First Impressions

Well, at last we have taken posession of the keys to our flat and I've been over to spend a few days helping Libby settle in to what will be our home for the next three years. Scouting out the local shops, transport options and bars/restaurants is always fun in a new place, let alone a new country. I have to say that my first impressions of Denmark are very positive - great public transport, clean streets, friendly people, very little obvious poverty and evidence of the famous "hyggli" atmosphere (a Danish word with no direct english translation but closest to "cosy" and "warm"..)

I should start by describing why I am here.. My partner (soon to be wife) has been posted to work in Copenhagen for three years. I will be joining her in late February 2007 when I have wrapped up things at work. Luckily we are provided with a flat for the duration and, in our case, very luckily we are on the "quiet side" of Nyhavn (pronounced "Noo Hown"), a trendy area very close to the centre of Copenhagen and overlooking a watery inlet where some beautiful old wooden sailing boats are moored. Very nice, I hear you say. And it is.. It's a very pretty area with a real olde worlde feel about it but, although quiet at the moment, apparently in summer it is full of late-night revelry and the Danish equivalent of lager louts! I will post some photos soon which will hopefully convey, far better than I can in words, what I mean.

Obviously, being a birder, I have already started to record my sightings. First bird was a magpie seen from the train to the city centre from the aiport and, since then I have clocked up a respectable 40 species. Highlights include 80+ Waxwings in the city centre, 30+ Mealy Redpolls and around 10 Siskins near the university, plus a nice pair of Red-Breasted Merganser in the harbour at Gilleleje (a north coast fishing town).

Now I have returned to London after only four days to finish off my last three weeks at work and pack all of our stuff ready to be shipped. I will be returning at the beginning of March, so see you all then..!