expat københavn

off!

2010-02-03T12:26:00.002+01:00

All started with such ambition! Still every memory is imprinted in our heart. We had a great time in Copenhagen! It still feels strange to not live there any more!

Now it's blogwise official we moved somewhere else. Still this blog contains quite a number of informations so browse thru it and enjoy.

We do so in Zürich, Switzerland!

Paul

an almost blogless month!

2009-09-21T07:23:00.002+02:00

hej followers! hej friends!

now after almost a month without posting I've to send out just a short message! We are still alive! Only that we've been busy with writing for the second blog, denmark.dk and with learning danish and for me going to work! I know that's not a good excuse but it's like that!

but stay tuned we'll gona come up with news and interesting stuff, so far I just send out a humble hallo to everybody!

after the honeymoon phase

2009-08-31T08:50:00.007+02:00

©expat copenhagen - jen at the grøntsagsfestival

it was yesterday evening when jen and I sat together in bed and just talked about how it is now beeing here away from parents relatives, friends and everything we know and we realized the first time I guess that we miss so people! Jen told me about these phases when you move somewhere else. the first phase is the honeymoon phase, because everything feels just like it should be when you have this great love just with a new place. well I think it's too early yet to say we left this time behind but still yesterday evening both of us had the feeling that we miss something. I guess it's quite normal and I imagine it quite awkward if after 2 month being in denmark we wouldn't miss a thing!

ON THE TOP PAGE OF....

2009-08-28T10:27:00.002+02:00

denmark.dk

doggy mobile!

2009-08-28T07:53:00.001+02:00

have a look at our new doggy mobile!

first visit

2009-08-25T20:29:00.004+02:00

last weekend we had our first visit from old home since we're living in copenhagen. my ex-school mate Philipp and Iris spent a beautiful wednesday evening and a nice sunday morning with us. on wednesday we went to the zulu open air cinema in islands brygge to see sex and the city the movie and on sunday we had a little brunch around the corner at the oven vandet cafe and wandered up the frelsers kirke to the top of the spiral to have this beautiful view.

enjoy!

letztes wochenende hatten wir den ersten besuch seit dem wir nun hier in kopenhagen leben. mein ex-schulkollege Philipp und Iris haben mit uns einen tollen mittwoch abend und einen schönen sonntag vormittag verbracht. am mittwoch haben wir uns zum open air kino in islands brygge begeben um sex and the city, den film zu sehen und am sonntag haben wir bei uns ums eck im cafe oven vandet einen branch genossen. danach sind wir auf die frelsers kirche hinaufgegangen und haben den blick vom ende der spirale genossen.

seht selbst!

now online!

2009-08-24T14:03:00.001+02:00

LINK

blogging for denmark.dk!!!!!

2009-08-18T18:44:00.004+02:00

you can now also follow us on denmark.dk, where we will blog about life in denmark and a lot more. come by and leave a comment!

check it out here:
http://blogs.denmark.dk/jenandpaul/

cargo- or carrier-bikes

2009-08-12T18:06:00.002+02:00

We are back from holidays! Before we tell you about that, here is a post that I wrote a while ago. I hope it's useful for some of you! Becoming real copenhageners, we really need a cargo bike. Cycling around with two wheels is fun, but when it comes to cycling for commuting and cycling in the means of transportation (especially a doggy :-)) two wheels aren't enough. You really need something with three wheels and a big basket. This was of course already built by many danish and foreign cargo bike makers. In the past months we've tried out almost all popular types here in Copenhagen and I'll try to make a little review about that.

Um echte Kopenhagener zu werden brauchen wir wahrscheinlich ein Transportfahrrad. Auf zwei Rädern zu fahren macht viel Spass, aber wenn es um den täglichen Gebrauch geht und um den Transport von Gütern (oder einem Hund :-)), dann sind drei Räder und eine ansprechende Box dazu unschlagbar. Das haben hier schon alle Leute verstanden und das auch in tolles Design umgesetzt! Wir haben nun schon einige ausprobiert und versuchen euch einen Überblick über die Räder zu geben.

Christiania

The best known one, maybe the first one!? I've got no idea and I don't want to go too deep into detail! I'll try to give you an idea about how it is to ride this bike.

As you can see on the picture the box in front is on two wheels and the whole box must be turned as you ride. as long as you ride slow it's steady, but as soon as you speed up (which is hard to believe, but you can go quite quick even with two persons in it!) it seems a bit wonky. It's a great bike though, but as I am very heavy I don't like that the back and the front is only connected by one metal pipe. The box on the other hand is fantastic, firm, big, and you can carry up to 150 kg or so! It's produced in Denmark, formerly in Christiania (Copenhagen) now outside of Copenhagen. It's made of steel and plywood.

Das wahrscheinlich Bekannteste von allen und möglicherweise das Älteste? Keine Ahnung, ich hab mich mit der Geschichte nicht wirklich beschäftigt. Viel lieber möchte ich euch einen Überblick darüber geben wie sich dieses Rad fährt! Wie man auf dem Bild sehen kann ist die Box vorne mit den Rädern fest verbunden und die gesammte Box wird gedreht wenn man die Richtung wechselt. Solange man langsam unterwegs ist fährt sich das Rad super, auch mit hoher Last fährt es sich sehr gut! Sobald man etwas schneller fährt und ein wenig Last drauf hat wie zB. eine Person und einen Hund ;-) bemerkt man das es instabil wird. Da ich sehr groß und schwer bin ist mir besonders aufgefallen dass der Teil mit der Box und der Rückteil mit dem Sattel nur durch eine Stange verbunden sind und das macht es etwas wackelig! Die Box vorne ist jedoch wirklich fantastisch, man kann bis zu 150kg transportieren. Es ist in Dänemark produziert, nicht mehr wie früher in Christiania, einem Teil von Kopenhagen, sondern nun aus Platzgründen ausserhalb Kopenhagens. Es besteht aus Stahl, Alu und Sperrholz.

LINK TO CHRISTIANIA BIKES

Nihola

A great bike! If you have kids and these little weewee's are the reason for the bike, it's great! Easy to handle, like a normal bike. It is very sturdy in the back because it is crossed in the middle between the box and the seat. This bike has also got great design and you can get it in many different colors (Jen loves the black and beige best, I think she calls in "Chanel-Style" ;-)) Like I said it is one of my favourites if you are looking for a kids' bike. It's produced in Copenhagen. and made of steel, metal sheets and a cover out of textile.

Das beste der Räder wenn man Kinder hat und meistens sind die Kleinen ja der Grund für diese Dinger! Sehr einfach zu bedienen und sehr stabil durch die ausgekreuzte Mitte. Es fährt sich praktisch wie ein normales Rad. Das Design ist sehr überzeugend und man kann es in vielen verschiedenen Farben und Stoffen haben. Wie schon gesagt, ist das Nihola eines meiner Favoriten, solange man es für die Kleinen braucht. Es wird in Dänemark aus Stahl, Blech und einem Stoffcover hergestellt.

LINK TO THE NIHOLA BIKE

TrioBike

Very fashionable! Has got a great system with a normal bike to which you can add a push-wagon in only some steps (it was very impressive to see it, when we visited the shop). Riding with it was, on the other hand another story. The bike is a high-tech system with good breaks and everything, but as soon as you speed up with a person in front it flatters a lot. It is made of plastic an aluminium.

Sehr modisch! Dieses Rad hat ein eigenes System das aus einem Push-Wagen und einem Rad ein vollwertiges Cargo-Bike macht. Als wir das ausprobiert haben, waren wir sehr begeistert. Sobald man es aber fährt, kommt die Enttäuschung, es ist super wackelig und mit einer Person vorn drin ist man nicht gut bedient! Das Rad ist eigentlich high-tech, mit Scheibenbremsen usw... Dennoch mit Plastik und Alu wirkt es eher fragil.

LINK TO THE TRIOBIKE

Sorte Jernhest

When we visited the bike shop we had a hard time finding it at first. It is located in the courtyard of a little design building in Vesterbro. Then a young guy was there, very relaxed and nice, telling us everything about it, that they are building it right here in this workshop, that it's all handmade etc,... Besides,the bike is totally different! The back wheel is turning and the box in the front is set. The box is huge! I think it's the largest box of all. Riding it was a totally new experience. It works very differently compared to all the other bikes. When you turn the handle slightly it takes a while until the bike actually turns. Not long, but still enough so that you actually feel the difference! After the second turn I got used to it and I was totally surprised how much I liked riding it. And also Jen was biking with it, although me and the doggy where in the box, she reportedly didn't have any difficulties moving us three.

