Day Ten - Church of Our Saviour, Dragør, and the Ice Bar

Christianshavn is an artificial island in Copenhagen, founded by Christian IV, beginning in 1618. Once a working-class neighborhood, Christianshavn has developed into a trendy, artsy part of the city with its own distinguished personality. On it resides the Church of Our Saviour, which has a distinguishable spiral steeple. There are 400 total steps to the top of the spire, the last 150 being outside, along the spire. I use the word "steps" loosely, as many of them inside are more like ladder rungs and wooden blocks, winding upward in very narrow and low passages. Once at the top, I enjoyed a very nice view of Copenhagen.

Church of Our Saviour (Click to Enlarge)	View of Copenhagen from the Spire (Click to Enlarge)	View of Copenhagen Coast from the Spire (Click to Enlarge)

I was eager to see a smaller town in Denmark, so after asking around, I boarded a bus and headed for Dragør, a cozy, picturesque seaside town with yellow painted houses, reed-covered roofs and cobblestone streets built in the traditional Danish style.

My first stop was the Dragør Bistro, where I found that small, out-of-the-way fishing towns in Denmark may not have a lot of English-speakers. I was in luck, however, as there was a woman there who recognized my situation and helped me convey an order to the cook. I knew I was getting some sort of fish dish and to my surprise, it was one of the best meals I had on the whole trip. Fish and shrimp, with mushrooms and potatoes, almost, but not quite a stew. It was just outstanding.

I walked down to the old fort and there were a series of odd games going on, including some form of kayak polo, human, bowling, and human foosball. Very quirky. The fort itself was rather unimpressive, but did offer a nice view of the ocean and you could see Sweden in the distance.

Reed-Roofed House (Click to Enlarge)	Kayak Polo (Click to Enlarge)	Human Bowling (Click to Enlarge)

Back in Copenhagen, it was time to check out the Ice Bar. Except for the floor and ceiling, the Ice Bar is made entirely of ice, including the tables, stools, and glasses.. The room is kept at 23F (-5C) and you're given a thermal parka to wear. Every six months the bar is melted down and a new theme and decor is implemented. I met up with a group from Poland and enjoyed a few icy beverages in a rather unique way.

Ice Bartender (Click to Enlarge)	Enjoying an Ice Drink in my Snappy Outfit (Click to Enlarge)	Glasses of Ice (Click to Enlarge)

It had been a very long day, so I stopped off once again at the Old English Pub and shared a few pints with my new-found crew and said our goodbyes.

 

Day Eleven