Malmo - city break

30 July 2018

I enjoyed Copenhagen but I really loved Malmo.

It is so accessible from Copenhagen it has almost become a suburb of it's more famous neighbour (though of course, of late Scandi noir drama 'The Bridge' has really put it on the map).

If you arrive by train, even the station is impressive.

Great public art.

Fantastic modern cityscapes.

And older, charming streetscapes.

With some quirky characters.

If you find yourself in Malmo, the city museum is worth a visit.

These were old fishermen's huts on the approach.

Of course, because a very well known retailer has it's head quarters not far from Malmo, there was a lot of domestic design celebrated in the city museum.

And the most bonkers, life style, very spooky, automated jazz band!

Unbelievably, this jazz band was made in England! I have never seen anything like it before, but apparently they were popular with the larger department stores. They would have been used as novelty window displays.

Sadly, the day we were there it wasn't working. The engineer had been called (which did amuse me - there is such a s thing as a 'life size spooky jazz band' engineer!)

Moving on, this eclectic museum had a submarine!

Much fun, pretending to be submariners. In reality, life for them must have been hell.

And opposite the hotel, the most beautiful flower shop I think I have ever been into. An art deco building that has been a flower shop since it was first built.

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Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen - City

28 July 2018

What a wonderful and surprising city Copenhagen was. If you saw my last post you will know that we went to the Tivoli Gardens. But there is more to Copenhagen than the tulips in the Tivoli.

Of course, there is a certain mermaid!

Frankly the most disappointing bit of public statutory I have even seen! And tourists clamber all over her for a selfie.

Much better was Gefion and her bulls just around the corner.

She is really spectacular - ploughing away with her sons which she turned into bulls in order to do a bit of ploughing.

Gefion wasn't the only wonderful statue on the waterfront. We also saw this guy. He is made up of old engine parts.

The Royals were in town. That's their yacht. (Those sunbathers are not the royals, by the way!)

And that's their palace.

I was very surprised at the water frontage in Copenhagen. I did not expect so many stunning canals.

My only low point of the visit was Christiana - the 'free state' within the city. It started as a hippie commune and many of the original buildings and street art are amazing examples of recycled building materials.

And fantastic advocates of cycling.

But I did not like it at all.

I feel very sorry for the original occupants, many have been there since the 70s, but I think it is an excellent example of how communities need some laws. The open and accepting attitude to cannabis has just been exploited by dealers - rather unpleasant young men who clearly don't live there and have very smart Mercs and BMWs.

By all means, go and experience it yourself, but it made me both angry and sad.

So back to happy Copenhagen.

And the best bowl of porridge ever!

Rhubarb with tarragon and olive oil! A match made in heaven.

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Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen - Tivoli Gardens

24 July 2018

In early May we had a mini break to Copenhagen and Malmo. So, of course we crossed that bridge to get from one to the other.

But let's start with Copenhagen.

It was tulip season - and boy were the tulips flowering their socks off in the Tivoli Gardens.

The Tivoli Gardens are a bit of an unusual institution - part public gardens, part amusement park and part destination (great restaurants, catering for a range of tastes and wallets, and cafes and people go there for dinner and to meet friends) right in the middle of Copenhagen.

The gardens come complete with their own Spanish galleon! It's a restaurant.

Sorry - tulip overload. I cannot get over how amazing those colours were.

We were a bit woosy when it came to the rides. However, this was right up our street (we were there in the evening so don't worry - we were not depriving children of the pleasures.)