Culture Night

Culture Night in the Parliament (Folketing)

Once a year in Copenhagen, government ministries, cultural institutions and more open their doors for the Danes to come in and see what they're all about. You buy a button for 75 kr. and you get entry to any of the events. It's called Culture Night. We joined our friends Pi, Jakob, Ane and Maj for dinner at Kitt's house along with her friend Sidsel. Afterward, we all toured the city on our bikes. We visited Galleries, the Parliament (with no security or searches at all), a Transvestite fashion show and more, ending the night at a cozy bar in Fredericksberg.

Danes touring the seats of representatives on the floor.

You can try to explain the intensity of the cycle culture here in Denmark to someone who hasn't been here (as Copenhagen Cycle Chic and Copenhagenize do every day), but it's almost impossible to really understand until they visit. It's a lot like the vast spaces of the western USA, which are very difficult to convey to someone who hasn't visited.

Entrance to Parliament

Kitt tries out speaking in Parliament

The Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys.



Each party hosted an open house in Parliament, the ruling conservative party (Venstre) let you color the PM.



Reminds me of George Bush, looks like him too...



Venstre also had a bicycle on display.



Gregory experiences his first night of cycle culture.

In Copenhagen there are literally thousands of bicycles everywhere, everyone is riding, and everyone is respectful of them. Cars are being driven by people who also ride bikes, they don't honk, they respect the bicycle. And the cyclists respect the cars and the people as well. If the light is red, you stop on your bicycle. This is something that New Yorkers really need to learn. If you want bicycles to become a normal mode of transportation, you have to start obeying the traffic rules. The whole system breaks down otherwise. Pedestrians, cars and bicycles all get a chance to go, and they all have a lane to go in. That's how it should be, and how it is in Copenhagen.

Pi and Jakob share a beer as we wait for the light to change.



Historical bicycles on display in the Workers Museum



Outdoor exhibition of photographs of the residents of Christiania

Jakob, Pi and Maj at Café Intime Bar.

How many Carlsberg does it take to get to the soft chewy center of Denmark? After about 6 beers, champagne and Schnapps made by someone's dad, we biked home to Vesterbro to get some 3am falafel. We joined all the other Copenhageners on the bike lanes at 3am who were also drunk and in charge.

At the falafel place, we found a relative of Jenny's bicycle.