On to Spain

Wednesday 22nd June – Relaxing in Ordrup

This morning we have some light rain so it is likely that we will delay our trip into Copenhagen until tomorrow. It was good to relax and just sit back with a cup of coffee. Fish is on the menu tonight so just before lunch Jens took us for a drive to the north west of Zeeland. There is a small harbor and village in this area which is reputed to sell the best fresh fish. Judging by the number of vehicles in the car park the claim is well founded. We ended up with a kilo of cod fillets, pickled herring and some mussels.

One thing good about taking a drive with Jens is that he will take the road less travelled. On this trip we passed by farms that hugged the coastline and were growing black currants. After driving through a naval base that is responsible for testing new weapons we ended up in a small parking lot at the very end of the peninsula. Alice and I took a short walk along a narrow path that finishes on the rocky shoreline. A couple of guys dressed in waders and carrying fishing rods were making their way back. By the looks on their faces I imagine that the creels were empty. A sun shower came over which sent us scampering back to the car.

Back in Ordrup we took a short walk to explore the new mini-golf course. It is fairly basic but the holes look challenging. It is strawberry and potato season and there are plenty of self-service opportunities to purchase fresh produce. Alice ended up with a half kilo of strawberries which will make a great after dinner desert. Jytte is in charge of dinner and she did a great job of baking the cod in a cream sauce with potato, asparagus and a hint of horseradish.

Thursday 23rd June – Copenhagen

The weather today is excellent so Jens is driving us 100km to Copenhagen. Our first stop was the Astoria Hotel which is adjacent to Copenhagen’s historical Central Railway Station. The hotel building is an early example of Functionalist architecture in Denmark. The building was designed as a station hotel for the Danish State Railways by Ole Falkentorp who had started his career in the State Railways' design office before forming his own practice. The hotel was built from 1934 to 1935 as the first luxury hotel in Copenhagen. The revolving doors, the first in Denmark, are still present at the main entrance, and one of the luxury rooms has been maintained exactly as it was in 1935. The building is intended to resemble a steam locomotive with its connotations of travel and movement encapsulating the essence of the site, and as an expression of the fascination with progress and technology which was typical of the time. It consists of an expressive constellation of cubist volumes, culminating in the narrow facade looking out over Vesterbrogade which is topped by a "hood ornament" in the shape of a winged wheel bearing a crown, a sculptural representation of the old logo of the Danish State Railways.

You may wonder why Alice and I were keen to visit an old hotel in downtown Copenhagen? Well if it was not for this hotel there may not have been an Alice or her sisters to grace our lives. Her parents Bent and Kirsten met each other when they were working here in the late 1940’s. We both wanted a look inside so we went through the original revolving doors into the reception area. The receptionist asked if she could help so I asked if we could take some photographs and explained the connection to the hotel. She was very gracious and allowed us onto the third floor which gave us access to the balcony. We had a peek into a few of the rooms but they all had modern decor. The lifts were also from the 1930’s and could only accommodate the two of us. With our visit over we rejoined Jens and headed across the city to visit the Denmark Design Museum.

The museum has both permanent collections as well as exhibitions. It is a simple layout which starts with an exhibition on the influences of Japanese art as an inspiration for Danish art and industrial design. The exhibition has a good collection of Japanese ceramics and prints as well as Danish handicrafts, designs and posters. The next section was devoted to Fashion and Fabric which provides a perspective into fashion and textile design history. It wasn’t exactly my cup of tea but for those who like the look of an old fashioned corset this is the place. There is also a small room upstairs that contains a porcelain collection which covers most of the early European manufacturers.

The next display recognized Marie Gudme Leth who was the pioneer of textile prints in Denmark. She lived to 102 but in the 1930’s she revived textile printing as an artisanal craft in Denmark. She won many awards for her prints of which many are on display here. It was the next area that excited Alice as it contained designs and crafts of the 20th century and current Danish design. Quite a few of the designs contained the primary colours of red, blue and yellow which is a theme that we both admire. You cannot help to admire the quirky Scandinavian chairs made from timber. There was also an old “Nimbus” motorcycle in mint condition as well as a bicycle with a bamboo frame. At 100DKK ($20) for a visit it is reasonable value by Danish standards.

