This was taken in February at a farewell dinner for Marieke at the Italians.

More spring flowers...iris' in my neighbor's yard.

Spring flowers in my neighbor's yard.

Hector and Annelise at the Irish House

Stu, Annelise, Karen and Louise at the Irish House. We are all in the CCG program at the uni.

The Irish House in Nytorv, downtown Aalborg.

St. Patrick's Day dinner at my place. Gosia, me and Alexandro (Mexico) and Hector is taking the picture.

It's Spring!!

Last Wednesday, the 16th, I had a long-ass exam, which was 24-hours long to be exact. It included a critical discourse analysis and a translation of a Danish paint company's annual report from Danish to English. I think it took me about 5 hours to do the translation, because there were so many business terms I had never even heard before. It was incredibly long and I was very relieved to turn in the exam the next morning at 9:00 a.m. Yeah! One exam down, 5 more to go.

That meant it was St. Patrick's Day and time for some fun. I decided I would try to make a "traditional" St. Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and sauce. I asked Gosia if she would like to join me and then we asked Hector and he brought his friend Alexandro along, too! It turned out to be such a fun evening and the roast I got turned out to be a corned beef kind of thing! It was amazing! We drank several Irish coffees for dessert and we played dominoes, BS, and Ass Hole! We had a great time! Yes, we did! Then, we went to the Irish House around 1:00 a.m. and we joined the rest of the party people there. I found a Kilkenny beer t-shirt on a table and took it home and gave it to Martin...it fit him well. We met up with some other CCG students at the Irish House: Stu, Karen and Louise. I cheered with some of Gosia's Guinness and then around 3:00, I decided it was time to head for home. It was so nice and spring like at 3 in the morning and the birds were singing...they always seem to be singing when you want to go to sleep...but then you won't believe what I woke up to!!! It was totally white outside and snowing!! What I thought was finally spring turned out to be a snowy winterland! I couldn't believe it, but...it stopped and melted off by noon and since then the weather has been much warmer!

Martin was back in town and we celebrated his birthday on Saturday the 19th with his family and friend Carsten. It was a nice little celebration. Then, on Sunday, his real birthday, I made him some traditional birthday rolls and hot chocolate with whipped cream. I think he enjoyed that.

I was supposed to go to Fanø on Monday, but it was cancelled, because Bodil was sick, and I wouldn't want to be a burden on her, so we decided that I would come down and visit another time, and by then, the summerhouse will probably be beginning it's production, so I can take some pictures and see how it is coming along! That is exciting!

Thursday, the weather was AWESOME...warm and sunny! I planted my garden: a dahlia, astor seeds, and there is some rhubarb that I hope will grow and a rose plant that is budding. So, now I can look out my window and see how things are coming with the plant life. And of course, Chili and Tjald were close by to help me in the garden. They jump up and down greeting me and get dirt on my pants...it makes me look like I was working hard! :)

Thursday night, I biked out to Martin's (about 15 km round trip) and had dinner and we watched Notting Hill on t.v. ...such a sweet movie. Then I rode back home at about 11:00 p.m. and then in the morning I rode back out in the general direction to Lundbyskov where Martin and I did some work-outs up and down the small hills. It was pretty chilly that day, but it was a very nice workout...and then I rode back home really fast, hopped in the shower, took 10 minutes to get pretty and then was picked up by Martin and back to their place where we had a Easter lunch with his mom and brothers. It was very nice!

Today was another nice day and I was back in the garden...mainly to water and then I did some re-potting of plants and played with Chili and Tjald and sat in the sun. The weather was so refreshing with the warm sun and cool breeze. It is so nice to have some nice weather. I just hope it stays around for a while!

Next week, back to school. Spring break is over. Another exam on Wednesday.

Happy Easter! God Påske!

I HATE Post Danmark!!!!

I sent a letter the other day and the envelope was too big...it required one extra kroner, yet I wasn't aware of this. It was a regular size envelope to me...meaning American sized. So, instead of the 4,50 kroner stamp I put on it, it should've had 5,50 kroner, but it didn't have that, although it was safely delivered in a timely manner.

