Nice was “nice” and Paris has the best brie… Adventures of Travel Week 1 :)

Two Fridays ago marked the end of classes for a week and the start of our first week-long travel break.  After my class finished, I headed to the Copenhagen airport, bound for a week in Nice and Paris with four other Bucknell girls.

Nice was the first destination on our weeklong tour of France.  Arriving to the airport in the evening, we took a taxi to our hostel.  I was very pleasantly surprised with my room and the hostel in general – it was clean and nicely decorated, and our rooms were complete with private bathrooms and balconies overlooking the alleyway below.  We were pretty hungry after all the traveling, so we asked for dinner recommendations at the hostel.  The receptionist directed us to downtown Nice, where we could find plenty of small, reasonable priced restaurants.  Walking down the street for the first time, I was surprised by how much Italian influence can be found in Nice.  I guess it makes sense, considering how close Nice is to Italy.  We picked a restaurant where we could sit outside, eager to soak up the warm(er) weather.  We ordered three pizzas to share, my favorite being “quatre fromages,” or four cheese.  It was so nice to sit and relax after a long day of traveling!

After dinner, we walked around the area known as Nice Old Town and through the park where Carnival de Nice had been taking place since mid-February.  There was a stand set up selling crepes, waffles, and churros.

I was eager to experience my first crepe in France and it didn’t disappoint!  We continued our walk along the Promenade, the walkway that borders the breathtakingly-beautiful Pebble Beach.

The next day, I woke up a little early and decided to head out for a run along the Promenade – it was so beautiful at night that I just couldn’t wait any longer to get out and explore it in the daylight!  My curiosity kept me going the whole way around small cliff, which, when I came to the other side, revealed a port town that looked like a whole separate town from the main part of Nice.  I wanted to keep exploring, but I had to remind myself that I’d have to run back so I reluctantly turned around.  The run back was just as enjoyable though!

Once everyone was awake and dressed, we headed to breakfast at a cafe near our hostel.  I had two croissants (the chocolate one was so good), eggs, “bacon” (more like ham), and café crème (coffee with warm cream).  

The sound of the ocean waves was calling us to go check out Pebble Beach in the daylight.  We walked along the rocky coast for a while, snapping pictures and soaking up the sun.

We were a bit sleepy after our big breakfast, so we used our winter coats as blankets and took a little nap by the water.  After the beach, we explored the shops around Old Town until Carnival Festivities began for the day.  Carnival is a festive season, occurring just before Lent in many cities with a large Catholic influence.  It reminded me of Mardi Gras, with parades, floats, and street performers throwing flowers to the crowds on the street!

We joined in the festivities in style…

Unfortunately, our Carnival fun ended a little early when one of my friends had her phone stolen out of her pocket.  We looked on the ground everywhere, but after about an hour of searching it was clear that it was gone.  Still, she dealt with it all really well and we didn’t let it ruin our day.

We returned to Old Town Nice later that night, hoping to catch a glimpse of another Carnival festivity that was taking place later that night.  Finding a place to eat dinner before the parade was a challenge because the town was so packed for Carnival.  We finally found a place that could seat us, but we all felt a little uncomfortable being the only Americans in the restaurant.  We tried to keep our voices down, but we got a lot of stares when people heard us speaking English.  An older man came up to me, saying something in French; when I apologized, saying I could only speak English, he rolled his eyes and walked away.  It definitely wasn’t the case with everyone we encountered in France, but this was just the beginning of several less-than-welcoming interactions we had.  Still, I thoroughly enjoyed my Osso Buco and wine!

Unfortunately, it had been pouring rain all throughout dinner, so the Carnival parade was cancelled for the night.  We were disappointed, but it had been a long day anyway so we decided to head back to the hostel and plan our adventures for the next day…

An friend of mine from Bucknell who used to live in Nice told me one of the things we had to do while we were in Nice was visit Parc de la Colline du Chateau and climb up Castle Hill.  After more croissants for breakfast, we headed over to the hill and began our climb.  The view from the top was so worth the walk:

At the top of the hill was a big, beautiful park.  It was filled with kids playing “football,” couples enjoying picnics with baguettes, cheese, and wine, and even a few musicians.  We found a nice sunny spot, soaking up the sun and enjoying the music for about an hour.

Though we could have laid there all day, we eventually got hungry and headed back down the hill for some lunch.  We ate at a beautiful cafe right on the water.  After lunch, we got some gelato and regrouped back at the hostel for a bit.  We were planning on going to Monaco the next day, so we wanted to ask the hostel staff for the best way to get there.  Not only did the receptionist give us info about the bus to Monaco, but he told us about a great Greek place called Mama’s.  He had apparently been there for dinner on his birthday and then went back for breakfast the next day, so we figured we’d give it a shot.  It didn’t disappoint – the Greek owner of the restaurant was warm and welcoming and the food was delicious.  After we had finished eating, he even brought out shots of Italian liqueur for the table (and one for himself).

Walking around Nice, we had been seeing an surprising amount of salsa bars.  There was one near our hostel, so we checked it out on our walk home.  Inside, the dance floor was filled with people of all ages (and dancing abilities).  Though at first we were intimidated by the local’s expert moves, we eventually worked up the courage to join in the dancing for a few songs!

When the bar started clearing out, we headed for home – eager to get some sleep after a day filled with so much fresh air and dancing!

The next day we woke up to gray skies, threatening to rain out our Monaco plans.  We decided it was now or never, though, since it was our last day in Nice before we headed off to Paris.  We stopped at a bakery for breakfast on the way to the bus stop (more croissants for my friends, a freshly baked bagel with locks, capers, and cream cheese for me).  Leaving the bakery, the clouds opened up and the rain started pouring.  The bus stop was quite a hike and by the time we got there our feet were soaked all the way through to our socks.  I completely forgot about my wet feet once we were on the bus, journeying through the beautiful hill of Nice on the way to Monaco.  The bus ride there took about forty-five minutes, but I enjoyed every second of it; we rolled along through little towns built right into hillsides along the coast.  It was pretty much exactly like what I would have pictured Nice to look like, but unlike anything I had ever actually seen before.

