Spring in Geneva

In the last week of April, I went to a conference in Geneva, Switzerland together with my boss and another colleague. The days were packed with a full conference program with many sessions, and I also had to do a presentation myself so I did not have much time to enjoy the wonderful spring weather with sunshine and temperatures in the 70s.

The conference ended Friday at lunch, but our flight back home was not until Friday night, so I had the afternoon off to explore Geneva - a city I had never visited before. Unfortunately, this was the only gray and overcast day of the week but still it was very nice to be able to spend a few hours playing tourist.

Since Geneva was the centre for the Calvinist reformation, I found it appropriate to pay a visit to the reformation museum as well as the reformed Cathedral, and an archaeological exhibit below the cathedral. I also strolled through the narrow streets of the old town and saw some picturesque squares. Of course, I also had to enjoy the lake and the famous water fountain there.

My trip to Switzerland made me think of how excellently Switzerland has managed to create a very clear brand for itself. Everybody thinks of something when they hear "Switzerland": Cuckoo clocks, chocolate, watches, banks, Alps.. I wonder what other countries have a similarly strong brand. What do people for example think of when they think of "Denmark"? The Little Mermaid? Lego? Beer? Bacon?....

I discussed this with JA, and we had fun going through different countries to see if we got the same associations: Netherlands: Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, Spain: Bull fights, flamenco, England: Tea, fish & chips, soccer...etc. We realized that many countries actually had characteristics, products, traditions or sights that we immediately thought of. However, we also realized that some countries, like Slovakia, did not give us any associations whatsoever. Maybe our next trip should go to Bratislava to make up for that. Or maybe not.

Maundy Thursday in Malmö

Easter vacation has begun, and like many other Copenhageners we spent the day in Malmö, Sweden - just across the water. Whereas Maundy Thursday is a holiday in Denmark with closed stores, it is a normal working day in Sweden, hence the invasion of shopaholic Danes.

Malmö is less than an hour away on the train, but I had not been there for 10 years, and JA had never been in the city itself. So even though we joined the other Danes in the shops, we also took the time to take a stroll through the old city. After lunch, We ended up at the Malmöhus Castle, which is now a museum. Some of the exhibits were pretty good, while others were totally outdated and had not been renewed since the 70s. Oh well.

After the visit to the museum, we went for a cup of coffee, then we visited the St. Petri Church, and then we went through more stores .. looking for a new jacket for a new jacket for me. I was way too picky and we did not find anything that both fitted, looked good and was reasonably priced. We did not come home empty-handed, though, since we passed a store with American foods and such, so at least we got some American candy and pancake mix.

Finally we gave up hunting for clothes, and had dinner at TGI Friday's instead before we headed back home.

You can see a few pictures from the trip in the Picasa web album (click on the picture below)

Malmö 2010

Lidl Fest

It is always nice to find an occasion to throw a party, especially a theme party. Neither of us are good at dressing up or anything similar but likes a party with a twist. So we decided to hold a Lidl fest.

For those not knowing what Lidl is, it's a German Supermarket chain. It's one of the discount stores found all over northern Europe. Here in Denmark they also sell regular groceries, but the real treat are all the unknown German brands they keep.

The idea was to buy all the things we needed for the party in Lidl, apart from things we already had ourselves. We invited quite a few people, and although not everyone could come, we ended up with 10, including ourselves. We served a three course menu, and although there were some problems with finding all the right stuff (e.g. I had to buy vanilla pods in a regular supermarket) it ended up not too bad. We got to drink real cheap red wine (not bad), drink blackcurrant soda (not bad), eat Spanish cured ham (not bad at all), beef (ok) and lot's more.

We also managed to sing some songs. A couple were Danish candlemass songs, some winter hymns and also a Norwegian coffee song. And after we had a round of Singstar. And the evening peaked (at least for the those who stayed into the night) with singing exotic and nostalgic Shu-Bi-Dua songs (although totally lost on a Norwegian).

Conclusion: a cheap and sprightly fest.

This is not an advertisement for Lidl, in case you were wondering ...

Mystery Destination: Rome

As it turned out, Rome was the destination for our long weekend. Actually, the Eternal City is a perfect destination for us, since it combines history, culture, and good food! Needless to say, we also appreciated the chance to escape the Scandinavian snow and experience temperatures well above freezing. Not that it was particularly warm by any means, but after a month and a half of winter, even temperatures about 10 Celsius/50 Fahrenheit feel great.

JA had booked a nice hotel right next to Pantheon in the center of the city, and after we had found our room and left our bags there, we went out for dinner at a cozy restaurant close to the Trevi Fountain. Italian pasta dishes somehow taste better when served in Italy…

Friday, we first took a peek inside the Pantheon, before we went out to explore the Forum Romanum, and the Palatine Hill. The sun was shining, the grass was green and the place was not crowded so we had a great time exploring the historic sites. We also passed the Colosseum, Trajan’s Forum with its famous column, as well as other antique sights. In the afternoon, we were at the Piazza di Spagna with the famous Spanish steps and the Piazza del Popolo before we visited the Augustan altar of peace, Ara Pacis. After a full day of sightseeing, a nap was totally needed before going out to dinner. At dinner, we had the pleasurable company of Stian, a friend of JA’s who is currently studying in Rome, as well as Stian’s wife, Cam, who were visiting him this weekend.

Saturday, we spent a lot of time at the Vatican Museum, including the Sistine Chapel. Fortunately, there were no big lines either for the Museum or for the entrance to the Basilica of Saint Peter’s itself, since it was out of season. However, even on a Saturday in January there were quite a lot of visitors inside the Sistine Chapel with its amazing frescoes by Michelangelo. The big Christmas Nativity scene on the square had for some reason not been taken down yet, which we found a little odd.

Sunday morning, we went to the service at the Anglican Church in Rome. It was very high-church with the works, including the burning of incense, which I found surprisingly pleasant. After church and lunch, we had time for an expedition to the Basilica of St. John Lateran which is the official seat of the bishop of Rome (the Pope) and thus the official mother church for all Catholics. Unfortunately, the baptistery which supposedly is built where Emperor Constantine I was baptized in 337, was closed, so we didn’t get to see that. Even worse, it was raining quite heavily, so we headed back to our hotel to get the bags and get on the train to the airport. On our way to the hotel the sun was shining again, and as we passed the Trevi Fountain we did not miss the opportunity to take some pictures. We did not, however, throw any coins in it, even though according to legend that would ensure us a return to Rome. Coin or not, I am sure we will come back.

You can see a few more pictures from the trip by clicking on the photo below:

Rome, January 2010

Winter Surprise Trip

On Thursday we are going on a prolonged weekend trip. And it's a trip where the destination is unknown to Jan. It's a surprise trip, although it's not entirely a secret. He knows when but not where. And I've mentioned some of the things he needs to pack.

It's the first time I've planned such a trip, and so far I've only bought tickets and booked the hotel. I'll have to think of some activities. Anyway it's a much needed trip away from the everyday life...

It's a little break while we wait for a warmer season.