Our chauffer Jens was only a few minutes away and given the time of day it was time to depart Copenhagen to ensure we were not caught in the afternoon gridlock. The outside temperature was a balmy 26-29 degrees which did catch us a little off guard. It was with relief when we arrived back in Ordrup and could partake in the consumption of an icy cold Tuborg. Alice and I have decided to earn our keep by preparing dinner to celebrate St Hans Day. The Danes take this day seriously and the tradition goes back hundreds of years. All over Denmark they celebrate by lighting giant bonfires. On top of the fire there is an effigy of a witch and when it burns the spirit is sent back to Bloksbjerg in Germany. I celebrated by falling asleep on the lounge.

Friday 24th June – Danish Lunch

Despite the non-stop media coverage on Danish television the big news of the day wasn’t the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the EEU, it was Alice and David’s plunge into the icy water of Victory Bay. The wind was blowing and the water temperature is supposed to be a numbing 17 degrees so it was with some trepidation when I dipped my big toe into the brine. I thought this isn’t too bad so in I went and in my best freestyle impersonation stroked purposely out to sea for about 10 metres. That was enough to warm me up and to convince Alice to join me. Seriously, it was quite refreshing and we spent about 10 minutes splashing around.

Back at the house Jytte had been slaving away preparing a Danish lunch of open sandwiches with pickled, spicy and smoked herring accompanied by onion, capers, dill and soft boiled egg. The sandwich with the smoked herring had the exotic name of “Sol over Gudhjem” which translates roughly to Sun over God’s House. The sun in the sandwich is represented by a raw egg yolk. There was also some deep fried pork and potatoes which we washed down with a little bit of Schnapps and beer.

Saturday 25th June – Beer and Culture

Today Alice and I are traveling by public transport into Copenhagen. This will mean a short drive down to the local railway station at Faarevejle where we will take the local train to Holbaek and then transfer to the regional express train. The only problem is that we left it until the last minute to purchase our tickets on line and as a result the return fare is 250DKK ($50) per person. In the end I thought it might have been cheaper to buy them at the station however the ticket machine was not working and there was no time at Holbaek. I was able to convince the female conductors on both trains that I was an ignorant tourist who could not work out how to buy a ticket. They were both kind enough to let us travel for free and even wished us a happy holiday. At Copenhagen I did spend 250DKK for a ticket that would get us both home. The journey time was a about 70 minutes for the 100km journey.

The culture for us today is a visit to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek with its beautiful sub-tropical Winter Garden and extensive collections of sculptures and paintings surrounded by a museum building created in the fine art of classicism and inaugurated in 1897. The Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen and owner of Carlsberg brewery was the founder of the Glyptotek - who created one of the largest private collections of Danish and French paintings and sculptures of his time together with a gallery of antiquities from Egypt and the Mediterranean area. The highlights for us was the large of sculptures by Rodin and The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer by Edgar Degas. It is an 1881 sculpture of a young student of the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, a Belgian named Marie van Goethem.

The sculpture is two-thirds life size and was originally sculpted in wax, an unusual choice of medium for the time. It is dressed in a real bodice, tutu and ballet slippers and has a wig of real hair. All but a hair ribbon and the tutu are covered in wax. The 28 repetitions that appear in museums and galleries around the world today were cast after Degas' death. The tutus worn by the bronzes vary from museum to museum. The Egyptian collection was also excellent and contained works from 2500BC and a couple of Mummies.

