen family have had a huge influence on the architecture of Copenhagen and after visiting the factory I became more aware of their many contributions to the city.  They inspired the construction of the ‘Little Mermaid’ statue as well as founding the Danish Museum of Art and Design among others.



The beer collect inside the Carlsberg Factory.

Sunny Nyhavn.

My favourite part of the weekend was taking a canal tour around Copenhagen.  I have wanted to do this since arriving but it has always been too cold or the lakes have been frozen.  It was so warm we even sat on the deck of the boat and it was a great way to see the city.  Before boarding the boat I was amazed at the vast amount of people in Nyhavn.  I had been told by numerous Danish people that it was a popular area to relax, eat and drink in when the weather was nice but I don’t think I really believed them until I saw it.  Every occupied space was filled with people just relaxing with a few beers, enjoying the sunshine and the bars and restaurants were packed to capacity.  It was really nice to see and there were many jazz bands playing to provide entertainment, so there was a great atmosphere.  I find it surprising how people drink alcohol on the streets as in Northern Ireland this is not tolerated.  However, in Denmark no one seems to mind.  I’m not sure whether this is because they are more relaxed as a nation or because people are not drinking excessively, perhaps it is a combination of both but it is definitely a big difference.

On the canal tour.

Through having Dean here I have realised that I have become a lot more independent and relaxed since leaving home.  I am no longer relying on anyone else to cook, clean, do my washing etc for me, I can take public transport with ease and I have become a lot more active in that I walk everywhere if possible.  These are changes that I hope to take home with me and as I am now officially halfway through it will be interesting to see what else I learn.