How Time Flies

Oh my goodness, I uploaded a picture! I'll see if I can't post more as I go along. This picture is of SOME (nowhere near all) of the bikes at Norreport station, where I catch the bus everyday. It's been quite the past week here in Denmark. I had to remember how to use my brain to complete schoolwork, which ended to varying degrees of success. But more importantly, I found my crown jewels! Oh, and they were worth the wait. I felt a little ridiculous when I realized that there was an entire castle about two blocks to the left and across the  street from the train station, but really, the spire on Rosenborg castle looks pretty similar to every other castle. But I did fun stuff all three days this weekend, and it made for a pretty good time.

(Publisher's note: So I got pictures to load, but they aren't in the right spot. Hmm...another challenge.) 

On Friday afternoon, I drudged home, exhausted from the day and from a short-lived, but still acutely miserable cold. After drifting aimlessly around the house for awhile, I went on a quick trip with Ida and Jesper to drop Anne's overnight stuff off at a friend's house. But as it turns out, this friend lives in Holte (note: not Gammel Holte, where I live). Holte, the new-and-improved Gammel Holte features the most expensive homes in all of Denmark. They weren't huge compared to American mansions, but compared to the houses with the thatched roofs in the Gammel neck of the Holte woods, they were downright monstrous. After dropping off Anne's stuff, and passing more "Dutch houses," which are made mostly of wood, which is not the house-building material of choice in Denmark, we went to Ima, the grocery store, to indulge in a Lutzen-Kjeldsen Friday night tradition. Each person can buy whatever candy they like, but it cannot be worth more than 11 Kroner (a little more than 2 bucks). I was ever so happy to eat my choice of gummy bears and a little snickers bar while watching "Friends" on the couch with Ida. But oh yeah, I'm in Denmark...

So later Friday night, I caught an 8:40 bus to meet my friend Erin in Copenhagen. We were both still suffering from colds, so we just walked around for awhile, and weren't really in the party mood. We stopped in a small Muslim kebap shop, so Erin could get some food. After we were spoken to in French (I thoroughly surprised the old man when I answered him), asked if we were Dutch, and questioned as to our political persuasions, the man behind the counter told me that I reminded him of a dream he'd had the night before. Okay, that's kind of sketchy. After assuring both the French man and the man behind the counter that yes, we would vote, and yes, we would vote for Obama, we were allowed to continue our night.  Walking down Stroget, we decided that we absolutely needed gelato (which, on top of gummy bears and snickers, supplied quite the sugar rush), and eventually found our way to an outdoors cafe, where we ordered wine and sat outside, moving underneath a patio umbrella when it started to rain. I can't speak for Erin, but I know I felt pretty fabulously European. 

However, the next day we were tourists, through and through. I met Erin again in Copenhagen and went to Rosenborg Slot, and to see my jewels! King Christian IV built the castle in the late 16th century as a summer castle (meaning, as you will see, there are multiple Christian IV castles) for his wife, Anna Catherine. The top three pictures are all of Rosenborg. The castle was of course impressive, as most castles are, but what really made it were those jewels. The only other crown jewels I've seen were in England. The display of the Danish crown jewels is much more humble. You enter through the door that says "treasury," and there are all sorts of gilded weapons, but mostly swords and guns off to the right. On the left of the entrance, there are more what I would consider fancy houseware. Like, sparkly boxes and vases and that sort of thing. But in this dungeon-like room there was another door, leading further down still. This was the vault with the jewels. There were the crowns of the king and queen, the absolute crown, the ball and scepter, and all sorts of emerald, ruby, or pearl encrusted, gilded finery. 

Sunday, I discovered that Frederiksborg Slot ("castle") is  grand without aid from luxury gems. Frederiksborg is another castle by the one and only Christian IV. This king had so much money because he was the first monarch to rule after Denmark became a Protestant state, meaning the Catholic church had to turn all of its money over to the absolute monarch, Christian IV. He liked to build castles and make war, and under his rule both the treasury and the extent of Danish territory grew markedly smaller. The castle has over 300 rooms, so I made sure to go with a DIS-led tour, especially knowing my tendency to get lost. The tour lasted an hour, but we barely saw any of the castle. But it really was beautiful, and Christian certainly spared no expense. Even the ceilings in these places are insane. 

Later Sunday night I had to write my first essay of the year. It was on a fairy tale though, so it wasn't too bad. Although this so-called tale made me cry, and I wouldn't recommend it for children. I'm already done with classes for the week because I don't have a field study tomorrow BUT this is the week of the short study tours! I'm so excited because on Thursday I get to go to Germany for the first time ever. I am very lucky to be in the European Politics program, as we are one of the only groups leaving Denmark for the weekend. Also, tomorrow I am hopefully finalizing my plans for the three week travel break in October! Exciting stuff. 

Oh, yes! And since I am apparently a failure at posting blog photos, to see more pictures go to: 

http://facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039578&1=0785a&id=24904347

and

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=203958&1=a2aff&id=24904347