City Life

Took the back roads to my gym again today and this is what I found....

The path takes you straight through the center of the Copenhagen Zoo 

so I got a little sneak peak of the animals without the expensive entrance fee!

Weekend FUN!?

This is my first weekend in Copenhagen since January and how am I spending it?????

I know, I know....

I should have been doing this all semester but it's better late than never!  My first exam is International Sports Law on Friday May 11 so I have twelve days to get organized!  

On a better note, the fitness center I go to (Crossfit Butcher's Garage) is 6km from my house or about a 30 minute cycle.  It makes me laugh that I pass more than ten different gyms on my way to Butcher's Garage but it is definitely worth the ride.  Yesterday Bodil showed me a scenic route I could take instead of going straight through the city and I absolutely love my new commute!

More Birthday Celebrations...

Turning 2-5 has been a week long celebration!  Wednesday night was strawberry and champagne jello shots at Crossfit Butcher's Garage while Thursday night was the BEST birthday dinner with Bodil & Hans!  

Thanks everyone for a great week, loving life! 

Strawberry & Champagne jello shots- a brilliant idea! 

Homemade crepes for dessert with Bodil & Hans

And the Countdown Begins....

Sad to say that I am down to my final two months in Copenhagen!  My time here has flown by so quickly that I honestly can't even believe that I have been in Europe for four months.  I was given the following list when I first arrived.  I didn't understand much of it at first, but now the list is no longer funny....it is painfully true!  

You know you’ve been in Denmark too long if…



You think there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. 



You think its impolite to sit next to someone in a bus if there is a bench where you can sit on your own.  (It looks like a game of charades after each bus stop, trying to find an empty bench to sit at) 







The first thing you do on entering a bank/post office/pharmacy etc. is to look for the queue number machine.  You accept that you will have to queue to take a queue number. 



When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that: 


a. he is drunk;

b. he is insane;

c. he is American;

d. he is all of the above. 



Traditional dinners may not necessarily mean a cooked meal. 





You don’t mind paying the same for a 200-metre bus ride as you do for going 10 kms. 



You know the meaning of life has something to do with the word “hyggelig”.  



You don’t think it strange that no one ever comes by to visit without being invited and you never show up at any one’s place unannounced either. 



You find yourself lighting candles when you have guests - even if it is brightly sunny outside and 20 degrees. 



You offer people strange-tasting brown alcoholic liquids with their coffee in the MORNING! 



You find the idea walking across the street when the light is red unforgivable, even though there are no cars in sight and it’s 3am in the morning! 



You understand that Danes aren’t rude and abrupt like they may appear, just a little more reserved than most but once you gain their trust they will be your friend for life. 





The highlight of your evening is the hotdog with remoulade or the calzone from 7/11 at the end of the night-end of the night being the arrival of the first bus in the morning! 



You consider standing in the Airport Arrivals hall waving a danish flag normal and “hyggeligt.” 



You’ve become the master guru of bicycle repair.





You think someone saying "undskyld" ("excuse me") is just a weirdo.



You don’t check for other pedestrians behind you before you stop in a crowded street. 

 



You are not surprised to have the closing door slam you in the face if following too closely behind somebody. Why should you hold the door for someone else?!? 



You know the rules of handball! 





You consider spending more than 30 minutes on a bike and/or bus/train to get to school totally normal.

You plan your trips allowing plenty of time for the DSB train you’re on which will undoubtedly be late.



You have given up all hope of finding any logic in the pronunciation of the Danish language.



Tipping waiters/barstaff/taxi drivers seems overly gratuitous.

You no longer notice all the windmills.

You answer calls by saying your name, which confuses people abroad.

Oh, how I LOVE Denmark! 

Paris, France

I headed to class Thursday morning with my suitcase trailing behind me so I could take the train straight to the airport.  Was definitely impressed with my Air France flight to Paris.  First, it was on time, unlike my last few Norwegian trips.  Second, all passengers were served a sandwich and WINE during the two hour flight, whereas Norwegian doesn't even offer bags of pretzels of nuts.  Upon landing I realized my directions to the hostel were not the best and high school French wasn't helping.  The hostel was located on Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter which was a great area surrounded by cafes and small boutiques. I dropped my bags and headed straight to the Eiffel Tower.  After waiting an hour in line, I took the lift to the summit to watch the sun set from the top of the tower.  My timing was perfect because the lights turned on the minute I stepped off the Eiffel Tower.  Section by section, from top to bottom, the lights flicked on, followed by a short sparking light show.  There couldn't have been a better start to my trip!

I took a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles gardens (40 minutes outside of Paris) on Friday morning.  My tour guide Camille was great so I saw and leaned a ton!  

Back in Paris, I took the metro to the Basilica Sacré-Coeur which is known for having the best views in town. Had a relaxing time sitting on the steps, enjoying the view and listening to several street performers.  