Wenn man sich auf die Suche nach dem Sorte Jernhest (altes schwarzes Eisenpferd) Shop macht findet man in einem Hinterhof gleich die ganze Werkstatt, wo man dann sehr freundlich empfangen wird. Der junge Typ dort ist sehr entspannt und erklärt einem alles. Neben diesem Erlebnis ist dieses Rad auch baulich unterschiedlich zu den Anderen. Der Hinterteil dieses Rades ist der bewegliche Teil und wird durch den Lenker gedreht. Wenn man es fährt fühlt es sich sehr anders an. Bei einem normalen Rad merkt man jede Bewegung sofort in der Fahrt, bei diesem Rad gibt es eine kleine Verschiebung, da der Vorderteil fix ist. Die Box vorne ist riesig. Wir glauben es ist die größte Box von allen Bikes. Nach dem Jen und ich einmal um den Häuserblock gefahren sind waren wir von diesem System sehr überzeugt. Alles ist sehr ausgereift bei diesem Rad.

Sort Jernhest Link

Those are the bikes we've tried out until now. Always with Jen, Tetsuya and I (Paul)! We will probably get the Sorte Jernhest, because Jen could easily ride with it and also for our purposes at the moment it seems just perfect. We like that it's made in Denmark and that it is easy to operate. Of course, these bikes are quite an investment, but we might get one soon, as we have our little doggy and he doesn't like running next to our bikes and it's dangerous with so many cyclist on the street. Also we will not have a car here at the beginning, so that would help a lot.

So, hvad med dig? Did you try out one of these? We would love to hear about your experiences with these bikes!

Das waren alle Räder die wir bisher probiert haben. Immer Jen, Tetsuya und ich (Paul)! Bisher konnten wir uns noch für keines der Räder entscheiden weil das natürlich eine größere Investition ist. Doch am ehesten wird es ein Sorte Jernhest werden. Es hat uns einfach gleich total überzeugt. Aber da wir hier kein Auto haben werden bedeutet dieses Rad viel Freiheit für uns!

Was denkt ihr über diese Räder? Habt ihr schon mal so ein Rad getestet?

ferien

2009-07-31T09:04:00.003+02:00

long time no see.. we are still in salzburg, taking in as many mountain views as we can get before heading back to copenhagen.
photos and stories coming from a wedding, culture at bregenz festival and roaming around austrias mountain lakes!

cheers and see you soon,

jen & paul

copenhagen shopping

2009-07-11T18:45:00.008+02:00

Yes, it's saturday and as all the city rats we had to go shopping into the centre of copenhagen! The purpose was the wedding of my sister about which we are very exited. (still there is no need for a reason, right?).

So we went by bike to the city and our little doggy ran next to it, not really satisfied with this. Spending about 2 hours in the COS shop and at least for me quite satisfactory with buying 2 suites and some more items. Somehow this is a place where I can actually pants and shirts that are long enough for me. Don't ask what it costs! Still we are having "sale" right? ;-)

Jen found some cool womens' shops like 'designers remix' and this beautiful dress (yet not purchased because it's tooooo white for a wedding, but I may convince her to buy it for another occasion). These are all still considered "mainstream" brands, but still they are a lot cooler than what we now from big shopping streets in Vienna, where there's basically just Zara and Mango on every corner.

Jen wants to check out the little shops in Nørrebro and Vesterbro and there are also a lot of secondhand shops we haven't really been to, yet.

After all of this exhaustion both physically and financially, we joined an open jazz concert at nyhavn with a little liquid treat :-) followed be crossing the habour with the waterbus (boat) to the opera letting tetsuya going crazy on the grass and after that heading home! later this day we've seen Brüno, my little Austrian friend ;-)

Actually, a fantastic movie, funny on the surface and still quite a critic of society in depth!

Gestern, Samstag haben wir uns wie alle Großstädter ins Getümmel von Kopenhagen geschmissen! Der Grund des Shoppingwahns war die Hochzeit meiner "kleinen" Schwester, doch braucht man für sowas wirklich einen Grund?

Also sind wir mit dem Fahrrad in die Stadt gefahren und der Hund ist nebenher gelaufen was ihn nicht wirklich gefreut hat! Nach 2 Stunden in unserem neuen Lieblingsshop COS, zwei gekauften Anzügen und noch vielem mehr fand ich den Tag schon sehr gelungen. Fragt nicht wieviel wir ausgegeben haben, aber es ist ja zum Glück noch Ausverkauf!

Jen hat außerdem ein unglaubliches Kleid bei Designers Remix probiert. (Noch nicht gekauft aber dazu bekomm ich Sie noch! Das Kleid ist zu weiß für die Hochzeit aber es gibt sicher andere Anlässe.)

Danach haben wir uns noch zu einem Gratis Open Air Concert des Jazzfestivals gesetzt und den frühen Abend begossen! Weiter ging es mit dem Wasserbus zur Oper wo wir Tetsuya auspowern ließen! Als wäre das nicht schon ein perfekter Stadt-Tag haben wir uns abends noch meinen "Wiener"-Freund Brüno angesehen! Ein super Film, lustig aber nicht seicht (man glaubt es kaum).

noma

2009-07-10T16:57:00.011+02:00

smoked and salted quail eggs / geräuchterte und gesalzene wachteleier

toast, herbs, turbot roe and vinegar / toast mit kräutern, steinbutt-kaviar und essig

asparagus and woodruff

shoots of fiddlehead, hops and bull rush / spargel mit waldmeister, farntrieben und ei

langoustine and 'søl' which is icelandic seaweed / langustine mit 'søl', einer isländischen alge

turbot with pickled ramsons flowers / steinbutt mit eingelegten bärlauch-blüten

meringue, birch juice and birch syrup

spanish chervil and honey / baiser, birkensaft, birkensirup, wilder kerbel und honig

on saturday, after 3 months wait, we finally sat down at a table with a view over the harbour at noma, namely voted as 3rd best restaurant in the world, with two michelin stars and the promise to create the finest cuisine using the best of nordic produce. as we had some anniversaries to celebrate and haven't given each other christmas presents (I'm ashamed to say that we both forgot about them..), we decided that an evening there would be the perfect celebration as a start for our new life in copenhagen. the ambiance was relaxed, the service perfect.

next to the 7-course dinner, we also chose the wine menu, which consisted of 7 champagnes and a champenois, which was a white wine also grown in champagne. I can only say that it was delightful. the wines matched the food so well and I have never had a meal of such simplicity and utter perfection. the food was presented in a pure form, so beautiful just to look at! there were flowers and sprouts and raw fish, so the real taste of the food came through. it was fresh, light and delicate, nothing like I've ever experienced before. the meal lasted for four hours and ended with some tea from the herbs they pluck themselves for me and some whisky for paul in the lounge. it was absolutely amazing and when we will ever both have the budget, we will for sure come back there more often.

am samstag, nach 3 monaten froher erwartung nahmen wir endlich an einem tisch mit blick auf den hafen im noma platz, mit dem versprechen das beste aus nordischen zutaten zu machen, zwei michelin-sternen und dem titel als drittbestes restaurant der welt, waren die erwartungen dann doch recht hoch. nachdem wir unsere diversen jahrestage und weihnachtsgeschenke beide meistens verschwitzen, dachten wir uns es gäbe keinen besseren anlass um den beginn unseres neuen lebens in copenhagen dort zu feiern. das ambiente war extrem entspannt und der service einfach nur perfekt.

wir entschieden uns für neben dem 7-gängigen Menü auch für die Weinbegleitung, die aus 7 Champagnern und einem Champenois, einem Weißwein aus der Champagne zusammengestellt war. Die Weine passten so gut zum Essen und ich hatte noch nie eine Mahlzeit von solcher Einfachkeit und gleichzeitig Perfektion. Die Gänge waren so einfach und dennoch so durchdacht präsentiert, dass man stundenlang nur auf den Teller hätte schauen können! Es gab Blüten und Triebe und rohen Fisch, so fein gewürzt, dass der echte Geschmack der Zutaten zur Geltung kam. Das Menü war frisch, leicht und zart, eine ganz neue Erfahrung. Wir aßen für 4 Stunden und beendeten den perfekten Abend in der Lounge, mit Tee aus frischgepflückten Kräutern für mich und Whisky für Paul. Es war einfach umwerfend gut, und wenn unser Budget das jemals erlauben wird, werden wir dort sicher öfters hingehen!

back

2009-07-10T15:34:00.009+02:00

©expat copenhagen - MAPT Summer party

It's been quite a strech since our last post but not cause we're sick of blogging. we've been to Vienna for several reasons (most importantly jen's exams and my mothers birthday).

Since we're back our main focus was on making our new home as "hyggelig" (cosy) as possible. We hung up lamps, mounted mirrors, got the bed deliverd and opened the last boxes. While living within that chaos there's been almost no time to blog. Yes, we've been able to have some summer in Copenhagen too! We've been swimming in the canals and out on the beach of Tisvildeleje. Coming from Austria we also checked out the Møn Klint as one of the highest altitudes of Denmark, quite remarkable! Unfortunatly we didn't make pictures of either of both. Both places are pretty in their own sense and offer us foreigners an introduction to the danish countryside which is really worth seeing!

