Happy to be Traveling

Post by Grubb. Touring Copenhagen’s National Gallery took me through century after century of European painting and there was nothing wrong with that especially when I ran across an unexpected Hieronymous  Bosch. But there’s only so much appreciation I can muster for the allegorical and royal before I want to explode it all in modern smithereens.  Matisse…

Post by Grubb. Lauded by the Danish in the later part of the 19th century when he was alive, Bloch’s reputation tanked when modernism hit the scene.  His emotionally charged depictions of Christ and Prometheus didn’t prefigure any of the new 20th century ‘isms and seemed hopelessly out of date.  But now there is an entire exhibit…

Post by Ella. Can I just say, it was a cold, blustery day. Temperature hovered around 45 with wind chill taking it down to 38. Typical Danish spring. For me, all layers on board (windbreaker, light down jacket, light sweatshirt, shirt, Tshirt) plus a knit cap. Today, among other destinations, the Cisternerne. Two metros, one…

Post by Grubb. I looked out the window this morning and didn’t need a weather report to know the wind was up. No bathers today.

Post by Ella. For the last couple of nights, we’ve been making our own, somewhat basic Smørrebrød at our apartment. Today, the fancier version that looked a lot prettier than ours, at a little place called Amadeus (yes, that one). Smørrebrød is a traditional Danish open-faced sandwich, usually served with soft but hearty rye bread….

Post by Grubb. This is an apartment building down the street from where we’re staying.  It has an extensive view of the inlet where the young folk were swimming yesterday. Keeping up with the circular theme.

Post by Grubb. Whether it’s chocolate dipped or sugar covered, the pastry selection at the bakeries here in Copenhagen are mouth watering. Olaf would have filled a basket; I settled for a raisin bun.

Post by Grubb Scrolling through yesterday’s photos I realized that my shots of Copenhagen’s Circular Bridge didn’t do it justice. What do you think?  Does it amaze?

Post by Grubb. So outside the Rosenberg Castle Ella says to me, why don’t I get a picture of you standing in front of the guard hut?  Sure, I think to myself, it sounds like something Olaf Oesterplunk would do while scoffing at the King.  I barely began striking a pose before the actual guard, dressed in…

Post by Grubb. Two great-greats on my mother’s side immigrated to America from Denmark in the late 1840s.  So here I am in the old city section of Copenhagen and maybe it’s my uneven footing on the cobblestone streets, like Proust tripping over loose paving in the Guermantes courtyard, but I begin to feel swayed by…

Post by Ella A few photos from today’s wander around Copenhagen.

Post by Grubb. The next architectural gem that I was determined to find was Copenhagen’s Circle Bridge on the Christianshavn Canal.  It is exactly that: a small wooden bridge tressed from above with a spray of wire cables.  When we got there Ella asked where it was.  “You’re standing on it,” I told her.  I got the look.  The circle…

Post by Grubb. Years ago I taught a class about art design in film with an architect who turned me onto Bjorke Ingles, so I was eager to see Bjorke’s 8House.  Winner of the Housing category at the World Architecture Festival in 2011, 8House has 476 homes divided into townhouses.  “The entire complex is combined by a…

Post by Grubb. On my way to grab a cup of coffee and a pastry, I went by a seaside promenade where some adventurous young people were taking a dip.  I don’t know what the water temperature was where they were swimming, but it was around 49 degrees outside.   As they egged each other on it…

Post by Ella Christiania is a “micro nation”, or perhaps one could call it an independent municipality, within Copenhagen. Founded in 1971 when some folks decided to put down roots on an abandoned military base. One can imagine a group of young, hippiesh libertarians rebelling against the corporate world. The laws in Christiana are simple…