Before getting back on the metro, I stopped at the Mur d'Amor which I found on a "Paris Off the Beaten Track" website.  It says 'I LOVE YOU' in every language of the world!  XOXO.  

My last stop for the night was the Louvre because it is free for visitors under 26 on Friday evenings.  Although I am not the biggest art fan, a trip to Paris would not be complete without seeing the Mona Lisa hanging safely behind a glass covering and two barriers.  

I took two tours on Saturday.  A free walking tour filled my morning and definitely tired me out after the four hour exploration of Paris.  It was definitely worth it though and you simply can't turn down a FREE tour.  Then I took a Fat Tire Night Bike Tour of Paris on Saturday night.  This was, BY FAR, the highlight of my trip and I HIGHLY recommend it to all!  They have another bike tour of Barcelona so I can't wait to sign my mom and I up this summer.  During the tour, we biked around town for three hours while seeing the famous monuments all lit up.  We then took a river boat cruise during the last hour of the tour.  A few highlights of the trip were (1) meeting Martina and Michael from Sydney, Australia who have welcomed me into their home whenever I make it "down under" (2) hanging out with Ellie, a young Canadian traveler who I shared stories and advice with (3) FREE WINE on the boat cruise and (4) Carl the tour guide who, after finding out it was my birthday weekend, sang Happy Birthday in French and sent me home with all the leftover wine from the night!  Martina and Michael had been renting an apartment in France for the month so a group of us went back to their place after the tour for more wine and homemade macaroons!  

Sunday was all about food and shopping.  I visited a bakery that I heard much about which had a line out the door and down the street three buildings!  Then it was off to an absolutely beautiful park near the Louvre (Jardin des Tuileries- my FAVORITE place in Paris) for tea, cheese fondue for lunch and a crepe for dessert.  Spent the afternoon shopping at Camps Elysees, even though I knew there was no room in my suitcase for the trip home.  Now it's back to reality and I am ready to start studying for final exams!  Well, not exactly ready, but I can't put it off any longer!

"Palæo"

Finally got around to visiting the new Paleo restaurant in Copenhagen.  Paleo is all about eating meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.  I should have google translated the menu before I got there this afternoon but instead I just pointed to something and gave it a try. Not exactly sure what I ate but it was an egg wrap filled with duck and vegetables.  The inside of the wrap was delicious but I was not a big fan of the egg since I was expecting it to taste like a tortilla but it definitely did not have that resemblance. I have heard some positive things about the restaurants "MEATZZA" (a pizza for paleo folks) which is a beef patty topped with veggies so I will have that next time! 

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM & JULIE!

**I am going out of town in a few days so I am posting this one week early**

On April 22, Mr. Tom and Miss Julie will be turning 3 years old!  THREE YEARS OLD!?  It blows my mind to say that the two cutest twins in town are growing up so quickly!  There was absolutely no way to narrow it down to one picture for this post because I have shared too many memories with these kids!  And if anyone sees Tom & Julie this week, please give them birthday hugs and kisses from me!   

I am fortunate to share my birthday with these two cool kids and just got a surprise gift in the mail from the twins and big sister Emilia.  LOVE my new scarf!  Thank you, thank you!

24 Hours in Stockholm, Sweden

I took an hour flight to Stockholm Friday morning and, just my luck, the forecast was predicting snow.  Started off with a workout at Crossfit Solid because a vacation wouldn't be complete without some exercise!  Really welcoming group of athletes and can't wait to see them all when they come down to Copenhagen next month!

I then took a hop on-hop off bus tour of town instead of walking around on my own because I wasn't feeling that great and saw the Royal Palace, Stockholm Cathedral and City Hall.  Stockholm is composed of 14 islands so there was water everywhere you looked.  Absolutely beautiful city!

I stayed at City Backpackers Hostel and must admit I was impressed.  Unfortunately, they make you take off your shoes when entering the building and I managed to slip and fall down a flight of stairs in my socks.  I started off the day not feeling well and now I am much worse!  Spent the afternoon in bed not wanting, or able, to move but finally got up for dinner with a crossfitter I had met earlier.  It was really nice to have some company in the evening!  My morning flight was delayed two hours because of the snow storm but I am finally back in Copenhagen for a few days...

Bonjour!

If anyone has ANY advice for Paris, please send it my way!  

Trying to finalize plans for my trip but would love some guidance.

World Happiness Report

The United Nations just released their World Happiness Report and DENMARK was rated the happiest nation in the world!  The next three spots were filled by Denmark's Nordic neighbors- Finland, Norway and the Netherlands.  The United States landed in the 11th place.
http://www.earth.columbia.edu/sitefiles/file/Sachs%20Writing/2012/World%20Happiness%20Report.pdf

Happy Easter!

