Kid in a candy store


Tivoli i lov’ it

My final day in Copenhagen I spent in the city’s entertainment park, Tivoli. (Flickr photo set) It’s closed in winter, but opens during Christmas when they’ve decorated the place in lights.

Tivoli has the dubious honour to have inspired Walt Disney to build his Disneyland, but the Danish park is charming, not gaudy. It’s old fashioned and far too lovely to be camp.

When I was little I wandered into one of its gambling venues with a handful of coins (from my uncle) in my pocket.

There I found a strange betting machine. It was based on horse racing. I didn’t understand the instructions, but it looked fascinating so I dropped in a coin and pressed some buttons.

A few minutes later a heavy load of money spilled into the receptacle at the bottom of the machine. I looked around me, but none of my relatives had followed me into the building.

I was a little sad that no one had witnessed my fortune, but I pocketed the winnings with a thrill. And spent it all on other, less generous, machines.

Free internet access at Absalon Hotel

Not sure if that title’s going to do this blog any good, but what the hell. My budget hotel (Absalon Annex) offers free internet access and people here don’t seem to be in a rush to use it all that much. Or maybe my frantic typing scares them off. Or maybe they’re all out getting hammered. That’s what people do in Copenhagen, don’t they?

I gulped down two interesting types of akvavit during dinner for a little buzz and I have to say I prefer plain old Aalborg.

Some observations today:

1. I’ve been here a few times before, so for me Denmark = childhood memories = good.
2. Nothing today has scratched that shiny veneer yet
3. Everybody is super friendly and helpful and polite. Sort of Germany-lite, in a good way.
4. It is as I remembered a lot ‘warmer’ than Stockholm. In colour and attitude.
5. Talking warm, it’s 7 degrees Celcius, but there’s a nasty wind.
6. Photo opportunities on every street corner.
7. I forgot to bring my battery charger.
8. Am an idiot.
9. Walked into a camera shop to see if I could pick up a cheap charger, but they’re v. exp.
10. Walked out with a new Manfrotto monopod instead. Wanna go play with it!!! (Problem, have to be selective. See 7.)

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Time keeps creepin’ through the neighborhood

When my mother passed away in 1975 I had not seen my father for a while.
They were separated and visiting arrangements were a little
problematic.

When it was suggested I’d go live with my mother’s sister, my aunt
Ineke, I was all for it. She was married to my favourite uncle and I
was close to her two youngest sons. They lived what I at 12 years old (and for a long time after) considered the
high life. International schools, a lot of travel, all the toys in the
world.

It would have meant leaving Holland and growing up in Jakarta and Copenhagen. I think I was ok with that too.

My aunt and I would have eventually come to blows had this plan (One of several… boarding/finishing school in Switzerland was another. That would have been something.) got the
go ahead, I’m sure. I’d have been the rebel child. I eventually went to live with
my father instead and consequently did not see a lot of my mother’s family after that. I spent my whole childhood missing them and learning to do without. Then I forgot how to get back in touch, and they seemed to have forgot about me.

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