June 21: Freetown Christiania & marionettes in Kongen's Have [journal]

Hello friends |

Before arriving inwards Copenhagen , many people had been quick to give us suggestions – view the SMK , consume at Riz Raz , peruse the Danish homewares – but nil was every bit oftentimes suggested every bit Christiania.

Located inwards the borough of Christianshavn , Christiania was educate past times a hippy collective inwards the 70’s , governed separately to the residual of Copenhagen.  You don’t pay rent to alive inwards Christiania – you lot apply too instruct accepted.  The other matter that sets Christiania apart from the Christianshavn bustling around exterior its walls , is its ‘green low-cal district’ where you lot tin purchase joints from men inwards balaclavas.

Anyway , we’d heard lots virtually Christiania , but hadn’t visited yet.  On the forenoon of June 21 , nosotros had no intention to halt past times the marijuana-scented commune , but fate intervened; I left the map at dwelling solid , nosotros took a yoke of incorrect turns too ended upwardly out the front. 

A brick archway bearing the words “beware hither endure dragons” met us at the entrance. The aroma of marijuana got caught inwards the air current too floated towards us , every bit if to allow us know where we’d establish ourselves. 

“Do you lot desire to become in?” Nicholas asked , a footling hesitant , catching sight of some of the locals loitering about.  I was already headed for an option entrance – this i merely read Christiania – too on my way in.

We strolled inwards on the aptly named Pusher Street , greeted past times numerous signs indicating that photography was forbidden.  I tucked my photographic boob tube camera nether my cardigan.  The vendors kept their faces concealed , inwards representative an unsuspecting tourist accidentally snapped them dishing out spliffs.  Marijuana is however illegal inwards Copenhagen.

Continuing past times quondam buildings , untamed flowerbeds too veggie gardens , nosotros walked through the “no car” zone , existence overtaken solely past times pushbikes.  Several dogs meandered around , leashless , too a few locals pottered virtually , tending to their homes too painting.  Lots of cafes advertising vegetarian too vegan nutrient caught our oculus , but nosotros were without cash , too assumed at that topographic point were no EFTPOS facilities inside.

We made our way out of Christiania , heading onward to the Opera House too swinging past times the architecture pump , earlier making a beeline for Kongs Haven.  Partially due to its cardinal place , too partially because it’s beautiful , we’d spent a few hours exploring the gardens already.  On our concluding sojourn through the gardens , nosotros spied an quondam marionette theater that advertised gratis shows twice a day.

The common was filled amongst Danes , shirts rolled upwardly to tan their bellies , lying inwards the sun.  When nosotros arrived at the far destination of the gardens , the marionette demo had exactly begun , but it wasn’t hard to deduce what was happening.  Two bakers - competing for customers - alike inwards dignity , inwards fair Copenhagen where nosotros lay our scene.  A Romeo too Juliet-esque plot emerged , amongst their children falling inwards dear , too dream sequences depicted the town burning to the Blue Planet , until they unite , combining their efforts to construct a bakery together.  I think.

I'm guessing 'slut' way something dissimilar inwards Danish. Nicholas later informed me it way 'finish' , which I approximate makes sense.

Hungry , hot too thirsty , nosotros decided to pack inwards most of our remaining budget too caput for a waffle street vendor we’d been eyeing off since nosotros arrived.  A long , late-night conversation amongst our London-based adventurer friends had position our trip into amend perspective; after , nosotros decided that spending $40 on waffles wasn’t the worst matter nosotros could do.

We were almost at that topographic point when Nicholas patted downwards his pockets , realised he’d forgotten my telephone at the marionette demo , too nosotros had to brand a mad dash dorsum to the theatre.  Seats empty , the theater packed upwardly , nosotros felt a footling downwards on our luck.  Fortunately , a puppeteer popped out of a little door inwards the theater too retrieved it for us.  Success!  Potentially plenty success to justify an extra waffle?

Oh my god.

Tummies total of waffle , delirious too tired from the beginnings of heatstroke , nosotros wandered vaguely homewards , passing past times a Cat Café (“My whole life is a Cat Café ,” I told Nick , when he asked if I wanted to front end the 100DKK to become in) for an afternoon nap.

Our electrical flow AirBnB host had caput northward to Jutland for the nighttime previous , but told us he would hurry dwelling solid then that he could convey us to the Tivoli for our concluding nighttime inwards Copenhagen.  We had walked past times the beautiful Tivoli , amongst its twinkling lights , most nights since nosotros had arrived , but been deterred past times the 99DKK entry fee.

Just after 9pm , our host arrived dwelling solid , offering to convey us downwards too allow us inwards using his annual pass.  Happily , nosotros accepted , too begun the sunset stroll dorsum into town. 

Stepping through the golden archway of the Tivoli , inwards the bluish halflight of sunset , was its ain form of magic.  The cherry-red too xanthous fairy lights sparkled inwards the distance , slightly out of focus every bit I adjusted to the light. 

“Let’s become this way ,” our host said , pointing downwards a narrow pathway lit amongst warm light.  “I demand to banking concern check when the Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation demo starts at the lake.”

The photographs too stories from our enchanted sunset inwards the Tivoli deserve their ain slice of the Internet , though , then I’ll salvage them for some other time…