Before I went to Vienna we had this great summer party with all people from the office. After lunch we left for Kajak-Polo which was great fun and had a big BBQ after that was followed by lots and lots of bar visits ;-) Mads (Partner of MAPT office) ment it was a wet evening. I can't say anything different *g*.

so far for my little "we're back post, stay tuned for jen's NOMA entry!

Paul

Es ist schon echt lang her seitdem wir das letzte mal gepostet haben und das nicht weil's uns nicht mehr freut euch unser Leben zu unterbreiten. Nein, wir waren in Wien aus vielen Gründen! (hauptsächlich wegen Jen's Prüfungen und dem Geburtstag meiner Mutter).

Seit unserer Rückkehr sind wir damit beschäftigt unsere Wohnung gemütlich zu machen.Wir haben Lampen aufgehängt, Spiegel montiert, unser neues Bett geliefert bekommen und die letzten Boxen geöffnet! Während dessen haben wir auch ein bisschen den dänischen Sommer geniesen können. Wir hatten zwar keine Zeit zu bloggen um spazieren zu gehen und im Kanal schwimmen zu gehen! Ausserdem waren wir am Strand von Tisvildeleje und haben das Møn Klint, ein riesiger Kreidefelsen, besucht. Beide Orte sind wunderschön und haben und uns da ländliche in Dänemark näher gebracht.

Bevor ich jedoch nach Wien fuhr gab es eine super Sommerparty mit allen Leuten vom Büro! Nach dem Mittagessen waren wir alle zusammen Kajak-Polo, ein Riesenspaß. Danach gab es auf einer Wiese eine große Grillerei und geendet hat das ganze in der einen oder anderen Bar!! Mads (einer der Chefs) hat gemeint es wäre ein feucht - fröhlicher Abend gewesen und ich könnte es nicht besser beschreiben!

so weit zu meiner Zwischenzeit, aber freut euch schon auf Jen's NOMA post!

Paul

long MAPT night II

2009-06-25T05:38:00.002+02:00

©expat copenhagen - sun rise, office, model, ... happy

special thanks to Carlsberg, Those Dancing Days, Trentemøller, MAPT guys!

long MAPT night I

2009-06-25T02:55:00.002+02:00

It's been quite a while since I experienced a whole night working through. Tomorrow 10 am is the deadline and I am still here, 2:55! It seems as the sun is on its way to rise and I am coming to an end, at least I hope. Till an hour ago I wasnt alone!

Still I'm having a great time here! Had to prepare lunch today, made a cous cous salad and everybody loved it. I'm quite happy about that as well.

So much looking forward to the party on friday!

Es ist schon recht lang her das ich eine Nacht durchgemacht hab. Morgen ist um 10h Abgabe und ich bin noch immer im Büro 2:55! Es sieht so aus als würde die Sonne bald aufgehn bei mir gehts dem Ende entgegen. Bis vor einer Stunde war ich auch nicht alleine!

Dennoch habe ich eine super Zeit hier! Heut Mittag war's meine Aufgabe das Essen zu machen und mit meinem Cous Cous Salat waren alle glücklich und ich war auch recht froh!

So weit für jetzt! Ich freu mich schon auf den Freitag denn da ist Party angesagt!

Nordish Dinner

2009-06-22T19:52:00.005+02:00

©expat copenhagen - nordish dinner

After a quite long day I've decided to take advantage of nordish food or else of what is cheaper here then in Vienna! I tried to do something on budget for the region.

prawns & pineapple with avocado dip on plain white bread!

costs: 200g Rejer (Irma, prawns) 25 dkk - 3,2€

one pineapple (stand at christianshavn) 20 dkk - 2,8€

two avocados (Irma) 10 dkk - 1,2 € !!!!!

bread (Irma, cos Bakery was already closed!) 7 dkk 0,9€

carrots on the side (Irma) 10dkk - 1,2€

all together for two portions! Took about 3 min to cut and roast everything and was as delicious as it looks on the picture! So some things are way cheaper here then in Austria and although it's just 15% or so it's still great to have the chance to eat this tasty fresh and organic ingredients! (Irma almost only has organic food!)

So far from my tasty monday dinner, I'll be on my little lovely buddy to draw some construction drawings for the rest of the evening! jeeh

Nach einem langen Arbeitstag heute hab ich mich kurzerhand entschlossen die Vorzüge des Nordens zu genießen oder besser gesagt ein Abendessen mit allem was billiger ist hier als in Wien! Ich wollte was günstiges für diese Region kochen.

Shrimp & Ananas mit Avocado Dip auf einfachem Weissbrot!

Kosten: 200g Shrimp (Irma) 25 dkk - 3,2€

eine Ananas (Stand in Christianshavn) 20 dkk - 2,8€

zwei Avocados (Irma) 10 dkk - 1,2 € !!!!!

Brot (Irma, leider war die Bäckerei schon zu!) 7 dkk 0,9€

Karotten (Irma) 10dkk - 1,2€

Alles für etwa zwei Portionen! Hat auch nicht länger als 3 Minuten gedauert um die Ananas mit den Shrimp zu braten und den Rest zu schneiden! Also einige Sachen sind hier doch billiger als in Österreich und obwohl das nur ein sehr geringer Teil ist (ca. 15%) ist's super solch frische, schmackhafte und biologische Zutaten zu bekommen! (Irma, Supermarkt hat fast nur Bio Produkte!)

Soviel zu meinem Abendessen, ich begebe mich jetzt wieder an mein Lieblingsgerät um einige Pläne zu zeichnen. juhu!

Den Sorte Diamant

2009-06-19T17:13:00.006+02:00

den sorte diamant - somewhere on google

©expat copenhagen - jen at the library

Today I went to the Royal Library to study, because at home I'm getting interested in all sorts of other stuff and it makes it hard to concentrate. Actually I have never been a library learner, because I also cannot focus, hearing people whisper, cough etc.. But because I live just a 3 min bike away from the library I decided to give it a go. The black, glossy building (that's why it's called the black diamond) was opened in 1999 and built by Schmidt, Hammer and Lassen. I guess you could argue about the design, but I think it's pretty cool. I like it much better than the opera house, for example.

Well, amazingly the layout of the library is really good, the reading rooms are really quiet and I don't mind the little noise at all! That is very strange indeed as people who know me might think.

But I can really focus here, the tables are nice and spacious and one of the reading rooms looks out to the atrium and the immense glass-facade, so that you can actually look out on the harbour, which is really nice. Also I like the slick, grey concrete, steel & glass construction that they have going on here. May be to minimalistic for some, but it makes me feel calm and relaxed.. Whatever, I love this place!

When it's not raining like today, you can sit outside in reclining chairs on the harbourfront, enjoying a beer or a coffee, depending how long you have been in there ;-)

So far so good, tomorrow I'm leaving for Austria with the night train, taking the doggy with me. I'm curious how it will go, but the last two times Tetsuya was no problem, he was happy to be with us. It's strange to leave again, I feel I have never the time to become more acquainted with the city and the surroundings. When I come back we'll be here for 2 weeks and then again head for Austria to attend the wedding of Paul's sister, which I'm really looking forward to :-)

Well, that's for now, feminist theory awaits me.

Heute habe ich zum ersten Mal in der königlichen Bibliothek gelernt, zuhause werd ich leider immer von allen möglichen Sachen abgelenkt. Eigentlich bin ich kein Bibliothekslerner, weil ich mich selbst dort schwer konzentrieren kann, wenn Leute flüstern, husten usw. Aber die, die mich kennen, wissen das eh ;-) Da wir nur 3 Minuten mit dem Rad entfernt wohnen, hab ich mir gedacht es wär ja nen Versuch wert. Das schwarze, glänzende Gebäude (deshalb "Den Sorte Diamant" - der schwarze Diamant genannt) wurde 1999 eröffnet und von Schmidt, Hammer und Lassen Architekten gebaut. Natürlich kann man über das Design streiten, aber ich finds ziemlich cool. Ausserdem ist das Design meiner Meinung viel besser als das der Oper auf der anderen Seite.

Die Aufteilung der Bibliothek ist ziemlich gut. Die Lesesäle sind ruhig und selbst ich war echt relaxt, was wirklich seltsam ist, wie gesagt, normalerweise macht mich selbst das kleinste Geräusch wahnsinnig.

Konzentrationsmäßig wars also echt super. Die Tische sind groß und einer der Lesesäle sieht hinaus aufs riesige Atrium und dessen Glasfassade. Von dort kann man sogar auf den Hafen und das eine oder andere Schiff sehen, was eine nette Abwechslung ist, wenn man von den Büchern aufschaut. Vor allem mag ich den glatten grauen Beton und die Stahl/Glaskonstruktion des Atriums. Das ist den meisten in unserem Kulturkreis höchstwahrscheinlich zu minimalistisch *g*, aber ich fühl mich in so einer Umgebung wohl, nichts dass die Sinne ablenkt, Goldschnickschnack und Barock-hin-und-her. Aber, wie schon erwähnt: Geschmackssache.

