Back On Yer Bike, Missus

I finally got my act together and took the bike to work today. I have been putting it off, because it was soooo easy to just get the train, and be able to wear voluminous skirts and not worry about bike helmet flattened hair and other aspects of appearance. Also, it's had a flat tyre. Since it arrived in town more than two months ago. *ahem*

But! That's been fixed now and this morning I was off at 7am (aiming for an 8am workday start) - I had no idea how long it would take, but I knew there'd be loads of traffic lights and very likely loads of fellow bikers as well, which I have to get used to, being more accustomed to lone biking in Dublin. In Europe - or was it the world? - only Amsterdam is busier bikewise than Copenhagen. Nuff said.

Anyway, I went along at a nice leisurely pace. There were fewer people on the paths (possibly because it's holiday season), the weather was nice and cool - loved it! I had forgotten the joy of exercise and the wind in my face and the freedom of being on the bike. No waiting on buses or trains (although, in this country, I don't really mind because it's never for long anyway and there are always alternative routes to go).

So, this will hopefully become a preferred mode of transportation, and there will be days when the train will be better. It's great to have finally made a start though!

Concert Report: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Parken, Copenhagen 29 June 2008

Bruce is a party. I don't know how he does it! He doesn't need any support bands, he doesn't need fancy theatrics or lights, he just needs a guitar, really. He looks the same as the last couple of times I saw him, which means great. He was grinning a lot and so were the other E Streeters. I loved to see that they were enjoying themselves so much.

There was a surprising lack of Bruuuucing, or maybe I just couldn't hear them. I did my best to start something up, but one lone Bruuucer in the far corner of the stadium isn't really going to make a difference, especially since no one joined me in Bruuucing. Oh well.

The people in the front row sure got their reward for waiting in line to get their spot, he was out there with them a lot. At the end of The Promised Land, Bruce handed his mouth organ to a young boy at the front, and during Hungry Heart he had a little girl singing into his mic. He also took a beer carrier (fits 5 pints) from one end of the front to the other, handing out the pints, taking a sip himself of the last one. Sooo funny! He gathered signs from people with requests for songs too. I don't know if some of those just happened to be on the actual set list, but they did fulfil some of them.

There were two screens on either side of the stage, and I would say if they would release that recording it would make a fantastic concert film. There was one camera angle which I loved in particular - the camera is looking from behind Bruce to capture both him and the crowd - really awesome.
Set List:

Two Hearts
Radio Nowhere
Out In The Street
The Promised Land
Spirit In The Night
Blinded By The Light
Something In The Night
Trapped
Gypsy Biker
Working On The Highway
Hungry Heart
Because The Night
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
Mary's Place
I'm On Fire
Downbound Train
For You
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands

Jungleland
Seven Nights To Rock
Born To Run
Ramrod
Bobby Jean
Dancing In The Dark
American Land

ALL THAT I MIGHT HAVE LEFT BEHIND

Long time, no blog. I've been busy, starting up life again. I'm now settling in quite well in my new job and my new flat, which I just simply adore.

One thing that has surprised me about moving home, is the feeling of being a bit of a stranger in my own country. I still think about and judge some things the way I would in Dublin, and really have to get used to thinking like a Danish person again. Very weird feeling, I can tell you.... But I guess, it's only natural, after 6 years in Ireland.

Anyway, my new flat is turning out quite gorgeous, if I may say so myself. There are only 2 1/2 boxes left to unpack (mostly books, for which there was no room in the book case). Most of my furniture has been sourced from a wide range of relatives, which means that things have a history to them that make them special, regardless of brand, colour or material. I really like that. Makes me feel very much at home.

Then there is the story with the Mystery Box. During unpacking, there were some things that did not turn up, and they have yet to do so. There are no boxes left at my parents' house and it has not found its way to my siblings either, by mistake or something. I cannot for the life of me remember whether I already got rid of the things I am now missing, but it would be the logical explanation. Although why I would throw out perfectly good knives and drinking glasses is beyond me at present. But then again, a whole cardboard box can't just disappear into thin air. Or can it? One of those things that make you go aaargh.... where is the darn thing? Oh well........ I'll either find out or I won't, and that's that!

Otherwise, it's been a gloriously sunny couple of weeks in Denmark now (but we could use some rain soon, the drought is setting in), and I haven't worn a jacket all this week! *gasp*

I haven't been going out much in my spare time - I mostly just chilled out at home, went shopping. I think I just really needed some total down time.

