CHRISTIANIA

Our last day in the fabulous city of Copenhagen, Denmark and the wind is howling. Doesn't bother the Danes that much, but I was cold as we walked around the Harbor and saw some big wooden sailing vessels. We meandered until we came to the "alternative" city of Christiania, smack in the middle of Copenhagen. What started at as a squatters take over of an old military establishment, has evolved for 45 years to what it is today.....a thriving artist, alternative, hash using, music venue and big tourist attraction. We met a very funny Swedish woman named Nina, who even might have been the de facto mayor. She had come to Christiania as a young hippie girl from Sweden to protest wars and the establishment, and she stayed off and on all these years. It is a hard place to explain unless you are there, but she answered all our questions and said we could take pictures ..EXCEPT on "Pusher Alley" where all the hash is sold. It is still illegal in Denmark to sell or use drugs, and Christiania has done it's best to eliminate all hard drugs...but the sellers do not want their pictures out for all the police to see. There are raids all the time, but the stalls have it down to a science to bag it all and fast...when the cops show up. It was very interesting and I swear One could get high just off the fumes.
Anyway....lots to tell of this place, but I am sure it is all on line if one wants more info.
The rest of the day we jumped on and off the metro and went to food courts and churches, but it was COLD wind chill factor, and coming back to our warm room was great! We rested and then ventured out to a place to eat expensive appetizers for dinner. Great last day.......now...we are off to Iceland!