Copenhagen

Nate's birthday is on Wednesday so I decided taht we needed to go on a mini adventure.  But as we thought to do it kind of last minute, it was hard to find a place to go that we could make worth it. So we decided to take a quick little trip over to the other side of Denmark... To the big city of Copenhagen.

It is only about at 3 hour drive from our home in Aarhus, we left from work though so it was about a half hour more.  So we left work a bit early so we could get a head start and at least do most of the drive in the light (right now it gets dark at about 4:30), so we left at 2:30ish.  It was really foggy for most of the drive so we didn't get to see as much on the way there as we did on the way back.  The ~4 mile bridge between Fyn (the provence/island between Jutland(the mainland where we live) and Copenhagen (which is in Sjaelland)) is really impressive.  It is hard to capture how big and impressive it is in a picture but of course I tried  :-)

Into Copenhagen we went.  To find our wonderful little room that I found online. Everything is so expensive in Copenhagen, it was hard to think that just staying in a normal hotel would be special enough for the adventure. And well.. knowing me.. i am not exactly the "normal" kind of girl.  So I did some searching for alternative types of places to stay and found this highly recommended river hotel!  Was so awesome! Right on one of the rivers, all 12 of the rooms looked out over the river.  The little white boat on the side is our place!!  The owners were so awesome. They just had this vision to have a different kind of place to stay and it works wonderfully.  It is in a nicer neighborhood so it felt very safe at night, but was right across the river from downtown so was easy to walk everwhere (or would have been quick to walk to the metro if we had wanted to go very far anywhere). 

 

View from the road.  On the top is a sundeck which would have been awesome to hang out on.  Not so awesome this time of year, but still I walked out there to check out the view the second morning when it didn't look like there was ice all over it  :-) 

 Without the "privacy screen" over the window you could see right through to the river.

Who on earth doesn't love waking up to swans swimming outside of your window!  Great omen I would say.  Start the day with a great big smile  :-)

And how about a coule of kayackers paddling by.  Don't worry the room had blinds that you could pull up part way, or all the way depending on how much privacy you want.  We were on the second floor though so we had a bit more privacy because of that.  I had the blinds down 99% of the time just to see the view!

Breakfast in the rooftop cabin was wonderful both mornings.  We got to just relax and have a nice little special start to the day with just the two of us.

Our view from our rooms/our breakfast nook.  :-D

 

We went out and went exploring the town Saturday.  Just wandering around the little streets/rivers. Dad, I thought of you when I hit this particular isle.  All these sailboats which would have made you smile. 

There was one in particular which I thought had your name on it though... Think it was meant for you....

Next we wandered over to Christiana, the anarchy city within the city.  This little mini suburb of the city has broken off from the rest of the city so to speak.  It is an old army barracks I think. There is a fence around the perimeter, which is covered with grafati, and signifies the "city limits" of Christiana.  Within the walls the people are allowed to smoke marjauana.  We decided that we would go on a little exploration through the streets early in the day when it would not be so rowdy in there.  We were told that there are police raids every once in a while which are to do a sweep to make sure that there are no hard drugs in there, but other then that the city is pretty much left alone it seems.  Things were in much poorer shape then the rest of the city we had seen.  There were no cars allowed within the "city" limits, and the streets were like gravel/dirt/sand/hay/bark...It was very different.  I had a hard time seeing the children in there though. I am all for the bucking the system and living a different life, but that just seemed a bit too extreme a situation to have children being raised in.

One stretch of the perimeter.

Side of a building right inside the walls.  There was awesome grafetti all over the side, this was my favorite section. Loved those green guys  :-p

 Sunken boat in the river just ouside the perimeter.  There were a bunch of boats around which I think had been burried in the snow and then when the snow melted it just stayed in the boat and then froze and halfway sunk the boats. The reason that boats are flipped over and stored on land I would think... This one had been carneage for a while thought I think.  I can't imagine that this winter's snow storm is really what did it in.. but who knows...

When walking around the city there were really cool little dragon decoration things. I love these kind of decorations.. and door knockers which are faces/etc... I just like seeing all the personality throughout the city.

