I just got to spend the most wonderful week with my family and Dave in Copenhagen and in Prague. Mom, Dad and Matt arrived early Monday morning and Jesper and I were waiting at the airport with smiles and Danish flags. They checked into the hotel and then I sent them on a canal tour while I went to class. Matt and Mom enjoyed a nap but that is okay because this was the rainiest time of their trip. We met for lunch and then went up to the Round Tower to have a view of all of Copenhagen. That night, we met Jesper, Rikke and Anders for drinks before going to a really nice restaurant for dinner. We enjoyed a lot of family time and we went to a cute cafe for dessert and then I showed them around the center of Copenhagen while it was all lit up at night.
Tuesday brought more classes for me but also going to the King's Gardens, Rosenborg Castle and seeing the crown jewels. They were AWESOME. I just could not believe how big the stones were in the crowns and necklaces. My mom and I were very impressed. When I went to class, I sent my family to eat some traditional Danish food at Ida Davidsen's and apparently they had quite the experience. After my class, I picked Dave up from the station and we met my parents at the hotel room. Then we went to Christmas (Jul) Tivoli. The park was absolutely gorgeous all decorated for Christmas. There were lights and christmas markets and gnomes (elves) everywhere. We went on rides and had a great dinner, it was really a wonderful night.
Wednesday morning we left for Prague, which is an awesome city. We checked into the hotel and wandered around the old town square, where there is a famous clock and church. It was also being set up for Christmas, so it was beautiful. We also went to a concert of a string quartet in an old church. They played Vivaldi's Four Seasons and some other pieces, too. They were very good. Everything in Prague was old and beautiful. And much cheaper than Copenhagen, which was nice. Thursday we spent finding and walking the Coronation path that the Kings of Prague used to take in order to get crowned. This took us over the Charles Bridge and to the Prague Castle, which was really really neat. We wandered around for a bit and then went to a marionette show, which is really special to Prague. It was really cool, despite the fact that it was in Italian and we couldn't really follow what was going on. Then it was time to celebrate Thanksgiving. For dinner, we actually found a place that served turkey! It was an American special. We went around and talked about what we are thankful for and said grace and everything. Later on, we skyped with the Iassognas back in Connecticut while they were getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner. It was really a nice way to see everyone and remember what is important on a holiday like Thanksgiving. I really had a lot to be thankful for this year.
On Friday, we came home from Prague and picked up our rental car, or should I say rental bus. The company "upgraded us to a van" which in Denmark apparently means from a midsized family car to a 9 person passenger van. It is possibly the only one of these in Denmark, land of the ecofriendly. We drove to my host family's house to cook pasta and gravy... which ended up being a huge success. I am so lucky that my families get along so well! Everyone enjoyed Mom's gravy and good old American apple pie and pumpkin pie.
Saturday was a tour of northern and western Zealand and we went to the viking museum and cathedral in Roskilde and then drove up to Helsingor to see Krongborg Castle. My dad and Dave really enjoyed Roskilde's viking museum and my dad even got to see a fjord, which he had been looking forward to. We hung around at a flea market in the center of Roskilde's shopping street and then saw the cathedral where all Danish royalty is buried. It was really neat because Denmark's monarchy is the oldest in Europe and has not yet been broken, so all royalty is related. By the time we got to the Krongborg castle, it was kind of late, so instead of going through the whole castle, we went in the casemates (the tunnels underneath the castle), the chapel (one of the only original parts of the castle interior left) and checked out the grounds. Afterwards, we went back home to a 3 course Danish meal prepared by my host mom and family. We had a great sit down dinner with everyone (Mom, Dad, Matt, me, Dave, Helle, Jesper, Ida, Rikke and Andres) and it was really just a nice night. After a delicious meal and good conversation, I showed my family pictures of home: my house, around town (including the Diner, which Ida thought was so cool, haha) and my family. They couldn't believe how big the family is! It was really great to finally show them pieces from the US.. now they have some sort of idea of what I talk about when I tell all my stories.
Dave stayed until Monday, but my parents had to leave on Sunday. After wishing them a safe flight, Dave and I spent some quality family time when we went to Rikke's apartment for some "Christmas Hygge" which is basically when you sit around with your family and get "cozy" and eat lots of Christmas desserts, which was fabulous and delicious. We also played Trivial Persuit and Dave was MVP, per usual.. I guess some things don't change even with language barriers and jet lag. I have a lot of recipes to try out when I get home.. maybe our Italian desserts will have some Danish variety added to them this year. Another special aspect of this Sunday was that it was the first Sunday of advent, which means in Denmark, it is time for the first round of presents. When they are little, Danish kids might get presents EVERY DAY of December! But when they get older, the presents get consolidated into four nicer presents on each Sunday. My host mom has presents for Ida, Rikke and I for each Sunday of Advent, which is pretty cool. I am so lucky :). I got a few traditional Danish Christmas decorations, including a countdown candle with 24 marks on it... you burn the candle down a mark each day until you arrive at Christmas eve, the most important day of celebration in the Danish Christmas tradition. I also received an Advent calendar that is a big scratch card: instead of opening doors of chocolate each day, you scratch off a different box... at the end of the month you could win up to 1 million kroner! Merry Christmas to you!
The next few weeks are filled with work but also Christmas and end of semester celebrations and receptions, etc. I can't believe the end of my adventure is approaching so quickly! So far, it has been truly amazing, and I know the next few weeks will be wonderful, too.
Christmas at the Kronborg. Beautiful!
Mom and I dressed up at the Viking Museum in Roskilde.
Charles Bridge in Prague! If you look over Dave's shoulder you can kind of see the Prague Castle.
Matty and I in front of the Christmas tree in Prague's Old Town Square.
Dad and I in the King's Gardens right outside Rosenborg Castle.
Dave and I in Christmas Tivoli, in the Christmas town exhibit they had in the center.