I had a bit of a plan and had drawn a map to lead us to the Mikkeller Bar which was recommended by Brisbane’s number one zythologist, The Beer Tragic – Jon Black. We had no trouble locating the bar which operates in a similar manner to the Scratch Bar at Milton. There were a range of beers on the blackboard but we decided to stick to the Mikkeller brews. Alice started with a wheat beer and I had a refreshing Pilsner. Next on the list was a double IPA which was about 7.5% and was a perfect example of how an IPA should taste. The last one I tried was simply called The Black, not the Jon, which was obviously a stout with a whopping alcohol content of 21%. The stout was rich and creamy and finished with a peppery taste. We took lunch at their restaurant which was next door to the bar. We indulged ourselves with very expensive open sandwiches of prawn and smoked salmon and of course a couple of more of their beers.

After lunch we took a short walk towards Central Station where we were able to catch the free bus to Carlsberg Brewery for a self-guided tour and a couple of beers to taste. The tour takes you from 1847 to the present day. They also have the world’s largest collection of unopened beer bottles that have been sourced from all over the world. There are also vintage delivery vans and their beautiful four legged ambassadors, the draught horse. We tried a couple of beers including a Carlsberg IPA and a Jacobsen Brown beer. Nice for a mass produced beer but not in the same league as the Mikkeller.

We caught the last free shuttle back to the railway station but had missed our return train by about 10 minutes. Not to be deterred we decided to have another beer and a bite to eat at the Astoria Hotel. The service was just about non-existent so we went next door to an all you can eat pizza parlour which was operated by some hard working staff from the middle east. The food was great and killed the time until our departure time of 18:47. The Roskilde Festival is due to start next week but the young ones can start arriving to set up camp from today. There were plenty of boys wheeling trolleys laden with beer, Tuborg was prominent and tents seemed to be an afterthought. When we arrived at Faarevejle the ever reliable Jens was there to transport us back to Ordrup.

Sunday 26th June – Packing Day

Tomorrow we are heading to Barcelona on the Spanish budget airline Vueling. This means we cannot afford to be 100 grams over our maximum limit or otherwise we will have to remortgage our home loan to pay for the excess. After a bit of trial and error we think that we have the weight right. We also have a backup plan in place just in case we get it wrong. Watch this space!

This afternoon Alice and I had a mini-golf challenge on the newly renovated local course. It was a tight affair but eventually I triumphed and regained my number one ranking. Back at the house we are having a couple of tipples prior to going out for a farewell dinner at the local Thai restaurant. Dinner was around 7:00pm and we all decided to feast on the different food groups of beef, pork, chicken and seafood. The food wasn’t too spicy and tasted great. There was only one issue for the evening and that was when it came time to settle our account. Jens and I had commenced our dead slow walk back to the house and left Alice and Jytte to pay. The only problem was that they would not accept our foreign credit card so they had to return and get Jytte’s card. All is well that end well.

Monday 27th June – Onwards to Barcelona

Well it is time to say goodbye to Jytte as Jens is preparing to take us on the 100km plus trip to Kastrup airport so we can catch our flight to Barcelona. We have had a relaxing time in Denmark with family who showed us around at the beginning and end of our trip. There is still a couple of places left for us to visit which virtually means that we’ll be back. The trip down the highway was quite quick as it is the start of the school holiday period which means less traffic on the road. We arrived around 10:45 and reluctantly said goodbye to Jens who has been our travelling companion for nearly three months.

The Vueling counter had only just opened and we were allowed to jump to the front of the line as somehow I had already checked-in online. Our bag weights were just under the 23kg limit which meant that no extra payments were required. This sped up the process so upstairs we went for the compulsory security check. The line was quite long but the Danes have a system that works efficiently and fairly. Unlike the USA the Danes have at least 20 security lines to speed up the process and I estimate that it only took us about eight minutes to clear security. This suited me to a tee as I had a pass to the Aviator Lounge where we could sit in comfort until our flight was called. After a couple of open sandwiches and the odd glass of wine we were ready to begin our 2 hour and 50 minute flight to Barcelona. Budget airlines do not have much legroom but seeing it was a relatively short flight I wasn’t concerned that I would end up with DVT. That was of course until the woman in front reclined her seat early in the flight. A couple of knees into the back of the seat was my signal of discontent. It was all to no avail and I spent the flight in a good impersonation of knees up Mother Brown. Alice of course did not have to suffer the same indignity. We landed pretty well on time and were off the plane in record time. Our bags also hit the carousel in quick time and we were soon outside sitting in a taxi to our accommodation in Poble Sec. I think from the time the plane landed it took us less than one hour to be outside our apartment. The only trouble was that the manager was running late with another customer so we ended up waiting on the footpath for 45 minutes.

