Hi All
I am currently staying with Ann Morrison and her cute dog Clara in a 'summer house' about 30 mins drive out of Aalborg. This is a holiday house area. There are lots of trees and well spread out houses - very flat. She has been a great hostess. We worked Friday morning at the local library (for internet). Then looked at the tall ships in the harbour,about 25 of them there for a regatta. Went to a department dinner on Friday night, at the department head's ranch - everyone very friendly. Yesterday we worked, tourists and then had her dog walking friends over for dinner - again very friendly. No internet at the house, despite us trying very hard to get Ann's new modem going!
Today we are in Aalborg, where Ann works and the 3rd largest town in Denmark. Its very nice with some old bits and ultra modern bits. I do like it here... that is apart from the weather. It hasn't been so rainy, but a hot day here is 20C.
Off to the UK tomorrow - hopefully simpler than the Copenhagen - Aalborg leg. I turned up at the airport (early fortunately) to find the airline I was booked on no longer existed. I managed to get a ticket on another airline about the same time - the only other flight for the day was fully booked... just as well I was early... Of course the new ticket was a bit expensive (~$400) but that is just the way it goes.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Copenhagen
I have to say that Copenhagen is growing on me. There was sun today, and although it is still not warm, it was a very nice day. I have just walked home from the conference dinner at 10:30pm in the dusk - at 11:30pm it is more-or-less dark.
Copenhagen is a beautiful city with a blend of old and new architecture. New buildings are definately new - super modern architecture, with a great feeling of light about them. Below is a hotel that is not far from the university. While it stands out as being super funky, there are lots of other funky building around about.
Conference finishes tomorrow and I am off to Aaborg in the afternoon. I am staying there with a kiwi woman who works at Aaborb Universiy.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Copenhagen!
Arrived in Copenhagen mid-afternoon yesterday. The airport, to hotel train, map reading etc went smoothly .... accept the handle strap broke on my nice new (admired) bag. The weather was grey, drizzly and cool, but I went for a wander up the streets to get my bearings and see if I could spot a cheap bag shop. No luck with the bag, and after a while the shops began to shut so I wandered back to the hotel and had a nap.
The days are longgggg here. I think it is only dark from about 11pm to 4am. I woke several times in the night and could tell it was somewhat light, but couldn't be bothered looking at my watch. All seemed quiet and I figured I would hear the traffic when it was 7-8am. I woke properly at 9am, perhaps I better set an alarm for tomorrow!
It was grey and drizzly again. After several work phone conversations, I saw blue sky and thought, right, I am outa here. Of course by time I had myself and a bike organized it was drizzling again. After some lunch, I set off again, ignoring the rather heavy shower. I biked the 'walking tour' circuit. Past the palace (where Aussie Mary lives no doubt), the little mermaid and various churches, to the summer palace, Rosenborg, which has been a museum for a few hundred years. I did a tour of this, it is rather a contrast to the French stuff, being a lot older and smaller - but very cool. It included the royal treasury, which was bit of a treat with lots of lovely extremely intricate ivory and jewels, crowns etc.
I then headed off the tourist path for a little foray into the burbs. Very dark clouds persuaded me it was time to turn around. I was a bit late, so got damp again on the way back to the hotel.
After the tourist insanity of Paris, Copenhagen is rather nice. The people are friendly, everyone speaks English and the city is of a more manageable size. There are lots of tourists, but the place isn't overrun like Paris was, where one had to queue to get into anything. And they have public toilets - seriously, we were forever searching for loos in Paris. Here, at most of the major points on the walking tour there was a public loo - one notices these things when one has had to search or sneak into cafes!
Conferencing for the next few days. Having not achieved my goal of finding a cheap bag, for once I am interested in what the conference bag is like :0
The days are longgggg here. I think it is only dark from about 11pm to 4am. I woke several times in the night and could tell it was somewhat light, but couldn't be bothered looking at my watch. All seemed quiet and I figured I would hear the traffic when it was 7-8am. I woke properly at 9am, perhaps I better set an alarm for tomorrow!
It was grey and drizzly again. After several work phone conversations, I saw blue sky and thought, right, I am outa here. Of course by time I had myself and a bike organized it was drizzling again. After some lunch, I set off again, ignoring the rather heavy shower. I biked the 'walking tour' circuit. Past the palace (where Aussie Mary lives no doubt), the little mermaid and various churches, to the summer palace, Rosenborg, which has been a museum for a few hundred years. I did a tour of this, it is rather a contrast to the French stuff, being a lot older and smaller - but very cool. It included the royal treasury, which was bit of a treat with lots of lovely extremely intricate ivory and jewels, crowns etc.
I then headed off the tourist path for a little foray into the burbs. Very dark clouds persuaded me it was time to turn around. I was a bit late, so got damp again on the way back to the hotel.
After the tourist insanity of Paris, Copenhagen is rather nice. The people are friendly, everyone speaks English and the city is of a more manageable size. There are lots of tourists, but the place isn't overrun like Paris was, where one had to queue to get into anything. And they have public toilets - seriously, we were forever searching for loos in Paris. Here, at most of the major points on the walking tour there was a public loo - one notices these things when one has had to search or sneak into cafes!
