Vor Frelser's Kirke, Christiania and a departure from the ordinary

So now that classes have become ordinary and I am slowly learning how to do life in CPH (you know the little things...how to grocery shop, when to cross the street etc.), I'm just going to update the unusual and extraordinary.

Vor Frelser's Kirke (Our Saviour's Church)

The gold ball at the top? We went there!!!

It was just that. We had seen the dramatic gold and black spiral winding around Our Savious Church from week 1 and finally got to climb it. The stairs progress from typical wooden stairs to steep, well worn and smooth attic type stairs the ascend in no discernable pattern to metal steps winding around the outside of the building. The view was gorgeous. Rumor has it that it will sway in a good wind. Kind of disappointed it was windy!

Christiania

A little background: Christiania is the "free town" in CPH and it is completely self sufficient and somewhat anarachist. It is walled in and now has its own kindergarden, clubs, cafes, grocery stores, tourist trade and home improvement area (where you can get the supplies to build an ENTIRE house). Inititally I thought they were "selling out" by giving tours of their own home, but Christiania is really amazing and everybody is really cool there.

You can't take photos on the "pusher" street (the main and most interesting street, so named for the open sale of hash/pot etc. along the sides of the street), and it would be hard to capture the atmosphere even in a photo, so I'll try and describe it here:

You walk through the gates and immediately in front of you is pusher street. Initially unassuming and oridary (some sort of machinary/tractor shop is the first thing you see), the street becomes vibrant as you progress down the dirt path. Soon you reach a square where tabels are laden with stone pendants and hand knit finger puppets, long cylinders are covered in bracelets of leather or embriodery floss, tents are hung with scarves and dresses and hats, earrings and necklaces are pinned against fabric backboards and a few stalls have incense propper in a dish. Surrounding the perimeter of the square, booths on a higher platform are all selling lighters, pipes, bongs, rings, sunglasses and gum. Beyond the square are houses and shops and cafes. Each one is covered in paint: in a mural, elaborate graphite design or imiation mosaic. There are also plants EVERYWHERE and the aformentioned dealers on all sides (literally you look and see about five stands; men with a small table and an umbrella with a few rolled joints and other stuff). There are people everywhere, on all available seats and dogs roaming the streets. There is a huge lake, where people sit and eat and smoke and drink. Everything is just very relaxed and happy. It was also sunny and 70, which might have helped!

We also went to a bakery, of which I do have pictures! Its supposed to be the best bakery in CPH.