It is a small apartment, Barcelona In Apartments Poble Sec at Calle Murillo 6 is within easy walking distance of the Metro and has cooking facilities, fold out table, lounge, Spanish television, great shower and a comfortable bed. Given the location I think it is reasonably priced at 70.50 euro per night. After settling in we went around the corner to the local supermarket and picked up some supplies for breakfast and dinner tonight. While the beer was cooling down I took a walk to the metro station and purchased 2 ten trip tickets. At $9.90 a ticket it is a very cheap option for getting around to visit the sights.

Tuesday 28th June – Sagrada Familia

Early on in our trip I decided to purchase our tickets online for a visit to the Sagrada Familia. It is such a popular tourist attraction that without a pre-purchased ticket you have to inevitably wait in a line for extended periods. I bought the deluxe package for 29euro which included the audio guide and access to the tower on the Nativity Façade. With our tickets in hand we headed out the door to catch the line 2 metro service from the Paral-lel stop which is about a 10 minute walk away. Seven stops and 15 minutes later we alighted at the Sagrada Familia stop and joined the short queue for our 10:00am entry. I could wax lyrical about this marvelous construction and Gaudi’s vision but I think you should look it up for yourself at www.sagradafamilia.org/en/

Gaudí made great use of light to endow his architecture with expressivity and grandeur. Sunlight glistens on the pinnacles of the towers and windows. The rising sun lights up the portals of the Nativity facade, accentuating the joy for life that is the birth of Jesus. On the Passion facade the interplay of light and shadow produced by the setting sun heightens the sparse and severe character of the facade’s theme, while the Glory facade receives the mid-day sun that will shine on the 16 lanterns of the monumental porch and light up the main entrance to the basilica.

If you ever visit Sagrada ensure that you take a trip up one of the two towers. From the Nativity tower we had great views of Barcelona but more importantly you get a better perspective of the towers and the symbols that adorn them. You can spend plenty of time here and it is a highlight of any visit to Barcelona.

On our last trip we did not visit the Arc De Triomf which was built for the Barcelona Exposition of 1888. To get there it was a transfer trip on the metro which all up took about 15 minutes. The arch is built of reddish bricks in the Neo-Mudejar style (whatever that is). It leads to a wide promenade which connects the monument with the Park of the Ciutadella. It is a wide open space but you have to watch out for the lycra louts that use this as a main thoroughfare. One of the more interesting things that you notice in Barcelona is the Dragons. Whilst walking through its streets and especially this promenade you will find ornamental dragons in many public places and buildings.

This was a quick visit and we were soon back on the metro to Catalunya so we could take a walk down the Ramblas. For over a century, this walk down Barcelona’s main boulevard has drawn visitors and locals alike. It’s former elegance has been tackified somewhat by tourist shops and fast-food joints, this is still the best place to see the city in action. We started at the top where I took a sip from the Fountain of Canaletes which legend says that a drink from the fountain ensures that you will return to Barcelona one day. It must be true as I took a drink here on our last visit in 2012.