Conferencing for the next few days. Having not achieved my goal of finding a cheap bag, for once I am interested in what the conference bag is like :0
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Au revoir Paris
Today was our last day in Paris. Tomorrow morning Grant heads home and I am off to Copenhagen.
We made a great choice for how to spend today. We went to the centre Pompidou - the modern art museum. It was stunning. The outside of the building is amazing. The inside is well organized spaces with a sequential journey of art from 1905 to 2012. A large number of Picasso's and lots of other contemporary work, organized in rooms with enough commentary so that even ignoramus like us could understand. Then some very, very new work including computer interactive and 3d printing.
We left there at about 6pm. The streets were buzzing with locals and sun! We wandered our way back to our apt - about 2-3kms with a cafe stop and late dinner. While at dinner some fire engines went past. When we walked home they were at a building just opposite ours, with a ladder up to the 5th floor and smoke coming out the window - all is quiet now.
Now it is time to pack and find some warmer clothes. High predicted for tomorrow in Copenhagen 14 burrrrrr
We made a great choice for how to spend today. We went to the centre Pompidou - the modern art museum. It was stunning. The outside of the building is amazing. The inside is well organized spaces with a sequential journey of art from 1905 to 2012. A large number of Picasso's and lots of other contemporary work, organized in rooms with enough commentary so that even ignoramus like us could understand. Then some very, very new work including computer interactive and 3d printing.
We left there at about 6pm. The streets were buzzing with locals and sun! We wandered our way back to our apt - about 2-3kms with a cafe stop and late dinner. While at dinner some fire engines went past. When we walked home they were at a building just opposite ours, with a ladder up to the 5th floor and smoke coming out the window - all is quiet now.
Now it is time to pack and find some warmer clothes. High predicted for tomorrow in Copenhagen 14 burrrrrr
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Another day in Paris
Busy day today - but we are learning to pace ourselves.
After a late start we wandered our way up to Montmartre, just a walk from where we are staying. We climbed up the dome and got accosted by the street Nigerians on the way down the steps. I objected to one trying to grab my wrist and told him to F off. They didn't like that - I didn't apologize!
We brought filled baguettes for lunch (yummm) which we had at home. After a nap while the thunder and lightening passed, we headed for Orsay, the art gallery with the impressionist collection. It is advertised to close at 9 on Thursday, but was closing at 6 today because of some music thing. It was a bit of a quick wiz around Monet, Renoir and the rest.
Then a rather nice dinner at a restaurant up the road from where we are staying. Followed by a wander of the streets listening to street bands. There seems to be one per block, playing everything from jazz to rock to a drum group of about 30. Finally we got back in time to see the light show on the Eiffel tower from our window.
After a late start we wandered our way up to Montmartre, just a walk from where we are staying. We climbed up the dome and got accosted by the street Nigerians on the way down the steps. I objected to one trying to grab my wrist and told him to F off. They didn't like that - I didn't apologize!
We brought filled baguettes for lunch (yummm) which we had at home. After a nap while the thunder and lightening passed, we headed for Orsay, the art gallery with the impressionist collection. It is advertised to close at 9 on Thursday, but was closing at 6 today because of some music thing. It was a bit of a quick wiz around Monet, Renoir and the rest.
Then a rather nice dinner at a restaurant up the road from where we are staying. Followed by a wander of the streets listening to street bands. There seems to be one per block, playing everything from jazz to rock to a drum group of about 30. Finally we got back in time to see the light show on the Eiffel tower from our window.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Gay Parie
Yesterday we were busy little tourists. We caught the metro to Notre Dame and wandered through it - amazing stained glass! Then across to the Latin quarter where we had Greek lunch We then did a 3 hour walking tour, which was both entertaining and informative. It ended a couple of metro stations from the eiffel tower, so I just had to keep going. The q for the elevators was 2 hours! There was no q for walking up. Grant thought better of it, I trotted up the 700+ steps to the second level (no need for a run today). We then metroed home for a short while before heading out again for tea. We sat and watched a couple of stars arrive at the picture theatre opposite for the premier of spider man 3d.
Today we were dragging our tired feet. We went out to Versailles in the most inefficient, hopeless tourist way possible. However we did get there, walk the gardens - about 5 kms, tour the palaces, and wonder at the craziness of it all. Now home with our feet up and dinner cooking on our 1 element.
Today we were dragging our tired feet. We went out to Versailles in the most inefficient, hopeless tourist way possible. However we did get there, walk the gardens - about 5 kms, tour the palaces, and wonder at the craziness of it all. Now home with our feet up and dinner cooking on our 1 element.
Monday, June 18, 2012
In Paris
An uneventful trip to Paris today. Dropped our rental off and caught the metro to our rooftop apartment. Small, but functional. Once installed we wander down the road a ways - through the garment district by the looks of it. Then back a different road, first it was 'clubs' with 'girls' (old bags) plying there trade. Then we crossed a road and we were in a Turkish section. Shopped for tea and breakfast, now enjoying champers before we cook. 
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