Home of F.C. København

There is a strong following for the Barclays Premier League in Singapore and football has also become very popular in Singapore. As an avid football fan myself, I was interested to watch a local football game here in Copenhagen. Here is how you can get yourself tickets to the football match. Go to the homepage of F.C. København and click on the Køb billet. However, this is all in Danish and you may need to use an online translator or like myself, seek help from a local friend. =)

After getting the tickets, you may want to visit the F.C. København mega store to get yourself a home kit to show your support. The mega store opens about an hour before kick-off and I was there to grab a F.C. København jersey for myself. So I'm all ready for the opening game against F.C. Midtjylland.

My place was a stone's throw away to the their stadium - Parken. This is also Denmark's National Stadium that has hosted many concerts beside the football game. Getting to Parken can be a hassle as the nearest train station Østerport is about 15 - 20 minutes walk. But with a map, I'm sure you can find your way to this state-of-the-art stadium.

Parken Stadium

Parken Stadium

Parken Stadium

Parken Stadium

Approaching the Parken, you will be greeted by the giant posters of the players. Inside the venue, the pitch is equally impressive and well-maintained. With a beer in hand, I found my seat and all set to watch the game.

Parken Stadium

Parken Stadium

Parken Stadium

Soon, the players came out to warm up and the atmosphere was fantastic as the fans greeted their heroes with applause. Although I do not really know the players, I joined in with the crowd and was eager for the game to begin.

 

F.C. Midtjylland players warming up

F.C. København players warming up

The game begins

F.C. København lining up to take a freekick

The game finally commences and there was end-to-end action at both ends. The away side drew first blood and went up 0-2 angering the F.C. København die-hard fans. However, the home side, cheered on by the boisterous fans went up a gear and fought back to win 4-2 eventually. The home side erupted and applauded their heroes as the players came to thanked their supporters. What a comeback and a great football game to watch. =D

F.C. København applauding their heroes

The land of the Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid of Copenhagen

Next up, let me take you on a trip in search for the Little Mermaid. No, I'm not talking about Ariel from the Disney animation but the famous Little Mermaid of Copenhagen from the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen.

Arriving in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, I took a train to Nørreport which takes about 30 minutes from the airport.

There, my friend was waiting waiting for me to take me to his apartment which will be my home for my stay here in Copenhagen.

First of all, let me try to explain how the train tickets work. The different areas are divided by different zones and you will need to determine your fare by which zone you will be going. So you can purchase a 2 zones card or 3 zones card depending on your destination.

There will be a machine at the train station where you can punch the number of zones you need. For example, traveling 4 zones would require you to punch in twice on the 2 zones card.

Sounds a little complicated but you will get the hang of it and feel free to ask the staff at the train station and they will be more than willing to help. After all, surveys has shown that the Danes are the happiest people in the word. =)

To help you navigate how you can reach the city from the airport, here is a map with the various zones in Copenhagen. You can find our more from the DSB website.

The Zonal Transport system in Copenhagen

And it's time to grab a bite after the long flight from Singapore and so my friend took me for some Danish pastries. We went to the popular Lagkagehuset and the pastries here was really delicious. There are several outlets available in the city of Copenhagen. One of the best pastries I ever had and would definitely come back for more.

Lagkagehuset in Copenhagen

Danish pastries at Lagkagehuset

Danish pastries at Lagkagehuset

Let me finish my Spandauer (a sweet danish delight with creamy custard) and the other equally appetizing Danish pastries before I take you on a tour of Strøget, the longest pedestrian walking street in Europe. ^^