Last supper in Denmark (for now)

July 31

Marike and I had a great last day together, running errands and hanging out in the park playing cards and reading our books in the sprinkles of rain and the sunshine. 

Marike promised to make me her famous  stir fry dish and it was absolutely amazing. I was quite impressed and definitely did not give her enough credit. So, so good!

 

Completely random- there are these popular little guys called hoptimists (like optimist but they hop). They are so popular and sold in a lot of stores but they are so weird! Marike and her roommate have 3 and everytime I say they are bizarre, Marike flicks them and they start hopping around. I laugh and she says, "see, they do the job of making you happy". 

Oh, the little things I suppose. I just can't get infatuated by them like others. 

Heading to Munich tomorrow to see what traveling alone is all about. 

I know what you are all thinking but Don't worry! I sent nance and dave my itinerary so they know where I will be every night (for the most part).

Thanks Marike, Rigitze, Jens, and ALL of Marikes wonderful friends for the great time you showed me in Denmark! 

So great that I will be back in 3 weeks! 

The tree hugger tourist who has never seen a deer.

July 30

Since I didn't go for a run yesterday, I was behind Marike on our exercise routine. I woke up and went for a run towards the harbor. My runs here consist of running to a destination, walk around and take pictures, then run home. 

Here were a few of my pictures I captured: 

We were feeling quite adventurous today so Marike told me she will take me on a long walk to a forest and the royal family's vacation home! Sounded like a perfect day to me. 

We walked along the sea, next to beautiful homes, watching a wakeboarder ride in the calm bay! It was glorious! 

It was kind of an eerie day! The sun was always in the distance but there was rain on and off. It was very calm and then suddenly it would thunder really loud! It was pretty neat walking outside in that kind of weather. 

The "forest" was right along the sea with HUGE trees.  The roots of most of the trees were out of the ground which made the trees very unique. 

There was a park with deer lose! It was the most bizarre thing. We would just walk around and be less than a foot a way from the deer and all they did was stand there and stare. Obviously I have never seen anything like that! Marike thought I was such a dork for being so intrigued by how close we were! "American tourist lose who has never seen a deer before". Okay Marike! Ha 

Yes, Marike captured me in the moment. 

We hiked around and I experimented with my camera a little more. 

I played on some trees. 

Then we walked by the royal Vacation home. There is a long flag pole on top of the house. When the Danish flag is flying it means that they are are there. Too bad it wasn't flying!!!

Exercised in the "front yard" of the royal home. (We need this exercise equipment like this in parks in the states. What a great idea)

Walked home!

Right when we walked in the door, it started to down pour. Marike gets nervous because she lives in the lower level and she has had problems with water seeping up through drains and toilets and flooding their apartment when it rains. We were sitting, resting our legs from the walk, and I said "how much would it suck if your apartment flooded again". We were about to go in and make lunch and I heard water dripping. I ran in the bathroom and with the sternest face, told Marike the bathroom was flooding again. I thought she wasn't going to believe me but she never has moved so fast. She ran in and the water was about ankle deep (just in the bathroom). We caught it before it flooded the kitchen thank goodness. It was a bit chaotic. 

At least we had a reason to clean her apartment afterwards. 

A Danish

July 29, 2013 (why is time going so fast?)

We headed out for the day to Århus University to see where Marike goes to school. On our way we stopped at a grocery store/bakery so I could get a real Danish for breakfast. It was a croissant in the shape of a circle.  On the inside it had a cheese cream filling with almonds and then chocolate around the side. It was so delicious! Good thing I didn't have one earlier or that is all I would have eaten for breakfast.  

 It is a beautiful campus. I could definitely have seem myself going there! I asked her where the spot is that the university is famous for (similar to bascom hill). She said it was the park! 

So, we sat in the campus park and Marike read me her blog from her travels through south east Asia. It sounds like such an amazing adventure. Maybe that will be my next trip! :) 

We just walked around town and I took pictures like a typical American tourist, as Marike says. 

The gardens make the city so much more beautiful! 

We were hungry so we went home for lunch. 

Quick flashback: On Saturday when we went out for lunch with Anne, our portions were huge! Naturally, I wanted to ask for a box to take my food home in. Marike and Anne started cracking up and said they weren't going to ask and that was my job. They also said they would get the camera ready to take a picture of the servers face when I ask. I guess they don't ask for doggy bags here in Denmark. It just isn't something they do!  

I think I have turned Marike onto the idea now because when we got home today, super hungry, we were loving the left overs!

Marike went to a spinning class and while she was gone I was going to go for a run. Well, that didn't happen but what did happen was I bought my flight home! I am coming home August 28 from Dublin. I am coming home a bit earlier because some opportunities arouse back at home that I cannot pass up! When I got home, I had an email from Mrs. Banks asking if I wanted to come out to Colorado and house sit for them while they are in Spain. What a perfect opportunity for me to find a job at the same time. I am super excited how this is working out! What great timing! Everyone, keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Tonight was my night to make Stine an American meal. All they think of when they think of American meals is burgers and hotdogs. 

I didnt really make an American meal but I made a yummy meal that both Marike and Stine said they were going to make again. I made chicken parmesan. They said they thought it was American because it was breaded chicken and cheese. (We are just known as fattys)

 

Lazy days in Århus

July 27-28

Marikes friend, Anne, came to Århus for the day to hang out with us. We spent Saturday just walking around the town and checking out the cute shops and boutiques. We went to this hole in the wall cafe that was so cozy to warm up because it actually was a bit chilly. 