Unfortunately, it was still raining when we got to Monaco, but we made the most of it, grabbing lunch in Café de Paris right beside the famous Monte Carlo Casino.  Even though we could really only afford soup at the pricey cafe (or mashed potatoes and hot chocolate for one of my friends), we sat for a long time warming up, drying off, and doing some of the best people watching I’ve ever experienced.  The French really love their little dogs – they even get their own water dish at restaurants…

After lunch, we went inside the Monte Carlo Casino.  I’ve never watched Casino Royale, but my friends and now have plans to have a movie night after our visit there.

Cameras weren’t allowed inside the casino, but it was one of the most extravagantly decorated places I’ve ever seen.  We watched a few games of blackjack and checked out the slot machines.  I really wanted to put a few coins in one, just so I could say that my first time playing a slot machine was in Casino Royale.  Unfortunately, the minimum amount accepted by the machines was five euros, which I figured would be better spent on some postcards.  Leaving the casino, we took a bus to a car museum showcasing the car collection of the Prince of Monaco (at least I think that’s who the cars belonged to – we had a little trouble communicating with the man at the front desk).  It was neat to see so many classic cars, as well as race cars from the Grand Prix.

As much as there was to see in Monaco, it was still raining when we left the museum and our feet were still soaked.  We decided to walk around for just a bit longer and then head for the bus back home.  On the bus, we all decided that dinner in the hostel sounded great for both our tired feet and our wallets.  Nice had plenty of “Charcuterie” shops, inspiring us to collect quite a feast of meats and cheeses on the walk back from the bus stop.  Some baguettes, fruit, and wine from the supermarket beside our hostel completed our feast!

Feeling well-rested, I enjoyed my last morning run along Pebble Beach the next morning, then met up with the other girls.  We had a nice, relaxing breakfast at a creperie near our hostel and then made the most of our last afternoon in Nice, strolling through the Old Town area some more before heading back to the hostel to pick up our luggage and head to the airport.  The journey to the airport was made rather interesting when the bus didn’t stop at our terminal (not sure why), but we made it eventually!  Before long, we were on the plane bound for Paris.

The city of Paris is about a 45 minute train ride from Charles de Gaulle Airport.  Navigating the metro in the dark was a little intimidating, and I definitely felt myself missing the security of Copenhagen!  Thankfully, one of my friends had been to Paris last Christmas with her family, so she helped navigate the way to the hostel.  Relieved to get to the hostel and tired from a long day of traveling, we quickly checked in.  I was a little nervous because, since my friends had booked the hostel before I decided to go on the trip, there wasn’t room for me in their room.  I booked a spot in a four person female dorm, but wasn’t looking forward to the idea of sharing a room (and bathroom) with people I didn’t know.  One of my friends was a little flustered, too, because of issues with her debit card.  The poor guy checking us in at the front desk seemed rather flustered dealing with five American girls, especially when a few tears were shed over issues with the debit card; he looked like he wanted to run away when he saw me again after I found out that I was locked out of my room.  He kindly came up to the room with me and knocked on the door – turns out that my fellow roommates were already asleep and had locked the door with the deadbolt, preventing me from getting inside.  I felt pretty bad about waking them up, but I tried to quietly put my things away and returned to the room where my friends were staying.

The next day, we woke up early for our first day of sight-seeing in Paris.  Our first stop was Notre Dame.  It was really amazing to see such a famous monument in person!  The inside was incredible, too, with one of the biggest organs I’ve ever seen.

Next on our list of places to go that day was the Louvre.  On our way there, however, we got a little distracted when we spotted one of the famous “love lock bridges” in Paris, the Pont des Arts.  We couldn’t pass by without putting a lock of our own on the famous bridge!

We made it to the Louvre after our brief pit stop, pausing to take a few touristy pictures outside.

Once we got inside, we were most interested in seeing the Mona Lisa – clearly everyone else was too because we just had to follow the crowd to find our way to the famous painting.  As I had heard before, the painting itself is much smaller in real life than it often appears when photographed.  Still, it was really cool to kind of just stare at the painting; the myth that her eyes seem to follow you when you move from one angle to another is true in my opinion!

We decided on a few other areas to explore, but we only saw a small fraction of the museum.  You’d need a couple days to see everything!  After a couple hours, our growling stomach told us it was time to go (our free breakfast at the hostel consisting of croissants and coffee wasn’t very substantial!), so we headed off in search of Le Soufflé, a place that had been recommended to one of my friends.  Walking into the restaurant smelling the buttery aromas and seeing tray after tray of impressive soufflés being delivered to all the tables, my mouth immediately started watering.  I can’t remember ever eating a real soufflé, especially not one filled with Camembert cheese and apples (so good).  For dessert, we split a hazelnut soufflé and a traditional chocolate soufflé.  The hazelnut one had a really strong (and delicious) flavor, and the chocolate one came with fresh chocolate sauce that the waiter poured down the middle when he delivered it to our table.

We left the restaurant daydreaming about lounging in soufflé clouds…

Our busy day of sightseeing continued along The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, one of the most famous shopping streets in Paris.  We just window shopped, admiring window displays in all kinds of stores, from H&M to Louie Vuitton.  We walked the whole way up one side of the street, which ends at the famous Arc de Triomphe.

Luckily, since we’re technically EU residents for the four months we’re living in Denmark, we got to go to the top for free.  There was only one way to the top – a very long and winding staircase.  We arrived at the top dizzy and sweating, but the view was definitely worth the climb!

Walking back down the opposite side of the street, we passed the Ladurée, the Parisian bakery famous for its macaroons.  The line to get macaroons and other baked goods to go was huge, so we decided to sit down and enjoy our desserts.  The variety of macaroon flavors was incredible – everything from vanilla (my personal favorite) to rose, salted caramel to Marie Antoinette (a blue macaroon with hints of orange flavor).