Wenn es nicht regnet, wie heute, kann man draußen sitzen, am Hafen und bei einem Bierchen oder einem Café dem Treiben am Wasser zusehen, je nach dem wieviele Stunden lernen man schon hinter sich hat. ;-)

Soweit so gut! Morgen abends verlassen ich und das Hundzi diesen schönen Ort mit dem Nachtzug in Richtung Österreich. Ich frag mich bereits wie das wird, aber die letzten beiden Fahrten mit dem Zug waren für Tetsuya, den Reisehund, kein Problem. Er ist happy wenn er bei uns ist. Es ist wirklich komisch jetzt schon wieder weg zu müssen! Ich habe das Gefühl ich hatte noch nicht die Möglichkeit mich irgendwie einzuleben. Wenn ich wieder nach Kopenhagen komme sind wir bloß 2 Wochen hier und dann geht's wieder los nach Österreich, zur Hochzeit von Paul's Schwester. Aber darauf freu ich mich schon!! :-)

So viel zum Zeitaufschieben mit dem Blog, jetzt geht's wieder an die Bücher.

News from MAPT

2009-06-19T16:20:00.008+02:00

©expat copenhagen - office time

It's a week that I've been working for MAPT and I am very happy to be here. I am working on a model for a little shopping centre in Herluv just outside of Vanløse (outside of Copenhagen). It's nice using both hands to build a model and not only to touch the computer. The represented building got a special roof that is the main issue of the model.

Aside work the office is really nice. All colleagues are friendly, young and nice and most of the people are quite new. I can feel that there is a spirit which could be quite nice. We're having lunch together each and everyday provided by one of us and payed by MAPT. That is really fantastic. So far we had pasta salad, sandwiches, burgers and today chicken wings & ribs with potatoes and salad! Though I am a vegetarian I really liked the potatoes and I feel that they really put a lot of love into preparing the food. While eating everybody is chatting. Most of the times chats are in danish which is still hard though I can at least grab the issue. Cameron and I are the foreigners and we're always switching to english!

Today I also was able to bring the doggy which is also nice and important for me. Of course everybody likes him and he got a nice rib bone treat ;-)

"it brings a good vibe to have the dog in the office! it's really good!"

quote from anders

I think in times like these facing the crisis (although I don't give a shit) it's really nice to be able to start somewhere new and feeling comfortable right from start!

Seit einer Woche arbeite ich nun für MAPT und bin sehr glücklich! Ich arbeite an einem Model für ein kleines Shopping Centre in Herluve etwas ausserhalb des Vororts Vanløse ( nahe Kopenhagens). Es macht mir viel Freude beide Hände zu benützen um dieses Model zu bauen und nicht vor den PC zu sitzen! Das dargestellte Gebäude hat ein sehr spezielles Dach das im Modell zum Hauptpunkt wird.

Neben der eigentlichen Arbeit ist es hier super nett! Alle Kollegen sind freundlich, jung und auch noch nicht lang hier. Ich spüre das ein gewisser Spirit vorhanden ist und dann macht die Arbeit Spass. Wir essen jeden Tag zusammen Mittag, gezahlt von MAPT und zubereitet von immer einem anderen Mitarbeiter! Bisher gabs Pasta Salat, Sandwiches, Burgers und heute Spare Ribs & Chicken Wings mit Kartoffeln und Salat. Obwohl ich Vegetarier bin war das Essen vorzüglich, die Kartoffel und der Salat sehr gut und man merkt das alles mit sehr viel Hingabe zubereitet war! Während des Essens plaudern alle miteinander. Meist in Dänisch was für mich noch immer ein wenig schwierig ist, obwohl ich immer mehr verstehe und zumindest den Kontext begreife. Cameron und ich sind die einzigen Ausländer im Büro und wir wechseln einfach immer auf Englisch.

Heute konnte ich auch den Hund mitnehmen, was unser Leben um einiges leichter macht und mich sehr freut. Alle haben ihn gut aufgenommen und er bekam natürlich nach dem Essen ein paar Ribs ab.

"Es bringt echt gute Stimmung den Hund im Büro zu haben! Ist echt super."

Zitat Anders

Ich glaube in diesen Zeiten der Kiese überall (obwohl ich mich nicht wirklich darüber Gedanken mach) ist es wirklich toll in so einem jungen Büro aufgenommen zu werden!

update, neuigkeiten

2009-06-19T16:14:00.005+02:00

Hallo to our followers and Hallo family!

Since most of my family is Austrian we'll have a little change on our blog. From now on all posts will be in German & in English! (Our Danish is not yet so perfect that we can cover that)

Hallo an unsere Leser & Hallo Familie

Da beinahe meine gesamte Familie aus Österreich ist benötigen wir hier eine kleine Veränderung. Alle Posts (Anzeigen) werden von nun an in Deutsch & Englisch sein! (unser Dänisch ist leider noch nicht so gut das wir auch das abdecken könnten)

first working day

2009-06-15T18:14:00.002+02:00

I'm happy to announce that I had my first working day today. Now after some hours building a model I'm sitting on the lake watching swans and runners. I'm working in an small architectural office named MAPT (Mediating Architecture Processes and Technology) and as everybody can imagine it was quite hard to get in. The crisis is struggling architects in denmark and I am quite happy that although I am in the position of an intern I'll receive some payment!

The office is located in Nørrebro close to the lakes and with myself there are 13 people working. We (happy to say it in this terms) share the space with fashion designers which haven't been in today. The project I'm working on is a little shopping center in Herlve outside of Copenhagen.

I can't really say anything about my colleges as one day doesn't seem like a proper judgment but most of them are my age and the first impression was good!

I hope to post some more good news soon, till then I'll enjoy some more runners, wooow and the sun! cu

first week

2009-06-10T11:02:00.009+02:00

©expat copenhagen - pictures from christianshavn

hej, now that we're living more then a week here in Christianshavn I thought it's really time to name some things I start loving about that area!

1- Lagkagehuset

I guess it's the best bakery in copenhagen :-) they have unbelievably good bread that is still nice after a week! the pie's are also adorable and what jen likes a lot: very good looking!

2-the opera

it's nice living next to beautiful buildings. well as an architect I've got some points to critique about that big house on the holm. but still it is gigantic like a big thing standing opposit to the castle and I like that as a statement! and our doggy likes that not many people yet discovered the nice grass next to it!

3-the nice canals

for me coming from an inland country the sea attracts me. having the canals in front of my doorstep it's amazing to see these nice sailing boats every day. I hope there may never come a day that I oversee them.

4- christiania

well not many of my friends know copenhagen and I think those who know it know christiania. most people know the area around the pusher street, well but that's not christiania for me. the real christiania you discover walking around the lake(s).

so far just some things I start loving about my new home area.

for more pictures go to -click-

the moving movie

2009-06-07T18:02:00.004+02:00

©expat copenhagen - the moving movie

after a long long long week jen, tetsuya and I have our first weekend here in københavn. although we are tied to the bed (aka the couch) because I caught a cold, jen is suffering from allergy and tetsuya hurt his leg while running toooooooo hard and enthusiastically on the grass close to the opera.

It's been a hard time the last two weeks packing, moving and unpacking but I somehow got sick of telling the whole story over and over again. For that reason I made a little movie with all our pictures and hope some of you can experience how it was (to move about 1.5 tons of our stuff).

I also want to shoot a special thanks to our friends who helped out even when we lost our last reserves. Also to our family who supported us not only financially but also with love and helpful reminders! And last but not least a special thanks to our new and first danish friends Sune & Kristina who not only rent us their lovely apartment but also help out with any question and also with their muscles for our most precious goods.

this movie is hosted by youtube but you can also watch it in a better quality on my web gallery.

enjoy!!

a life out of boxes

2009-06-02T18:41:00.006+02:00

so well, it has been a few days that we have arrived in copenhagen. while paul is taking back the little truck to salzburg I'm fighting with all our stuff that waits to be unpacked and neatly arranged in our new little home. after almost finishing with the kitchen (somehow that's the most important place for me *gg*) I'm now left with a mountain of clothes that we used to wrap the fragile kitchen stuff (nothing broke, yay).

as the weather is so beautiful right now, I decided that the dog (hehe..) absolutely wanted to go out and I couldn't stay inside working in that mess and make the little fella stay in (yeah, blame it on the dog). So I met up with an old friend who happend to be in copenhagen for the weekend and we spend the day in christianshavn, drinking coffee and playing with the doggy on the big grass-space next to the opera at holmen. the children where jumping in the canals, and the daddys where working on their sailing boats, preparing them for the scandinavian summer ahead. it was almost to idyllic to be true. I wanted to go swimming, but I am really a jelly-fish phobic and although the danish friend who was with us told me that only sting "a little" and I should go, I decided that swimming could wait a little longer until I would become more aquainted with the copenhagen medusas.

