I’m back! Sorry its been so long since I last blogged. But it’s been really hard to sit down and write as I’ve been out experiencing Copenhagen and Europe. At the moment though it’s exam time and instead of writing this I should really be studying. But it has been extremely hard to study here as there are way too many distractions (You can relate can’t you Borty!). So I feel writing this blog is slightly better than full on procrastination but probably not as good as actually studying. So here I am writing.
I suppose the first thing that’s happened since my last blog was that I got caught out by the Icelandic volcano. I was supposed to go to Geneva on the 16th April but unfortunately my flight got cancelled. Thankfully I was able to change my flight to the following week.
I had an amazing time in Geneva and it was so much better having a local as a tour guide, thanks Sev. So I spend most of Saturday just walking around Geneva enjoying the beautiful 25 degree sunny weather while sadly Severine had to work most of the day. But I was well equipped with a map pinpointing all the touristy things I should visit. But I think what I enjoyed most was just sitting and relaxing in the sun and looking out onto Lake Geneva with the Jet d'Eau in the centre and the surreal Swiss Alps in the backdrop. Then in the evening I was treated to a traditional Swiss dinner which c'était délicieux. Sunday was again a fantastic day, weather wise. First thing Sunday morning it was off to church which was completely in French but I think I managed to get something out of it with a little help. After church we trekked up the side of a mountain with some of Sev’s friends. Then we all had lunch on the mountain side overlooking the entire city of Geneva. After lunch it was off to Nyon for afternoon tea which is right on Lake Geneva about an hour or so outside of Geneva. So all in all not a bad trip Geneva. One small hiccup though was I left my camera on the plane on the flight back. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal as I realised before I left the airport but Easy Jet, the budget airline, they are only are on the tarmac for 30 minutes before they fly back to Geneva. So I spend 30 minutes franticly trying to make sure they had found my camera before the flight took off again. Thankfully I caught it just in time. TIP - don’t leave your camera behind on the plane when you depart.
Jet d'Eau on Lake Geneva
Geneva Back in Copenhagen, I had an interesting experience last weekend as it is Union Day on Saturday 1st May. This is a holiday for most workers in Denmark and they have a political rally of sorts in Fælledparken. As a politically inept person I thought there would be political speeches, marches, and lots of passionate lefty political types (Much like myself). There was definitely a political backdrop (Complete with communist flags and fascists) but the focus in Copenhagen was clearly to get drunk and in true liberalism was encouraged for all ages (Some were as young as 10!) So I came away a bit perplexed and saddened by the whole event especially at the fact that such a fantastic idea had deteriorated into a drunken slosh. I suppose I’m just highlighting idealistic I actually am.
The Free Tibet Party
The Communists in FælledparkenOn a lighter note I experienced some traditional Danish cultural on Sunday with my one of the families at my church. Peter and his wife Mona were kind enough to open there house to us and treat a group of us to a traditional Danish grill (i.e. A BBQ). This was truly hygge moment. (Not sure if I’ve mentioned this yet but ‘hygge’ is a Danish word which can’t be translated into English. The closest word is probably cosy but it is so much more than this. It’s a deep sense of place and well-being, a feeling of friendship, warmth, contentment and peace with your immediate surroundings. A really beautiful concept and one of the aspects I just love of Danish culture). We all sat round the grill with bamboo sticks wrapped in dough cooking it over the open grill. Once cooked you replace the bamboo stick with a sausage and then you have a traditional Danish hotdog which you top with onions and remoulade sauce.
So that’s been the last few weeks in Copenhagen. I want to finally leave with the funniest thing I’ve read recently just to demonstrate just how strange the Danes are. Enjoy. http://politiken.dk/newsinenglish/article962411.ece
Missing you all. Take care.
Jono
