寻之.空 9

二度空间的记忆，只有在梦里特别清晰。也许我曾经在那异空间遇过你，也遇见自己。

Denmark (Copenhagen) - August 2015

21st August 2015 - Friday 

Denmark has never been listed as one of my prioritized travelling destination nonetheless I have once again gone on a spontaneous trip to Copenhagen for a short weekend getaway. Summer being the finest travelling season of the year made this a perfect trip accompanied by a clear blue sky, warm sunshine and timely sunset hours. 

Arriving at the Main Train Station - Köbenhavn H at 8.35pm, the hotel was just 1km walking distance away. The check-in was rather smooth and the room view from the 8th Floor was not a bad one. After unloading our baggage, the holiday begins with visiting the nearby Tivoli Gardens & Amusements Park. The one and only ride on the Dæmonen Roller Coaster with the height of 92 feet and1850.4 feet long was a great experience even though I almost got a heart attack (undeniably I am getting older now!). Fairly common in Europe, most kitchens and restaurants were closed before 12.00am thus making Burger King the first meal of the night. 

Being listed as No.1 in the “20 Most Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet 2015 Index”, cycling is definitely a prudent option to travel around Copenhagen. With the bicycle rental at DKK115 (RM75.50) per day, almost every tourist destinations are conveniently reachable. Riding a bicycle is similar to driving a car where most of the driving regulations apply. There are mini versions of the traffic lights on the bicycle pathway and the most challenging part is getting used to the opposite driving/riding direction on the right-hand traffic. It is very convenient because bicycle can be easily converted to move between the footways and the bicycle pathway and at the same time saving plenty amount of time. 

Taking a bicycle ride around the city during midnight is absolutely wonderful and I am in love with the tranquillity, cool breeze and the least traffic condition at this odd hour having the chance of a closer look at the bronze statue of The Little Mermaid and wandering around the Amalienborg Palace Square. Merely the pub street is filled with party-goers and drinkers but other than that, major part of the streets were dead silence. 

22nd August 2015 - Saturday 

Having read the review in TripAdvisor, I thought the breakfast in Wakeup Copenhagen Hotel would be disappointing but surprisingly it turns out to be a satisfying one catering cereal, bread with cheese, ham, butter and jam, boiled eggs, fruit juice, yoghurt and etc. The meal sufficiently provides enough energy for us to cycle round the city and headed towards the famous Little Mermaid sculpture once more for a morning view. That morning was filled with an early crowd having batches of tour busses but luckily we visited this same attraction a night before. 

Arriving at the National Gallery of Denmark, I couldn’t believe that I would be so absent minded to have left behind my Copenhagen Card in the hotel room hence having to cycle all the way back again! Arriving at Strøget in the afternoon, we witness the crowd in this shopping street and the Round Tower Rundetårn is a perfect place to oversee the city. The afternoon was spent having an absolutely relaxing lunch at Le President blending into the western lifestyle sitting along the happening street of Strøget enjoying a bottle of white wine, pasta and grill salmon, as well as strolling in the Garden of Rosenborg Castle. This would be my first time getting drunk in the afternoon with my head spinning plus the experience of “drink and drive (cycle)”…lol 

Nyhavn is a perfect place to hang-out during weekends for gatherings and drinks. Never will I forget my craving for ice-creams wherever I go. But due to the crowd and failing to locate a shady seat, we only managed to enjoy the ice-cream at the bank of the river overlooking the crowd. 

It is my first time watching a movie in the cinema of Europe (Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation) and looks like this is not a favourite entertainment option because the cinema was rather empty even on Saturday night. It cost DKK107 (RM70) for a show and tickets could be purchase conveniently at the self-service kiosk (but often not everything is in English). 

23rd August 2015 - Sunday 

The Freetown of Christiania – a hippie commune is worth visiting but unfortunately Sunday morning is not exactly the right time as almost everything was closed whereby the party has either ended or is just yet to begin. The trading of cannabis and hash is rather common but not altogether legal; hence it is important to note that photography is absolutely forbidden in and near the Pusher Street since the pushers will not want to be identified in anyway. It is always recommended to take extra precaution but this place isn’t as dangerous if you maintain a low profile and pay everyone the due respect. 

Visiting the originating place of Carlsberg took us around 3km ride from the hotel. The entrance ticket comes with 2 glasses of free beer having a range of beer choices available for selection, while food can as well be purchased from the restaurant. Travelling with excellent drinker seems to be a plus point else I will be K.O. once more during daylight. 

While waiting to depart to the airport, a final stop at the main street for shopping is needed in order to complete my collection of key-chains. The remaining hours were then spent sitting outside a café enjoying the ice chocolate-blend and coffee. Every trip is a new experience to me but most importantly is the companionship that counts towards a pleasant journey.