Our whirlwind tour of Paris had left us pretty tired, so we headed back to the hostel to regroup and decide on a place for dinner.  My friend’s dad had told her about a place where he went on a trip to Paris when he studied abroad in Europe in his college days.  He said it was located near our hostel and described it as a small vegetarian restaurant.  After croissants, soufflés, and macaroons, some veggies sounded pretty good.  We rested at the hotel for a bit, then walked to the restaurant.  It was definitely close to the hostel, only about a ten minute walk (if we wouldn’t have gotten lost).  On our way there, we wound through small side streets, lit up with cafes of all kinds.  If we wouldn’t have had the street number, we definitely would have walked right by the place (when my friend’s dad said “small,” he really wasn’t kidding).  Walking inside, I felt like I walked into someone’s living room.  There were three tables, two of them sitting only two people, but luckily, the six person one was open.  I quickly realized that the restaurant was a one woman show, and she cooked all the food in a tiny room that was basically connected to the room with the tables.  Apart from my friend who’s dad had recommended the restaurant and myself, I’m not sure if the others were very excited about the eclectic little hole-in-the wall of a restaurant, but we decided to stay.  I ended up ordering something with seitan, brown rice and lots of raw veggie salads.  Any reservations I may have had about the restaurant at first glance went away after eating the food – it was really delicious!

Feeling good after our healthy dinner, we were in the mood to check out a nearby bar.  One of my friends has a friend who is studying abroad in Paris this semester and she recommended a place.  When we got there, it turned out to be a shots bar.  I’m not really a fan of the super sweet shots they usually serve in places like that, but we still had a good time…  I’ve never seen so many flaming shots in all my life!

Our hostel was located just a short walk from the Sacré-Cœur, a famous Roman Catholic church.  We decided to go check it out before we headed out for more sightseeing.  We were met with more stairs, but, again, the climb to the top was well worth it!  

We reserved the rest of the day to see the palace and gardens at Versailles.  The train ride to Versailles was about forty-five minutes, and then we walked about fifteen to get to the actual palace.

We decided to go to the gardens first because the line to get inside the palace wrapped through the waiting area several times.  Even though they weren’t green, the gardens were still something to marvel at.  Apart from their size, they were meticulously groomed.

We got lunch at a cafe inside the gardens and then rented bikes to explore Marie Antoinette’s quarters and other parts of the gardens.  Biking is definitely the way to go when trying to see as much of the gardens as possible!  We returned our bikes and headed back to the main grounds of the palace, happy to see that the line had died down considerably.  We walked through room after room, one more exquisite than the next.

 

My favorite room was the famous Hall of Mirrors (bottom right).

Since we all ended up loving the place that my friend’s dad recommended for dinner the night before, we decided to try out another one of his recommendations.  It was a steak place called Louie’s, which, once again, turned out to be a hidden gem.  We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to find it after searching for about twenty minutes, but eventually we eventually came to it.  I felt right at home when I walked in and saw the pile of raw steaks ready to be thrown on the open fire!  The little restaurant turned out to be a real hit when we found out that they had escargot and the steak with blue cheese that I had been craving!

With full bellies we headed back to the hostel.  As we passed a creperie on the the walk to the metro, my friend overheard someone say “those are supposed to be the best crepes in all of Paris!”  Naturally, we went inside.  Even after feasting on about a quarter pound steak each, we still found room for salted caramel crepes!  After our dinner and crepes digested, we went to a nearby bar with lots of dancing and cool decorations – a fun end to a great day!

The next day was our last day in Paris, and there was still one very important thing we had to see: The Eiffel Tower!  We got an early start with a good breakfast (egg and cheese crepes!) because the hostel breakfast of croissants wasn’t very substantial.  First, we stopped at Musée d’Orsay, a museum on the left bank of the Seine river.  The museum is house in the former “Gare d’Orsay,” or an old railway station that was in operation in the early 1900s.

The museum’s collection of impressionist pantings is very well-known.  It was my first time ever seeing a bunch of impressionist style art, with works from well known painters like Monet.  After the visit, I decided that if someone ever asked me who my favorite artist was, I’ll say Monet because all his works were really beautiful and interesting to look at.  The neoimpressionist works were really neat as well.  We also got to see a few Picasso paintings!

Leaving the museum, we were told that the Eiffel Tower was “just a short walk down the river.”  The “short walk” took about 45 minutes, but it was still enjoyable.  Finally, we arrived at the base of the Eiffel Tower!  It was really impressive, but my first reaction was surprise at the color; I had always pictured the Eiffel Tower being silver but it turned out to be brown!  We really wanted to go to the top, but the line was really long and not moving quickly.  We decided we’d rather take care of another item on our “to do in Paris list:” enjoying wine and cheese on the grass in front of the tower!  My friend who had visited Paris last year knew of a great little cheese shop, that claimed to be Julia Child’s favorite cheese shop when she lived in Paris.  We walked to the shop, stopping on the way to pick up a baguette, wine, and fruit.  We got three cheeses – brie (the best brie I’ve ever had), goat cheese, and Comte.  I can see why Julia Child loved the place – I wanted to try a piece of every type of cheese in the shop!

We took our goodies back to the park in front of the Eiffel Tower, making a lovely picnic spread. It was definitely the most luxurious picnic I’ve ever had!

All that food made us pretty tired, so we lounged in the grass for awhile before taking our last pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower and heading back to the hostel.

For our last dinner in Paris, we took the advice of my friend’s dad once again since all of his other suggestions had been a hit.  He recommended a cafe called Polidor, a restaurant on the Left Bank and a favorite of students at the University of Paris Sorbonne and College de France.  It was apparently a favorite spot of James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, and scenes from the movie “Midnight in Paris” was filmed there.  It had a cozy atmosphere and long tables, serving up lots of French style comfort food.  We enjoyed a long, relaxing meal for our last dinner in Paris!

The next morning, we were up and packed bright and early, ready to catch our flight back to Copenhagen.  We made it to the airport easily – finally having figured out the metro system now that it was just about time to leave!

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience in France and I couldn’t have asked for better friends to travel with!  We made the most of our short time there, seeing all the sights we wanted to see, but still leaving time to relax and enjoy just being in such beautiful places.  Even when things weren’t going so well (one friend had her phone stolen and another was almost pick pocketed on the metro), we bounced back and didn’t let negative experiences ruin the day.  I can definitely say that I learned a lot about being “city smart” in France, and it made me really appreciate how safe I feel in Copenhagen.  Arriving back to my kollegium Saturday afternoon, I was glad to be back in home sweet Copenhagen and excited to see all the friends I missed while I was away!

Danes Emerge From Hibernation

(^ Some cheery, springy music to compliment the mood of this post…)

Since coming back from France (still working on that post), I have noticed a definite shift in the weather here in Copenhagen.  Gone are the days when sunset is before five and temperatures never rise above freezing.  This past week, I have gotten used to waking up to the sun peeking in through my curtains, calling me to get outside and to enjoy this wonderful city!