Further down the mall you come to a colourful block lined with flower stands. On the right hand side we detoured into the La Boqueria produce market which is an explosion of chicken legs, fish, fruit and vegetables. Alice and I bought a couple of fruit juices and some coconut to keep our strength up and to avoid becoming dehydrated. One of the more interesting sights is the Africans selling knock-off handbags and sunglasses. They are not allowed to be on the Ramblas and as a result they are always ready to pack up their stock and move on at the first sign of the police. We witnessed them being moved on a couple of times. They try and outsmart the police by doubling back through the Metro system that runs beneath the Ramblas. A good diversion further down is via Calle Colon (that has got to hurt) to Placa Reial. Dotted with palm trees, surrounded by an arcade, and ringed with yellow buildings with white Neoclassical trim, this elegant square has a colonial ambience. Completing the picture are Gaudi’s first public works, two colourful helmeted lampposts. At the end of the walk is the 200 foot column that marks the spot where Christopher Columbus debarked after returning from America. Oh, we must be tired by now so it was back on the metro and the apartment.

After resting up we decided to venture to the Plaza Sortior which is about 150 metres away and try some local Catalan tapas. We opted for a restaurant called Jon-Mai which was recommended by the manager of the apartments. The menu was extensive so we tried a combination of seven tapas dishes for 24euro. I would have to say that overall we were disappointed with our choice. The spicy pork was tough and the cockles and mussels tasted like they had just come out of a bottle. The whitefish, olives and Tempranillo wine were the best of a bad lot.

Wednesday 29th June – Horchata, Botero Cat and Montjuic

We have no tours booked for today so after a leisurely breakfast of bacon, mushrooms, fried tomato and scrambled eggs it was time to climb aboard Shanks’ Pony and head of in search of Horchateria Sirvent. This establishment is supposed to make the best homemade Horchata in Barcelona. Horchata is a cold drink made from tiger nuts, water and sugar and yes it was yummy. The Sirvent itself reminds me of an old fashioned milk bar and was so clean that you could have eaten off the floor. Our next port of call was in the Raval neighbourhood where we were searching for the Botero Cat. We found this giant chubby cat which is made out of bronze at the end of Rambla de Raval where he has been in residence since 2003. I know that the cat is a he by the two large bonze bits at the back.

We started heading back towards Paral-lel and came across an old monastery. The stone structure surrounded by palm and olive trees looked like it belonged in Northern Africa. We could not resist the temptation to visit the Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp and happily paid the 3euro admission. It was founded in 897 and was restored in the 13th century. With our visit over we caught the funicular tram up to Montjuic.

It was only a short walk from the station to the Joan Miro Foundation where we would get our daily dose of culture. Miro lived from 1893 to 1983 and was a prolific artist in all forms such as painting, sculpture, printing techniques, ceramics, theatre and tapestry. The collection houses work from his whole career and in most cases is fairly abstract. To be honest I don’t understand the symbolism in his work and without the assistance of the audio guide I would not appreciated it as much. Look up some of his work on the internet and judge for yourself. www.fmirobcn.org/col-leccio/en_colleccio-joan-miro/

We took a late lunch at the museum and then headed back down the road to the station. There is a chairlift next door and for 12euro return it will take you to the top of Montjuic where you can visit the castle. We opted to enjoy the panoramic view of the harbor on one side and the City on the other. The dominant landmarks were of course the Sagrada Familia and the Torre Agbar a 38 storey bullet shaped skyscraper. It was getting late in the afternoon so we headed back for some well needed rest before heading out for the evening.

Our choice for this evening is the Celler Cal Marino. As soon as we walked in we felt that we were going to enjoy ourselves. The ambience of the bar was fantastic with shelves of wine bottles all waiting to be enjoyed by happy customers. Even though it was already 8:00pm we were the first customers so we had ample time to figure out what we would drink and eat. We started with Cava and Tempranillo and accompanied that with two delicious plates of Tapas. It was only our first selection and we were already knew that this was far better than the previous evening. A couple of more rounds of wine and food and a pleasant conversation with Eduard the manager who apparently has Brisbane on his hit list of places to visit and we were ready to leave. I ended up having another round of tapas which was accompanied by a glass of Vermouth. Apparently drinking Vermut is a social tradition in Barcelona and who am I to argue with tradition.