I Should Have Flown.......

I have now officially moved back to Denmark, and as some of you know, my chosen method of traveling home was the bus. I was sick of flying and wanted to have some time to myself, to try and process all the things that have happened over the last few months, saying goodbye to Ireland and hello to Denmark. Also, it meant I could carry more stuff.

Turned out to be a bad idea though.

The journey had three legs: Dublin-London, London-Amsterdam, Amsterdam-Kolding. First leg went fine, except for the handle for pulling my suitcase breaking off going through customs in the port at Holyhead in Wales. That made it somewhat hard for me to carry all 4 bags comfortably, because none of them were light. Typical me.

Anyway, second leg was supposed to start at 10.30 on Thursday morning. For some unknown reason, the bus never arrived and they had to call in another driver to come and do the trip. We left London around 2pm and at that stage I was very worried about my connecting bus from Amsterdam, as they were only 1 1/2 hours apart, and we were now over 3 hours late. We could not save time by taking the Channel Tunnel instead of the Dover-Calais ferry, because the tunnel was fully booked out due to Easter. Anyway, they kept telling me not to worry, and that if the bus could not wait for me in Amsterdam, they would send it to Utrecht for me.

Just before Utrecht I asked our driver if I was getting off here or staying on until Amsterdam. He gave me the rather disappointing news, that my bus had already gone, it had left Amsterdam ON TIME. I should go to a hotel once we arrived in Amsterdam, and go to the office in the morning to see if they could put me on a train or something, because the next departure for Kolding was not until Tuesday. You can imagine my happiness....

So, at 3am we arrive in Amsterdam, and I could not see any hotels in the vicinity, so I camped out in front of the office, being far too exhausted to start trying to find accommodation at that hour. I kept up my spirits and my temperature as best I could until 7am when the office opened. Yer woman in the office was not very sympathetic, and told me I would have to go to the train station myself to try and get a ticket, no way could she go. After that I just sat down and had myself a good cry from pure misery and exhaustion.

In the timetable I found a departure for a direct bus to Copenhagen leaving at 3.45 that afternoon. Sounds good to me - no changing buses! It would get into Copenhagen 5.15am the next morning, but I did not care, at least I would then be in a place I knew, and my sister would be there too. Thankfully, they let me change my ticket for that departure, and I spend the remaining hours in the office, listening to Tori on my iPod and trying not to fall asleep. The journey went off without much drama - the drive through Holland was quite lovely. My sister met me in Copenhagen after I got off the bus, and you can imagine how relieved I was to see her!
Anyway, I am home now and have unpacked and slept and eaten, so I am back to my old giggly self. But I am never taking a bus across Europe again......

Great Sugarloaf, Wicklow Mountains

I honestly don't remember how long I've wanted to climb the Sugarloaf, but it could be as much as 8-9 years. Anyway, last Sunday I was able to tick that off my To Do list. Yay!

And a glorious Sunday it was too! We went there around 1, and had a bit of a time finding a way to get close to the mountain. I had found some tips on the web, which none of us could remember. All we knew was that there probably wasn't a car park. And there wasn't. There was just a looooong line of cars parked along the wee road running along the southern foot of the mountain.

Great Sugarloaf looks very tall and majestic when you come from the north, because there is a bit of a valley in front of it that you drive through. But once you drive around to the southern side, you're already going up a good bit, so the actual distance is not bad at all. There were a great many families with kids of all ages there, enjoying the day, and the views from the top, so that gives you a good idea about the ease of the climb. It's really only the last little bit before the top that requires a bit of effort.

It took us less than an hour to get up, which includes little breaks on the way to enjoy the view. We got quite warm as well, and were removing gloves and hats before long. It was a pretty hazy day, so some of the surrounding mountains were vanishing in the mists in a most lovely fashion. I love picking out landmarks, and so was very happy when I found Powerscourt House in nearby Enniskerry. Powerscourt House has the most amazing gardens which are laid out with a perfect view of Great Sugarloaf.

Of course, you could also see the neighbouring Little Sugarloaf, which stood between us and Bray Head, and beyond that the Irish Sea.

The line of cars we left behind us on the road looked like a row of pearls, with the sun gleaming off them, quite pretty I must say. On our way down we took a bit of a ramble around the knee of Great Sugarloaf, which extends to the west, and were back down after roughly 2 hours. Not bad at all! And our timing was good as well - as we were coming down the mountain, the 'after dinner' crowd were ascending in droves...