I'm the luckiest person in the WORLD because I was able to head over to Denmark a week before my DIS program starts! I got to explore around the country with my dad, Erik Sr and my brother, Erik Jr; while re-meeting all my Danish family!
Sunday (søndag) 15/1/12 ***yes they do dates backwards here***
Today is the first day of a brand new start!
Erik Sr, Erik Jr and I *[Both Erik's = Erik^2 or 'Erik squared']* arrived bright and early at 7am Danish time (1am in Pennsylvania) after an 8 hour flight departing from Newark. We were greeted with smiles and hugs from cousin Lars who helped us load the ridiculous number of suitcases we had into his car. We stopped to pick up cousin Oliver from his girlfriend Dia's house, and off we went to Lars' home where more smiling faces and pastries awaited our arrival.
We split up for a bit then met back up at Lars' work place to celebrate Oliver's 16th birthday! Lots of extended family gathered around for the joyous occasion and it was amazing to re-meet so many interesting people I'm related to!
I received several dinner invitations and great suggestions on where-to-go and what-to-do both around copenhagen, and further away from the city, so I know I will stay pretty busy exploring and getting the surround areas mentally mapped out!
After the festivities, Erik Sr and I explored the walking street area and found two great sports bars (bodegas) where we could watch the Ravins vs Longhorns game. Upon leaving the second place, Erik Sr challenged me to "get us back to the hotel WITHOUT breaking and rules or customs". This challenge meant figuring out where we were, where our hotel was, and how to get back there after only a day. In addition to orienting myself, I had to make sure to follow ALL traffic signals and rules; including the 'walk' and 'don't walk' signals even if NO ONE, NO BIKES and NO CARS were in sight...But of course I passed with flying colors!
Monday (mandag) 16/1/12
Today was a great sunny day, and not that cold for Denmark, so Erik^2 and I ventured out and walked all the way down the main walking street (the strøget). We enjoyed some delicacies along the way such as Danish pastries, waffle-on-a-stick, and stopped at a bagel shop that had "Philadelphia-whipped-cream"-logo-ed wrapping paper for their sandwiches. The next stop was the Lego store where all three of us felt like a kid again. They had more lego kits then you can imagine as well as a huge lego-dragon displayed going through several walls at the front of the store.
We continued down the strøget down to Nyhavn
and the harbor area. The brightly colored houses that lined the street were so beautiful and I can only imagine how wonderful and populated this area will be during the warmer months! I found out from one of my travel guide books that these bright houses used to be brothels way back in the day for sailors that would come into the harbor to rest and de-stress from their adventures! We also saw a sailors memorial sight that must of had a recent reunion because the huge anchor memorial was covered with wreaths and flowers in memory of the fallen.
After some pictures, we continued on our way to find a place to de-frost our frozen fingers and fill our grumbling tummys. We walked a few blocks and stopped at a quaint little tea place called Mormor's (which is Danish for mother's mother, or your maternal grandmother). We found a little corner to warm up and people watch as we 'nom-ed' on some pastries! I had a delicious chocolate croissant and probably the BEST hot chocolate I've ever tasted! I'll definitely be back there at some point!
We then piled on our seemingly-millions-of-layers and walked all the way back to the hotel. Wow the strøget is so pretty at night when it's all lit up and bustling with people!
Tuesday (tirsdag) 17/1/12
Today we travelled out to Lars' summer house to meet with Arne and Ove in addition to getting a bike for me to use! We spent some time with each at their respective houses, then cleaned up and went out to dinner all together in the same restaurant where the family reunion was held ~3 years ago.
Both Ove and Arne have such interesting life stories and I very much enjoyed listening and learning to everything they had to share.
I learned all about Ove's various explorations and went through some of his knives admiring his craftsmanship. It's amazing to think that I'm related to someone who is basically a new-age viking! He showed me the pictures for the knives he has given to the Queen and crowned prince of Denmark in addition to the ship in a bottle he made (with WORKING christmas lights on the inside). If I accomplish only half of what he's accomplished through out my life time I'll consider myself lucky!
Wednesday (onsdag) 18/1/12
What a LONG day! Today Erik^2 and I travelled out to the family Island! We were met by cousin Birtha who greeted us with a firm handshake and a huge smile :). She brought us to her parents house for some more smiles, hugs, and a wonderful fresh-made breakfast. Erik Jr drank almost a whole cows worth of fresh milk!! We bundled back up and Birtha showed us all around the island. We started with the cows which she milks twice a day at 4am and 4pm!!
We then went around and saw the main church on the island, some Islandic horses, Viking burial grounds, and finished with the lighthouse (SO cold because of it's placement on the top of an open area with the wind blowing very strongly all around).
We finished up with lunch and caught the ferry back to the main land where we spent more time with Arne and Ove while Arne cooked us up a traditional Danish meal of Frickadellers and kartofler (Danish for potatoes)... YUM!! We travelled back to Copenhagen after dinner.
Thursday (torsdag) 19/1/12
It was nice to sleep in, then start the day with a pastry, a hot sandwich, and the lovely company of Erik^2! After Lunch, we met up with Carina, my Au Pair from when I was younger! We all explored some of the art galleries by the palace, then went shopping on strøget where I found several cute things at H&M (for not WAY too expensive... yay sales!)
I loved catching up with Carina, because my last memories of her are from when I was very little! Back then, I knew her as a care-taking figure with the energy of someone twice her size; and she hasn't changed a bit! She's still overflowing with happiness, smiles, and is as caring and generous as I remember her!
We scheduled a time for me to come over to her place for dinner so we could spend more time together, and so I can meet her two children! I can't wait!
We parted ways, then Erik Sr, Lars and I spent the rest of the evening exploring several cafes and bodegas in the area.
Friday (fredag) 20/1/12
Today, Oliver took us to explore around Christiania! What an eye opener. Christiania is basically a city within Copenhagen that declared it's independence from the rest of the city and has it's own governing laws.
The picture on the right is of one of the housing places within Christiania called "the pink palace" which are the living quarters for the 'most attractive, most intelligent and sweetest girls'. It's not actually pink but you can tell they took their time building it! They're "Green Light District" is like nothing I've seen before and can pretty much be summed up by the sign at the entrance:
Once we got back we went out to dinner with Lars', Rikke and Josophine to a really yummy asian restaurant! The food is on little plates, and spins around in the center console. You pay one price per person and can eat as much as you want!
After dinner we went back to shower etc and got ready for the Burlesque party! Helle and Geofrey came and picked us up on the way, and WOW I thought my dress was scandalous until I saw how over the top some of the outfits were!
We danced the night away and embraced the crazy that was going on around us!
Saturday (lørdag) 21/1/12
We got up really early and packed up the hotel room. Lars picked us up outside of the hotel and brought us over to his place for a farewell-Erik^2-breakfast. What an amazing time we had all together, and how I will cherish all the memories! I spent the day with the Birk family having a lazy Saturday before my big move in day tomorrow!
I'm so excited to start my chapter of this ADVENTURE!