Today, I get a bill in the mail from Post Danmark that says I sent a letter which was too big and I am required to pay the one kroner...fine, that is okay with me. BUT...they add another 18,75 kroner administration fee to the letter!!! I now have to pay 19,75 kroner for not having one little kroner on the card. I HATE POST DANMARK!!! I love to write letters, but when it costs so much to send a little letter INSIDE Denmark, I feel forced to just write emails. It costs 7,50 kroner to send a letter to the States. 5,50 kroner equals one American dollar. That means I have to pay nearly 4 dollars, because the stupid Danish post people can't figure out a more friendlier way to have people pay the extra postage. A friendly American postal worker would leave an envelope in your mailbox and kindly ask for the extra postage, which can be put right back in the mailbox for retrieval the next day. What would be so difficult about that?!!!!! And if I don't pay this bill in a timely manner, then it goes up to 80 kroner!

As you can tell, I am pissed...I am LIVID!!!!! I HATE POST DANMARK!!!!!!

More snow...today's blizzard.

Marieke with Aarhus and the sunset.

On the beach at sunset near Aarhus...it was so cold, the sand crunched under our feet.

After lunch in the bazar...Jeff, Mette, Marieke and I.

The beautiful (yuck) plastic flowers, illuminated paintings, and lovely chandeliers for sale in the bazar.

Welcome to Bazar Vest!

The view out Marieke's window...and that is what her building looks like, too.

Breakfast at Mariekes...a Dutch experience with chocolate sprinkles on bread for breakfast...and I thought American breakfast cereals were bad! ;)

Marieke in Baresso

Beautiful reflections.

Sounds of a dixieland band come from the clothing store Jackpot in Aarhus, which adds additional atmosphere to evening.

A view of downtown Aarhus and the canals, that were once covered, and then uncovered to add to the character and charm of the walking streets atmosphere.

Early morning smells...

I was at a Latin party last night...tried to stay as long as I could through the thick smoke, yet I couldn't hold out past 1:30 a.m. It was fun, though, to dance a little bit and see familiar faces again. There are some great salsa dancers, but I really need some private lessons before I can begin to even try to dance like that. Although, as long as you move your butt a lot, the rhythm can be easy to follow.

I had taken the train to Aarhus to visit Marieke on Friday and then we drove together back to Aalborg on Saturday to go to the Latin party. So when I left the party, I just walked back to the train station and got my bike from where I had left it the previous day. Which brings me to my point of "early morning smells"... It's at about that time of early morning that the bakeries are beginning their production of pastries and bread for later that day. Oh my goodness, there were good smells flying through the air as I biked home. Mmmm...it was nice, probably the best time to enjoy it, too, because then there is no way you can be pressured into buying the high calorie pastries when the bakeries aren't even open for another 6 hours.

It was fun visiting Marieke in Aarhus. I had wanted to visit the city again for a long time and with Marieke living there now, it was a perfect excuse to visit! I took the train, as it was only 20 kroner more than the bus and I would save over an hour in travel time. Because of the bad weather the past month, it lead to many delays, so the Danish Railways were serving free coffee and tea on the train and coming around with caramals for our enjoyment, and it was quite enjoyable! Considering the price you pay for a ticket, though, I think free coffee and tea should be included in every trip.

Marieke met me at the station and then drove out to an area where parking was free and then walked into the center of Aarhus. Oh, it is such a lovely city...similar to Copenhagen in many ways. It is the 2nd largest city in Denmark and has much more to see in the center with tiny little cobble-stoned streets and trendy shops full of fancy shoes, clothes, gifts, and modern design. We checked out some small shops and then enjoyed a chai tea latte at Baresso before trying on some clothes at H&M. Most of the stores close 7 p.m., so then it was soon time to rush back to the car and out to Skejbyparken. Marieke made dinner for her roommate, Kathrine, and me. She's a good cook and her roommate is very nice! And do you know what is funny...my friend Maren from Danish camp lived in the same dormatories in Aarhus as Marieke does now! So, I had visited there just over 4 years ago!

