Design

The Apple shop in Canterbury refused to replace the battery on my iphone because there was a tiny chip on the corner of the screen – they said there was a risk of everything shattering. However an independent phone-repair shop in Copenhagen did it in 10 minutes with no trouble at all.

We walked from there towards the city centre, finding one Tegner’s colossal statues along the way – his style is now so burned into my brain that I would recognise his work anywhere!

It is noticeable how calm and tranquil the atmosphere is here, compared to the UK at the moment, where Brexit rage seems to have infected everything. The days are warm and sunny, not too hot, and with a hint of mists in the mornings. 

We walked in towards the University and failed to find an entrance to the beautiful Palm house in the Botanical Gardens. But we went to the remarkable and really exhilarating food market and wondered about in a daze looking at every kind of food ingredient from around the world.

We had a Danishlunch there and then headed for the Design Museum. Along the way we found the National Art Gallery and were undecided about whether that would be a better option. Going into the art gallery shop made the decision easy. Buying a book and some cards we headed away again towards the Design Museum. What was really tempting was the display of handmade mobiles all along one wall – shimmering flattering multicoloured beautifully designed set of shapes dangling on almost invisible threads, all made by one family over three generations. They are for sale but about £30 or £40 apiece – too much for us.

It was pleasing to see how busy it was at the Design Museum. Room after room of stunning designs (mostly but not exclusively Danish) over the last 200 years or so - furniture, ceramics, machinery,  gadgets, musical instruments, posters, ... whatever you can think of, all there.  I particularly liked a dress made of straw which was designed as a costume for the Snow Queen. Every single straw was stitched onto a linen undershirt so that it was in fact a thatched frock.

The particular exhibition at the moment is about the Bauhaus and very comprehensive but in fact not as exciting as the main part of the museum.

Walking back to the railway station past the beautiful park we met an interesting woman who told us she was a curator at the Museum in the citadel, where there is a superb and free museum devoted to Islamic art. We are heading in there today to see it, and perhaps meet her again.