Thursday 26 April 2012

Reality bites and it rains a lot...

So, it feels like the honeymoon period is over.  

Our CoI is fully back into the routine of work with a vengeance.  I am fully understanding the meaning of being a stay at home dad with 2 small children.  One of whom has decided that teething involves all sorts of histrionics and drama.  The other one fortunately is somewhat less dramatic and it is possible to have a rationale conversation with her.  Or at least as rationale as it gets with a 4 and half (very important the half) year old child.

On the upside, it means we are doing lots of things that involve exploring the neighbourhood to keep ourselves busy and out of trouble.

The highlights of discovery since the last blog have been the Fælledparken and the Østerbro Svømmehal.  The former is a large expanse of park, with multiple sports pitches, walking and running tracks and most importantly a fabulous children's playground where the kids can occupy themselves for hours.  Now that the weather is also improving this is becoming a regular excursion.  The latter is an imposing structure modelled along the lines of ancient Roman baths complete with statues of faux gods.  It has a great kids' swimming pool, which is perfect for me and 5m and 10m diving platforms which is perfect for the kids.  This is starting to look like a banker for rainy days.  Of which there are many it seems.

Now that things are starting to become normal again, the time for gastronomic exploration has been limited.  Although, I did try the Maharaja Indian restaurant a few blocks away the other night for a 'treat for self', which whilst a little on the pricey side did a very passable lamb korai with good naan.  So for you members of the FNCC, a perfectly good venue to reconvene when you make it out here.  Kingfisher and a decent wine list also available.

Things we have learnt since the last blog:

1.  Denmark has a supremely well integrated set of government departments - with one number we now exist and every department can help us at the drop of a hat.
2.  The most 'modern' radio station I have discovered, seems stuck somewhere between the mid 80s and mid 90s, with the odd foray into the 2000s or beyond.
3.  Security guards in Copenhagen are as unhelpfully obtuse as in London.
4.  Opening a bank account with our CoI was a wonderful experience involving pleasant one on one meetings in plush offices.  As opposed to the spotty trainee in an open plan station on the high street.
5.  Danes are sticklers for the rules, right down to the feedback on how I should shower when I took the kids swimming (slightly unnerving).
6.  Surprisingly, recycling seems a lot less structured than back home, or at least we were used to in London.  Plastics, tetra paks, food waste all goes into the landfill bin.  And, I have yet to find out where to recycle tins.
7.  The beer is good - current favourite is the Tuborg Grøn pilsner.
8.  The daily weather forecast usually includes; cloudy with some rain, cloudy with a little rain, sunny spells with some rain etc. 

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