I’ve heard from several Danes that this time of year when the weather gets warmer, Danes “come out of hibernation.”  It definitely seems to be true – the parks are swarming with people, runners fill the sidewalks, and even the buses seem to be less crowded as more people take to their bikes for transportation.  Even I was inspired to bike to class for the first time on Thursday – sad I know, seeing as I’ve had my bike for almost a month now!  I rode around a bit the day before to make sure I knew my way to class.  Good thing I did, too, because (surprise, surprise) I got lost.  I attempted to leave myself some extra time to get to class on Thursday, but I ended up running a bit late.  Arriving to class sweating and shaky from the exhilaration of rush hour bike traffic, I gained a new appreciation for how Danes always manage to stay so composed and put together, even when traveling everywhere on bikes.  My ride home wasn’t much more relaxing – I had a wine tasting until 8pm, and an interview for a summer internship at 9pm.  The fact that I had to bike home was probably a good thing, as it really limited my wine consumption before my interview!  After overcoming my initial apprehensions, my newfound love of biking has allowed me to expereince the city in a whole new way; I feel as though I can go anywhere I want, exploring side street cafes and just getting a better feel for the city in general.  It’s really nice to not be tied down to public transportation!

I’ve had a great week back in Copenhagen after returning from France.  It’a amazing how the weather can cause a shift in the mood of an entire city (not that I didn’t love it here before!).  From celebrating my friend’s 21st birthday to finding out that I got one of my first choice summer internships to Saturday night pizza night… it’s been a pretty hyggelig (as they say in Denmark) week!

Home Sweet Copenhagen

The perfect Sunday… woke up to brunch made by my SRA’s (French croissants are good, but I’ll take toasted rye bread any day), then walked to, Retro, a cozy and cool cafe in Nørrebro. Glad to be back!! (More about my Parisian adventures to come soon…)

Berlijn, Duitsland (aka Berlin, Germany!)

I’m happy to say that I made it back safely from my first weekend excursion in Europe!  I traveled with three friends to Berlin, Germany this past weekend.  Never before have I been able to say that I saw the sun rise three days in a row, but I guess that’s a sign of a truly fabulous weekend.

While half of our group ended up on an earlier bus leaving Thursday night, my friend Rae and I were on a bus that left at 6:30am on Friday morning.  Our adventures began at 5am, however, when I knocked on her door and was greeted with, “oh, no no NO! Ugh…” (she was still sleeping).  I helped her pack in fifteen minutes and we were at the bus stop by 5:20.  The bus came quickly, which was a good thing because of course we got lost trying to find the place where we were to meet the euroline bus that was to take us to Berlin.  After wandering around some rather sketchy allies following the often unreliable directions provided by the maps on my phone, we finally flagged down a bus driver in desperation.  I felt like a mini miracle had occurred when, ten minutes later, we were sitting on the warm bus headed to Berlin.  I quickly fell asleep, waking up only when we had to get off the bus two hours into the trip to board the ferry.  On the ferry, Rae and I decided that we better not lose the other people on our bus, as we usually have bad luck with getting ourselves where we need to be when on our own.  We spotted an older couple whom we recognized from the bus and ended up chatting with them for most of the ferry ride.  They live nearby in Copenhagen and invited us over to make homemade rye bread – an offer we definitely intend to take them up on!  I slept the remaining 4 hours once we got back on the bus.

We groggily woke up in Berlin, got off the bus, and began the journey of finding our way to the hostel.  Thankfully, our friends who had arrived earlier that morning gave us great directions so we didn’t have too much trouble getting there (for once).  We were all so relieved to see each other and finally check into our room!

The staff at the Generator hostel where we stayed were so nice and helpful, and they provided great recommendations all weekend about where to eat, what to see, and where to go out in the evenings.  The first night, a good German dinner was on our mind, so we headed to Maximillian’s – a great restaurant just a couple Metro stops away from the hostel.

I had Schweineschulter (pork shoulder) with bread balls and sauerkraut.  I felt guilty about ordering wine with dinner in Berlin, so I ordered a beer that the waiter recommend for someone who doesn’t like beer.  It tasted more like a strawberry daiquiri than beer, but I liked it!

After dinner, we walked around the city for a bit.  We had reservations to see the Reichstag building, the German Parliament later that night.  We walked to what we thought was the Reichstag, but somehow ended up at the TV tower instead.  We told the lady at the ticket booth about our “reservations,” she made a call, and then told us to head up the stairs to wait for the elevator that was to take us to the top of the building.  It was only later, that we found out that the TV tower (with its gift shop, bar, and restaurant) was definitely not the German Parliament.  I guess the ticket lady was just humoring us clueless Americans…  Still, we enjoyed our visit to the tallest building in the EU with a fantastic 360 degree view of Berlin.  Not only did the tower provide a fantastic view of the city, but, as you walked around, there were panels informing you of what city you were facing.  It was hard to imagine that New York was really somewhere way off in the distance, but it was a really cool experience.

After the TV tower, we headed back to the hostel to change before checking out the Berlin night scene.  We got a few recommendations from the people at our hostel for a club called Watergate that we decided to go check out.  It was a little tricky to find, but we finally made it inside.  The place was awesome – great music and dancing and floor-to-celiling windows with views of the water and a beautiful bridge.  We danced the night away, celebrating with my friend who had turned twenty one earlier in the week.  All the dancing made us pretty hungry, so we stopped for shwarma on the way back to the hostel.  I’m beginning to think it’s the European equivalent of late night pizza; I may have burned out on Domino’s after freshman year in college, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of shwarma…

The sound of our alarms the next morning wasn’t exactly a pleasant sound, but we hurried down to breakfast anyway, determined to make the most of our time in Berlin (even running on only 2 hours of sleep).  After breakfast at the hostel, we headed to Museum Island, just a short walk away.  On the way, we spotted a boat that was about to depart on a brief canal tour through the heart of the city.  It was pretty cheap, so we hopped on.  Thankfully, the tour guide gave the tour in both English and German, and we got a great view of lots of museums and churches, parliament, and the (actual) Reichstag, or German Parliament.  We decided to visit the German History Museum afterward, which gave a great overview of German history, both ancient and more modern.  We saw a lot, but one of the neatest artifacts was one of Martin Luther’s Bibles!