The following day, Kathrine and her friends Mette and Jeff (from England) introduced us to an interesting shopping experience in Aarhus called Bazar Vest. It is in the middle of the immigrant ghettos of Aarhus, a shopping center full of Indian, Turkish, Chinese and everything else foreign that you can imagine. If you need an Indian bridle dress, you can get it there. If you want some ethnic Indian music, you can get it there. If you need a big exotic pipe, you can get it there. If you need clothes or shoes mended, you can do it there. If you need to book a trip to the east, you can do it there. The place was full of butchers with whole animals (skinned of course) hanging on hooks, Turkish bakeries, supermarkets with foods like roasted chick peas, 100 different types of curry, different types of rice, funny brands of juices and snacks...anything you would need if you were accustomed to that culture. The fruit and vegetable market was probably the best, with selections of many exotic fruits and at really affordable prices. It was an amazing experience. I have to admit, though, I am very thankful to have been raised in the western world. I couldn't live with a living room full of plastic flowers, illuminated waterfall pictures, gold plated tea canisters, plastic plates, tacky chandeliers, etc., etc., etc.... The food was good, though. We had delicious chai tea and enjoyed fresh beef kabab with rice and Turkish bread. It was a very fun and culture-full experience!

Before I left for Denmark last year, my friend Kelli gave me a little going away present...a little box called "The mini Origami Kit". In my moments of procrastination, I have a discovered a creative way to waste time...make origami! It is so much fun! Here is some of what I have made! :) Thanks, Kelli!

Spring might be on its way

The last few days have been so nice and sunny and actually a bit warm...above freezing anyway. The snow has been melting and tiny streams are trickling in the gutters and the flowers are trying to make their way up through the ground. I hope the weather isn't teasing us with this warmth, but knowing Denmark, I wouldn't be surprised if we get another cold spell.

So, I registered for my classes for the semester last week. I signed in to my personal student registration area online and all the classes I planned to take were shown on the screen...I had to get special approval for the classes, as they have to know exactly what you are up to. Then, all I had to do was check the boxes next to those classes. It's kind of a silly method, but maybe they'll figure things out as time goes on. Anyway, now that I am registered, I have my first exam next week...9 a.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday. I will begin reading and studying up for it this weekend. There are a lot of terms I need to make more familiar with myself. So, I hope it goes well!

This year, 2005, is a very special one for Denmark, as it marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Hans Christian Andersen (April 2, 1805 to August 5, 1875). Throughout the past year, special presentations have been made to persons around the globe as HC Andersen Ambassadors. On April 2nd, there will be a HUGE celebration at the Parken football stadium in Copenhagen to launch the 8 month celebration of H.C. Andersen's life. It is supposedly going to be broadcast all over the globe, so I would definately keep my eyes open for more information. You can also check out the official website (http://www.hca2005.com/) for even more information about his life, his writings (Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, etc.), and the international ambassadors. Sydney, Australia is also going to be playing a big part in the celebration, likely because of the connection with Denmarks Crown Princess Mary who is a native Australian. Check it out! :)

Ok...done with that endorsement. I think I will do some reading before "Venner" (Friends) comes on...oh, and first Gilmore Girls. I love that show now! I never watched it in the states, but I really enjoy watching it here!

BTW, if anyone wants to call me for free, sign up for skype.com and we can talk through our computers free of charge! My skype name is annelise1015, so just add me to your list!

knus,
Annelise

The mercury is dropping...

It has been a couple hours since my last posting, and the temperature has dropped 3 degrees since then! It is now -10 degrees celsius out there! No wonder my feet are so cold! I think I'll wait another day to shave my legs so I have that extra layer of warmth for when I have to head out in the cold tomorrow.

It is now time to go to bed. Like I said earlier, I have class at the butt-crack...

Anyway, goodnight!

