Lunchtime on the Peblinge Lake!

Summer is about to be over, at least in the northern part of Europe. Yet there might be few more days with very beautiful and warm days, when any of us would like to spend the day somewhere out, chilling next to a drink and enjoying a nice view.

Thus for all of those belonging to this category of people, I might have a suggestion, at least for those living or visiting Copenhagen. My suggestion is to go and spend some quality time at Kaffesalonen (http://www.kaffesalonen.com/), on the Peblinge Lake (Peblinge Sø).

I was there myself on the beautiful Saturday that has just past, and I had a great time. The interest in this place had been built up by my brain some long time ago. It is so because it, my brain, linked the excellent position – on the lake – of the cafe, with my interest in exploring new places and enjoying a day next to the water…and this link was made all the time I travelled by bus around that place. So, at a moment when all the Danish media was talking about the great weather from this last weekend and about the best and sunniest August in the last 11 years (http://www.dmi.dk/nyheder/arkiv/nyheder-2015/08/dejlig-varm-august-maaned/), I couldn’t remain cold to it, and I decided to go out and enjoy the day at this particular place from my must-do list, Kaffesalonen. With no reservation, but with my girlfriend and two more friends, we hit the road together towards this cafe.

Kaffesalonen is centrally located, some 10 minute walk from Nørreport Station, in Nørrebro’s direction. Then, just after passing Queen Louise Bridge, which is the most crowded bicycle bridge in the whole world (https://designtoimprovelife.dk/busybikecph/), we turned left (the cafe can be easily seen from the bridge) and there we are, ready to meet one of my interest summer spots in Copenhagen.

Kaffesalonen – on the left side of the lake!

Without being welcomed or anything like that we walked alone around the place, looking for a spot to satisfy everyone of us: chairs, tables, standing, sitting etc. In the end, we decided to seat in the area that looks like it was designed for picnic.

There we had the menus as well; menus that I would say offers a quite good diversity of drinks and food.  After a thoroughly check of them, we decided to order; but for this we had to go the bar.

The bar!

India Pale Ale Beer!!!

At the bar we thought we could order both food and drinks, but we were wrong: only the drinks could be ordered at the bar, for the food it is necessary to cross the street and go to the cemented location of Kaffesalonen, and place the order there. However, we ordered the drinks and with them went to order the food.

On the way there I unpleasantly discovered that my beloved ice coffee was actually ice-cream coffee, a totally other think that, despite its desired refreshing effect, it is very sweet and it has nothing to do with the ice coffee I know, like and want: coffee and ice, dot. Disappointed to have been paid 45 kr for a drink I didn’t want, I was looking for a better experience from the food. Like I said, the cafe is just over the street, and it looks like many other coffee shops in Copenhagen: that Danish style, with simple arrangements, bare walls and, in this case, grey walls although they were designed for sure to be white. When at the desk, I had another disappointment: the waitress told me that even for my Caesar salad, the average waiting time was of about 40 minutes!!!! I was blank for a second, then I started joking and in the end I still ordered the salad, paying 119 kr, knowing that we would be there for at least one more hour; but still 40 minutes!!!!

My Caesar salad

These chain of events were the most challenging facts of that afternoon, because once we return to our fancy spot we started talking and having a great time while enjoying the hot rays of the sun. The place is magnificent! Imagine only: you are in the middle of the city but in the same time you can lie down, even strip, and enjoy the sun next to the lake! It was all I needed. In the end, I received the salad too. It was very good, but the memories of those 40 minutes made it taste less delicious that it actually was.

We spent there about three amazing hours, and then we had to go with the thought that we have to return there again, maybe next year.

As a last line, I don’t specifically recommend Kaffesalonen, but I recommend its position and its great asset…the seating on the lake.

Tårnet Tower up(s) & down(s)!

Yesterday was the day when I decided for the first time not just to visit the Tårnet Tower in Copenhagen, but also to have dinner there. The interest in these targets was given by a post on Instagram talking about the tower, its highs, views and the restaurant. At that point I was amazed about how I had missed this place, and I decided to put it on my “must do” list. First step: book a table for dinner; then, wait for that day, and hope the day of my visit will be a nice one, with warm weather and a lot of sun. The day has come and all these wishes were  fulfilled: the weather in Copenhagen is amazing with a clear blue sky, and circa 27 degree Celsius in thermometers. So, Tårnet here I come; with the booking for 18:30, I arrive to the King’s Gate at about 18:00 willing to go up in the tower as well, and to enjoy the best possible weather one wish for the moments one goes for enjoying a view.

The entrance point I chose was the central one; the one giving access to the city center, channel tours and bus station for the lines 1A, 2A, 9A, 26 and 40. The entrance cannot be missed, since it is the only one, and it is a visible through its big door; beside this. there is just behind the statue representing a rider on a horse. After passing the threshold of that door, there is a sign showing the direction to the tower and restaurant. However, the access to the elevator which take you to the tower is made only after a security check; process which is pretty similar to the one in the airports, although a bit more relaxed.

From that point, an elevator takes you up the restaurant, and from there if you want to reach the highest level of the tower, you should go up the stairs. So, all in all, the itinerary is simple and easy; enter the King’s Gate, wait several minutes to be welcomed to the security check, go through security check, take the lift for a short ride, walk up few stairs and there you are: in top of the highest tower not only in Copenhagen but in the whole Denmark: Tårnet!

There are four sides from where one can enjoy the view. However, even though one visit this tower to enjoy the view, but actually the view is missing. The view one can enjoy through these four windows is not a proper view, because it is not much to be seen. Luckily there is -in front of each window- a description of what can be seen from there, the highest buildings in sight!

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All the way up the tower, together with the picture session doesn’t take a lot of time, so I have time enough to arrive in time to the restaurant, looking forward to and enjoyable and fancy dinner. About my experience at the Tårnet restaurant you can read the review I wrote on TripAdvisor at http://www.tripadvisor.dk/ShowUserReviews-g189541-d7166129-r296200824-Taarnet_Restaurant-Copenhagen_Zealand.html#REVIEWS. As a short description of what I experienced in the restaurant, I can say that it was all enjoyable, stylish and not very expensive. As a funny but real fact I experienced it was that, although the rename of the place is a promise for a romantic evening, everything goes perfectly until the moment the cheese is served (if you order cheese, of course). At that moment, the cheeses look great, the same their description. Yet I was advised that for a more enjoyable experience I have to eat them from the left to right. This is what I did, but arriving at the last piece of cheese, called The Little Cristian, everything has changed. Why? because it stinks in a big way. It stinks so badly that even after I tasted it my breath smells terrible. Funny enough, that was the moment that ruined my evening, because my girlfriend never again that evening wanted to stay close to me.

Coming back to visiting the tower, there is to be appreciated that visiting the tower is free of charge.

However, even though the view didn’t level up my expectations, the experience was still enjoyable, and it is still worth visiting.