After the museums, we walked through an outdoor art market and stopped for some traditional German currywurst on the way to the Berlin Wall.  Currywurst is considered a fast food dish in Germany, made of steamed, then fried pork sausage cut into slices and seasoned with curry ketchup and lots of curry powder.  Not what I’d call a light lunch, but definitely a must try street food when in Berlin!  The section of the Berlin Wall that we were going to see was a few metro stops away from the museums.  It was worth the journey, though!

After a long day of sight seeing, we were pretty tired and wanted to relax so we went on the hunt for some German chocolate cake and coffee.  After much searching, we came to the conclusion that German chocolate cake must not be a thing in Germany because we couldn’t find it anywhere.  We had some pretty great cheesecake instead, though, so no complaints!  We then headed back to the hostel for a quick nap and light dinner.  That night, we decided to check out a club called Wilde Renata that had been recommended to us by the hostel staff.  We waited in line for a long time, but once we got inside, we were completely awed by the intricate decorations.  I felt like I walked into Alice and Wonderland!  Clearly, we had a great time because we saw the sun rise for the second day in a row on our trip back to the hostel…

Not surprisingly, we overslept a bit the next morning.  I woke up with about thirty minutes to pack my things, check out of the hotel, and get breakfast before they stopped serving it, but we managed.  After breakfast, we headed to a suburb of Berlin to check out a giant flea market.  The town itself was really cute, but the flea market was even more amazing.  It was the biggest and busiest flea market I’ve ever seen, spanning probably close to a mile from one end to the other, with both sides of the path packed with shops selling everything from clothes and bags to currywurst and apple strudel.  As good as traditional German food is, I can only eat so many sausages so when it came time for lunch, I went for the adventurous option… I whole fish (Mackerel) grilled over a fire.

My spontaneity didn’t disappoint – it was delicious, if a little challenging to eat!

After lunch, we left the flea market and headed for Checkpoint Charlie – a must see location for a trip to Berlin.  I was surprised to find that it was basically in the heart of the downtown area.  It was hard to imagine what life must have been like inside of East Berlin when the Wall existed, but there was a very interesting museum on the street by Checkpoint Charlie that gave a lot of very interesting information and personal stories, which made it all seem a little more real.

After Checkpoint Charlie, the last destination on our whirlwind tour of Berlin was the Ritter Sport Chocolate Factory (had to end the trip with some good German chocolate, of course!).  We made it to the store just before it closed, and were super excited when we found out that we could make our own chocolate!  We could pick the type of chocolate and what we wanted to add in to make it extra delicious.  I went with milk chocolate (not my usual dark, only because the guy working there recommended it) with raspberries, cacao nips, and yogurt bits.  Deeelish!

After enjoying our chocolates, we grabbed one last dinner in Berlin before going back to the hostel to pick up our luggage and head to the bus station.  It was a long trip back, but we got back to Copenhagen just in time to see the sunrise for the third day in a row.

Admiring the view from my room back at my kollegium, I realized how good it felt to be back “home” in Copenhagen.  It’s amazing that I’ve come to feel so comfortable and at home here after less than two months; having the opportunity to travel to new places and experience other cities is amazing, but there’s no place in Europe I’d rather come back to after all my adventures than Copenhagen.

*I’m a little delayed in publishing this post… Berlin was a couple weeks ago, but with my recent trip to NICE & PARIS (!!!) I was a little too busy to write.  More about my adventures in France to come!

“Increasing My Party Stamina,” Hygge at its Finest & Taco Tuesdays

It’s definitely getting more difficult to keep up with my blog now that life in Copenhagen is really picking up, but I’m doing my best to keep track of all the amazing adventures I’ve been having.

“Interesting title!” you probably thought upon reading the heading of my latest entry.  Don’t worry, I’m not going to crazy over here in Denmark – just trying to learn to stay up a little later so I can stop wanting to go to bed before the bars even get crowded on the weekend.  (My friend has referred to this project as “increasing our party stamina.”)  In the US, bars get busy at 11pm and most close at 2am; here in Denmark, the bars don’t get busy until 1am and  apparently 6am is a normal time to call it a night.  Last Friday, Valentine’s Day, we had a little party in our common room here at the kollegium.  The Danish people who live here are so friendly and fun, so I was determined to stay awake long enough to make it to one of the local bars.  My friends and I went out with one of our SRA’s (kind of like an RA in the states) to a local bar.  We didn’t leave until around 1:30am, but I stayed awake and had a great time!  

The next day, my friends and I decided to take it easy so we visited the National Aquarium.  We saw all different kinds of fish – from starfish to beautiful tropical fish to huge sharks.  My favorite part was definitely the huge tunnel you could walk through with water surrounding you from all sides.  We also got to see a fish feeding, which was really interesting even though I couldn’t understand a word of the explanation.

 

My friend from my kollegium participates in a “visiting family” program, which is a DIS program that pairs students with Danish families.  It’s a nice way for students who don’t live in a homestay to see how a traditional family lives here.  My friend’s visiting family graciously invited five of us over for “Italian Night” dinner.  Kenneth and his wife, Edith, had to drive two cars to pick us up from the airport because the cars here are all very small for the most part (it was my first time in a car in four weeks!)  Walking into the house, I immediately felt at home – it was so charming and comfortable.  It was rather eccentrically decorated for the party, complete with red, white and green candles (to fit the theme), a disco ball, and plenty of great Italian wine brought back from their many travels to the country.  We were welcomed inside and enjoyed a good chat and a couple of glasses of wine before dinner.  When it was time to eat, we were all speechless.  Not only are home cooked meals a huge treat, but they had really gone all out – cheesy tortellini with chicken and bacon, pasta with Danish meatballs and cream sauce, fresh bread with pesto butter, and plenty of Danish cheese.  I feasted on more carbs than I usually eat in several days… and then they served dessert.  Dessert included a huge tray of berries, along with fresh ice cream with a warm waffle (SO good).  

