free time
Recent & upcoming: street festival, teddy bears and music, Utzon Archive exhibit, AaMAZE, Platform4-ASO concert, Aalborg i Rødt, ‘Give a hint’, and more
With school back in session and people back from holiday, lots of events and activities are popping up in Aalborg and the surrounding areas. Per my usual manner of dealing with these, I mention them in chronological order and will repeat in future posts those events that are not taking place within the next week.
EVENTS
Street theater festival comes to Aalborg
Denmark’s International Street Theater Festival is taking place today and tomorrow (21-22 August) in various central Aalborg locations. Theater troupes from Sweden, Spain, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, France, and Denmark are taking to the streets to entertain audiences young and old – for free! Performances are primarily in the afternoon – check the program here to get more details.
Take your teddy bear to a concert
Come and hear the musical fairytale of the three white bears! A combination of music and storytelling where the audience can expect a narrative experience beyond the ordinary. A musical tale composed by Michael Bøsdorf and performed by pianist Lili Olesen says Peter Søvad. For children (6 years and up) and adults. In the Obelske Auditorium at the Utzon Center on Sunday, 24 August at 15:00. Entry is free. More information available here (in Danish).
Utzon Archive: The Sydney Opera House
Did you know that the Utzon Center is named after Jørn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House? New original material from the Utzon Archive, which consists of more than 10.000 drawings, sketchbooks, photographs, film material, letters, architectural models, books and other materials related to Utzon’s work dating from 1937, are on display at the Center until the end of this month. The focus of the exhibit is his masterpiece; in addition to the archive materials you can also view current photos of the opera house by Thomas Mølvig. The Utzon Center is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 17:00. Entrance to exhibits is 60kr/person (children under 18 free) while students pay 20kr. For more information, click here.
New cultural festival in Aalborg – get ready to be AaMAZEd!
AaMAZE is Aalborg’s new cultural festival that will take place the first time from 28 to 31 August. Over the four days budding talents from all over Norjylland will perform in different locations in downtown Aalborg. Many art, culture, and music genres will be represented – from hard rock to soft blues, from watercolor to spray paint, and from pole dancing to parkour – you name it! See more here.
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra music manager to speak about orchestra’s upcoming season
Aalborg Symphony Orchestra’s Music Manager Jan Kvistborg will visit the Aalborg Main Library on Saturday, 30 August from 13:00 to 14:00 to talk about the orchestra’s exciting program for the new season at Musikkenshus. Come hear about the season’s highlights, the planning and the thought process behind the many, often very different concerts and socialize with other classical music lovers. The talk will take place on the main floor in the Glashjørnet. No registration required; admission is free. Information in Danish here.
“Aalborg i Rødt” (Aalborg in Red) begins 1 September
Stores in Aalborg will be rolling out the red carpet for the annual “Aalborg i Rødt” week at the beginning of September. For the seventh year in a row, shops and city planners have created a program to highlight Aalborg’s commercial and cultural strengths. This year’s program is broad and focuses on providing guests and locals with a fun assortment of events such as the Fjordmarathon, DM i Trial, Fashion Event, Company Sports Open, Children’s Culture Day, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra performances, Children’s Film Festival, International Market, and much more. The official events run over the four day period from 4-7 September (see program here). On Friday, 5 September, stores will participate in Day & Night, for which they stay open until 22:00. They will also be open on Sunday, 7 September, as it is the first Sunday of the month, so there will be ample opportunity to shop, says Aalborg City director Flemming Thingbak.
Platform4 and ASO to play on Friday, 5 September – get your tickets now!
For Symfonien x Platform4 #7, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and the electronic artists from Platform4 take on Stravinskij’s debut classic ‘The Firebird’. Based on Russian folklore the piece is a dramatic account of Prince Ivan and his catching of a strange magical bird revealing itself as both a blessing and a curse to its owner. Before the concert there will be a gathering in the foyer of Musikkenshus on level 0. After the concert the group moves to the foyer on level +3. The Platform4 dj collective will supply the ambience. Entrance is free but tickets must be collected at Platform4 or in Musikkens Hus and it is strongly suggested you order your ticket sooner than later; previous concerts have sold out before the day. About the event: From 2012 until Musikkenshus opened this past March, Platform4 and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra held concerts fusing symphonic music with electronic art in Symfonien in Kjellerupsgade and in Multisalen in Nordkraft. Their last collaboration was the first of its kind on the new stage in Koncertsalen in Musikkens Hus. The 1,200 tickets that were made available for the concert were all collected by concert-goers. For more information, click here.
