Tillykke med fødselsdagen TIL MIG!!!!!

It was just my birthday, and a lovely one at that. Tillykke med fødselsdagen is Danish for happy birthday but it means, literally - congratulations on the day of birth! So when danes say happy birthday they often just say "tillykke!" or, to me, "congratulations!!" Which is very nice but always makes me giggle because I feel like my birth is one of the things for which I'm least deserving of congratulations. But thanks!

These photos are all shamelessly taken from Lotta's blog... http://lottaleverlivet.wordpress.com/

Nice weather on my birthday!! Apparently that means I've been a good girl this year. You're welcome, Copenhagen!

Birthday lunch

Yum, Yum.... that Danishest.

Studying....

Søde Mari made an individual apple cake for me for my birthday!

View from the window :)

Birthday pants

Rasmus, the consummate advocate of political correctness, gave me an offensive Danish children's book about pygmies for my birthday.... pretty spot on gift, he knows how to irritate me like a brother :)

My sous-chef.... whenever I mentioned that I needed something she popped up to get it done before I could tell her otherwise!

Lotta loves her jumping photos.... 

 Danish licorice shots...

Day after birthday... bahahaha

I had a great day. After waking up at 4am because I was so excited it was my birthday - YES, I am a child - I listened to some podcasts and went back to sleep until 11. hahaha.... then went to a friend's house where a group of us studied for our upcoming exam by discussing - but I came just in time for a delectable lunch, a bit of discussion and then some cake. Mari, who hosted us, was kind enough to back a cake! A traditional Danish fall cake with apple - she made one big one and then one little individual cake for me! So sweet.

Lotta helped me set up for the party.... after shopping we got back to my apartment at 5pm with the guests set to arrive at 6:30 and the place was pretty much a disaster. Lotta only remarked, "Oh, this isn't how Hege and I would have approached it!" Then I putzed around in the kitchen for a while getting stuff ready and Lotta, clearly about to burst, just said - "OKAY, we need some Nordic efficiency Alice, where is your vacuum cleaner." I did need her Nordic efficiency, a truer thing has never been said. So I order her about in the kitchen and she saved my ass organizationally.

We skyped with my family while we cooked but the connection wasn't so good so it was essentially just my mom and dad cutting in and out saying I LOVE YOU ALICE, ALICE!!! WE LOVE YOU! ALICE??? while Lotta looked on in amazement. After about fifteen minutes of love-festing she told me  that that she had now perhaps heard my mother tell me she loves me more than her mother had said that to her in her entire life. I mean, my parents even brought in the dog and declared that "Pearl loves you!!!"

As we approached 6:30 miraculously the dinner was pretty much ready... and I started to get texts from Danish guests who were going to be "late" meaning 6:35-6:40.  It was so so fun to have people over and cook for people I love. I was totally blown away by the kindness of my friends - two groups of them joined together to get me birthday gifts - it was so sweet to even think to get me anything, much less such thoughtful gifts. Vibeke got me one these ingenious Danish latte makers that I always admired in her kitchen when I lived with her this summer! Many of you can expect them for christmas, they're AWESOME. And then there was Rasmus' precious politically incorrect pygmy book :)

Most people ended up going home early since we have exams coming up... but hell, it's my birthday and I'm in Copenhagen! Lotta, Hege, and Rasmus and I went out and someone Lotta and I didn't get home until 5am... I like the Danish going-out scene. It's pretty chill! At one point we were finishing up a drink at a bar and I almost immediately was asking people what they wanted to do - stay, go, another drink? what?? and they were just like... uhhh let's just chill out, right? The nights last longer because people aren't quite so go-go-go pressured about it as I've seen in the US. We ended up dancing at a small PACKED place. It was super fun. Thanks, friends!

And thank you always to my ever-supportive family... I got birthday cards from many of you - snail mail is the most thoughtful and welcome treasure, thank you.

Kærlighed,
Alice

Nørrebro photos

I made them pose with the trash can because I think it's nice. Hege thought I was a bit odd and perhaps she was right. "Ren Kærlighed til KBH" means "clean love to Copenhagen" but it has a double meaning of sorts. "Ren" means clean as in tidy but "ren kærlighed" together means more "pure love". So of course the message is - show love to your city and clean up after yourself. Or at least that's what my friend Sørine told me earlier this summer when municipality had just rolled out the whole "ren kærlighed" garbage can campaign.

These two lovely people and I explored the city together today! Lotta is Finnish and Hege Norwegian and yet I was the most directionally gifted of all. A rare win for the American.

Birds. Lakes. bridge from Nørrebrogade towards Fredricksborgade / Nørreport station.

You see much more of this in Denmark than where I'm from  - Dads with little kids. MUCH much more.

Denmark - flag, coffee, Tuborg beer.

Lotta making a point...

We had a little bite to eat and order in Norwegian, Swedish, and my American-Danish. The waiter was pretty game.

Sankt Hans Plads

Bikes on Bikes.

Nørrebrogade. This isn't even commute hours.

Don't worry, parents, I won't even think about bike-texting.

The outside of one of Copenhagen's biggest graveyards. Graveyards are hang out spots in Copenhagen... it doesn't feel as weird to me as it used to.

More Ren Kærlighed

"Dine penge min i røven" = "Your money my ass"

Babies EVERYWHERE. Seriously though... Danes carry on when life when they have kids and take their babies EVERYWHERE. Baby buggies on most bus trips. I'm not exaggerating.

Hege :)

Gravestone of Natasia Saad, one of Denmark's most famous musical artists. She was the first Danish artist of a non Danish ethnic background to gain worldwide recognition. Her music was extremely catchy and extremely political. She died tragically in a car crash in Spain when her music and craft were really taking off.

Swedish inside joke.

Lil wandering soul!

Amager Fishing!

Last Thursday my friend Kasper took a bunch of us fishing at Amager! It is on the ocean across from Sweden, overlooking the Øresund straight where there is a bridge to Malmo, Sweden.
 

This is us on a little hill next to the coast.... again taken by the talented Eda Elif Tibet. It was SO SO windy and sunny - though the sun is setting here.
 

And here is a group of us with a flag we found.... That is (from left to right) Arvid, me, Marijana, Tara, Carol, Ogi, Brandon, and Doron in front. Quite a fun crew.
 

Here is a view looking out at the ocean... Love the windmills. Kind of like Walla Walla, huh?
 

In the background of this next photo you can see my friend Kasper fishing... he is REALLY really into fishing and took us to his favorite spot on the outside of the city. It was super windy though so he was pretty much that only one that could cast his line without totally losing control. Still - we had SUCH a fun time sitting around all together, having some beers and chatting until the sun set. Which is quite late in a Danish summer of course.