After dinner, we sat around the table and talked for hours over coffee and tea, and playing the with the family dog (a German shepherd, who made me miss Sophie and Trigger!).  Kenneth showed us his CD collection.  He and some friends make a new CD every year with each person picking a few songs to make for some really great mixes.  I also chatted with Edith about her fabulous cooking skills and what it’s like to raise kids here in Denmark.  When I looked at the clock, I could hardly believe that it was 1am!  I guess whether it’s partying or just socializing, everything is later here.  Before we left, though, Kenneth and Edith pulled out their atlas, so we could mark down our name and where in the US we were from.  It’s a neat tradition that they do with all their DIS students.  The whole family was just so nice and welcoming that time flew by; they loved talking to us about Denmark and the US, and really payed attention to every little detail, making for a perfect evening.

The feasting continued on Sunday.  Last week was restaurant week in Copenhagen, so of course we had to take advantage of it.  We went to an Italian Restaurant, La Vecchia Signora.  We had a three course dinner, starting with a mushroom ragout.  The main course was veal with roasted potatoes and spinach in a garlic cream sauce, and dessert was creamy ricotta cheese with a berry topping.  It was all delicious!

 

Sunday night brought even more excitement, as I finally got to pick up my bike!  

My late class was cancelled on Monday, so I decided to take it out for a test ride (just down the street to the grocery store – nothing major).  After leaving a message in my kollegium’s Facebook group (“Taking my bike out for the first time! Just letting you all know in case I don’t make it back for dinner so you can come looking for me…. — feeling determined.”), I headed down the road to Fotex.  I got passed a lot, but I made it there safely!  Unfortunately, I overestimated the size of my basket and had a rather difficult time fitting all my groceries inside for the ride back.  I really felt like a true Dane balancing my groceries on one arm as a rode back home.

Tuesday night we hosted another DIS-funded kollegium event – Taco Tuesday!  My friends did the grocery shopping this time, but I was more than happy to show up for the cooking.  Somehow I got stuck cooking all the meat (I’ve never cooked so much meat), but thankfully I had help from a Danish student who was studying in the common room while we were cooking.  I think he may have just wanted to make sure that I did’t poison everyone with half-cooked meat, but I was thankful for the help either way.  The party turned out to be a great success – all the food was gone within the first twenty minutes.  My favorite part, though, was that it was a great way to bring together a bunch of people who wouldn’t normally all hang out together.  Posting “free food in the common room!” on our kollegium Facebook page draws people from all over.

As it’s now 2:30am, and I have to leave at 5am to catch a bus for my weekend travels, I’m not sure if I should sleep or just now or on the bus…?  I think I may take a little power nap for an hour or so, but more to come about my weekend travels soon! 

Xoxoxo ❤

I’m Getting a Bike!

The title says it all.. exciting news, I know.  The warmer weather we’ve been having recently has inspired me to overcome my fears about biking in rush hour traffic.  My friend and I got a special deal on renting bikes from a guy named Buster, who lives in our kollegium.  We’re waiting for him to get them ready with baskets and lights, but I will keep you updated on our early biking adventures.

Another reason why I finally decided to get a bike is because I’m getting a little tired of being lost a majority of the time.  I’ve accepted the fact that I have a horrible sense of direction, but after almost four weeks I really shouldn’t be getting lost between classes!  I can’t wait to explore the city by bike; I plan on taking an afternoon and just riding around until I really get my bearings.  

As much as I love it here, living in another country definitely has its challenges.  It can be kind of tiring in some ways – worrying about getting lost, not understanding what’s being said on the bus, trying to understand cultural differences – and sometimes seemingly little things can be a big frustration.  The other day, for example, I was trying to print something and my card didn’t work on the printer.  Then I needed to pick up a package that had been waiting for me for over a week.  I had to get to class, but it seems that people here don’t really understand the idea of urgency.  My friends and I have talked about how sometimes little things can seem like a bigger deal than they actually are; I think a lot of us are used to working really hard and being super efficient all the time.  I’m learning to accept the fact that I can’t control the buses (sometimes I’ll wait a minute and sometimes I’ll wait fifteen), so sometimes I’ll be late for class.  If my bus is late, it’s not worth being grumpy the whole way there; if the line in the coffee shop is moving really slowly, it’s better to make conversation than anxiously tap my foot the whole time.  Anyway, hopefully I’ll learn to be a more go with the flow kind of person during the next few months…

It was nice to have a full week of classes this week.  I went on a field study Wednesday with my public health class to a healthcare center and then to a community center for homosexual men with HIV/AIDS and their partners.  It was interesting to hear about the health issues in Denmark and their different approaches to tackling them.  

Last night (Thursday), I went to a ballet at the Royal Danish Theater with my Danish Language & Culture class.  We had a special intro before from one of the previous ballerinas – it was really nice to get everything explained in English!  After the intro, we had an hour to explore the theater (and enjoy some complementary wine).  The show included three short ballets, two of which were more classical and and one which was more modern.  The last one, the modern one, involved audience members and had everyone out of their seats dancing and clapping.  It wasn’t what I expected, but it was a great evening!

We may have been sitting up in peanut heaven, but we had a great view of the stage and the beautiful theater!

Today I went to my Conservation & Biodiversity Class, then to Studenterhuset to meet up with some friends and do some work before the weekend.  We did a little grocery shopping before coming home, stopping at the fish market to pick up some fresh salmon fillets for dinner (I have to treat myself on Valentine’s Day, after all!).  The girls are planning a nice romantic dinner in the common room later tonight 😉  

Anyway, I best go get my laundry from downstairs since I took over three washers – my busy schedule here makes it a little difficult to stay on top of chores.  Laundry couldn’t really wait any longer (I was starting to run out of clean warm socks…)

MPP Short Study Tour: Århus & Kolding

This past week was Core Course Week at DIS.  We didn’t have our normal classes and instead went on a short study tour for the first part of the week, followed by lectures pertaining to our core course during the second part of the week.  Though it was tiring, it was really interesting.  Reflecting on the week, I feel as though I have really learned a lot about the Danish healthcare system.  I think that having a point of comparison has helped me to better understand the American healthcare system, as well.

