evo on holiday

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Last few days in Berlin

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That was super cool, unfortunately Felix was sick. Jasmine was very kind and drove us on a tour.

The main stop was Teufelsberg. It was once the site of an unfinished nazi technical college which the allies could not destroy, so it was buried in a pile of East Berlin rubble to make a hill. While the wall was up the NSA constructed a listening station to eavesdrop on the Soviet East German military communications. Now the station has become derelict but the structure remains and has become a site for street art.

On the way back from Teufelsberg I remembered that my German relative had once lived in a house nearby (only 5 minutes out of our way!). So we stopped off there. It’s in a quite rich neighbourhood with many mansions, I wonder if it was like that when they were there?

Back in Berlin we went to a photography exhibition at C / O Berlin by Ren Hang which was funny, beautiful, weird (also pretty explicit).

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Just a brief outing for 1 January 2020

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Some of the chaos of New Year’s Eve fireworks

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New Year’s Eve raclette

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For New Year’s Eve we have raclette at Felix and Jasmine’s place. Once the Australians stop along questions about how to do it (having been conditioned by the many Danish rules at Christmas) the meal gets more fun.

We eat and drink to the sound of fireworks being set off in the streets. The sites and sounds are more intense when we cab to another apartment to see in the new year.

This was a very fun night

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We met up at a café in Friedrichshain, called Mugrabi. Middle eastern breakfast realness.

Then to the east side gallery, which was cool but super packed with people, so we didn’t hang around long.

Some vintage shopping after that back across the river. From there we walk slowly towards the Brandenburg Tor trying to walk by water is interesting building on our way.

The Tor is closed off because they are preparing for the New Year’s Eve celebrations. So we walk around to the memorial to Murdered Jews. As we round the corner we see the mist amazing sunset! It really is unbelievable.

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Our last day in Copenhagen, we went to Superkilen Park (designed by Superflex, the same people who made this in Louisiana https://channel.louisiana.dk/video/superflex-why-we-flooded-mcdonalds)

The idea for the park is that hundreds of people submitted things that remind them of parks from their home country/town and they built the park using all the suggestions.

We had food from Torvehallerne (smørrebrød), said our goodbyes and set off to the airport.

In Berlin we went our different ways to our accommodation.

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This morning we went back towards Pluto to go to the OG Gasoline Grill. The burger was really good (cheese burger > butter burger), lost feeling in my fingers from the cold plus the Coke can.

Then we went in the river tour boat. THAT was cold. But I really liked the tour, just an hour cruising out to the harbour and a circuit through the canals.

Carla met us at the boat and we left Laura and Serena with Ingrid, and we set off to dinner at Aamanns 1921 - our Bissett family Christmas present to each other. I’ve just included a photo of the first course, cured scallops with an incredible sauce (including oyster, celery, dill). Anna was invited to smell 6 different schnapps varieties (from 25 total options) to choose with her meal.

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Today was an easy day: Louisiana and Pluto

Louisiana was just as good as always, this time it was sunny so we spent more time walking around outside among the sculptures.

Then Pluto was pretty good, pork burger was good but no Isted Grill (the Gasoline Grill was next door though...)

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Photos from the Icelandic horse riding. So much fun

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Boxing Day is another meal in the danish celebration of Christmas.

This time it’s lunch, a much more Danish spread today: pickled fish, liver patè, meat balls, sausage, remoulade, etc.

Again a very family meal type day, loud and fun. Played endless games with Ingrid in the hallway.

We played a Danish secret santa type game with presents claimed by dice roll and subsequently stolen by dice roll. Was pretty funny.

Hal finished with the ultimate boobie prize: the fish chocolate that wet bought in Helsinki. And it’s way worse than we could have imagined, he gasped when he opened the wrapper: the base of the chocolate was whole dried fish!

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Christmas Day!

One of the laziest Christmases ever, we just stayed around the house most of today, my ankle is playing up so I stayed in while some others went on a walk. They bought takeaway ramen for everyone and then we set off for Tivoli.

Tivoli was like Disneyland, but a little less cartoony. It was lit up and pretty. It was funny to be in such a place and hear the screams of the roller coaster riders from overhead.

After dinner we watched the fireworks show, most people went outside but Ingrid watched from inside on my lap, I was trying to explain what the noises were.

Hal and Laura rode one roller coaster while the rest of us watched.

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The Danes celebrate Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day. So tonight is our big family dinner.

In the morning we walk across the city to find the different neighbourhoods of interesting houses (more posing). It’s Kum’s last day so we end up hurrying back to our accom so he doesn’t miss his flight (he gets to his flight, even though he accidentally misses the airport train station and continues to Sweden and has to catch the next train back to the airport!)

At Carla’s we have a huge dinner with all the things (all carefully planned and coordinated by spreadsheet). A quick list from the top of my head: roar pork (amazing!), sous vide duck breast, roast potato, brown potato (caramel sauce), gravy, all the sauces and a dessert made from the leftovers of the rice porridge (plus cream). Very excellent.

The walk home was refreshing and festive.

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Today we learnt: it’s very hard not to pose in front of colourful houses

But first we must walk our dogs, a loop of the local park is enough for their tiny stupid legs.

Breakfast is back at C&A’s, we’re having a rice porridge (risengrød) with æbelskiver (like a pancake/waffle fried in a ball mould), it’s fun hanging around the with big group of peeps.

We take a walk around the city (shameless posing ensues) and through Christiania and finally back home again.

Briony and Hallam arrive in quick succession and our crew is complete!

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We flew from Iceland (Anna posing with one of the 13 Icelandic ‘Santas’) to Copenhagen today.

In Copenhagen we visited Carla and Ashe and Ingrid before walking to our house where we joined Serena and Kum.

Kum got in a dispute with a spiced cider seller at the Christmas market while asking for some gløgg, and we visited the china shop Royal Copenhagen before dinner at Kalaset.

Fun to see these peeps again!

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Here are my photos of the northern lights, near where Luke drove us earlier in the day. These were absolutely amazing!