Once we got back from the travel break, things at school really started to pick up, but also the weather got to be BEAUTIFUL (finally!) The last couple days have been rainy and windy (major problems in the biking department. I'm pretty sure at one point yesterday it was sooo windy and I was biking against it that I actually wasn't moving anywhere. Nooo fun at all). Before that though, it's been sunny and in the 60s. Again, with school picking up I'll had all sorts of papers and stuff due, so instead of sitting at the little library in our school building, a few of us have been going to the Royal Library, AKA The Black Diamond, because it looks like that. It's right on one of the many canals in the city so it's really pretty and they even have deck-like chairs to sit outside. It's quite a luxurious library experience to say the least!
So, there's really only a couple things that have happened since I last wrote. I've been busy analyzing coffee advertisements, so if you have any questions about that topic, you know who to ask. May 1st (May Day) is a huge deal here. It's actually a national holiday. Kind of absurd because based on the amount of working-age people who sit in cafes all day long, it seems to me that EVERY day is a national holiday. Anyway we heard all about this phenomenon that is May Day so we checked it out. We headed over to this huge park in Copenhagen. Kind of like Central Park, but not nearly as nice. I would say it was more like a state fairground in the middle of the city. But there were people everywhere. Like....I actually didn't like it becuase it was just way to many people. It was kind of like the Phillies parade but really gross--even the Phillies phans that day were respectful since we were all in the same boat and basically all one big family that day. No, here there was yelling if you encroached on another person's space--people had blankets marking spaces and chairs and everything. It was a good experience but something that I would probably never do again. Oh and we kept being warned about pickpockets and Iiiiii don't like pickpockets so I was also on major alert the whole time. Linda-style alert with me clutching my purse on the front of me. Yes if there is one thing I have realized this semester it is: I am actually Linda. She's really proud.
Okay, so after we went there we headed over to Tivoli---wayyy more my style! It's this giant amusement park, literally in the center of Copenhagen. I think I explained it once before, but there's no explaining until you witness it. I was definitely expecting Wonderland Pier but it was more Disney World than the OC rides. Food in the park is really expensive (kinda like Disney) so Helle said we would have a picnic in there. It was me, Helle, Sofie (16-yr-old), Louise (24-yr-old), Claire and Jesse. Helle packed us egg salad sandwiches, frickadeller, and my new favorite dessert ever: kalt skolt (that's spelled phonetically, based on my limited knowledge of Danish, there's probably a few silent q's and 3's in there too...) Basically it's kind of like vanilla yogurt (but homemade) and you mix in frosted flakes and strawberrys. Delicious. Laekert (I think that's delicious in Danish) and we had ourselves a great little picnic and then hit the rides. The rides were the rides but I was feeling extra rebelious that night and actually went on several roller coasters--and one was even upside down!!! If you don't know, I don't like roller coasters. They scare me. So this was a huge step. We also did the swings. Luckily the view was pretty because if it wasn't, I don't think I would have made it. The swings were actually the most terrifying ride that night. They went REALLLY high and because it was so windy up there, we were rocking and swaying back and forth. But the view was great...we could see over all over Copenhagen. The only thing I didn't like about Tivoli was that they didn't have a big ferris wheel. They have several high up rides that gets you a view over the city, but you can't bring a camera up on them . But anyway, it was a great night--lots of fun to be had by all.
Thenn my friend from HS, Vic, came for a couple days! She's studying in Ireland right now and has a couple weeks off. She had been traveling in Italy for a week and then swung by Denmark on her way back. I was able to do all of the touristy stuff when she was here...all the stuff I said I would do when the weather got nicer. We took a canal tour in Copenhagen, saw Nyhavn again in the good weather and saw the Little Mermaid statue. Not the Disney version, the HC Anderson one. Then we also went back over to Malmo, Sweden for a day as well. We found a beach though! So we just relaxed and spent some time dipping our toes in the water. Not too many shells there. I got three very little ones, and some sand to take home..but it was mostly rocks. But the sand did remind me of Jersey.
That's pretty much it. I have two exams next week...so I'm heading out now to the Black Diamond to get my study on. Hard to believe in only 10 days I'll be home again! I really excited to be home again and can't wait to see all of you soon!
Love,
Olivia
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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