I read awhile ago that christianshavn is like a village in the city and that its people rarely cross the bridge to the center. I thought this was strange at first, but I haven't crossed the bridge until today :-) I just feel so comfortable with the quietness and all the people relaxing on the canals, picknicking. and there is all you really need: "lakagehuset" for the best friggin' bread and sweets (sadly vienna has lost it's famous bread and patisserie-mojo the last few years), the canals for swimming, enough space to give our doggy a good workout (he needs his 60km/h run every day :-)) and bottega, which has amazing pizza. I also like how young the mothers are and that they take their children everywhere. In vienna most people believe that your life is over once you have babies. I even saw that with a friend, she didn't have anyone, her husband was working and she spent the days at home being depressed for the first 6 months, not knowing othe young mothers (it's considered rather weird to have a baby before turning 35). but here it seems children are just part of life, that somehow starts to take away my fear of becoming a mom! *g* maybe that's why we germans and austrians are dying out and scandinvians happily reproduce themselves :-)

not everything is perfect, though and I wouldn't mind if all the pit bulls from christiania and the straying dogs would disappear, but I guess you can't have everything.

but apart from that I feel really lucky that we have found such a sweet little apartment in an amazing place and that we can afford it and even have a little money left at the end of the month.

I realize, of course, that there is the real life also and so tomorrow is going to be spent with getting our registration certificate, internet, tv and all the bureaucratic stuff that needs to be done. then we have to continue unpacking and so on and so on. I also want to start the danish course as soon as possible, cause I really didn't like the look full of pity that the lakagehuset-girl gave me when I tried to pronounce "kanelsnegl".

I somehow feel very lost when I don't know the language of a place, it makes me feel so isolated so I really need to get going with it!

pics and news will come soon!!!!

there

2009-05-31T09:10:00.001+02:00

we made it

after a long long long trip finally to our now home! it's been hard and exhausting but now that we had our first night here we're finally happy!

20 min to our abschiedsparty

2009-05-20T19:39:00.002+02:00

2 more days & I am still a freak & party !!!

2009-05-18T08:56:00.013+02:00

©expat copenhagen - invitation

It's Monday and this is my 3rd last workday in Vienna! I cant wait for leaving this office! Been too lang that I had fun here! No offence, but since my team here was always very "busnessy" I just had very little funny times! So I'm not sad to leave this place which I consider as OK!

After a weekend off from moving duties I somehow feel the pressure in my neck coming! Our apartment here in Vienna is a total mess! Just imagine everything you have but not placed in your drawers or storage, just layed out on the floor! We'll start with packing everything on Thursday and I'll try to cover this with daily pictures of every room!

For the moving we'd been lucky to get the little truck of our relatives from Salzburg! They borrow it to us over the long weekend of the 1st june! I've already posted a sketch of our tour so maybe now it's understandable! I've started to draw the loading deck of it in 3d and did a 3d packing plan! I was somehow scared of not fitting everything in! but my 3d packing plan was telling me "yes we can" (maybe Im a kind of matha steward -or architect freak but better testing it then,..)

©expat copenhagen -the transporter

©expat copenhagen -3d packing plan

last but not least, our leaving party is off on wednesday! we are about to hit the 30 people mark and I hope we'll enjoy the evening with some strawberry bowle and all our friends!

last 6 days

2009-05-12T09:44:00.007+02:00

©expat copenhagen - the new work surrounding

as moving is getting closer, other things have to end. my carreer at BEHF Architects yet not old and yet not very successful will be over in 6 working - days. though it wasn't the work I'd die for it was a nice time and along that time many things changed. I think I grew older and that working relation in a strange way let me know what is and what's not my way of living! Of course there have been outstanding days like the opening of the beautiful EO Oberwart (pictures, movie), the little but always hidden success that after 100 types of façades they finally took my suggestion for a hotel in Salzburg and so on.
The not so nice, situations always disappear in time or at least we try to let them disappear. I think it's a kind of self-protection to not the bad things remain within your heart and mind. still these points let me change my future perspective and drew me to a new situation of leaving home for something I am very excited about. a new job, a new duty, a new role, a new life!

Yes I passed the status of half-heartedness, I passed it and I feel a little sad of leaving my home where I grew up, finished school, had many of one's first experiences and so,... Not that I haven't left home yet, I had half a year in Sydney, finding out how I am able to survive in the out(back)er world. But that time was completely different, it was a time where I always new that I'd be back some day!

Well I'd lie if I say that I never return to Vienna. I guess I will. Somehow in my head there is that wish to see it as a great move. maybe it's stupid maybe I'll regret it, maybe this or that. Telling how these feelings emerged would be hard, I just have no idea. But since a certain poing I've allowed it to be and it felt like a big step.

This time I spent with BEHF, put me into "real" business life, not that I was totally new to that having worked for several offices along uni & school since I was 16. Here it was different. It emerged through a real business application process (which I admired at that time) and it always had nothing to do with people I know before. Just realizing that this was never the case before with all the other places I spent my time with. Always it had something to do with a colleague or a friend or a friends-friend, or someone who know someone or,... simply there was always a personal relation. I just realized that this is something I've missed here and I never really got closer with someone here. (besides some nice colleagues, still colleagues)

I'd also lie if I'd say this will change. It can't, how would it. But I'll try to change. I'll try to find someone who's valuable to become a real friend not only beside the working desk. At least I can try. Else than that I have no idea how to really deal with my concerns. Maybe that's just the sad business life! I hope not and I still have the believe that it's possible to love not only what you do but also the circumstances it's in!

3 Weeks

2009-05-07T14:50:00.007+02:00

©expat copenhagen - the king

today, the 7th of may we are approaching the final phase before we move! 3 weeks till we start with our tour! it doesn't look like we're moving yet in our old apartment, though it looks like we're doing something, more like a little humanitarian catastrophe. well if one can survive that for 3 weeks one will move that shit to Denmark ;-)

only that we've got to be that one!

let's see!

our moving sale

2009-05-04T10:59:00.008+02:00

©expat copenhagen - moving sale

the moving sale, we held through out the last weekend, went quite well, considering that I made the misstake putting it on a sat. of a long weekend! well we made 120 € and sold 1/4 of our stuff which is totally fine I guess!

It's shocking when you see how much goods oneself's got and was never in use. one could make a study of dead value hidden in drawers and boxes of each and every apartment or house. that would be radical! it would open consumers eyes and it would hopefully change thinking of everybody! well I'm already starting to think of starting that project!
wow!

..... to be continued!

inbetween "2" sucks!

2009-04-30T13:52:00.005+02:00

©expat copenhagen - newcastle (aus)

©expat copenhagen - sydney bay (aus)

©expat copenhagen - uluru (aus)

once again I'm in an inbetween status. I was so enthousiastic with organising and planing everything that now 4 weeks before leaving old for new home I'm finding myself again with whired feelings. I've got time to think now. certainly thats good but too much for thinking never leads to what we call happieness!
these pictures from the time when Jen & I fell (jumped) in love should somehow represent how I should feel! happy and sad! happy to get into a new place and excited to live in denmark. but I'm not jet! Sad that I leave my homebase where I grew up where I learned everything where I've got my family,... but I'm not! I am just a mash of something and nothing!
not stressed but not relaxed, not happy but not sad, not exhausted from work, planning or scheduling but also not free of it! I just don't know!

maybe I'm too much grown up now to have these feelings again. maybe I'm philosophising too much. maybe I.... I'd love to cry and be deeply down but I can't, I'd love to be high up in the sky but I'm not!

I don't know what it is but I don't think thinking makes the thoughts about it better so I'll try to draw off attention.

28.05 to 02.06.2009

2009-04-28T09:02:00.003+02:00

©expat copenhagen - our tour

moving sale

2009-04-27T09:29:00.010+02:00

©expat copenhagen - beer & shrimps in gilleleje

now the rush of moving to denmark has just started. we are in moving preperation! I'm about to deconstruct fixed furniture in our old apartment and jen is sorting through her closet with lots and lots of surprises ;-) we are trying to get ride of our stuff but still there is so much there. I once read that one civilised western human beeing got 20-30.000 pieces she/he is living on! HORROR
we're trying to reduce on that.

Our apartment is a total mass due to sold pieces of furniture and total loss of their storrage! Things are in boxes and things are on the floor and things are....... no idea where that'll lead through hopefully it all works out in the end!

good news from our new apartment we'll get it fresh painted which is a great releave since wouldn't be able to come to copenhagen till we move!