NEWS
‘Give a hint’ app encourages residents to tip off their municipality about problems on roads and cycle paths
If you see that asphalt is missing on a bike path, a tree has fallen over onto a sidewalk, or snow needs to be cleared from a road, it is now easier to let your municipality know about it. With a few clicks of the “Give a hint” app you can send a message about the problem to your municipality directly, writes mobilsiden.dk. It is no harder than sending a picture message. With ‘Give a hint‘ you take a photo of the problem with your phone, provide the problem category and add any necessary comments. GPS coordinates are automatically downloaded, and the municipality knows exactly where to go and what they’ll need to do. The app is now nationwide and automatically selects the municipality to be tipped so you do not need to know municipal boundaries in order to send the hint to the appropriate municipality. However, not all municipalities are participating in the “Give–a–hint” yet. (Aalborg IS participating.) The “Give–a–hint” app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. A Windows Phone version is under development. You can read more about the app at givetpraj.nu. [Information reported in Nordjyske.dk on Thursday, 21 August.]
Recent & upcoming in Aalborg: 1 May 2014
Spring is in the air in Aalborg. The sun has been shining for over a week, trees and flowers are blooming, and it seems that the number of events and activities going on in the city has multiplied since winter. (Or maybe I’m just understanding more Danish as I browse newspapers and glance at posters as I cycle and walk through the center…) In any case, there’s plenty to do this weekend and it seems the weather is going to cooperate so let’s get out there and explore!
Aalborg tops the list of 79 European cities with the most satisfied residents
First, a small news announcement. If you are on Facebook, you may have seen this little item circulating already but if not…A recent survey by the European Commission found that the people of Aalborg are more satisfied with the quality of life in their city than those queried in 78 other European cities. Asked whether they were satisfied with life in their respective city, 41,000 survey respondents gave answers ranging from ‘totally agree’ to ‘totally disagree’. Here are the cities in which the most residents said ‘totally agree’:
As you can see, 99% of Aalborgenses ‘totally agreed’ with the statement. (The lowest recorded percentage was Athina at 52%.) Aalborg also rated high on levels of satisfaction with: health services, cultural institutional offerings, educational facilities, public spaces, availability of retail shops, availability of affordable housing, safety, trust in others, and the efficiency and trustworthiness of public administration. In terms of their views on the environment, most Aalborgenses think the city has good air quality, low noise levels, is clean, and has enough green spaces but they do not agree that the city is doing enough to combat climate change (only 10% totally agree). Personally, most residents of Aalborg appear to be satisfied with the life they lead, the place in which they live, their financial situation and their job situation.
However, not all is sun and roses in Aalborg. When asked to what extent they agreed with the statement, ‘I am satisfied with available public transportation in my city’, for example, only 31% of Aalborgenses answered ‘totally agree’. Perhaps the planned light rail/BRT system will help boost that number? Another area that stands out is employment opportunities – only 31% of Aalborg respondents ‘totally agree’ or ‘agree’ that it is easy to find a job here. Aalborg also ranked somewhere near the middle when answering whether ‘the presence of foreigners here is good for the city’ – only 38% totally agreed with the statement. And only 9% totally agreed that foreigners who live here are well integrated. Why might that be?
Note: only residents of Aalborg and Copenhagen were polled in Denmark; those in Århus, Odense and other Danish cities were not included. To learn more about the results of this study, click here.
Hopping Aalborg harbor: Loppemarked (‘flea market’) and Sport in Progress
The harbor is going to be buzzing this weekend. There are two events happening – first, the first day of a recurring flea market – ‘lopper på havnen’ – on Sunday, 4 May from 11:00 to 16:00 in the area next to the Elbjørn. 60 stands will be manned by people selling all sorts of goods, and local musician Andri Sigurdsson will be there to sing and play guitar. Future ‘lopper på havnen’ dates are 1 June, 6 July, and 3 August.
