Friday, April 29, 2011

SB 2011: CPH with the Bergs!

So on Tuesday the 19th (of April, yes a long time ago, but you'll finally be caught up real soon) the Berg clan arrived in Copenhagen to see where I've been leaving while on my European adventure. It was great to have some of home here with me, because even though I study with mostly other America students, home seems far anyway sometimes. It was nice to have them around but I'm glad I still have two and a half weeks (??!!?!?!?!?!? it's that soon, gosh darn) left to have fun here.

So the night we arrived, I fumbled around at the airport to make sure we got on the right train to get to there hotel. Of course, I'd found the hotel on google maps before I left but that was more than a week before and I had kind of forgotten the best route. It ended up being really simple; Karina was going to meet us at the airport and drive us to the hotel (she's a really nice lady) but Rasmus decided to come so we met them in downtown CPH instead. From the train station, we found the hotel and had some after dinner drinks with them (even we hadn't had dinner, flying got in the way). Anyway, I was glad they were able to chat because Karina was leaving the next morning to meet Peter in Greenland and Rasmus was later in the afternoon for a handball tournament in Prague, so it was crunch time. Anyway, the hotel had a fabulous view of the island Amager and Christiania (not the island I currently live on, these happen to be very close unlike the other 305 or 405 (I've obviously forgotten, but it's a lot)).

The next morning, I brought the family back to the flat. It's about 15 minutes by S-train north of the city center; the walk from the train station is much more fun with people, but I am getting to like my time in the morning now that it isn't hellishly wintery and cold out. Anyway, I decided we should go to Helsingor and the Kronborg castle, like I had done in my first weeks here, and of course Papa Berg was totally into it and recited Hamlet lines the whole time. Of course, they loved the drive up the Danish coast, I highly recommend it; however, you do need a car and to be in Denmark for it to work, but I'll let you sort that out for yourselves. Anyway, we had a fabulous tour guide, seriously she was amazing, so funny and actually took over an hour for the tour. It was a good deal for our money, especially because she loved the topic so much. After the castle, I took them into the city square (it's small, I mean small, but really cute) and had afternoon snacks of hotdogs and beer. Classic Danish snack, they do polser (sausage) very well with their own special ketchup. Then after spending almost the 4 hours they let us free park, we drove back down the coast back to the flat. (I took them the coast again because it's easier, plus they were only going to do the drive once, might as well enjoy the view again) We dropped Karina's car at the flat and made our way back into the city. We had time to walk around the part of the city I take classes in and they got to see the facilities. It is much different than an American university; they isn't a campus, there are classrooms scattered in a couple different buildings on a city block. (And they don't have a gym and the same facilities like at home; it's weird, but it becomes normal pretty quick) (I think I'm going to go into shock when I return to the CU Norlin library in the Fall, I may get to stressed out in the huge thing now) So, we walked around Norrebro some and got to see the gym I go to, along with some of the restaurants I frequent. We went to this fabulous place for dinner Dalle Valle; I was introduced to it by some Danes and I couldn't have them miss out. It is so good and they have this awesome frozen lemonade drink that is sooo delicious. Of course, they all loved the food and then we headed back to the hotel for some dessert and some rest time. I don't know if my feet have been more tired, walking around Europe is a huge ordeal.

The next day, we traveled to Sweden. I had really wanted to see Malmo before I left and my father loves going to different countries so I thought I'd add another to the trip for him. It's a super easy trip, seriously hop and the train and go. No weird checks like they'd have back home, where you basically have to take your clothes off to go leave the country. So we walked around Malmo for the morning, went to a chocolate factory, a castle, a cool looking church, a cool park, and this Folk and Roll (Folk Rock) cafe for lunch. We had sandwiches and made our way back to the train station. It was a good, full morning, but you don't need much more than a morning to see that part of Sweden, Stockholm on the other hand is much further away and would take you a little longer to exhaust. After that I took them around Nyhavn and Christiansborg, the canal area and the Parliament buildings. I took them around with my guide book to all the places I was shown the first couple of days in CPH. But this time I knew a lot more and hated bringing out the tour book, because I like that I'm a local now. I don't need maps to get around any more, except of course we trying to find the most direct routes to everything for dad. They got to see Magasin and the Royal Play House, where I've gone to a couple of ballets. We then sat down to a nice dinner on the canal and got to watch the young Danes that we out drinking by the canal because of Easter Break. Seriously, CPH has come alive, once spring hits everyone flees their houses to be outside; it's great! After that we headed back to the hotel and hung out with a CU Alum and looked out over the fabulous view. I also slept over so I could run with the mother in the beautiful spring CPH.
Turning Torso building in Sweden

Malmo castle

Dutch style wind mill

Oh sweet CPH

So after the morning run, I decided we'd do the classic CPH tour; we hadn't hit some of the crucial sights so we had to get a move on. We went to see the Little Mermaid and the Kassellet (old military barracks) and Amaliesborg (the Royal residence). We got there for the changing of the guards, sadly I didn't realize the Queen was away for EAster so the royal band didn't play but they enjoyed it anyway. We also wen to the Marble church and Rosenborg castle and gardens. I wanted to take them to a traditional smorrebrod lunch but I didn't anticipate them all being closed for Good Friday, oh well. We went to this awesome restaurant called Stella instead, I love that place, if only I had more time. Of course we went to the Round Tower after that and then got Danish Danishes (a big hit, duhh because they're so good). I also got the family some Danish candy, yes it is very different from back home, they love licorice here. They we hung out at the hotel before deciding to venture to Christiania, which is the hippie area of CPH. Really hippie area, it was a bit alarming so we left. And got some dinner instead and hung out at the hotel catching up because they were leaving early the next morning. I was sure to give a load of things to mom to take back before they left. It was such a good break and I loved having them, most people I know here already had their parents come so it was nice to have mine finally get to see everything too.

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