Then I saw this guy.  Oh my, he made me giggle for a while.  Think he was my favorite thing in the city.  I know I am a freak. But who doesn't just love smiling decorations above doors???  Well all I know is somehow they just make me smile back at them... like they are real and can see me?? hmm.. yea maybe that is a bit odd...

There was this peace demonstration set ouside one of the monuments.

You can barely see them, but there are 4 figures on long poles which were for the demonstration.. I really am not sure what they are meaning, but they were very interesting to look at. Very artistic.

View standing under the guys...

Then off to Carlsberg brewery for a tour and some tastings.

We got to see the largest collection of unopened beer in the world!!!!  Pretty fun to walk through and look at them all (behind glass protection of course).  What a job to dust those bottles it must be!  Not jealous of that person's job!

Rope playground!  Soooo awesome!  There were swings that people had made and were playing on!  Maybe if people get drunk at the brewery they can come out here and play?  I really have no idea what this area is really for. Cool picture though.

 The first secret statue... stunning....

 Beautiful sunrise on Sunday...

Sunday we drove up to Kronborg Castle, the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet, was a beautiful castle to wander around and read about the history.  A lot of the castles in Denmark are still in use by the royals so you can just see from afar.  This one is purely a monument now.

Piew in the cathedral, the only place in the church untouched by a fire that raged through centuries ago... the fire which is part of the reason that the castle is a monument to this day and is not in use.  They did not have the funds to rebuild the castle to it's original splendor.

 View of the cannons guarding the sea fortress, one of the fiew outlets to the Baltic Sea, they made people pay to use the inlet up until a couple centuries ago when an American Ship refused to pay... Aarogant Americans.

Little replica... Nate wouldn't let me stand in it.. said it was disrespectful.. hmmm... it was metal, thought it was safe enough... it was his birthday weekend though, so I was on my best behaviour.  ;-p

Nate in prison!!!  They used to make people stand in this corner with their hands shackled... so he demonstrated... he was my captive.

Well maybe I wasn't totally behaved... Oh yea, look at those leggings!  (skirt was over it but you totally can't see here.... not that it took away from the leggings of course... oh yea. look like I belong in a circus probably with these on.  Every once in a while have to buck the Danish funeral attire) hehe.

And of course... Lion eating my hand...

  

All in all.... a fabulous weekend.  Full of laughs, adventures, and good food  :-)

Home again

Well Christmas Vacation was absolutely amazing with everyone once I finally made it home!  It was so amazing to be able to smother everyone with hugs  :-)  I really don't think I would ever be able to spend Christmas away from my real "home".  Christmas is such a special time for me with the family.  I will forever feel sad for those who do not LOVE their family and want to spend the holidays at home.  I am so lucky to have so much love in my world.  Not that I am religious but I have some really good luck, and thank the universe for everyone in my life.  It warmed my spirit and lifted my soul to be home. I know that this amazing adventure is going to be just that, an "adventure".  But it is still really hard to be away from everyone.  It took everything in me to keep my head up out of the water once I got back to DK.  Such a blessing to be home with everyone I love so much, and have such an amazing Christmas, and so much fun with all my friends, and an amazing New Years, and a fabulous game night with everyone (Oh boy do I miss games... is that sad??), and just a wonderful time relaxing in my own home chilling out with the pups!!  And then such a crushing downfall to be whisked away from everyone.  :-(

Well have reminded myself of some of the lovely times with some of the New Years pics..

New Years Kiss  :-)

And remembering how much fun at Christmas I had.... however I somehow didn't take any pictures this year so shame on me!!!  Guess I was oh so busy slaving away in the kitchen!!  Well not really.. somehow I think Mom has little faith in me so gave me the easiest meal to make (Honey Ham, Baked Potatoes, and Green Beans), not to say it didn't turn out delicious, because it totally did!  But still, very proud that I actually made the dinner... maybe that was the plan.. to build my confidence and make me feel like a big girl... it worked  ;-)

Me and Kettie Kins, no idea how she is taller then me in this pic, but think this is a very pretty picture of the sisters  :-D

And had to give pups the great big bones Mom and I got for them!  Rayna was such a good sport!!!