We are also holding a MOVING SALE here in Vienna, 02.05.09 in 4.th District from 4 pm with beer and snacks! everyone who's intrested in our things is invited!
pictures here

boligsikring

2009-04-20T11:23:00.006+02:00

we love denmark!

well, since we are moving there it's kind of obviouse but still this time is full of surprises! our new land lords (well friends now, Krsitina & Sune) told us that everybody who's renting in denmark is able to get the "boligsikring" a suport from the state. It's for household which is under a certain income and for apartments under 75 m²! its great and we're so happy to get that!

it's signed!

our "lejekontrakt" is singed now! Since Krsitina & Sune are moving to vienna we signed the contract here and it's quite a releave to have everything fixed now. next task is to find an electricity suport, internet & maybe landline!?

special thanks to Krsitina & Sune for your great help

from 110 m² to 40 m²

2009-04-16T10:21:00.009+02:00

©expat copenhagen -tetsuya, his first ride in a christiania!

moving isn't easy! moving isn't always fun! and moving when you leave country is quite hard work! with us there is a certain fact that makes our moving very hard!

here in Vienna we moved into a nice apartment in the 4th district which is very cheap for the size. it has 3 rooms, kitchen, bathroom,... and 110 m² so very big!!!

in Copenhagen we will move into a very very nice apartment in Christianshavn with a reasionable price for the location! it's got only one room less and but a lot less sqare meter, 40!!!

we'll need to get ride of a lot of stuff! not only furniture but also "the cultural waste" one accumulates over time which is never used again! we'll hold one or two markets with friends and hope that we'll be able to get ride of the stuff!

back & planning

2009-04-15T10:34:00.009+02:00

©expat copenhagen - jen & tetsuya in a christiana bike in front of the theater

after beautiful Easter Holidays in Salzburg with my family we're back in Vienna. Now the planning and the moving is getting closer. The date of leaving is approaching and still so many things to do!
As we are only partly well organized, I've decided to have a look at the martha steward tip's for moving which Jen already did months before! These are simple handy lists with chapters 2 month before 6 weeks,.....
Well if it helps!

It was so strange coming back to our old apartment in Vienna, it seemed to be so empty and lifeless! Im already thinking of what I have to see before I leave. Well, we'll miss Vienna and there'll be times when we'll think back! BUT these days have to come and when they come we're in beautiful Copenhagen which means we've made it! ;-)

with all the stress we've somehow left aside our ambition of learning danish continously. As our course starts again next monday we'll have to repeat some stuff!

massive light on the end of the tunnel!

2009-04-08T11:49:00.002+02:00

jen's parents said, when one door is shut another will open up!

that's so true with my situation! I didn't get the funding/scholarship for the intern and only got the possibility to work without payment! till today, I got a interview and was totally frank which I thought isn't the right thing but I couldn't help to let it all out! AND

it worked. Anyhow either I must have been so pathetic or so clear that I want this that finally the guy from MAPT said that he'll put me on an assignment and that it's gona be a free lance relation ship! MAN I LOVE IT!

This morning already started great cos we got a sms that told us that we, although the long struggle, can have the apartment!!

SO WE GONA LIVE IN CHRISTIANSHAVN!

AND I'LL WORK FOR MAPT!

sometimes live's got great turns to offer and that's what makes it liveable!!!

shit happenz

2009-04-07T12:39:00.002+02:00

it all went just too fine! till yesterday noon!

pretext.

we came to copenhagen started to seek apartments and also visited the lovely apartment we've posted earlier! We really liked it, jen fall in love with it and the surrounding. Just I was a little uncertain! We had a great Saturday with lots and lots of sunshine and got in love with our new hometown!

but then.

driving the christiania with the doggy is just impossible right now! he's so frightened that he's jumping out which is not a good thin between lots of traffic! So riding the christiania with Jen and the doggy in it gave me some aching muscles. We know that it'll take a while but still it's not what we've expected!

we tried to find apartments aside to the place we've seen but it seems to be virtually impossible to find something nice, and not as far away as sweden (you wouldn't believe it, but we found announcements where they say, the apartment is 15 min away from cph center, close to malmö central station! wtf??) under 8.000.-kr!

So we sad we'll take the lovely small place we've posted earlier but we found out that they'll be seeing other tenants today because I sounded uncertain! well we'll know it maybe till early afternoon!

I DIDN'T GET THE SCHOLARSHIP

yes it's definitive I am not able to do a normal internship without doing a side job to survive!

well it had to be the hard way! it's crises time and why shouldn't it hit us, too! I know I'd be able to make it but it would have been good for the start!

I've got two interviews today and I've got no idea how to turn it and how to position myself.

last time I was frank to everybody it didn't really turn out to be good for me. I've no idea! Danish people sometimes leave you quite uncertain! Just that i have the problem that I hate to lie! (normally not a bad attitude,maybe not in real life!) I hope that I'm still optimistic after the afternoon!

We've found the perfect "cykler" for us and our doggy, the Nihola it's great to ride and easy for jen, tetsuya and me! BUT it costs 16.000 kr. and is far out of budget!

BUT'S

we still want this!

I still want to work here!

we are still optimistic to find a nice place to live!

I'll find a job and if necessary a side- and a second side job!

WE'LL MAKE IT!

I'm always reading a german business magazine brand eins and there was an article about a company that is now during the crisis hiring loads and loads of people to grow! the guy in the interview sad, everybody who swims with the stream has to take the bumps and the turns of it. Everybody who's not has a hard time but he's still in hand of his road!

I JUST LOVE THAT!

so lets swim against the stream!!!!

it's time to go now !!!!

2009-04-03T10:21:00.008+02:00

I'm at work and it's just 2 more hours before I leave the office to run home and jump into the car to go north. Strange that feeling! I'm so excited about what I'll be seeing on that journey.

Will we find a proper apartment?
Will I be able to say " I've got a job now"?
Will we find out which area is the nicest for a start in cph?
Will Jen be able to get into a study program?
.
.
.
and finally
Will Tetsuya like Copenhagen!?

Well one thing is for sure, we're looking forward to some northern spring sun. Maybe have some nice walks and cycle in the sun. So far my last post from Vienna.
More next week directly from Copenhagen! Now it's time to get ready, though Vienna is showing it's lovely face today: 20 degrees, people sipping aperol spritzers in the sun, and beautiful sunshine!

departure coming closer!

2009-03-30T12:49:00.012+02:00

everytime you leave town for any purpose it's the same! there are hundreds of things popping up in your mind, that need to be solved and to be finished and to be handed in, to be given to someone and so on and so on......

maybe it's only with me but I guess it's the same with everybody. It's not often that I had enough time to pack my stuff properly and think about what and which and why.

well, it's like that this time. jen's got her bachelor thesis to hand in. I've got a hand in for a project that I'm doing aside of work and there is loads of stuff to do at the office! Additionally, there is the big opening of the shopping center that I was partly working on, tomorrow, and so on and so on! (not that I like shopping centers but sometimes it just happens to be the thing you have to work on!)

we didn't find apartments, yet, to visit, aside from that lovely christianshavn-one of our friends when we're in Copenhagen, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. (because most of the apartments are rented out within some days. we just need to be the lucky first!).

I hope to offer more new pictures of Copenhagen in spring, because I'm running out of my own pictures anyway!

train or car? ferry or brigde?

2009-03-26T09:23:00.012+01:00

when you travel with a little doggy you never consider flying. at least we don't! I know it sounds like a pain in the a**, but you learn to get along with it, and there are seldom possibilities to have holidays without the doggy. It's good also for your carbon footprint! (for those who care about it!) so there're only trains or cars to choose!

wien <> kobenhavn 1.400 km by train
from vienna there are two possibilities to get by train to kopenhagen. both are going through night. the one line goes overnight to hamburg with a german train and continues to kobenhavn. the second one is a fast train to nürnburg (ICE) and continues with the overnight train coming from münchen going to kobenhaven!
we joined that night train for our first visit with a second class double cabin. well, I wouldn't say it's spacious, as you see, but if you take some sleeping pills and ear plugs you'll sleep well! You wake up with a little breakfast and you're fitter than you are when you ride a car!

costs vary, but you have to think of 600€ both ways in a double cabin!

Storebælt-Brücke - picture from flickr

wien<>kobenhavn 1390km by car over the bridges
when you take the car it's exhausting! you should sleep over night somewhere inbetween. (which is always a possibility to see nice little villages/towns or cities, as we did in Germany: Würzburg and Hamburg. For this, the Etap Hotels are great! cheap & clean & easy!) It takes you about 13-15h pure driving time. we use to listen to audiobooks a lot, because it keeps your mind working and keeps you focused.
the storebælt-bridge connects Fyn with Sjælland and is very spectacular! the toll is 30 € each way and can only be reduced if you've got a little electronic box for frequent drivers!

Storebælt-Brücke - picture from flickr

wien<>kobenhavn 1250km by car & ship
almost the same way, only that you pass Berlin and drive to the little town of Puttgarden from where you take the ferry to Sjælland, Rødby. It saves you 150 km but also takes 45 min with the ferry. costs for the ferry are 64€ (from 00:15-04:15 only 50€) and it takes 45 min.

in terms of carbon footprint the train wins over the car! in terms of budget it's vice versa!
(train 600€ - car 300€) still it's far better then traveling by plane, but we're still unsure if we should drive over the bridge again or take the ferry for the first time!?

any suggestions?

copenhagen visit

2009-03-21T16:27:00.013+01:00

apartment in christianshavn - all pictures from sune spang

we've got new plans! our next (third) Copenhagen visit is scheduled from the 3rd to the 10th of April. We hope we'll have nice spring weather for our numerous "assignments"!

