Velkommen til københavn*!

*welcome to Copenhagen!

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey."

After a few flights and 1 long layover in DC, Emily and I arrived at the Copenhagen Airport Friday morning. We flew out of RDU first, which was about the shortest flight ever--they announced "prepare for descent" after we just practically heard "sit back and relax for your flight." Even though we both had to wake up at 4am, Emily and I were both bright-eyed and chatty about the upcoming semester. Somehow we didn't even finish a movie during our eight hour layover😂 As soon as we landed in DC I grabbed a sandwich and salad, and since we were there so long I also got my last Chic fil A :)

The flight to Copenhagen from DC was about eight hours of leg-cramped space since the woman in front of me managed to fall asleep reclined the entire trip. I, on the other hand, took a melatonin, brought lavender essential oil, and even wore a sleep mask and still wasn't able to catch any winks. The man next to me was Danish and asked if I was "Dansk"--with my blond hair and tall height, I've been mistaken as a Dane many times since arriving when I'm eating out or at the grocery store. I had a lovely conversation with the man next to me--he's from Copenhagen and works as a Danish diplomat, and he said he's taken this same flight about a dozen times recently. He told me about his job and how he loves traveling with his family, and he laughed, surprised that he's been to more places in the US than I have.

After no sleep, Victoria picked met us at the airport and we arrived at Copenhagen Business School via the metro (with two full suitcases, a backpack, and a how-did-this-pass-for-a-personal-item-it's-so-packed bag). As we dragged our suitcases down the brick sidewalks, I took in the colorful buildings, enticing bakeries, double-lined bike lanes, sunshine on my hair, and slightly chilly breeze. Without further ado, we dropped off our stuff in our rooms (which I LOVE btw!!) and showered before heading out for a proper meal. I ordered the famous rye bread as avocado toast, and, because I wanted to treat myself, I also got a matcha :)

The cafe was extremely cozy--"hygge"--perfectly matching the Danish culture and vibe. Then we went to Lidl to buy groceries, where I bought all the ingredients to make dozens of avocado toasts for about half the price😂

I went for a run to orient myself to the park and nearby streets. There's a zoo near our "dorm" (more of a studio apartment) so I saw a camel when I ran by! The Danes warned me that Denmark is suuuuper flat, and I have yet to find another hill that tops the slight incline by the camel exhibit. After some more sight-seeing and catching up with everyone who had already arrived, we shared picnicked with pizza in the park!

DAY 2!

Our rooms come equipped with a kitchen, so I opened all my windows, blasted Frank Sinatra, and invite Emily over to cook a nice brunch to ward off our jet lag. Everyone bikes in Copenhagen, and there's a student deal to order bikes with Swapfiets, so I got a blue bike with a basket! It took me a lap around the neighborhood to feel comfortable, then we were off, hoping that we wouldn't mess up the hand signals or run any red lights (also, it's important to stay on the right side of the lane so people can pass). Victoria became our tour guide for the day, taking us through the inner city!

I really loved Nyhavn, which is the touristy area by the water with the iconic colorful buildings. We split some crepes and marveled at the scenery while melted Nutella paired perfectly with the Danish-style pancake. After walking for hours, we got a little more hungry and also tried Danish hotdogs. Mine was the most "traditional" Danish, and it has remoulade, pickles, and crispy onions on it.

We saw the famous Little Mermaid statue. Created by Hans Christian Anderson, this statue has seen as a political statement and apparently has been beheaded several times. While Disney Disney-fied the movie, the original story is pretty dark. There were crowds of tourists checking out this...underwhelming statue😂 It's on like every postcard and yet it's smaller than every other statue or fountain.

It was Pride Week, so we passed by the Pride Parade that was going on in the city.

It's been super fun seeing everyone arrive!! The only thing I don't like so far is the smoking here--seems contradictory that everyone lives a healthy lifestyle (biking, the diet, etc) and yet they smoke🙃

Josh went for a run with me yesterday and then I kept running to get my miles in for the marathon training (long run Sundays). It's the perfect way to explore and orient myself while also putting in the effort! So far there have been lots of picnics to enjoy the sunshine before it gets cold and dark.

I'm still getting used to the names of everything--even though the majority of people here speak English, everything (even touristy signs) is in Danish. Emily and I made a point to learn a new Danish phrase every day. Andreas recommended one of his favorite Smørrebrød place (literally translates to "butter bread," and is a delicious yet overpriced open-faced sandwich) and Emily and I biked to it today.

I loved mine (had pickled herring and an egg with herbs over a cream sauce), and of course I had to sample Emily's (roast beef and pickled onions!). The rye bread here is so popular, and I have to say I really do enjoy it. Except next time I'll be making it homemade to save money;) After we finished, I asked the waiter how to say "that was delicious," (and after we bought stamps for postcards I looked up how to say "that was expensive!")

Can't wait to share more adventures and stories about all this Danish hygge :)

xoxo