And as the sun shone through my window, it created a fun shadow on the wall from my PH lamp...a lamp whos design I totally love! Too bad it is a bit blurry...just squint your eyes a bit to make it better! ;)

As the sun came out today, I couldn't help but try to get a bit artistic with the view.

Looking out my window at the snowy landscape...It is snowing out there, but it is hard to see how deep it is outside my window. It is fun to see what kind of tracks appear in the snow. So far, I have identified a hare and a dog...mostly like Tjald, the neighbor dog! :)

Ducati Klub Danmark members, Martin and Carsten, in the "hygge" light of a cafe on Østerbro in Copenhagen. We had dinner that evening at an Italian restaurant...why? Because Ducatis are Italian!

This is a 2005 750cc Honda Shadow...almost like what I have at home...just 21 years younger! It really is a nice bike...just really expensive!

On Saturday the 18th of February, Martin and I went to a motorcycle exhibition at the Bella Center Exhibition hall in Copenhagen. They showed some old classics, inluding this old Nimbus, a Danish motorcycle brand!

snow, snOW, SNOW!!!

All day yesterday and almost all of today consisted of snow flakes falling from the sky! It is really too bad I couldn't import this snow to the mountains in Washington, because they didn't have much of a ski season and this snow is great powder for skiing! I wish I had some skies here to give it a try! But it is too cold to go outside anyway...it is now -7 degrees celsius! That is DAMN cold! When the snow stopped today, the sun came out and it is now a clear sky...which means cold, cold air! I don't look forward to going to school in the morning...and I will be taking a bus, because the bike paths are not sufficiently cleared and it is dangerous to fight with vehicles on the road when the side the shoulder is full of plowed snow and no room for a poor, slow cyclist.

My feet get so cold when I'm outside. I really don't have the right kind of shoes and I have to wear two pairs of socks each day. When I come home, I put my shoes on the heater so that they are warm and dry the next time I put them on. It really is a nice feeling. Maybe I should invest in some winter shoes...I bet that would bring the sun right out and melt the snow away.

I watched the Academy Awards on Monday. I could have watched it live, but then it gets too late at night to see the whole thing. By waiting to see it on Monday, it's free of commercial breaks and un-interesting award presentations. They show the good stuff only and in the end they quickly tell you who won the awards for best whatever, that no one cares about unless-you- know-the-person-personally-who-is-nominated-for-that-award, which is not/never the case for me! :)

Denmark has it's own Academy Awards, too. It is called the "Bodil" award...instead of "Oscar". They give primarily awards to Danish films from the past year. They have two categories for foreign films: 1. Award for non-American film and 2. award for American film. I guess America is in it's own foreign-ness.

I have been into this semester at the university for a month now, and it is in this week (1st of March to 7th of March) that we register for exams. We don't register for the class, because you can take any class you damn well want to take, but it doesn't mean you have to take the exam. So, that is what you do...you sign up for the exam, and then in another month, they will post on the department website what time and date the exams are...or when papers need to be turned in. Most exams are done orally here, which really, really sucks. It's about as pleasant as going to the gynocologist...at least that was the case for one of my most recent exams. It really depends on the teacher. If you don't sign up for exams in this week, then you are shit out of luck. You missed your chance and you are the only one to blame, because you weren't paying attention to the time you were supposed to register. At least you can do it online. When I went to Copenhagen University, there were secretaries set up with boxes in a room and you had to find the right secretary with the right box to give you the right piece of paper to sign up for the right exam. I think it is a very primitive system and they could learn a lot from the University of Washington and STAR man...if he even still exists. I like the idea of registering for classes, through the phone, the quarter (or semester) before so you know exactly what you are getting into and can think about switching if you want to. Here, you don't get the schedule (in many cases) until the week before classes start! Well, I guess for a university that is 30 years old, they are doing pretty well. Now if only they could get a student gym close to campus! That would rock!

I have some homework to do now. I have a class at the butt-crack of dawn tomorrow, which means I got to wake up real early!

Snowflake kisses from Annelise in Aalborg!