The second event is Sport in Progress on Friday, 2 May. There will be sport competitions to watch, including a Cross Fit tournament, where teams of two women and two men will compete in endurance and strength, street football games and a Roller Derby race. But the day is not just about watching – visitors can try their own hand at a FIFA 2014 computer game, pole dance, or get a body-scan, through which they can learn about their health condition. On the water they can also test themselves in the rapidly growing sport of stand-up paddle boards, which can best be described as a combination of surfing, canoeing and fitness training. The event is the result of collaboration between Sport Management at UCN and Sports Aalborg University. Students from the two institutions are in charge of directing the activities, while sponsors and Aalborg Municipality support the event financially.
Test 5k and 10k runs offered in Aalborg this Sunday
MotionNord is offering a test run this Sunday, 4 May to those who wish to prepare for different races this season. Runners can choose the 5k or 10k route, both of which start at Skovlysning, near Stolpedalsskolen in Hasseris. Runners will be given chips that track their progress throughout their run. Second and third test runs will be offered on the first Sundays in June and August. The idea behind these events is to test the runners’ current form and shape improvements – both ahead of and throughout the race season. You can sign up for individual test runs or pay for all three at a reduced rate. The ultimate goal is the Fjordmarathon in Aalborg 7 September of this year. For more information about the test runs, click here.
Bellydance presentation at Friis Saturday
In case you’re out shopping at Friis this Saturday, 3 May don’t be alarmed if between the hours of 13:00 and 15:00 you hear samba drums and come upon a bellydance presentation at the shopping center’s art wall. Vendsyssel Bellydance Association and the samba group Pocoloco will be giving a preview of their performances during Aalborg Carnival, complete with costumes.
Run for all on May 11
I posted previously about the Children’s Run on Sunday, May 11 at Karolinelund (please note: the registration fee for this race has increased to 110 kr + fee). However, I failed to mention that there are also runs the same day for adults. What used to be a 5k and 10k only for women has expanded to include men and teams of both sexes. In addition to a starting number runners receive a brand new, custom-designed Newline race T-shirt, a track bag stuffed with healthy and delicious surprises and, if you join the race with 3 other people, a large picnic bag filled with goodies to enjoy on the lawn after the race. There will also be plenty of support, pep and cheer along the route, so you might be carried to the finish line with your best time ever! Please note that registrations are coming in quickly and the course can only accommodate 2,500 runners; thus, please register soon if you want to join. Registration costs 230 kr. + fee and can be accomplished by clicking here.
Cinema at Aalborg Library
Aalborg Main Library staff invite you to a repeat movie screening of Lykkevej in their cozy cinema tomorrow, Friday, 2nd May (last week’s showing must have proved too popular to accommodate everyone!) from 16:00-18:00. The movie tells a humorous story about different Danish cultures meeting one another.The movie will be shown in Danish with English subtitles. The event is free and there is no need to register – just show up and head upstairs to the cinema. Read more about the film here.
Children’s Day and Symfonien vs. Platform4 event coming up at Musikkens Hus
Another head’s up for children’s day at Musikkens Hus, which will take place Saturday, 10 May. Parents are invited to bring their children to a free music appreciation event led by musician and music teacher Annemette Juul Pedersen and Mette Mailund Strong, graphic designer, visual artist and orchestra member. A program for children ages 6 to 8 will be held from 9:00 to 12:00, while 9-11 year olds should come for the afternoon (13:00-16:00). Although tickets are not required, you must register your child/ren and yourself by calling or emailing Anne Rom Hansen (98 13 19 55/arh@aalborgsymfoni.dk).
[The following text come directly from the event’s FB page.] Also coming up at Musikkens Hus on Friday, 9 May is the debut of the audiovisual partnership between visual artists from Platform4 and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in its new setting. The sixth night of symphonic music in dense, digital landscapes is going to be special. The event is the first of its kind in Koncertsalen in Musikkens Hus, which will be the project’s new stage. After a series of popular events and limited seating at Symfonien in Kjellerupsgade, the event now has 1,298 characteristically red chairs at its disposal in the new high-tech music hall.
