a day in Copenhagen

If Poland can shock you with its June weather (in either direction), I think of Denmark as rather predictable: cool, occasional clouds with showers. But in the three days we're here, we got lucky (unless it all changes). Thursday, the day of our arrival, was partly cloudy and pleasantly warm, today it's sunny, tomorrow? Well, tomorrow it's Denmark weather: occasional clouds with occasional showers. But still warm. I consider that to be great luck. 

Both young families are enjoying a slower pace right now (from what I hear from my older girl). My younger daughter's family is taking in Tivoli in bits and pieces, and after breakfast (which I love here because of those yeasty cardamon and cinnamon rolls)...

... I plan to join them there. 

But let me pause a little at breakfast: as you know, it's always a special meal for me. A complete turnaround, because as a kid, I hated breakfast (except in Gniazdowo at my Babcia's house). When we lived in New York as kids, my mom tried to add that element of "healthy" by insisting we start out with half a grapefruit. To this day, it is my least favorite fruit. And cereal? In Poland, people did not eat corn flakes or rice krispies, made soggy within seconds by a hefty pour of milk. I still do not get the appeal. It's through travel that I learned to slow down and find pleasure in this meal. Croissants and cafe creme in France, muesli in Switzerland. And cardamon rolls here, in Denmark, with a strawberry ginger lemon juice, because in this country, it's not all just o.j.

Of course, this past week, there was no moment of calm at breakfast. Even as I got tremendous pleasure in watching the kids navigate the meal. And I kept an eye on my watch, because hanging out at the breakfast table until the morning hour turned into the lunch hour just wasn't going to cut it. Here, in Copenhagen, I'm sliding into the long and leisurely framework again. With just a slight eye to my watch.

I have a couple of details that do interfere a tiny bit with my day: first of all, I lost my voice. I saw it coming yesterday. By this morning, I morphed into a full fledged croaking frog. Which made for a very interesting phone conversation with the reception desk. He understood only half my words and language had nothing to do with it.

And why would I be calling the receptions desk? Well, for a room change. Not many people would do that, given that there are only two more nights left to my stay here, but I choose my stays carefully and hotels drain my savings, because I do like interesting, pleasant rooms. I've gone on many many trips when this just wasn't important. A clean bed and a toilet were enough to keep me happy. But, in these senior years of travel, I am way more attentive to my environment. I knew this about my hotel in Copenhagen -- no two rooms here are alike. And I knew there were very nice attic rooms that I did not like because they are dark. Even on these longest days of the year, they are dark. So when I booked, back in December no less, I asked for something that would get me out of the attic. And I got the attic room anyway. A nice room, but -- dark. They offered to move me today, with apologies of course, because they're all very nice here, despite the American Greenland lust, but still -- they want to move me and for that I have to repack (and unpack at the end of the day). Again, this is a problem of my own making, and I dont really mind going to the trouble. For a person of limited means and savings, there's nothing worse than spending lots of money on something you dont really enjoy. I plan to enjoy the next two nights in my brighter room, so that I can watch the sun go down at 9:58 p.m. and come up again at 4:25 a.m.

Okay, now for Tivoli with the little ones!

(the hotel there...)

 

(the flowers...)

 

  

(the rides!) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch (which for me consists of sampling this candy -- I run out of time for getting something more nutritious)...

 

 

 

... they rest and nap and I take my daughter up on her birthday gift for me (or was it Mother's Day?) -- a full body massage at their lovely hotel. She said then -- you'll probably need it after a week with all of us in Warsaw. She was correct.

 

And now I have a tiny room at my own hotel, but with big windows! I unpack once again.

 

 

 

It's a warm and very beautiful evening. I have a date to meet up with my daughter and her family on the Rivoli hotel terrace for a pre-dinner drink. I cannot think of a better way to spend an early evening in June in Denmark. 

 

 

 

We walk to out dinner place. Along streets, canals...

 

 

 

All the way to a pizza restaurant called  Baest, 40 minutes by foot from Tivoli. We'd been there before, when Juniper was just one and Primrose was four. And yes, the pizza is superb, and the appetizers -- delicious, but of course, it's the kooky things that one remembers best, and I surely do remember how the toddler among us slid a big slice of pizza into her mouth and let the cheese ooze all over her mouth.  