Loki seemed a bit afraid of it, but still was pretty proud of his treasure at first... just had no idea what to do with it  ;-p



Leaving everyone behind in tears was one of the hardest things I have done in a while.  The first time I left it was just a bright new adventure for a couple months knowing I would be home for the holidays... this second time it was leaving for much longer. 6 months? a year?  Who knows... much more heart wrenching with the latter.

So what I tried to focus on last week was all the good things to come.  A weekend adventure for Nate's birthday this month, some unknown weekend adventure next month, and then Ireland in March!!!!  April is a long Easter weekend so I will take a couple days off and travel somewhere for 10 days or so. And then Mom & Dad visiting in May hopefully!!  And then Jess coming over sometime between June and September hopefully!  ALL GOOD THINGS!  Still last week was rough.  I had a really hard time staying positive and not just sulking all day.  Strange how moods can affect you so much.  I understand depression a bit better now I think.... Just had to keep my head up.  Friday I went out with a couple of my new girlfriends from Australia and had a nice long dinner and then went out to listen to some music and play some Foosball.  Was nice to be out and socializing.  Those girls (Carol and Joe) are a riot, we had lots and lots of good laughs through the evening! (step one in dragging myself out of my black hole)

Saturday Nate and I had a crazy adventure to Ikea (not the ideal excursion on a Saturday but still was entertaining).  Finally we got the lights in our dining room installed and working and went and got some new light bulbs to go with it, and some hangers, and a picture frame to frame my wonderful present from Jodie!  She made me this totally amazing collage with all the girls!  So now everyone is hanging on my wall in my living room!!!  (step two in dragging myself out of my black hole)  I get to say hi to everyone every day, even if it is just to your picture!  :-)  Its a little bit of home over here, makes me smile every day.  Thank you Joe!!! 

Then we went and had some delicious burgers downtown Aarhus, and finished the day off with some Pool, and some football in the evening  :-D

Sunday I got up and went downtown Aarhus to visit the antique flea market that was in town for the weekend.  I totally forgot however that everything is closed on Sundays, still strange to wander through the town when it is a total ghost town.  The antique market was really fun though.  I was for sure way below the average age in there. Most were grams and gramps' age, just puttering around in circles.  That was ok though, I was in no hurry, just was checking out what was there.  Carol came down and met me after a little while.  She puttered around the crowd with me, both of us picking up a few trinkets we thought our houses needed.  It is funny but just the little things make the house seem more full and homely.

Now I have some little knight thingy guarding my shelf.

 And a viking plate made by some woman on an island off the coast of Sweden in the 40's I think.. Makes me smile though so will enjoy while I am here and then figure out how to get it home in 2012  :-)

Carol and I then went and played darts for like 3 hours.. my arm was sore for the whole first half of this week from that.  Definitely a muscle I don't ever use!  But had so much fun!  I love hearing other people's stories and adventures that they have been on.  I hope that I build many more stories over the years to come!  Adventures every year, even after this adventure is over!  If I want something enough I just have to make it happen  :-D

This week has been a good one so far too.  Things are looking up.. Monday was a bit tired from staying up till 2am to watch the wild card football games (yea I am still an addict even from overseas, just is hard with the difference in time), so just went home and watched some trash tv and read a bit of my book (currently reading The Girl Who Played With Fire, need to finish before reading next book club book!!).  Tuesday I went to a pizza and game night with a bunch of women from a new club I have joined over here (AWCAA - American Women's Club of Aarhus).  Super fun group of women and totally makes me think of home.  It mostly is a bunch of older women that married Danes so are now DK imports but still want to have that American/English connection so join up at least once a month for some activity or another.  We played Cranium and had a great time!  Fun to hear all of their stories too!  I am joining their book club too, but they are not quite as ambitious as the girls back home (they only read one every other month or so), so I will have to read that one too in the next few weeks  :-D  Fun challenge!

Ok. Off to read a couple more chapters... Good night.