Koncertsalen is the largest of the four music halls in Musikkens Hus. It has been acoustically optimized by the American consultancy firm Artec and drawn by the award-winning Austrian architects from Coop Himmelb(l)au. Together the visual and acoustic spaces make the hall an ideal frame for the total experience that Platform4 and the symphony orchestra aim to give their audience. ‘We’re excited to explore the new settings and the possibilities they offer. Koncertsalen inspired us to make it all bigger and wilder so that’s what we did,’ says Platform4 daily manager, Bo Nicolaisen.
The music played by the orchestra on the evening is the first and the last movement of Brahms’ »Piano Quartet No. 1«. Originally written for a four-man ensemble the piece has been instrumented for a full orchestra. For context, chief conductor Rumon Gamba will start off the event with a usually very entertaining guided tour around the piece before letting his musicians do the talking. Apart from the event debuting in its new settings, Platform4 will also give debut on the big stage to its new group of visual artists represented by Jean François Robin, Alf Andersen and Dragoş Boţcău this evening.
Doors: 20:30
Concert: 21:00-22:00
Meet-and-greet with the artists: 22:00-23:00
Entrance: Free (tickets must be collected at Musikkens Hus or Platform4 in Karolinelund)
Bird tour at Østerådalen
The Danish Ornithological Society in North Jutland invites children and their grandparents to a spring ‘experience with birds’ at Aalborg Kommune’s Infohus at Østerådalen off Overkæret this Saturday, May 3 from 13:00 to 16:00. The association will serve cake and lemonade to children and offer coffee/tea to the adults. Visitors can see a small exhibition of stuffed birds and buy bird boxes. The association members will also introduce participants to various books about birds. During a tour of the area the ornithologists will talk about the birds they see, and explain what it is they do when they go out into the wild to see or count birds. They will also tell stories about the birds – both true stories and tall tales. In addition, visitors will visit a shelter, where it will be possible to get quite close to many birds. Binoculars will be available on loan but if you have some at home, it’s a good idea to bring them with you. Registration is required by emailing nord@post.tele.dk.
Zoo sets record Easter weekend
Aalborg Zoo Director Henrik Johansen reports that 33,500 visitors chose Aalborg Zoo as one of their destinations during the Easter holidays, a 48% increase over the same period in 2013. 90,000 people have visited the zoo this year, compared to 79,000 in the first 4 months of last year. While the animals are still the main draw, another huge attraction is the enormous new playground in the middle of the zoo’s grounds.
2,700 parking places planned at new hospital
A couple of weeks ago I posted about the new light rail/BRT system that is currently under development in Aalborg. The system will run from the new university hospital in Aalborg Øst to Mølholm in the west beginning in 2021 and is projected to save 600,000 car trips a year. However, the Region Norjylland hospital project director, Niels Uhrenfeldt, has announced that there will also be a large enough parking lot built to the east of the hospital to fit 2,700 cars and ample space left to develop the lot should there be need for it. COWI has undertaken a study of current traffic patterns to the area where the hospital is being built and the consulting group estimates that the number of automobiles arriving daily at the new hospital, once it is fully operational in 2020, will be around 13,000.
Recent & upcoming in Aalborg: Nordkraft playland, Lille Vildmose Center Easter activities, Brutal Marathon, tax seminar registration deadline, library cinema night
- Playland during Easter holiday! Nordkraft’s gymnasium is set up this week for children to bounce on trampolines, climb walls, and tumble on mats and other gymnastics equipment. Opening hours are 10:00 to 16:00 and cost is 50 kr. per child 2 years and up.
- Easter activities at Lille Vildmose Center. Easter at Lille Vildmose Center will be full of fun and educational activities for children and the young at heart. Come and say hello to the center’s sweet house troll ‘Small Vildma’ and her little chicks in a nature workshop on Sunday, April 13 at. 10.30. If weather permits, Small Vildma will invite you to join in some Easter fun on lawn in the park. The center’s old ‘peat train’ will run every day during the holiday, with departures at 13:00 and 14:00. The center’s wild boars will also be fed daily at. 11:15 and 14.15. Click here for more information about the center.
