Atlantica - 01.11.2001, Page 34

32 A T L A N T I C A
dynamic and diverse. It’s full of pubs
catering to tourists, and those pesky
chain restaurants that centre around
Tivoli, but there are also chic hang-outs
like East Avenue, and others that attract
hipsters, such as Café Wilder, a café-
cum-bar located in Christianshavn, a
bohemian part of the capital dissected
and criss-crossed by canals. Café Wilder
is noticeably small, and normally tightly
packed with a mixture of artisans and
those that tread the middle line.
Since I just mentioned Christianshavn,
I might as well write something about
the Free State of Christiania, the every-
thing-goes community located in this
neighbourhood on an 840-acre site that
once was an army barracks.
FACE PAINT
Either you’re repulsed by the free flow of
“soft” drugs and the downtrodden look
of the commune, or the blast of freedom
intrigues you. Regardless of your feel-
ings, Christiania is a popular tourist
attraction with about 750,000 visitors a
year walking through the haphazard
grounds. Christiania is a must-see desti-
nation with its alternative version of the
Statue of Liberty and its many hash
shops – if you have a phobia of big dogs,
stay away because there are plenty
roaming.
All that “alternative” living gets a bit
dull after awhile. When boredom sets in,
a fine contrast is Nyhavn. Sure there are
a slew of tourists, but the multicoloured
houses, the many cafés and the old
wooden sailboats floating along the
canal make this neighbourhood the per-
fect place to hang about. During the
summer, outdoor tables and chairs flood
the quayside street. If you can’t find a
table, have a seat on the curb like every-
one else. Sip on a beer, eat a hot dog or
mingle with the numerous Swedes that
disembark the ferry from Malmö for a
night of cheap drinking. Despite the
throngs of people, Nyhavn is remarkably
romantic as the sun falls. And if nothing
else, you can watch with wonder as the
canal boat captains manoeuvre their
boats through the narrow canals.
Remember the flag story I mentioned
in the opening? Usually it would not
have aroused much interest – I mean,
does it really matter who flies the oldest
flag? But as I sit in Nyhavn today, the red
and white colours of the Danish flag are
in full bloom. The white cross painted on
a red background is tattooed like a
postage stamp on the faces of pretty
women (so many everywhere) as well
as stroller-going children. The messier
glob technique is used on the beer-
drinking men shouting merrily. Proud to
be Danish? Well, it’s a football weekend.
The national team just happens to be
playing tonight and the celebrations
have already begun. Somehow I get
sucked into the frenzy, and by nightfall I
find myself sitting in Parken stadium,
surrounded by 41,568 screaming fans,
most with painted faces. In one hand I’m
holding a beer, in the other a pølser
(sausage). Well, when in Copenhagen...
Edward Weinman is a staff writer.
IIf I stood on the water’s edge of
Copenhagen, I could probably
throw a baseball across the Øresund sound to Malmö, Sweden. Okay, so
Copenhagen and Malmö are not that close, but with the Øresund Fixed Link –
ten miles of tunnel, bridge and man-made island that has connected the
Scandinavian peninsula to the European continent – the two cities are closer
than ever.
Aside from a burning desire to tell your friends that you’ve been to Sweden,
is there any other reason to pay the hefty toll and drive from Copenhagen to
Malmö? I say, yes. Malmö is Sweden’s third largest city, yet it retains a small-
town atmosphere, with romantic canals, charming courtyards of timbered
houses and an abundance of parks, not to mention a relaxing beachfront.
If you’re headed to Malmö for just a day’s adventure, make sure to sample the
variety of pubs (more per capita than any other Swedish city) and restaurants
everywhere in the city. The best location to start is Lilla Torg, a lively, cobbled
courtyard with streetside cafés and those quaint timbered houses. At night,
it’s the epicentre of Malmö’s flourishing night scene.
After a day of walking Malmö, drive down to Ribersborgs Kallbadhus (bath-
house), located at Ribersborg’s beach. Winter or summer, bathe naked in the
open-air swimming baths, or relax in the sauna and steam out the aches and
pains of too much walking. If you feel a bit shy in just your birthday suit, sit
out on the terrace and enjoy a moment of repose as the sea air breezes.
Sunset at the bathhouse or along the white sand beach is the perfect last stop
before driving back to the bustle of Copenhagen. Before piling into the car or
on to the train, stare out at the Øresund Bridge sparkling as the sun fades to
twilight. A testament to the new Europe.
COPENHAGEN
The lights of Copenhagen, seen from the end of Øresund bridge
If You Build it They Will Come
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