(always drawing...)

 

 

And here's another repetition -- after the pizza meal, we go to the østerberg ice cream shop. The girls seem to remember eating sea buckthorn berry ice cream. This orange one:

I'm more conventional -- rhubarb and salted caramel.

 

 

     

 

Late evening. I'm thinking about what my friend Bee said before the trip as I fretted about every possible thing that could go wrong (none of these worries were realized of course) -- the trip will pass with lightening speed. It was an admonition to savor each day.

She was right of course, though looking back, I think of it as being extensive, huge, not at all a brief explosion, but rather a full encyclopedia of events and memories. So in retrospect, it seems longer because it contained so much. One thing I hadn't anticipated was how much the kids would like the Poland part. You could argue that traveling together is always a high for them, but Poland offered something more. And they lapped it up. Too, I thought that a Poland visit would be a one-off. The kind of thing that my ex and even Ed liked seeing once or twice, and then they were done. But no -- I'm hearing a longing to return. Now, whether they can pull it off is another matter. The pressures of time, limited resources, the other destinations that tug at you -- all this may stand in the way of a return. But the important thing is that they would like to return. And that, to me, comes as a surprise. It was not just a sightseeing and grandma's life long ago kind of trip. The place, my family there, my friends -- this was all a package deal and they loved the entirety that made it unique and special.

But it wasn't necessarily an easy trip. We're all still tired. I'm still raspy as anything. Copenhagen is a great transition: with such good weather, people here smile at you, at the kids, at life. In Warsaw, it could go either way. So often the people behind store counters, or those serving food would not crack a smile if you paid them. Not even a sweet grin of a child would get them to reconsider. It speaks of a tougher life, a less secure populace. Poland has changed so much since I left, but complete rebirth doesn't happen in a generation. Or two. Or even three. 

I think about all that, but not for too long. I really have to get out of the habit of going to bed after midnight. Goodnight then, until tomorrow, from Copenhagen, signing off with so much love... 

 

leaving Warsaw, going places

The packing up of our suitcases was smoother than I thought it would be. I had gone to sleep just before 2 a.m. and had no strength to do any of it then, and I worried that leaving it to the morning would breed chaos -- but no. I packed Snowdrop's case, then took the girl down to breakfast with her cousins. (I understand the boys are relly sleeping in today!)

And after, I came back and attacked my own packing. Gifts had been removed but new ones were added. Thankfully the additions weighed less than the subtractions. [I came in at 23.3 kilo. The allowance is 23. One third of a kilo is cause for a shrug, not a penalty.]

And I made some executive decisions: get rid of the candy the kids had bagged that first evening here. Pack one nephew painting, carry on the second. My sister offered to take all that I did not need and in truly helpful mode, she, my nephew and his S.O. were waiting for me, for us really, downstairs -- to say good bye and to be generally helpful. Which they were in the extreme throughout the trip. Above and way beyond. 

(going down in the elevator: it looks worse than it is: the bags are ones with stuff to handover to various people and places.)

 

 

(one last group photo) 

 

Why is Juniper pouting? 

She was very sad to find out that the flowers she had picked in the meadow could not be transported with their jar of water first to Copenhagen, then home.

  

 

 

I return Snowdrop to her parents, put her suitcase in their room and climb into the transport van along with my younger daughter and her family.  To Chopin airport.

Maybe you remember - I wrote about this at the start of the trip -- after Warsaw, one family is heading to Estonia (I pass on that segment) and the other is heading to Copenhagen. I had promised each of them a week in Europe and I intend to deliver! I'll be spending three days with these guys in Denmark, then I will fly over to Helsinki, where I will meet up with the Estonia-visiting group. We were to do three nights in Finland, but scheduling issues caused a hick-up in that plan, so actually I'll be alone in Helsinki for a day. They'll come and join me there on Monday. For two nights. And then we fly home. On different flights, but still, home, where our dogs are waiting.

*     *     * 

There are no lines at the airport. Not for check in, not for security. We breeze through quickly. They search for lunch foods, I search for my second (well okay, third) coffee of the day. Never have I needed it more. (And still I doze off in flight!)

 (as close as I could get to a jagodzianka)

And just like that, we are in Copenhagen!