1. boliger

as we already posted and talked to many people to,we'll be able to visit the lovely apartment of our new and first copenhagen friends, Kristina & Sune in Christianshavn! Since we have talked so much about it and we have seen so many pictures and heard so many nice stories about the area we are very much excited to finally see the place. BUT we'll also have a look at other hopefully beautiful apartments which will either confuse us with additional choice or help us by picking the right one!

which means that the easter bunny will know where we stay for the first time in denmarks delightful capital.

2.cpr

with a little luck we'd be able to register for the public identification number, cpr number. it's a funny scandinavian system, without it you kind of don't exist and can't get a library card, a dankort for paying stuff and so on. I think we'll have to convince them that we can sustain ourselves somehow to get one. how, we still have to figure out. it could be very helpful if we'd be able to get it I guess!

3. work / uni

for me some work interviews are coming up, finally I hope that I'll find a position for the first couple of month. I've applied for a young architects work scholarship which will help me to find work and enables me to work as an intern. still these days architects are having troubles because of 9/11, oh sorry with the financial crisis or whatever,....

jen, is now applying for 2 different universities and 3 different courses! well, you never know which works out in the end!

4.prepaid card

we'll check out a 'three' mobile phone prepaid card. we'll post our new numbers soon!

5. explore the city!

tetsuya (our lovely doggy), jen and I will explore the city with rented bikes from København Cykler close to the train station or Baisikeli which uses part of the rental fee to renovate bikes and send them over to africa, which is kind of a nice thing. I'll try our to ride a christiania or comparable bike for the first time with tetsuya in front. I'm a bit afraid he might not like it and try to jump out of the basket! well we'll put a nice soft and cosy blanket in it for him and maybe tie him for our first couple of rides!

6. new people,

we'll try to get to know new people to make new friends to have some fun and to go out for some parties! jeh! some jazz music maybe!

all in all we are really looking forward to visiting our future hometown again, some spring air and hopefully an apartment and some more insights when we come back!

Servus and Baba,

Jen & Paul

H.O.M.E. Opening Party!

2009-03-19T10:07:00.015+01:00

home depot opening - picture from oe4.com

yesterday evening, we followed an invitation to the opening of the design/lifestyle-magazin - exhibition H.O.M.E. Depot in one of viennas most beautiful buildings, the semper depot. glamour - glamour, and a lot of fancy-schmanzy 'un'known celebrities surrounded by beautifully displayed design products from furniture to dyson vacuum-cleaners, fancy lamps and designed electronics made a brillant night for us.
the famous swedish furniture company Hästens also presented their reaaaaaaally comfortable beds there (believe me, I tried, the nice swedish salesmen even covered me with a blanket and a teddy bear *g*). speaking of people, the manager of the scandinavian design house who sells the beds in vienna happens to be a dane who was very interested in our soon-to-be copenhagen adventure and told us to visit him in the shop, so we can practice our danish ;-) also the young swedish guy told us that it was a good thing we move to copenhagen in summer, so we can experience some of the marvelous scandinavian summer and told us to hop over the bridge sometime to smell some swedish air.

all in all a nice evening, with a scandinavian touch and lots of free prosecco *g*

jen & paul

error! 11.03.

2009-03-18T14:40:00.004+01:00

there was a big fault in the post from 11.03, bolig!

"andelsboliger - Housing cooperative - Genossenschaftswohnung
that's a system which was common during he 80/90ties in Austria, in Austria you pay a kind of membership deposit depending on the object your interested in, and on top of that you pay a very low monthly fee! I've found out that in denmark it's almost the same system only that it is very popular. so there are many of these flats on the market."

this is wrong from the basis!

andelsboliger - is owning a part of the house. that's what I found out while posting in my new favourite forum, dk-forum.de ! So it is much cheaper then normal ownership! well as soon as I find out more I'll let you know!

in-between

2009-03-17T15:14:00.007+01:00

when you decide that you move to another country it's all dazzling new! you are happy about everything and you are excited! images pop up in your mind and you see yourself in that or this position, place, .....

the time between your first thoughts and the rush you are in when it all actually takes place is strange. at least it's for me! you confront yourself with different questions that occupy your mind although you're still far from facing them! you think about apartments weeks long and lose your mind in little details like mobile phone rates.

meanwhile you talk to many friends/people about your plans. you'll find supporters, opposers, happy and sad people. some will tell you they'll visit you, some you know will actually do it some wouldn't. some tell you things you didn't know before.

when you enter that phase of migration you're in-between! you and your mind don't really live on the same spot any more. it happens that you're lost in thoughts. it happens that you forget stuff, that you're scared and that you're tremendously happy! all maybe only within some weeks or months! with us it's months, since it'll take till early July until we move to Copenhagen. a long time will pass and some things in life will pass by while I'm/we're occupied by ....

did you ever have this kind of experience?

angst

2009-03-16T21:39:00.005+01:00

vienna - picture from virtualsightseeing

it might seem a little stupid, but those last few days I realized that we will really move to copenhagen. but the feelings I get from this sort of late epiphany is mixed. suddenly a hundred things pop up in my mind that I haven't done during the past 6 years I've lived in vienna. I have never been to the Lichtenstein Museum although I've lived right next to it for 3 years, I've never been to the Prater, actually I've never really done anything "touristy" here. When I arrived 6 years ago, I immediately started with my studies, so there wasn' t really a lot of time to do things like that. except for going out to get to know people of course. :-)

that's actually another things that gives me the creeps: friendship. it took me so long to build a circle of good friends whom I can trust and who've really grown on me. and then, do you know how long it takes to befriend a viennese person????? it's almost impossible, they don't seem to care about making new friends. it took me years to befriend some of them and that my boyfriend is from vienna certainly helped, though I still got know people while going out and so on. I have the bad feeling that danish people are not so different concerning the friendship thing, I've heard they will have a good time with you, but to really make friends with them is very difficult. I mean, as I said, I'm used to it from Austria, but on the other hand it makes me sad to know that the first few years will be rather difficult and may involve the feeling of being a stranger without family ties in a foreign city. especially when now some of my friends are getting married and having children and I won't be there to take part. also my parents just moved to vienna, which was actually nice as well.

then there is the study thing. now that I'm almost finished with my bachelor I'm really afraid that I won't get into a msters' programm here in cph, I don't know if this is unrational, but I always panic when my future is not planned out, yet. all these horror scenarios about what I will do if I don't get to study and so on and so forth.. I know I should focus on the good things and that everything will eventually work out, but you know, my nature..

on the other hand, this time i am not starting out alone, I'll have paul and the doggy with me, which already makes it tremendously easier! and I'm sure that we'll get know some people in the beginning, maybe not danes, but other people who are new to the city. I'm really looking forward to cycle everywhere and to live close to the sea!
although paul may deny it, vienna is kind of morbid, especially in the winter, and often I felt really encased here by this gloomy atmosphere. there is a reason why freud lived here..
copenhagen may be dreary in the winter as well, but when I was there it still felt differently to vienna. people where still smiling at you and trying to make it "hyggelig" inside during the dark winter months, at least that's how we experienced it.

well, that leaves me to say "gute nacht" and tomorrow we'll be one day closer to spring! :-)

07.07.2009 i København

2009-03-16T10:31:00.014+01:00

since last time we've been to copenhagen we're big big big fans of kings of leon! the last concert in copenhagen was a real great experience. they're live as good or better as on their albums!

last time we were in cph we desperately wanted to see them, but of course the concert was totally sold out and we already buried our hopes of going there. but then the night of the concert when we were just walking out of the stylo hostel near islands brygge where we were staying at, paul suddenly stopped at the reception and pointed at a small note from an australian guy who wanted to get rid of this tickets because he had to leave earlier. we didn't hesitate for a second and half an hour later we were enjoying one of the best live gigs I have seen so far. danish people really know how to party! in vienna people are really lame and quiet during concerts, but wow, the danes know how to rock the house!!!
well, this time round, we secured tickets as soon as we could get them and we are already exited about next time at kings of leon in july.

friends

2009-03-14T22:17:00.004+01:00

when you leave your old home it's always a pitty to leave friends behind! some might be very good friends and the friendship might hold, some might not.

but you get to know new people, and find new friends.

a week ago good friends of us told us about a danish couple who are interested in renting their old apartment because they are moving to vienna! they also told our friends about their apartment in copenhagen. well the world is very small sometimes, so we got together. today we met the lovely young couple from denmark in vienna where they live now. they told us about the apartment and about the nice area where it's situated, christianshavn. it was a very nice gettogether in vienna with a copenhagen spirit! funny how fate draws people together. soon we'll be visiting copenhagen again and then we'll know if that apartment is our new home. if not, another" apartment-search" stories will appear.

so far we're off for the first weekend without greyness in vienna this year!

bolig?