Monday morning I arrived (rather groggy after the Ellie Goulding concert the night before) to Frue Plads square in Copenhagen to catch the bus to meet up with the rest of the students in my core course.  I slept for the whole three hours we spent on the bus on the way to Western Denmark.  Our first academic visit was to a general practitioner’s office, part of the “Kolding Sygehus” practice.  He was a great speaker and his enthusiasm in his work was really obvious when he spoke.  He explained the basics of the Danish healthcare system, focusing on the difference between general practitioners and specialists.  I was amazed at everything a GP in Denmark is expected to know; they do everything from prenatal check-ups to minor surgeries right in the office.  They are also responsible for determining when a patient should be referred to a specialist for more extensive treatment.  He explained his role in his patients’ healthcare as “horizontal” because he follows patients and families throughout life.  Though primary care in Denmark differs from the US in many ways, the issue of waiting times to see doctors and specialists did not seem to be as big of a problem as I previously expected: as I learned from the GP and a cardiovascular surgeon that we saw later on in the trip, there are guidelines in place that give patients the right to choose a different hospital or specialist for treatment if they cannot be seen within a certain timeframe.

The next day, we went to the Århus PET Center.  It was an interesting visit because we got to see a lot of advanced technology that is used in neurological research that is done by the scientists there.  They talked about the importance of integrating many disciplines when performing their research, a philosophy that I admired.

Our final visit was to the department of vascular surgery at Kolding Sygehus hospital.  After hearing from a GP, it was interesting to hear from a specialist.  I had the original impression that specialists in Denmark wouldn’t have good relationships with their patients because they only see patients when they are referred to them by a GP.  The doctor we spoke to, however, really changed my opinions on this matter.  He gave us the presentation that is given to new employees in their department.  It explained how they strive to take the time to make patients feel comfortable and cared for.  Again, his passion for his work was really inspiring and it was clear that money isn’t what drives him.

Overall, our visits during core course week taught me a lot about both the challenges and benefits of a healthcare system such as the one in place in Denmark today.  It seems as though they may be lacking in the area of preventative care and screenings for certain diseases, although many of the doctors we spoke with believe that too many screenings cause patients unnecessary worry.  Also, the amount of responsibility that is placed on GP’s is staggering; they are basically the gatekeepers to all specialists and are tasked with recognizing warning signs of so many diseases that it seems as though they are bound to miss things from time to time.  Where the line falls between personal and public responsibility for one’s health is also a bit fuzzy since tax payers’ money all goes into the same pot for providing treatment for all citizens, whether or not they choose to live a healthy lifestyle.  “Should I really have to pay for the lung cancer treatments of someone who smokes?” is one example of the type of questions the Danish healthcare system seems to be struggling with today.

Challenges aside, there are definitely benefits to the system.  Healthcare in Denmark is founded on the principle of “free and equal access” which is definitely an admirable go for which to strive.  In principle, this should eliminate, or at least significantly reduce, the health discrepancies that can exist when one can’t afford healthcare.  The doctors we met also spoke very highly of their version of medical malpractice insurance.  More than anything, though, what really struck me about all the medical professionals we met on the trip was their passion.  As I said before, they really aren’t driven by money, but by their desire to provide great patient care and to form meaningful relationships with their patients.  As the cardiac surgeon put it, “There are doctors in America making ten times the amount that I make, but why?  I have everything I need.”

I don’t believe that we should (or could) adopt the Danish healthcare system in America because factors such as population size and economies differ so dramatically.  I do, however, believe that something should be done to create access to healthcare for those who don’t have it because, for me, the thought of not being able to afford visits to the doctor or medications is terrifying and hard to imagine.  Danish doctors clearly have prejudice when it comes to the American healthcare system, just as many Americans are wary of systems such as the one in place in Denmark.  I asked one of the doctors we spoke with about what his suggestion would be to improve healthcare in American, given the fact that our societies are so different and the Danish system wouldn’t work the same way in the US as it does here.  He said that it would take about 100 years, but it all starts with the first step (a rather vague answer, but I think he was referring to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – aka Obamacare).  Maybe, though, the very first step would be just changing the mindsets of those entering the medical field.  I personally refuse to choose my speciality based on salary (I know that being a dermatologist would make for a great career, but I could never spend that many years of my life looking at zits and wrinkles).  Being a doctor is definitely not an easy career, but the doctors we met on our study tour reminded me of the importance of remembering why I want to be a doctor in the first place.  Maybe the first step to improving healthcare in America is for everyone to just take a step back and try to put themselves in others’ shoes.  I think we often forget how easy it is to lose everything you have; for some people in America that can’t afford healthcare, it all began with a job loss during the recession that cause their situations to go downhill so quickly they couldn’t do anything to stop it.  I’m glad that I’m not tasked with the responsibility of making the tough decisions when it comes to healthcare, but I think a little compassion goes a long way.

The tour wasn’t all focused on the serious healthcare debate, though – we also got to do a lot of sightseeing.

A museum & dinner in Århus…

Seeing the sights and enjoying a traditional Danish lunch in Jelling:

Aaand rounding out the week with friends at the MPP Social!

Core course week was definitely a great experience, if not a little tiring!  Now that I’m officially caught up on blogs, I should probably go start my real homework…

The Past 10 Days

I’d like to apologize to all my loyal followers about my lack of blogging recently… 😉

The past week and a half has been so busy that I haven’t had time to write much, but I suppose that’s a good thing as I’ve got to experience even more of Denmark.  I’ve done so much that I’m not sure where to begin, but I suppose I could start with last Sunday when I went on my first castle tour!  I went on a canal tour starting at Nyhavn with a friend.  When we found out that the boat made a stop near a famous castle and museum which we had been wanting to visit, we spontaneously decided to go check it out.  Christiansborg Palace is located in central Copenhagen and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Danish Supreme Court.  The currently standing palace is actually the third to be built on that site, as the three previous ones burnt down.

It used to be the official residence of the Danish Royal Family and, though they do not live there anymore, they use several parts of the palace today.  I had the opportunity to tour the Royal Reception Rooms, which are used for events such as receiving foreign dignitaries and hosting dinner parties.

One of my favorite rooms was a hall filled with tapestries that were given to the current Queen of Denmark for her 50th birthday.  The  tapestries were modeled after paintings by the artist Bjørn Nørgaard and each tapestry depicts a different historical era.  The periods represented in the tapestries include the Viking Age, the early and late Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Aristocracy, the early and late absolute Monarchy, the late 1800s, the Second World War, the Present and the Future.  Both historical scenes and figures from pop culture combine to create the beautiful tapestries.  I felt as though I could stare at them for hours and still catch new references every time I looked.