- The 14th annual Aalborg Brutal Marathon takes place on Friday, 18 April, starting at 13:00. Nordjyllands biggest marathon – and Denmark’s 4th largest – the race’s slogan is: ‘Exactly 42195 meters – with hills that kill.’ While this may seem daunting to those new to marathons, it could present an attractive challenge to those who have run such races before. The marathon is organized by Marathon in Aalborg (MIA) and starts and finishes at Stolpedalsskolen – Stolpedalsvej 2, near Aalborg Zoo. The route is described as such: ‘A short round of 800 meters followed by six grueling rounds of 6,9 km past the zoo and Aalborg Tower. The race is run on cityroads and forestpaths on a very hilly course. The organizers take no responsibility for injuries caused by the race.’ If, after reading this, you are STILL interested, please click here to find the contact name, number and email in order to register. Cost of participation is 200 kr.
- The registration deadline for those interested in attending a seminar in English on hints and tips on taxes in Denmark, with a focus on the forthcoming tax return (selvangivelse), is Tuesday, 22 April. The event will take place on Tuesday, 29 April from 17:00 to 19:00 at Aalborg Kultur og Kongrescenter and will be led by run by Magnus Vagtborg of United Tax Network. Please email Kirstine Då to register. The event is free of charge.
- Aalborg Main Library staff invite you to a movie screening of Lykkevej in their cozy cinema on Friday, 25th April from 16:00-18:00. The movie tells a humorous story about different Danish cultures meeting one another.The movie will be shown in Danish with English subtitles. The event is free and there is no need to register – just show up and head upstairs to the cinema. Read more about the film here.
Recent & upcoming in Aalborg: food market, Spring Fair, orienteering event, fishing and ‘state of the city’ business report
- This Saturday, 5 April, Nordkraft hosts its monthly food market in the center’s main hall. Held every first Saturday of the month, the market offers cheeses, breads, and a variety of other foods produced in North Jutland to sample and buy. Doors are open from 10:00 to 16:00.
- The annual Spring Fair takes place this weekend at Aalborg Congress & Culture Center. In addition to exhibits by over 200 businesses, public sector organizations, and artists, the fair offers entertainment and information/advice sessions by experts on a variety of topics. So if you’re interested in gardening, house improvements, housing, recreation, travel, adventure, food, hospitality, or style, check out the fair Friday, Saturday or Sunday (4-6 April) from 10:00 to 17:00. Entrance fee is 60 kr/adult (children 13 and under free) and 40 kr for retirees.
- Aalborg’s Orienteering Club will offer a fitness and nature experience – Find the Way Day – Saturday, 5th April in Lundby Bakker to those familiar with and new to the sport. There will be courses of various lengths and anyone can participate. ‘We look forward to showing the sport to both those who know it and those who are curious to see what it is. Of course, we hope that some people think it’s so much fun that they want to try more and join the club,’ says Søren Flytkjær, chairman of Aalborg Orienteering Club. Orienteering is an ideal family sport and Aalborg Orienteering Club has chosen to have family-friendly member prices. This year Nordea Fund decided to go into partnership with Danish Orienteering Federation on Find the Way Day. ‘We hope that Find the Way Day gives children and adults a taste for orienteering fun, some good exercise and experiences in forests and parks,’ says Henrik Lehmann Andersen, CEO of Nordea Foundation, which supports activities that promote a good life. Participation in Find the Way Day is free. For more information on the event, including where to meet, click here.
- Nordic Swordfish – aka garfish – have left the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the Limfjord’s low, warm water. Thousands of the fish are gathering around near the coast and ‘waiting’ for an angler to catch them. On Sunday, 27 April from 13:00 to 16:00 Natureguide Aalborg, in collaboration with the Anglers Association, have arranged a fishing ‘expedition’ at Kystvejen 45, 9400 Nørresundby where you will be welcome to try catching the garfish under the guidance of highly experienced anglers. Bring your own fishing equipment or borrow some on site.
- Aalborg City Association’s president, Nils Andersen, declared at last week’s annual association meeting that 2013 had been a good year for the city. The association’s primary task is to create initiatives that bring customers to the city. To that end, they were responsible last year for organizing Aalborg City blooms, Day & Night with Emmelie de Forrest, American Day, the Aalborg Cycling Grand Prix, Aalborg in Red (Aalborg i Rødt), the Spring Fair, Ordkraft i Nordkraft, the annual prize for best building façade, the Aalborg Regatta, Blue Festival, Pink Saturday, and Santa Claus and a very special Christmas market with real mulled wine at Gammeltorv – to name a few activities.