 

 

(Taking the train to town center)

 

It's my third time in three years to this city -- each trip here has been with grandkids. Small wonder -- they all love Tivoli (the old amusement park that has splendid gardens for me to enjoy). And I love watching them bounce around from one ride to the next. Besides, they have good pastries in Denmark. The kind I love -- not too sweet, with a hint of spice. 

I chose for these guys a hotel right inside the gardens. It's a magical place, where you can look out and watch for hours the comings and goings of people in the park. Too, you can enter early, before opening time, and you can pop out for an evening stroll, should you want to see the light show for instance.

For me -- I picked the Villa Copenhagen again for my overnights. I've done the Tivoli hotel once and I don't need to splurge again. Mostly, I need a place to rest a bit. To not worry about schedules and meetups and weather and food. To process!

I unpack, have a cup of tea and soon after, they pick me up for a walk... 

 

 

 

... to a familiar place in the meat packing district (Warpigs Brewpub). 

 

 

 

Grilled meats, chicken, fried cauliflower. Beans, coleslaw, spicy pickles. All good!

 

 

The young family is... young. Their enthusiasm is boundless. Mine is boundless too, but some of it has to rest inside of me. I know when I need to start hanging back. My voice is telling me that I strained it too much. My step counter is sweating from all the activity these past few weeks. I tell the young ones (and this includes the really young ones!) to have fun tonight and I walk back to my hotel.

Of course, part of me regrets this. How many June evenings am I going to get with these guys in Copenhagen after all? I'm sure they're doing a late walk through Tivoli as I write this. It's beautiful to see the kids' excitement when they step into this very special park. And beg for a ride. Or a delicious ice cream. Or both. And yet, I remind myself that I have a move in a week. I have a garden waiting for me -- one that will require care and oversight. I have a pup who still goes out many times a day. Like it or not, I really do need to slow down and get some rest. 

with so much love... 

 

Warsaw, Day 5 for Everyone!

It's our last full day in Poland. And the weather is just perfect. And everyone is still energetic, enthusiastic, effervescent. Though maybe a little sleep deprived. I head the list on that!

They have been setting a table for ten at breakfast for us. A sweet and very helpful gesture, considering that the breakfast room isn't large. The kids have long chosen their favorite dishes and so have we. Routines have been established.

(Wait, where is Sandpiper? Oh, there he is! Croissant in hand, shining his sneakers!)

 

What's the plan for today? It's both easy and complicated. On the one hand, there isn't a huge checklist. There are few imperatives. On the other hand, our group is large -- our 11 plus my sister, my nephew and his guy. And there are small things I'd like to add, if possible. And as it turns out, some things are of great interest to some of my crew and more time is needed for them. And, because it's the last day, I really want to make sure I don't leave feeling like I should have done more.

But, we set out feeling buoyant and optimistic.

(Through the Saxony Gardens once again...)

(a park in the month of June is always stunning)

(along Marszalkowska)

Our first goal and perhaps only real goal is to visit the Palace of Culture, that tall Stalinist era structure once dedicated to this insane person who was both paranoid and power hungry -- a dire combination. 

 

(side view....) 

 

 

We're to ride up to the 30th floor, from where you can look out on all of Warsaw. From that famous (for me and for me only) balcony from which I once was dangled by a haughty and unflinching grandfather. 

Did you know this is the fastest elevator in Poland -- my sister asks. I did not. 

 

 

 

 

The kids spotted a photo place where you could frame yourself into a view from the Palace. I have to admit, the kids were creative and the photos were great fun. Here's one of them:

 

 

Since the whole Palace visit took a while, we decided to skip the hike and catch the tram to Plac Konstytucji (Constitution Square). Sandpiper was thrilled. He likes to try all modes of transportation. 

 (waiting for the tram...)

 

 

(happy boy) 

 

 

I lived two blocks to the south of Plac Konstytucji when I was a kid, and I lived two blocks to the east during my teen years. Time for a family photo (thank you, Carey!)

 

 

 

The walk here shows postwar Polish architecture in full force.

And yes, as long as I am here, I cannot resist taking them all to the apartment building where my sister and I shared a room (it was a two room apartment) after moving to Warsaw from my grandparents' village. Why? It's a building, nothing more, right? Yes, but it is so different from what they know and see back home. And yet, I can't say that I was an unhappy kid...

