I Love It When You Call Me...

Monotonous pictures of northern European architecture will be coming shortly.  For now, let's just talk about the fabulous walk that I went on earlier today.  I started at noon and finally got home around 4:00.  

First, I headed down Strøget towards Vesterbro, which is a trendy area that has recently undergone some pretty extensive urban renewal.  

I walked through Kongens Nytorv, or the King's New Square, which is beautiful little oasis in the middle of the city.  

Kongens Nytorv

Crossed some canals on my way to Vesterbro.  These canals are, for the most part, so pretty!  The water really isn't very dirty, and most of the houses that line the water are painted beautiful, vibrant colors.  

I finally ended at a gorgeous park, somewhere deep inside an unknown neighborhood (by this time I was hopelessly turned around). I got some of my writing down for a Creative Writing class I'm taking here.  

Before walking home, I made a mistake that ended up being the death of my street cred.  Whereas before changing this little, itty bitty detail I was being spoken to in Danish, afterwards there was no doubt about my nationality.  

Before

After

Before I end this post, I want to give say something about Christiania.  Christiania is an old military base that some hippies and squatters took over in 1971.  They declared it a free commune and have been living there ever since.  This place is absolutely amazing.  It would never work in the U.S. because the system would be abused, but in Denmark it is ideal.  

I went down there last night for a Michael Jackson tribute concert with several djs to follow the main act.  We got there a little late and missed the main band, but still had a great time with this one dj playing enough Dr. Dre and Biggie to make my head explode.  Later in the night, it started raining, so some friends of mine and I ducked into one random tent.  There was a pretty tight group of people sitting in there and hanging out, and we got some weird looks at first.  We figured it was because we were from the States and shrugged it off.  Either way, we started talking and they invited us to stay and hang out with them.

Later, we realized that we had walked into the VIP tent and were actually hanging out with the main act that we'd missed (oops).  They were awesome guys, and apparently play just one concert a year--this year's act was the Michael Jackson cover concert.  Hey, works for me.

... But really. That dj played so. much. Biggie. 

Home Sweet Home

After a brief Internet issue, my home for the next four months is officially perfect!  The building is located less than a five minute walk from the main DIS (Danish Institute for Study Abroad) offices, right in the middle of Copenhagen.  We are on St. Kannikestaede (said: store canick-cuh-stell), only one street over from Stroget, the huge pedestrian-only shopping street in the city... me + that short of a walk to awesome stores = trouble.  There are also lots of little shops and cafes right outside of both the front and back entrances of our building.

View down the street from our front door

So now for the little tour of the building itself:

The back view of our building

The building was built in 1751.  The owners just finished remodeling it Friday (as in less than a week ago), so we are lucky enough to be the first residents.  There are five floors total, including the basement and attic.  The basement has laundry and the attic is in the process of being completed - maybe pictures of that later, because you can see the inside of the ancient roof... cooler than it sounds!

I live on the "S" floor, which stands for stuen (pronounced: stoon), and there are two floors of people above us.  Apparently, it's common here to have an S floor, and then begin numbering the floor above, considered the second floor by Americans, as 1.  

Once you come inside the back door, you enter the kitchen, which is incredible! Two refrigerators, super fancy microwave, hidden dishwasher, four burner stove, and a little baby oven.  My roommates and I, two guys and three girls, made our first "family" meal last night.  Precious, I know.

Windows overlook the little courtyard outside

You then walk into the living area, which also has an eating area.  Not pictured is a picture of our dear friend, His Lordship Sir Percival Leslie (1786-1842).  The building is filled with these beautiful original oil paintings that DIS Housing has purchased from estate sales and auctions. 

Percival chills above the couch

If you turn right from this room, you enter my room!  I share a triple, and a have a bed near a window that looks over the street.  The room is huge, and my roommates and I all have our own closets and personal spaces.  This may or may not be the most ideal triple set up I have ever heard of.  

Move-in day, so excuse the suitcases and assorted other crap everywhere.  
The other bed and closets are about 10 feet back from the table 

My bed (and two suitcases - only $50 to get the second here!)

I didn't take a picture of the boy's room, but they have a double that is a bit smaller than our room.  There are two bathrooms, and then a single that our Danish roommate, Nicoline lives in.  Finally, there is a courtyard out back that is common to our building, and the two other residential buildings at St. Kannikestaede 11 and Skindergade 14.  The pink building is home to future classrooms - how insanely convenient is this going to be?!

Random white tent is coming down after today

I think that's about everything!  I need to shoot a few more pictures of some of the flat's details, but you get the basic idea.  

Classes start tomorrow, and I cannot wait to meet profs / get a routine / figure out how intense the workload will be.  So far, the past three days have been like O-Week at W&L all over again, except with a bar scene.  There were free shots of this licorice flavored drink at this one bar on Monday night.... apparently a favorite with Danes, I can't say I immediately felt the love.  On the bright side, I discovered what is essentially Listerine alcohol... minty fresh!

Photo cred to www.buddelbreef.de

Stay classy, US.

xo,

A

Leaving So Soon?

I am fairly certain that it will be absolutely impossible for me to finish everything on my to do list in four (4!) days.  Along with packing, there's a pile of stuff in one corner of my room that hasn't been touched in over 6 months (but should have been), appointments to attend, and of course miscellaneous errands to complete.  Whatever.  One step at a time.  

On the bright side, I made the executive decision to handle stress by baking, which always works wonders.  Tonight I made:

Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake with Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Glaze

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Baked the muffins so that "you can defrost them when you really miss me in like, October, and think of me!" Dad laughed.  I choose to think he was laughing because they're so amazingly good he could never wait until October to eat them.  

Obviously.  

I'm also trying to decide if rain boots will be necessary in Denmark.  I think it rains there?  

Last but not least, the title of this post comes from a Keane song.  Remember "Somewhere Only We Know"?  I, unlike 99% of other non-Brits, still listen to them.  This song is from their 2006 album, "Under the Iron Sea."  

xo

A