2009-03-11T11:54:00.008+01:00

køb-, lejeboliger og andelsboliger

moving into a new flat is always a question of budget and of what you can do with it. in times like these where lowns are hard to get and money is nowhere really safe, it's even harder! Knowing your choices is more then important before your make the move!

lejeboliger - classical renting
the usual choice, easy, known everywhere, you have the costs of the space, and on the side heating, wires, etc.

køb bolig - bying property
"if you have the money, I guess it would be funny,....." well funny not these times for people who sell! not too bad for buyers.

andelsboliger - Housing cooperative - Genossenschaftswohnung
that's a system which was common during he 80/90ties in Austria, in Austria you pay a kind of membership deposit depending on the object your interested in, and on top of that you pay a very low monthly fee! I've found out that in denmark it's almost the same system only that it is very popular. so there are many of these flats on the market.

in the end it's a question of two things, what is my budget and do I need to OWN my place!
there are economical theories calculated over 5, 10, 15, 20 ,25 years and no one can really tell you if renting or buying is the best option!
most important of all is that you find a place you love and then it should be worth the money!

danish

2009-03-09T21:07:00.003+01:00

to learn danish is not easy. well, you only have to learn 3 more letters "æ ø å" but still there is the problem that you say things totally different then you write them.

but there are still some things, I managed to remember:

jeg hedder paul, jeg kommer fra wien i østrig.

I am paul, I'm coming from vienna in austria.

jen er vel nok god til et lave mad.

jen is very very good in cooking. :-)

well, since we are doing the course at the danforum in vienna, learning how to pronounce words is easy. it also helps to see that other people learning with you suffer the same problems with their tongue.

also funny, most peoples' motivation to learn danish is LOVE! Two women have danish boyfriends and want to communicate with their family and one guy has a danish girlfriend and he'll also move to copenhagen. only one guy is going to study there in next semester which is a very technical reason.

what ever the reasons are, learning a new language is always tricky and keeps you working on your brain fitness.

tak for i aften og farvel

paul and jen

mobility everywhere!

2009-03-09T10:25:00.008+01:00

since communication is very important for us web 2.0 freaks, a nice broadband and a good mobile phone connection is elementary! in austria we are quite lucky with a very high quality of connections both by wire and wireless. when you come to another country you never know what kind of company you shall take? do you take a contract or prepaid?

during our first visit to Copenhagen we used our lovely contract from 3 hutchinson, that allows us to make calls within all countries operated by 3 for the same rate. this is a useful thing, there are many companies nowadays that offer european contracts and maybe this is something for you. it always depends on what your use is.

a very nice 3 shop salesmen told us that one needs a permanent residentship to get a mobile phone contract. (& it's not so easy to get this permanent residentship) so the only solution for a danish number is a prepaid. the prepaid cards are very reasonable so it might be a very flexible and good solution!

there are quite a number of companies you can find these under dk communication.

we didn't check for landline and broadband connections yet, but as mobil broadband sticks are getting more common these days it's not a must have. most of these companies also offer hsdpa sticks that enable a quite professional internet use. if you know something about landlines or standard broadband please let us know.

till then stay connected.

cycling as a religion

2009-03-08T11:07:00.012+01:00

when moving to another town, commuting is always an issue! will you take the car, the tram, go by foot, take the metro or the bus or, like 36% of all copenhageners, use the bike to go to work. here in vienna it's rare that you find people who really commute with the bike. here it's dangerous, and it is hard to keep a bike since thieves steal everything from the sattle to the wheels.

so what makes copenhagen so different? first of all they have a high tax on cars! well, we austrians are used to high taxes because we have the luxury tax and this and that, but in denmark, cars have a registration tax of 180%! (no kidding! I didn't believe it till I've read it on the ministery home page! (very good explanation of this problem ...)

secondly, copenhagen is flat and has perfect street conditions for cyclers! there are blue colored pathes over large crossings, 3-4m wide bike lanes, stops and facilities to park your bike. if you like to see some of that the best web tip is copenhagen cycle chic. this is a web blog with beautiful pictures of people cycling in copenhagen.

during our first visit over new years eve we didn't rent cycles because we liked to walk a lot and had our little doggy with us. that was a big mistake, we realized in early february when we visited copenhagen the second time and rented bikes for the whole week! it was fantastic, you reach every part of the city within at least 15 min cycling and you feel the freedom of going where ever you want to! of course we had muscles burning after the first and second day! but you start realizing why people look so fit and healthy there!

since that visit we started thinking of buying bikes when we move to copenhagen. well we will take our lovely car with us but since we never took it to work here in vienna we wouldn't in copenhagen. it's just good to have one to make weekend trips to skane (sweden) or to the beaches,... jen's favorit bikes are the velorbis, very beautifully old fashion bikes with high quality. since I'll have to carry our lovely whippet (doggy), a bike with a large basket will be my choice! There are a lot of these typs of bikes on the market, like the christiania bikes, the nihola bikes or more fashionable, the trio.

funny coincidences

2009-03-07T09:29:00.011+01:00

everytime someone is moving to another country friends, family and all the people around are trying somehow to help or offer ideas. you talk to your friends and suddenly a friends friend knows someone and then you get help on the other edge of europe or the globe.

we had several funny coincidences since we started talking about our moving plans. the most interesting though is the following story. it's thursday afternoon I'm in the middle of a meeting at work and my phone rings. I could obviously not answer it, but I wondered what our friend lena would tell. later jen called me and was very excited about something but again I couldn't talk because of the meeting!

later I went out of that office, it was pouring rain, i called jen first and asked her about the news! she told me that our friends lena & michael who are seeking for tenant for their old apartment had someone from denmark seeing it. lena also told her that the woman from denmark is moving from copenhagen to vienna next month AND that they are seeking tenants for their apartment in christianshavn!

I was just excited! happy and already saw jen and myself wandering around the lakes with our doggy!

well all in the rush of a thursday later afternoon without having any ideas how that day would turn out lucky for us!

I think that these coincidences happen to everybody who moves to another spot cos as soon as you seek for a special thing opportunities around it pop up! maybe you had such a story a while ago?

your first place!

2009-03-04T09:02:00.011+01:00

finding a place to live is after a job or study place the most important move for expats. copenhagen with its tradition for design and it's modern art and architecture scene is a spot with many nice homes!

since 9/11, ... upps no it's ahm, ... never mind you know what I mean, since the financial crisis hit Denmark hard housing prizes are effected by that as well! so finding a place for us shouldn't be hard. but it's always a whole bunch of things, neighborhood, shops, work, greenery, view, ....... for Danes your home must be "hyggelig"! I guess there isn't such word in english but there is in German (Austrian
German) "gemütlich"! well it shell be a cozy place!

during our first visits we've been seeing a lot of neighborhoods and it's still hard to decide!

frederiksberg, nørrebro, østerbro, vesterbro, amagar, city center, christianshavn islands brygge,...

lost in translation

2009-03-02T09:06:00.018+01:00

it's 2009 and some expats may think that language is not as important as it was ages ago. especially when everybody speaks english nowadays. well, it might be true, when you see people like in that scenery sitting in front of their computer in a café in norrebro. but since we like to communicate and interact (and also want to study or work there) knowing the language is essential!

today we will have our first language lesson here in vienna! it was quite hard to find a proper danish course because skandinavian languages are not that popular here around the alps. and although danish is not a difficult language, it's very hard to pronounce or to understand, but i guess with a viennese accent you're better equipped for talking dansk, as they also speak very softly and swallow half of the word :-)
so after some browsing the net we found, that like every country, the danes have a cultural forum here in vienna. and luckily they offer danish courses! the forum is a cosy place in the 3rd district and our teacher is very nice. along with 3 other girls (all with danish boyfriends *g*) we hope to brush up our at the moment pretty non-existent danish, so that we can properly order our 7-euro tuborg in summer :-)

tak skal du have og god aften! and last but not least: hej hej! and see you soon.

2009-02-28T18:10:00.005+01:00

dear expats,

the start is the hardest, you've got an empty page, some empty luggage and no idea what you're going to start with. after the first couple of words, things are easy! I've got no idea if that is the same with leaving a country but if you continue reading you may find out. it's us, jen a young communication student with interests in fashion design, food, design in general,... and hundreds of other things and paul a young architect his head dug into bricks and concrete and finally tetsuya the little doggy, (like santa's little helper from the simpsons!) who will expat to denmark, copenhagen within the next 6 month.

since web 2.0 is our second living room and all these applications turned our live into a freaky thing, we've planned to post our problems and some information and our feelings and this and that, and all the boring stuff,..... we'll be very happy if someone who follows our blog responds to posts or sends us additional ideas how to improve our web 2.0 destination.

so far we are in a kind of in between status, a lot of time still to pass here in austria and so many questions! where will we be living how will we get our stuff to copenhagen, what will we be doing? how would it be with the little doggy. will we find new friends, ....... this is just a very short extract of a bunch of things that pop up in our mind when thinking about this summer.

it exciting, in the same time as it scares us a little!

so keep following and find out more!