Shakespeare Would be Proud

On Sunday morning, we braved the early time, dark sky, and cold temperatures to explore Helsingør (in English, Elsinore), home of the Kronborg Castle. For those who cannot think back to high school English class, Kronborg is the setting of Shakespeares Hamlet. Sparknotes: in the Kingdom of Denmark, Prince Hamlet takes revenge on his Uncle Claudius who killed his brother and Hamlets father, King Hamlet. The play is very  tragic and certainly matches the gloomy mood of the Kronborg Castle.

Before the tour of the castle, we explored the town of Elsinore, which is a quant town on the water complete with the typical colorful Danish houses to nicely compliment the dreary seaside weather. 

The castle in set back from the town and is surrounded by a moat and many grass hills, which were used as protection from invaders (mainly the Swedes). I learned in my Danish History class that castles were placed on the outskirts of the town, never in the center, so that the ruler could easily exert power and influence. 

My friend Jenna and me near the castle

The tour started in the caverns and dungeon of the castle, where Holger Danske, the protector of Denmark, lives. You can't tell from this picture because of the flash, but it was pitch black and freezing.

A replica of a soldier standing guard beneath the palace.

Our tour guide led us through the caverns with only a small flashlight, and we had to trust that she knew where she was going. This is where both prisoners were held and watchmen were stationed for months at a time. Because the soldiers were hidden down here, the enemy (again, mostly the Swedes) had no idea how many men they were up against, adding a nice element of surprise. The caverns were cold, dark, and musty, and there was even some fungi growing on the ceiling which our guide pointed out. Can you think of a better way to spend 7 months?

This plaque is in dedication to Shakespeare and his play Hamlet. The actual name in the inscription reads "Amleth" instead of Hamlet.

I did not take that many pictures inside of the castle because it was very gloomy and gray, not much like the royal palace I would have wanted to live in. Here are a few highlights, although I don't really have any stories to go along with the pictures, because at this point we were all freezing and were too busy laughing.

These are for my cousin Caden...they had a lego playroom complete with more than enough legos to build an entire kingdom. Very fitting, considering Denmark is the home of Lego's!

I'm off to cook dinner and enjoy the Friday night, have a good weekend!

Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

The last post was a collection of things that I have learned so far, but the list goes on an on. I feel like every minute of the day is a learning experience, and I absolutely love it all! Even the most mundane things are exciting to me, and I feel like a little kid. The city is not at all laid out in a grid (something I learned first hand but also learned in my History of Copenhagen class today) and it is very easy to get lost  but I am getting more and more acclimated. It is not such a bad thing to get lost though, I have discovered many new places thanks to my inability to use a map. Everybody is so friendly

School

We started classes on 20 January. I was not really looking forward to my classes because exploring the city seems so much more appealing, but I actually really enjoyed them! I am taking Healthcare in Northern Europe, Tour Industry in Europe and Beyond, Biomedical Ethics, International Marketing, and History of Copenhagen. All of the teachers hold full time jobs and therefore have a lot of experience to share with us. My Tour Industry teacher is half Moroccan, half Danish, and has worked as a tour guide in Greece, Thailand and Morocco. My Marketing professor invited us to his house for a traditional Danish dinner, complete with beverages, of course, next week. They are all so welcoming and excited for us to be here.

People

Everyone is so friendly and know English, but I still try to make an attempt to use some Danish. I have already learned the words for hi, bye, mango, cheers, beer, thank you, no thank you, chicken, cat, and cozy. Some random words, but that because I have learned them from street vendors, waiters, and bus guides. The Danish are really into "hygge", which means "cozy", and one step outside into the cold weather will tell you why. They have candles everywhere, including the orientation lunch we had through DIS. 

The trees are very strange looking. They remind me of Dr. Seuss trees.

Copenhagen's Catherdral- The Church of Our Lady. This is where is the Crown Prince of Denmark was married here.

There are flower shops everywhere, despite the cold weather. 

Changing of the guard at noon at the Amalienborg Palace.  This is the Copenhagen Palace, and the royal family has several other palaces throughout Denmark.

Other random facts: 

The sun rises around 8:30 AM and sets around 4:30 PM and mostly it is cloudy. The few times the sun has peaked through has been amazing! 

There is no Danish translation for excuse me, if you bump into someone oh well. 

People eat ice cream while walking outside. There are even ice cream trucks.

Bike accidents do happen. My friends saw a biker get hit by a bus and then walk away. Ouch.

There are prams everywhere! And people really do leave their babies in them outside of stores. 

Things I've Learned

1. Everybody loves scarves

2. Danes do not close their blinds

3. Bicyclists, indeed, are not your friends

4. Standing on the bus is not a good idea

5. Young children are pros at navigating the city. Me, not so much

6. Drawers are overrated

7. Showers do not need to be inclosed. Give me a shower head, a drain, and a squeegee.

8. Wireless internet is a prized possession

9. PB& J is out, Liver paste is in. At least for kindergartners

10. Nutella

Charter buses are not made for an old European city

Things have definitely been interesting here in Copenhagen. My flight landed early, it was easy to find my bag, and there were plenty of DIS representatives to heard all of us students to buses. These buses, however, were charter buses (wide) that somehow had to fit through Copenhagen streets (narrow). On top of that, we had a small trailer on the back to carry luggage. Needless to say there were a few glitches. We got stuck halfway down a street, with cars parallel parked and packed like sardines on either side. Keep in mind this was a 8am on a Sunday morning after all of us had been traveling all night, and boy were we a sight to see. Somehow the bus driver backed the bus down the street, after all of the guys on the bus unhitched the trailer. Under his breath, he mumbled “Welcome to Denmark” and shook his head.

In the end, we made it to Tåsingegade (pronounced toe-sing-ale, thank you Danish language for being indistinguishable to me), the apartment/dorm/whatever you want to call it place I will be staying. It is sure quaint and charming. I will let the pictures do it justice, and keep in mind there is no separate kitchen or shower; each is smushed into the bedroom and bathroom, respectively. I actually like it though, it’s a blank slate to decorate.

We spent today going on a scavenger hunt around the city, and we came across many famous sights such as Tivoli, a hotel theme park place and the colorful houses featured in the background of this blog. We did a ton of walking, but it was amazing to be in the central part of the city where everything is going on, especially since my building is in more of a residential area.

Tonight we made our first meal: spaghetti with tomato sauce and sautéed mushrooms and pepper. Complete with red wine, it was the perfect meal and tasted even better knowing that we made it in our little kitchenette (which I think is kind of like a Barbie play kitchen). Now I’m just organizing the crazy amount of information packets and guide we have received so far and prepare for another busy day in the city tomorrow.

This guys was singing "I've Got Friends in Low Places" by Garth Brooks. Got to love the country music!

Godnat!

Headed for the Happiest Place in the World

My bags are packed, I've checked into my 5:30 pm SAS flight, and maintained my sanity all while packing for the three month adventure that lies ahead of me. Tonight night I leave for Copenhagen, or København as the Danes call it, and I will be living there for the next four months while I study at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS). Of course, I will be traveling as much as possible, and I hope to share all of my experiences through photos and narratives. 


See you in Denmark!