First Impressions

Goddag Kovenhavn

I remember stepping off the plane this past Wednesday red-eyed but excited. It was about 10:30am Copenhagen time (3:30am Canadian time) and everything was so gorgeous and fairly sunny. My Dad and I took the Metro to Amagerbro Station (where I am staying at a hotel with my Dad until Tuesday). I was and still am, very impressed by the Metro, more so impressed by the design of it. It is very streamlined and clean in contrast to the TTC. Everything in Copenhagen whether it be a Metro car or an office, is designed beautifully; the Danes have such an attention to detail. I have been here for four days and am still, and will most likely be continue to be, amazed by the architecture and design of this gorgeous city. 

The Danish Lifestyle

A noteworthy feature of Danish design would be the use of large windows. Winter months in Copenhagen are very dark. So far there has only been one particularly sunny day, most of the time it's rainy or windy. The Danes definitely operate on a different schedule because of this lack of sun. From what I've noticed, they seem to work from 6am until 3 or 4pm and I think this is to make full use of the sun. By the time it's 4pm it starts to get really dark outside and I feel like I'm ready for bed. For this reason, many places (besides hospitality services) close around that time. 

Examples of Danish architecture in the center of Copenhagen

In Pursuit of the Key


One of the greatest trials that I have faced (and my Dad has faced along with me) has been getting the key for my residence Keops Kollegiet. I have been so anxious to move in because I know that, due to proximity, the people in my residence are most likely to be some of my closest friends here. The key pick-up is at the International Office whose hours are Monday - Friday 10am - 3pm and Thursdays 12 - 5pm. For an International student who has Danish lessons from 9am - 12:30pm (more on that later), it is rather difficult to pick up the keys and is almost impossible to actually find out where the pickup is! 


So far it has taken my Dad and I 3 unsuccessful tries:


Try 1: We got lost getting there (street names are Danish and confusing, and are not clearly laid out, also it is especially hard to find things when it is dark out)


Try 2: We found the building (Norregade 10) but the door was locked! We took the opportunity to take a well-deserved photo op and decided to check back the next day.

Photo op in front of Norregade 10, the supposed key-pick up location

Try 3: We found Norregade 10 in no time after our previous day's exploration. Upon opening the door we realized that we were in courtyard and did not know where to go next. 
30 minutes later: after asking a few Danes for directions (including walking into the Professors' shared office and asking one of them) and opening many doors with maze-like maps, we found the key pickup in a courtyard just as the key clerk was closing up at about 3:15pm. 


My Dad is just going to try and get my key while I am in class this Monday ( I will probably have to write a letter of permission) and if unsuccessful, we will just go together for the fourth and hopefully final time, to "Norregade 10."




Now time for some pictures!

Some very fat, or very cold pigeons in the center of Copenhagen

The entrance to Tivoli: a wonderful and magical amusement park that re-opens on April 17th - I can't wait!

My birthday twin Hans Christian Anderson and I. We share the same birthday on April 2nd but he was born about 200 years before me in 1805. He was voted the most famous Dane!

The front of the Hans Christian Anderson exhibit at Ripley's Believe it or Not

Walking in my new 'hood Norrebro also an example of the typical Copenhagen side street. 

Also on a side note, fireworks seem to be set off here for no reason. But now that I think about it, do you need a distinct reason to set off fireworks?