We went to a delicious restaurant for lunch and got a typical American lunch. A mushroom, Swiss burger and fries!  

We came home and watched some inspiring shows. We watched Steve jobs commencement speech at Stanford and I really liked this quote. 

"You cannot connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference." 

- Steve jobs

We had a blast sitting around in the evening playing games and laughing. We went out and met up with Stine and her friends. We didn't stay out too late and came home and made pizza since we didn't eat dinner. 

We spent Sunday just being lazy. We cleaned Marike's apartment and I researched and planned more of my trip to Munich. 

I FaceTimed with mom and Gigi and Gigi said "Can't you come home sooner? We miss you here!" 

Don't worry, I am not going to stay here forever :)

The real meaning

"The doing: to try, to experience, to engage, to endeavor, rather than to watch and wonder, that's where the real meaning of life is found."

-TedTalk. Ben Saunders 

Marike and I left her parents house in Esbjerg to head back to Århus today. It was so great staying at her parents house this past week. They really made me feel at home (delicious meals and great company)  It was so great getting to know them! 

When we got back to Århus, I made Marike quesadillas for dinner because she had never tried one before. She claimed she really liked it (and Marike is the most honest person you will meet so I'm guessing she would have told me otherwise). 

Koldskål was for dessert! I don't even know how to describe it other than little cookie bites and bitter tasting milk. It is very bizarre but very tasty! 

We went for a long walk down by the harbor and had great conversations about travel and backpacking. This quote I really really relate to and reminds me of Marike. She has taught me so much about traveling alone. She truly believes being spontaneous is the best way to travel because you will only meet people along the way.  (I have to take advice from a girl who backpacked alone for 7 months) 

We talked about how it is so easy to sit back and look at life through a lens but how important it is to actually follow your dreams. I know it sounds so cheesy and cliche but traveling this past month and meeting some incredible people along the way has really proven it to be true.  

I am very thankful for Marike and her family for opening their doors and teaching me the Danish way of life. A weekend plus a few days left in Denmark and then I am off to experience the German culture alone!!!

P.S. happy birthday lo :) 

The Grøn

Started off the day early and on a good note. I went for a run along a trail that is on the beach and I ran to the 4 men. 

It is about a 5k run!  When I got to the 4 men I just sat on the beach and enjoyed the breeze of the early morning. It was wonderful!

I think the people in the picture below camped on the beach, which Marike informed me was illegal. That sounds like it would be amazing though!

Around 11, Mia and Nynne came overfor  breakfast because we were then heading to a day concert with about 8 different artists. 

We ate breakfast and then played beer bowling. It took me a little bit to warm up but I got the feel for it and it was a great time. 

Nynne and Mia were drinking cider so everytime we bowled the ball and it hit their can they had to chug a can of hard cider. Sounded terrible!

Going into this concert I was expecting every song to be in Danish. Well before we left we started listening to this srtist named Lukas graham. He only sings in English so I picked up on one or two before we headed to the concert. Well when we were in the car the girls were getting texts that he was already playing. We were all bumming. We raced in and he was still playing and then he played my favorite song last! It was so much fun!!

After Lukas played, Nynne, Mia, and I made our way up to the stage because Medina was playing next and she is a very popular artist here in Denmark. Supposedly she took one of her famous hits and translated it directly to English so she could get famous in the USA but it didn't work so well for her.  

We were so close to her! She was alright. Not really my scene but it was hilarious to watch all the fans just obsessing over her. We had a lot of fun!

We hung out and ate lunch together and then Nynne and Mia were heading out. I was actually pretty sad for them to leave because I won't see them again during my trip here. Maybe the next time will be when they visit me in the states :) 

We went over to sit with Nete closer to the stage and it was so much fun. 

Marike bought mini donuts and asked me if i feel at home eating the donuts. Seriously, American movies jut give America a terrible impression. They think we are just such fatties and all we eat is fast food and greasy foods. Haha

We heard Kato and Nick and Jay. They are both dj's so it was so wild! Everyone was dancing and having a great time! I have a lot of fun just making the words up in Danish to songs. 

My favorite part of the day is when a guy was talking with Marike and he started to talk to me in Danish. I stared at him like everything he was saying was going over my head, yet he kept talking. Marike was like "no really, she isn't Danish". He didn't believe me that I was American and thought I was just fooling him. I am really fitting in here in Denmark :) 

Perfect day

July 24

Marike and I just spent the day hiking around marbæk plantage. It's a beautiful park here in Esbjerg. We walked through the woods and I felt like I was in northern Wisconsin and then we would just end up on the beach and I felt like I was in Florida. It was pretty awesome. 

Then of course I just took a ton of pictures so here are a few (mostly dried flowers because they are beautiful)

And we played!

We went home and had a delicious Danish lunch (I will definitely miss this when I go home). Rye bread with this curry and onion sauce and a hard boiled egg on top with salt and pepper! Yum!

Then!!!!!! We went thrifting. We (well i) had so much fun just wandering around. Marike saw my addiction to thrift stores. Since I have been here we have been to 4 second hand stores and I bought something (little) at every one!! Ah! 

This purse was one of my purchases

We laid in the sun and planned our road trip we are taking at the end of August. 

Jens (Marikes father) made us a delicious dinner. Grilled pork, a vegetable mix, and potatoes! (And he said he wasn't a good cook). Well I was very impressed!!!

Today was a perfect day! Hiking, thrifting, and eating... A day doesn't get any better than that :)