Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve! The night we celebrate christmas in Denmark (and the rest of Scandinavia). This whole thing about getting up early on the 25th we have skipped. Instead we have nice family dinner, followed by a good chance to sleep in on Christmas Day.

This photo is from Rockefeller Center in New York City and you can see the famous New York christmas tree in the background. I took the photo a few days ago, right after a big, cosy snow storm. Can it be anymore christmas-like?

Merry christmas to all of you who celebrate it, and greetings to everybody else.

More Tivoli

This is the last shot from Tivoli in 2009!

Elves in Tivoli

This is what we in Danish call 'nisser' (Elves?). They are part of Tivoli's christmas decoration.

Designer airport

Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) is full of design.

Formula 1 in Copenhagen

This is not a Formula 1 track, but just some temporary barriers outside a hotel in Bredgade. Very un-Danish, but that is how it looks outside most hotels these days. Guess the COP15 VIP's do want to be easy targets.

Knippelsbro

Knippelsbro is bascule bridge (one that can open for passing ships) from 1937. In the background is Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Deforestation in the city centre

A couple of weeks ago this installation of giant tree stumps was in London putting focus on deforestation. Now it is right here in Copenhagen communicating the same message of the importance of preserving the environment.

I will be gone travelling for a couple of weeks (New York and Grimsby outside Toronto). I have prepared some photos for the next couple of days and will take a few days off as well. And I might as well post a travel shot or two.

Fix the climate

Most of us try to reduce our carbon footprint (or at least we talk a lot about it) as a mean to limit climate change. But there are alternative opinions like this one from Copenhagen Consensus - a think-tank researching on the best ways to spend aid and development money.

Turn off the light

Someone needs to learn about turning off the light - not just because of COP15. But it looks good though.

Christmas in Tivoli

The lights in Tivoli are very cosy at this time of the year. The christmas exhibitions in old garden are considered to be one of the most romantic places in Copenhagen.

Sending gifts

Today was a busy day in the post office, with people sending christmas gifts to friends and family.

Save the planet

A massive inflatable globe is floating around at the City Hall Square these days. Also one of the COP15 events. I looks pretty cool I think. I like it.

Christmas decorations

It almost looks like something in a fairy tale. Doesn't it? This is Magasin - a high end department store at Kongens Nytorv.

Part of the game?

The big question is wether these people from Peru at this photo is really part of the game as Carlsberg seems to be?

The picture is from an exhibition at Gammeltorv with photos from Peru by Jason McDonald and the Danish former supermodel Helena Christensen. The photographers are trying to draw attention to the threat against the Peruvian Indians in the highlands due to climate change.

Actually, the city is brimming with events and exhibitions about climate change these days because of the current COP15 meeting.

Greenhouse

The greenhouse in Botanical Garden.

Copenhagen Climate

Today the UN Climate Change Conference begins (COP15) in Copenhagen. This is a shot from this morning's traffic in a rather foggy climate.

By the way - people tend to think that COP in COP15 is an abbreviation of Copenhagen. But it is not. COP stands for 'Conference of the Parties' (to a UN Climate Change Convention) and this conference is No. 15 in the row.

More common gate

I posted a photo on friday from a rather outstandig gateway. This one looks more common.

Emptiness

Another winter view from Botanical Garden. The emptiness brings a special atmosphere.

Winter in the Garden

A winter view in Botanical Garden.

Gate with decorations

The other day I walked by this gate with such beautiful decorations. It looks very quiet there, and you wouldn't think that two metres behind me is one of Copenhagen's busiest spots - Nørreport Station.

Sunset

Sometimes you are lucky to have your camera around when a view like this appears.

Waiting for coffee

Waiting in the line for a coffee at Kaffeplantagen.

Other people blogging about waiting

Pop-up store

The first pop-up store that I've seen in Copenhagen (or anywhere else actually). Pop-up stores are small stores that just pop-up for a few days and then they are gone and move on to a new place. This shoe store was here last week.

Diary

At different places around Nørrebro you can find instruments like this at the moment. It is part of project called Nørrebrodagbog (Nørrebro Diary) planning to document everyday life in this vibrant part of the city. At this station you can record a message into the phone.

Read more about it at www.nørrebrodagbog.dk.

Farmers Market III

By pure coincidence I bumped into this farmers market today in the city centre. I have been at a few farmers markets before and this one was one of the better ones.

The Lakes

A view of The Lakes from last Sunday. Nice weather over one of the nicest recreational areas in the city.

Empty pier

An empty pier at Kalvebod Brygge.

Cellar door

A view from one of the thousands of cellar doors in Copenhagen. Not cellars for wine, but for bicycles mostly.

Where to go?

Can anyone tell me where I can go for 3800?

Hello, Dolly

I think those living behind this window like Louis Armstrong. Can't really blame them on that.

Steam

I went for a walk this morning and this is the sight that met me outside my door. It looks pretty crazy, but it isn't that bad. A burst water main with 300 degrees hot water lets out the steam.

Cyclist No. 4704

This is cyclist No. 4704 who is passing this spot today out of 1940358 since July 15 2009. Cycling for transportation is big in Copenhagen. (Wonder what the guy in the background is doing in the cycle lane).

Don't forget to check out Copenhagen Cycle Chic.

Samsung

Marketing people are quite creative sometimes I think.

A dream

"I have a dream to be an environmentalist. An environmentalist tries to save our planet."

That's what it says on this globe at Nørreport Station. Different kinds of them are popping up around the city. I guess it as a preparetion for the UN Climate Summit (COP15) in Copenhagen in December.

I want to be an environmentalist as well and try to save our planet.

Election day

Yesterday we went to the polling stations again. We did it earlier this year when voting for the EU Parliament. This time it was the elction for the regional councils.

The turnout was 65,8 % - the lowest in 35 years. Some argue that it is because of the H1N1 virus. No matter what then it is not impressing.

No. 13 ApS

A small coffee and tea shop in Skt. Pederstræde that apparently has decided to establish itself as a limited liability company (ApS).

Funny parking

A rather funny way to park your bike.

Brick wall

A brick wall... not much to say about that.

Graffiti

A wall where someone practised their painting skills.

A small kiosk

A typical kiosk as you find them all over the city.

Elephants

These elephants are part of the decoration of Carlsberg Breweries. They are national heritage. Note the swastika sitting on the side of them. Carlsberg actually used this as one of their trademarks until 1945, when it became too infected Nazi associations.

The Olsen Gang

This silhouet is sitting on an otherwise quite boring wall in Palads cinema complex. It features The Olsen Gang - a massive success in Danish movie history.

S-train

A piece of public transportation on the move.

Arrivals

There is always a special atmosphere in the arrivals area in airports. People are looking forward meet friends, family, colleagues etc.

Another brewery

Last week I posted a photo from Nørrebro Bryghus (Nørrebro Bryghus) - a small micro brewery. But we have other breweries around. This is Carlsberg and probably the most famous one.

Flyover

A bridge taking traffic quickly through the north west part of the city. Not exactly an arcitectural masterpiece.

Window shopping

Window shopping at Emmerys on cold, wet and dark friday morning.

Time for kebab

Why not have a kebab while deciding what to vote at the upcoming election?

Posters as street art

Posters is somehow a kind of street art I think. Not always so beatiful, but definately part of the city.

Wallpaper

A massive poster on the wall in the Metro.