Just spent Easter weekend with Bodil and her family!  Bodil, Hans and I arrived at in North Jutland three trains, one ferry and an hour bike ride later.  Although the summer house had no shower, no hot water, a broken toilet and only 60 square meters of space, the 400 meter walk to the sea and impressive view made up for it all!  After enjoying the house to ourselves on Saturday, the rest of the family arrived bright and early Sunday morning.  When I think of holidays, I think of my mom, grandpa, brother and I, so cramming 27 people in one tiny little house for the day was a bit exhausting!  After celebrating my first Danish Easter, we hopped on our bikes to begin the long journey back to Copenhagen.  Finally home and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight!

Ireland

Mark my words---Give me a few years and I guarantee I WILL be living in Ireland.  This was the first time I have visited a country that I feel like I could live in and not just vacation to.  My trip started out a bit rough because I forgot that you have to pass through Border Control before you can board a flight bound for Ireland.  It was 8:08 when I finally got through Security and Border Control, which meant I didn’t have much time to make it to my 8:20 flight.  I swore I would never be one of those travelers running through the airport but I had absolutely no choice on Friday morning.  Got to Dublin just in time for a free four-hour walking tour through the city.  It was nice to see all the main sights in town without having to find my own way around.  I finished off the day with an Irish lamb stew and homemade brown bread from a pub in Temple Bar. 

I signed up for a day tour out of Dublin on Tuesday so I was up and out of the hostel early.  Our first stop was Blarney Castle in Southern Ireland.  Blarney Castle is famous for the Blarney Stone.  After climbing the stairs to the top of the castle, visitors lie on their back and lean over into a small hole in the ground to kiss the stone behind them.  This guarantees visitors the "gift of gab"—kiss the stone and you’ll never again be lost for words.  I had about an hour to explore the castle grounds after kissing the stone and spent my time walking the trails through the garden.  

Our tour then headed into the town of Cork for lunch.  I talked to a few great Irish natives at a café and then did some shopping on St. Patricks Street.  When I told one Irishman that I came from Copenhagen, he began talking about how much he loves the Netherlands.  I didn’t say anything but here is a lesson in geography for you all—Copenhagen is NOT in the Netherlands; Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark!  Take a look at a map!  The last stop we made was at the Rock of Cashel where I met a group from Las Vegas, Nevada.  The rock is not just a rock; it is a grouping of medieval architecture consisting of a cathedral, round tower, chapel and choir hall.  

The tour bus arrived back in Dublin thirteen hours later so it was a long but wonderful day.  Our driver said that “Ireland experiences the four seasons in one day.”  Very true!  One minute I was wrapped up in a jacket and scarf while the next minute felt like beach weather!  Back at the hostel I met Jackie from Morristown, New Jersey who was also staying in Dublin for the week.  Fun to meet a great friend while traveling!  On Wednesday I did another trip through Extreme Ireland, this time to the Cliffs of Moher.  I sat next to an older couple from Sacramento that actually met at BJ’s in Folsom and work at Med 7 on East Bidwell.  It is almost impossible to describe the beauty of the cliffs and my pictures don’t do it justice!  All I will say is that the Cliffs are a must see and they are the most visited attraction in Ireland. 

After stopping at a small pub in the village Doolin we swung by the town of Lisdoonvarna in County Clare which holds an annual matchmaking festival that our driver said we can visit in September if we fall in love with Ireland during our trip!  We then traveled some small country roads where we got to see part of the Burren, which is 250 square kilometers of limestone.  

The road took us to Cooke Parke where we hiked through nature’s beauty for an hour before traveling back to Dublin.  I found it mind blowing that we could drive for more than three hours and not see a single city in sight--rolling green hills and countless sheep was all I saw during the bus ride home.  My tour driver for this trip taught us that “for every pub in Ireland, there is also a church” and he got me hooked on saying “cheers” all the time!    

I took DART (train) for twenty minutes into the small coastal town of Bray because there is a cliff walk from Bray to Greystones that came highly recommended. I left Bray at 10 in the morning and arrived in Greystones two hours later, just in time for lunch at an outdoor café. 

Thursday night I visited Ronin Crossfit, a crossfit gym in Dublin.  I had heard that the Irish are a friendly bunch, but the guys at Ronin Crossfit took it to a whole other level!  I have never before felt so welcome during my travels.  Everyone introduced themselves immediately and after the workout we all talked and talked and talked….. I can not wait to visit them all again soon!  Thanks Jody Kennedy for an intense workout.  The squat cleans got very heavy very quickly! 

This morning I got up to learn that almost everything in Ireland is closed on Good Friday.  Ireland is extremely catholic and places are not even supposed to serve alcohol on Good Friday!  I can’t imagine the Irish going a day without their pint!?  Lucked out on my flight and had an entire row to myself so I stretched out and got some rest on my way back to Copenhagen.  Just finished laundry and am packing for an Easter weekend trip with Bodil and her family!