Christiania - a 1960's commune in 21st century Copenhagen

My Danish host cousin Rune meets Audrey and me after our climb up the spiral church tower and walking tour through nearby Christiania. Read the fascinating story of Christiania here: http://www.christiania.org/info2/

I visited Christiania once before with my Mom and sister, about 10 years ago. This time Audrey and I went a bit deeper into the community. No cars allowed. Dirt roads. Some nice houses, some kind of run down. People generally having a good time. Smell of marijuana from time to time. A 1960's commune alive and well in the 21st century.

Political protest is an everyday scene in Christiania.

Rarely spotted Danish police officers can sometimes be seen patrolling Christiana, where illicit drug use sometimes takes place. See the spiral church up above?

Audrey and I enter Christiana, the social experiment founded in the 1960's where a bunch of Danish bohemians live rent-free and pay no taxes.

Audrey from France, my host cousin Rune's girlfriend, is my lovely co-adventurer for the day. Here she overlooks Christiania -- Copenhagen's "free state" -- from atop the spiral church.

Another view of Copenhagen from atop the spiral church.

View of Copenhagen from atop the spiral church.

A view of the new bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark across the Oresund, from the top of the spiral church in Copenhagen.

See that? It's a church in Copenhagen built in the 1600's, and I'm gonna climb to the top of it!

The Danish Countryside

Danish farmland.

The Danish countryside.

A typically yummy Danish meal of frikadeller (Danish meatballs ), kartoffler (potatoes) and cucumber salad, courtesy of my host aunt, Jette.

My Danish host aunt, Jette, made frikadeller (Danish meatballs) for me at the summer house, and they were yummy!

Ever seen a house with grass for a roof before? This is a Danish "summer house" belonging to my host cousins, where I spent a night. It's in Dronningmoelle (Queen's Windmill), Denmark.

At a Danish dairy farm in North Zealand, much like the farm my Danish Grandfather grew up at in Jutland.