Good luck in San Francisco. I hear the restaurant business is a breeze there!
Post about Christiania after the jump
It just has a very free and loose feeling, more like Northern California than Scandinavia. We talked to a 50-ish dude getting ready to take a bike ride with his friend about living there. He said he had lived there for 6 months and that it had been a huge change in his life "for the better." He said they vote on everything and that people can do what they want as long as it doesn't disturb others. He said they like visitors because they're proud of what they've created.
It's really hard to capture it in pictures, but there's a part outside the main little downtown where you can cross a bridge and walk around an inhabited island. We didn't have time to walk the whole way but the guy said it takes 2 and 1/2 hours, and that that's the "real Christiania".
The drug trade is confined to a small area called "Pusher Row" and that's where the only scary looking dudes hang out. You're not allowed to take pictures anywhere in that area. All we saw besides that was a bunch of chilled out people, smoking joints and hanging with their friends, drinking beer and eating falafel. No one was wasted (well except a few older, burn-out types) and there were smiles all around. It was so not threatening or sketchy. Also, hard drugs have been officially banned since the 80s, but are probably present in the same amount that they are present in Denmark in general.
I ate the second best meal of my trip at this little organic, vegetarian restaurant. I felt shy about taking pictures. It was chilly and drizzling, and the soup of the day was a hearty garbanzo and grain soup with lemongrass. I would pay 100 bucks to have the recipe. It came with delicious bread. The cafe was run by a crew of bustling, serene ladies. I imagined that they were all supporting their layabout stoner boyfriends.
Okologisk is organic.
Hudgens graffiti
There's a bike shop there. No cars are allowed. I think some delivery trucks can come in, and residents park outside the walls.
Cat number 2 in Scandinavia. This one was pretty rough.
Christiania has its own flag and this house is flying it. They also have their own currency but will accept krone. I think they don't pay taxes, so everything is cheap.
My feet look abnormally large cuz they are closer.
Oh just a chill beach in your peaceful free state? No big deal.
Someone is stoked.
They have their own little post office.
Even the trucks are stoned.
There are some artsy boats floating in the canal and this one had a waterfowl nesting in it with her babies.
Goodbye for now, Christiania
8 comments:
Read this great post, got very excited about all the photos and cool stuff--but then realized I just need to grow up.
NM
Christiania looks awesome.
LoungeOn20 owner should grow up.
It's about accepting resonsibility, isn't it?
He's not responsible for his own failure at all?
I was ready to accept molecular gastronomy, but not eager enough to go buy a suit or $200 jeans.
SF eaters are surely more ready for it, but the vibe of LoungeOn20 also seems incongruous with SF, so I expect him to fail there, too.
Try SoCal, dude!
I like that a Bee commenter busts out the failure of Sammy Chu as another example of Sacramento's non-eclectic dining taste.
-miller
Great pics/trip. I'm actually kinda surprised you two even decided to come back. (To Sac in general, not specifically to the amazing Lounge on 20).
Jed
well, we tried to move to christiania but they all had to vote on it and there was one holdout.
Sorry...this place is too grown-up for you. You can't come in.
Christiania looks like a larger scale Bolinas.
"The cafe was run by a crew of bustling, serene ladies. I imagined that they were all supporting their layabout stoner boyfriends."
So like us. Welcome back!
-DB
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