Saturday, August 4, 2012

#3thingscityilove

Airbnb might be gaining much traction these days but it’s not the only #collcons site where you can ‘find a great place to stay.  Or rent out your own.’  Windu is another similar peer-to-peer travel source for booking private accommodation all over the world. 

Wimdu.co.uk with their good friends Velvet Escape and Traveldudes are currently running the ’3 Things in the City’ I Love contest where they want you or rather us to tell them 3 things about a city we’re in love with.  This is my submission.

For I, it is very much influenced by my recent trip to Denmark.  Having spent two weeks in Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus, I was surprised the city had not been given the attention it ought to.

When in Aarhus, 3 Things you must do;

1.  Visit AROS - One of Northern Europe’s largest Modern Art Museum.  What’s extra special about this modern art museum is the rainbow panorama that sits on the rooftop of the building.  Not only do you get to see Aarhus in a 360 degrees capacity but you also get to view the city in an assortment of colors.

2. Hang around The Latin Quarter - It’s the oldest part of Aarhus and an area where creatives converge.  Eat, shop, and immerse yourself in how the Danes express themselves through art.  My two favourites places in the quarter are Cafe Drudenfuss and KaosPilots.  

Cafe Drudenfuss is a cafe that stocks its pantry with at least 75% organic ingredients but you wouldn’t know it on face value (though the vine leaves on the outside are quite green!).  Slick, modern, dane-sique.   The gourmet vegetarian hot dog is to die for.  Even my meat loving mate was impressed.  Topped off with organic vodka, organic OJ and fair trade coffee, this green chick was completely smitten. 

KaosPilot on the other hand is the training ground for the next generation of change agents and leaders in Denmark and beyond, strong on creativity, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.   It is regarded as the world's most adventurous alternative business school backed by companies such as Apple, LEGO, SAS, Carlsberg, and Nova Norsk.  Situated amongst block after block of coffee houses and cafes, the exterior of KaosPilot headquarters looks like something out of "the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco during the flower-power days of the 1960s."  It's then no surprise that Aarhus likes to think of itself as the San Francisco of Scandinavia.       

3.  Drop by the Marselisborg Palace - The summer residence of the Danish Royal Family.  While the palace itself isn’t open to the public, the palace grounds which functions as a park, holds a fine collection of sculptures, a rose garden with a pergola, and a herb garden, is open to the public when the Royal family is not in residence.  And when the Queen is staying at the palace, it’s still regarded as quite an event.  You can even watch the changing of the guard each day at noon if you happen to be around!
Marselisborg Palace

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Gaining traction #whyiride

Today Project: Why Do You Ride? finds a new home at a new web address www.whydoyouride.info and site platform.  In the 3 months since the project went live, the support has been overwhelming.  Anita Roddick was so right when she said "if you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito."  From Tumblr, we've moved over to Wordpress.  While I do love the simplicity and circular images at the tumblr site, wordpress seems to let me, and you, do more.  You'll be able to view riders by city, find cycling tips on one convenient page, and be inspired by beautiful filmography that encapsulates why we ride.

Thank you for taking an interest in and being a part of the Why Do You Ride? journey.  If all this can be achieved in 3 months, imagine what can happen in 12 months?!

It's an exciting time and I look forward to discovering why you ride?  Enjoy!