Exploring the palace for a few hours made us pretty hungry, so we headed to a nearby cafe, Konditori Antoinette, for lunch.  The cakes and pastries in the cafe were too good to pass up, so we made sure to save room for desert.  When it came time to decide on a pastry, however, choosing just one was too difficult; we decided to indulge in the afternoon “tea for two” (which probably would have been a sufficient amount of food to serve as lunch on it’s own):

After stuffing ourselves with tea sandwiches and pastries, we sauntered to the bus to return home and get ready for the Ellie Goulding concert!  Three other girls from my kollegium also had tickets, so we went together and had a great time.

I love listening to her music at the gym, but nothing compares to seeing her live – she’s a great performer!  After getting back from the concert (past midnight), I stayed up packing for my study tour the next day.  After only four hours of sleep, I was a little groggy when my alarm clock went off early the next morning.  Monday marked the start of “Core Course Week” at DIS – I traveled to western Denmark for three days with my core course, Medical Practice & Policy.  We went on both academic and cultural tours, and did a lot of eating!  More about the study tour to come later, though…

I got back Wednesday evening and my room here at the kollegium has never felt more homey!  The rest of the Core Course Week involved a series of lectures about the healthcare system in Denmark.  We also met with our “Core Course Group” to discuss our topic for a paper we will be writing at the conclusion of the course.  Our assigned topic is “demographics & economy,” so we plan on comparing and contrasting the US and Denmark, as well as Sweden and Estonia (where we will travel during our long study tour in March) in terms of how socioeconomic status predicts access to and usage of healthcare services and overall health and wellbeing in each country.  We want to understand how each country’s philosophy towards healthcare is reflected in the overall health of its citizens.  I think it will be interesting to see if socioeconomic status still predicts differences in overall health (as it does in the US) in countries like Denmark, which promote “free and equal access to healthcare.”

Core course week concluded with a Medical Practice & Policy social at Café Kultorvet.  It was fun to hang out and relax with friends I became close with during my study tour.  After the social, a few girls came back to my kollegium to hang out and meet my friends here.  We all went downtown later than night – I felt more like a true Dane when I stayed out till 4am!!  I don’t know how they can stay out so late here, but my American friends and I are determined to build up our stamina by the time we leave here!

Yesterday (Saturday) some of the girls from my kollegium and I went grocery shopping to stock up on food and snacks for the Olympic-watching-party we had last night.  We spent about three hours in Fotex buying all the supplies to make buffalo chicken dip, guacamole, baked brie, cookies, and brownies (and more) and then had a fun evening cooking and getting the common room ready for the party.  It seemed like we had a ton of food, but it didn’t last long!

The Bispebjerg girls really know how to cook!

Since I still can’t stay out until 4am like the true Danes two nights in a row, I got a decent night’s sleep last night and was feeling well rested enough this morning to make it to the gym before brunch.  I decided to try another class – circuit training!  The teacher was really helpful and explained the workout to me in English.  He also took a break from yelling out cues and encouragement in Danish to give me some personal encouragement in English – which caused the whole class to turn and stare.  It was a great workout though!

After a quick shower and tidying up the common room, I went to brunch with some girls from DIS and some girls from Australia who also live here.  We went to a really charming cafe in Nørreport and ate till our heart’s content!

There’s really nothing better than a cozy cafe, good company, and homemade Nutella and jam on a Sunday afternoon!  We found a nearby library, part of Copenhagen University, near the cafe.  We were feeling very studious and productive for the first twenty minutes we were there – before finding out that the library closes early on Sundays.  We headed back to the kollegium, and I’m now sitting in the common room finishing up this post.  It’s feels good to finally get caught up on my blog!  I’m looking forward to another exciting week here in this amazing city!  More to come soon… xoxo!

Over the hump day!

I’m midway through my first week of classes!  I’m really liking them so far.  The homework and readings are interesting, and I can get them done and with plenty of time left to explore.  Yesterday, for example, I found an amazing fresh fish market.  I pass it everyday on my way to the bus home, so I’m sure I’ll be picking up lots of fresh Danish cod and Norwegian salmon.  Also, last night my friends and I finally had our first “shawarma,” basically a gyro.  There are apparently tons of places to get them in the neighborhood where I live, and everyone has their own opinion of which place is best.  We went to a sit-down place that was a bit nicer than some of the other grab-and-go places (a favorite late night bite among those living in my kollegium).

One thing I love about DIS is that we don’t have class on Wednesdays.  Today, some friends and I decided to make the most of our day off by going to a nearby museum, Statens Museum for Kunst.  We spent hours wandering through the many rooms, filled with art both old and new.  My favorite was definitely the older paintings from the 19th century and earlier.

 

The painting in the top left was probably my favorite of all.  It depicts a group of friends making music and singing by candlelight.  For some reason, it reminded me of Drennen Family sing-a-longs when at Deep Creek.  The way the artists were able to use lighting and colors to make the paintings come to life was really amazing.

They came in all shapes and sizes, from many different places, and depicted many different scenes and themes.  I must say, some of the paintings in the modern art galleries were a bit disturbing, but these ones below were some of my favorites.  To say that I was awed is an understatement!

After hours in the museum, we were pretty hungry so we headed to a nearby cafe selling the bagel sandwiches that seem to be everywhere around here.  There is another shop near my classes and I think it’s safe to say I’ll be back for more before the semester ends!

My evening consisted of an orientation for my core course week coming up next week, followed by dinner with my Danish Language & Cultures class at a pub, Caféaften, in Nørrebro.  Dinner included pork and potatoes.. although it was really unlike any pork I’ve ever had; it kind of reminded me of overdone bacon? Oh well, when in Denmark I suppose…

After a brisk walk to my bus stop, I arrived back to my room.  My “quick post” has turned into a forty-five minute endeavor, so I think I may have to cut it short and get to bed.  All the fresh air and my constant sense of excitement (and mild anxiety about getting lost with my non-existent sense of direction) has me thoroughly exhausted!

I miss everyone at home, but am loving it here – not a day goes by that I don’t encounter a friendly Dane who goes out of their way to help me when I’m lost.  I don’t think that sense of cheery contentment will ever get old.  Not to be too corny, but it definitely lights up these dark and chilly days!

“Feesten jezelf…

“Feesten jezelf in vorm met zumba!”

The Danes put my dancing skills to shame.