(nowadays, the paint isn't pealing and the hallway doesn't smell of urine)

Maybe this is getting out of hand, this running through my past, but we're so close to my elementary school. So we pass that as well. Okay, okay, time for lunch. 

We have a reservation at Slodki Slony ("Sweet and Salty"). The locals use it as a special times cake and pastry shops. (The kids focus on that as we come in.)

 

 

But you can also stop and have a meal there: For example, I have beetroot soup with potatoes. And kompot.

We all pick our desserts, which of course are rich and beautiful. A few of them:

(As always, the cousins find endless ways to amuse themselves.

 

 

The kids have been asking for time at the elaborate playground in the Park Ujazdowski. This is the moment for it.

(hurrying to it)

After a good hour of play, we talk about the significance of the street that branches out right from the entrance to the park. Aleja Roz. I lived there from when I was 13 until I was 19 and left to live in the U.S.

 

(and now, here I am, with my five...) 

 

 

My father, when he split with my mom, stayed there with his girl friend for many years (were they ever married? I dont think so, since he never divorced my mother). Until the day he died actually. His GF inherited the place, which is both nuts and proper, since they did live there, but it was an apartment that was my mother's idea of success in life. She found it, she furnished it. Three rooms -- one was a bedroom for my sister and me, one was hers, one was his. And a kitchen, where we hung out over food, or just because.

The GF doesn't live there any more -- she is in an old folk's home. My nephew takes care of the apartment, which is a logical outcome since he was the only one in Warsaw who continued to help her and take care of her once my father died.

My nephew has the keys to it and he asked if we wanted to see it. The question is -- should we?  The kids wont care. And the adults? Turns out they do want to see it. Up we go.

 

 

 

And the adults do want to look through my father's photos and papers, which remain there on the shelves, as if he had just tossed them there for the evening, while resting after a long day.

 

 

 

 

Seeing this place is like a gut punch. A reopening of a long closed window for me, only it is now with the clutter of my father's life without us in it. Lots of clutter. His GF added to it. 

(kids hang out in what was my sister's and my bedroom)

 

What interests my daughters is not this so much, but they are fascinated by my father's photos and papers. They properly belong to my sister and me, but I'm not attached to the idea of carting them home. They are. 

(I always thought the best part of the apartment was the balcony; and yet, no one in my family ever used it. Ever.)

 

 

Eventually we run low on time or energy. We take the tram back to our hotel and the kids rest. Or play. Or both. I check out a porcelain store and pick up some fruit from a grocer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And in doing this, I run into my younger girl. A coffee break for the both of us!!

And finally, it's the dinner hour. 

(our last walk for an evening meal...)

 

 

We have a reservation at Gruby Josek. It's the 11 of us, along with my sister, nephew and partner, and Bee and her husband. 

(a gift of storks for the kids...)

A final dinner has elements of deep gratitude, great emotion, total satisfaction, exhaustion. A dinner here also has a ton of food! A table of so many appetizers (bigos, herring, veggies, salads, and beef tartare -- which I  told them they should take away because we wont eat it). Each a meal in itself. There were, additionally, soups. There were courses with fish or duck. There were two desserts (szarlotka and cheesecake). 

 

 

Younger folk had shots of vodka with the appetizers (to be in Poland and to not try a vodka even once? hard to imagine...). We finished with a nalewka -- an after dinner home made liqueur. We had a choice -- sour cherry or black current. I joined in on that because it is such a fine ending to a magical evening.

 

And the kids? Fantastically happy and enthusiastic about it all, they finished our travels together here with a radiant joy. 

 (loving the freedom to play some game outside while we chatted inside)

 

 And they made me a booklet -- each doing a page, of their favorite memories here. One said wading in the river. Another --  the visit to the top of the Palace of Culture, where we took those fun photos. Yet another -- he just liked Poland, period. And one liked knowing that Chopin's heart was stuck somewhere in a church wall. And the youngest? She loved the mermaid. She drew a picture of it for proof. 

Us grownups also contributed to our own list of favorites. There were so many. But of course, what stood out was the warmth of the welcome. The beauty of being happy together. 

  

 

Down to the last walk, by the light of the sliver of a moon.

 

 

with so much love!!!