Andersen told the group that he thought they should be satisfied both at the kommune as well as the city level and praised city planners and politicians for being visionary and thinking long-term. ‘Even if we do not always seem to make the right decisions, we can look around and see that we have Denmark’s finest waterfront, a concert hall of international quality, and a world class university. Just looking at the numbers, we can see that Aalborg’s net population grew by more than 2000 people last year. We must be doing something right. Looking into the future, we see the realization in 2021 of a light rail that will connect the new hospital in Aalborg Øst with Mølholm via Aalborg’s center (Boulevarden, Østeraagade, Ved stranden) thanks to a 12 billion kr investment,’ stated Andersen.
He stressed that even if business is not as strong as it was in 2007 and 2008, and although there are empty shopfronts and other premises in the city center, Aalborg has not been hit as hard as other cities in North Jutland. ‘We can simply be happy that we function as the retail capital of North Jutland. We are the region’s locomotive…which means continued population growth and thus more customers to the city center,’ said the president.
Thanks, as usual, to the Midt-Vest Avis for these news clips, many of which are roughly translated by the blogger.
Recent and upcoming in Aalborg: Expat + Dane family event, book sale, nature tour, diving, Aalborg house prices rise
- Expat and Danish families are invited to participate in the Aalborg Main Library’s next ‘Expat + Dane Family: music and play for families’ event on Saturday, 8 March from 10:30 to 12:30. Music teacher Malene Horsfeldt will lead children in music-oriented play after which there will be free playtime and a light lunch. The aim of the event is to give expat families and Danish families a chance to meet and mingle. While Malene’s activity is targeted at children from 4 to 7 years and their parents, all ages are welcome. Entry to the event is free and no registration is necessary.
- The Main Library will hold a book sale today and tomorrow (6 and 7 March) from 12:00 to 18:00 and Saturday, 8 March from 10:00 to 13:00. On offer are books, magazines and other materials the staff have sorted out from the library’s collection because they have seen too much wear and tear or are out-of-date. Come check out their great deals!
- Aalborg Kommune’s nature guides will lead their next tour this Saturday, 8 March from 13:00 to 15:00. Destination: Urbans Kælder in Skovdalen, Aalborg. The guides will take you through Møllepark where you will be able to see and hear the park’s plant and animal life. They will also explain the many opportunities for challenging exercise activities in the park. Finally, you will reach Urbans Kælder, which stands in a place with an interesting cultural history. And in the depths of the cellar is a wintering area where the resident bats can sit undisturbed and wait for warmer times. On the trip you will enter the dark and watch the on-site residents. To join the tour, please meet in the parking lot at Aalborg Tower, Søndre Skovvej 30 at 13:00 and bring a flashlight. (Tour in Danish) (blogger’s rough translation of article in Midt-Vest Avis, 5 March, p. 36)
- Have you ever wanted to learn to dive? Or are you just curious about what diving entails? Do you need to update your diving equipment? Easy Dive, which is Aalborg’s only provider of five star PADI training, is offering an open house and spring sale this weekend (Friday to Sunday, 7-9 March) at their new facilities at Gugvej 140, Aalborg. Due to a large increase in business over the last year, the company recently moved from their old location to the new, where they now have over 690 square meters of space. Easy Dive offers several dives a week and gives customers many opportunities to remain active divers after they complete training. They also organize lectures on trips, the marine environment, and courses. To hear more about Easy Dive’s offerings and browse their new location, visit them this weekend! More details available here. (blogger’s rough translation of article in Midt-Vest Avis, 5 March, p. 26)
- House prices in Aalborg have exploded over the last 10 years. According to numbers collected and analyzed by the Association of Danish Mortgage Banks, single-family homes and townhouses bought in 2003 had appreciated approximately 68% in price by 2013. The increase in Aalborg is much greater than other parts of the country where prices have risen only about 34% over the last decade. Thus, the price per square meter of single-family homes and villas in Aalborg Kommune have crossed the magic threshold and now lie above the average price level in Denmark. This was not the case in 2003 when development in Aalborg lagged behind the rest of the country. (blogger’s translation of article in Midt-Vest Avis, 5 March, p. 18)
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Life in Aalborg 