Swan Lake

My bag is packed, my camera is safely stowed and I am off to Russia tomorrow morning! Since the trip is organized through the University, I will be amongst 40 other excited international students. The highlights of my trip will definitely include a visit to the Amber Room on my 21st birthday and Swan Lake on my birthday eve. It's official:  I will be turning 21 in style.

I wonder if the Swan Lake costumes will look like these:
(taken from the Life Magazine photo archives)

Be back on April 8th!

Frederiksberg

Every Wednesday I partake in something I like to call "cultural Wednesdays." Cultural Wednesdays was formed after various discussions with friends about how we'd been in Copenhagen for a couple months but hadn't really seen much of it.

So for about a month now, a friend and I have met up every Wednesday to explore different parts of the city. Whether it be a trip to a museum, or a park, after every excursion I feel like I have gotten to know Copenhagen better and I fall in love with it even more.

This past week I visited a beautiful park beloved by locals and tourists alike. This park is also the site of a larger pacifier tree than the one in the park behind the Statens Museum for Kunst. Frederiksberg park is situated on the edge of Copenhagen which gives it a rural feel and provides an escape from the busyness of downtown. I know that Frederiksberg will be a favourite place of mine to relax on a sunny day with a good book, good food and good company. Nevertheless, it's nice to know that the busyness of downtown will still be there when I crave some excitement.

{setting sun through the branches}

{swampy area}

{dogs can run free!}

{so much green}

{my friend Lucy and a birdy}

{reflections in the river}

{strange trees and people out lounging}

{such a colourful duck!}

{a daisy. A flower that I love and the symbol of Danish women}

{spotted: a rooster strolling in the park}

{sunrays shine on a duck couple sitting by the pond}

{duck couple}

{blossoms on the tree}

And then I came across the original pacifier tree. I couldn't get over how many pacifiers and heart-felt notes were dangling from its branches!

{strands and strands}

{ribbons and bags}

{bunches}

{this roughly translates to: " I have become a big girl and do not use my dummies. You will take care of my dummies. Hugs, Filucca 2 1/2 years}

{strands and strands and strands}

{danglin'}

Sunny Scandinavia

Although it's currently very cloudy in København, signs of spring are everywhere. Today being the first official day of spring is the first sign that the cold winter is finally drawing to a close. Last week was so sunny that I was able to ditch my smokey winter coat and don the shades. The change in attire was very much needed after a cold and windy February.

There are many things that I am looking forward to during the spring/summer months.

I am especially looking forward to various outdoor concerts/festivals/events such as:

1. Queen Margrethe II's birthday: On April 16th the current Queen of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II appears on her balcony so she can be wished happy birthday.

2. May Day (also known as International Workers Day): A leftist political day on May 1st which many get time off work for so that they can attend and participate in the various demonstrations. This day celebrates the past victories of the worker's movement, most notably the establishment of the 8-hour work day.

3. Distortion: Five days of street parties between May 30th to June 3rd.

4. St John's Eve: A celebration on the eve of the summer solstice which takes place on June 23rd. It is celebrated by making a large bonfire on the beach to ward off evil spirits. A witch made of straw and cloth is placed on the bonfire in order to send the witch away. As the bonfire burns songs are sung, speeches are made, and delicious picnic food is eaten.

5. Roskilde: A music festival in the nearby town of Roskilde that starts on June 30th and ends on July 8th.


And without further adieu, here are some photographs that show the approaching spring season (there may or may not be a chance of blue skies!)

{tulipaner}

{stone lion}

{pathway in Rosenborg slot}

{tree blossoms in Christiania}

{blossoms}

{zoomed out blossoms}

{statue by an entrance to Assistens Kirkegård. Kirkegård is Danish for cemetary. Apparently this isn't a well-liked statue!}

{Assistens Kirkegård pathway}

{flowers}

{watering cans}

{growing flower}

{bluebird}

{gnarled tree}

{spring flowers}

{old gate}

{winter leaves}

{goodbye winter leaves}

{bushel of flowers}

{blooming}

{sun rays}

{mischievous squirrel}

{mischief managed}

Staycation

Since the last of my travel photos were posted last week (with the exception of a few stragglers), it's only fitting that I have some travel adventures in my near future! Although it was lovely to be able to re-live my time in the UK and Berlin through my blog posts I'm ready to do some more exploring.

Next Adventures

1. Russia: March 30th - April 8th
2. Barcelona: April 17th - April 24th.

April will definitely be a very busy month for me, starting off with my birthday on the 2nd and culminating in a trip to Barcelona followed shortly by a visit from my parents. I hosted some visitors this past weekend and it made me realize (again) just how much I love it here, and how well I know my way around. It was also like a mini-break for me  since I ate at plenty of nice restaurants and re-visited some of my favourite spots. By seeing Copenhagen through the eyes of a tourist (my friend Annika was amazed by nearly everything here), it allowed me to be re-amazed with the wonderful city I live in.

{Danish brunch at Cafe 22}

{cozy cafe}

{my friend Annika}

{knitted tree, probably the warmest tree in København}

{center of Strøget - the pedestrian street}

{cloudy view from the top of the Round Tower}

{I got this close and I got to keep all my fingers!}

{Nyhavn}

{Sunny sunday by the canals}

{Sunny sunday pt II}

{cyclist counter}

I also went on a short trip to Sweden this weekend! Sweden is only a quick train ride away and is fairly cheaper than Copenhagen. A lot of the Danes actually hop across the sea to Sweden to do a lot of their major shopping. I visited the tiny town of Lund which we walked through in only half an hour! The following day, we went back over to Denmark to visit Kronborg castle, the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Kronborg

{the ballroom}

{detailing in the Kronborg chapel}

{Kronborg with sun beams}

{the Danish flag}

And another visit to Christiania was surely in order!

Christiania

{in bloom}

{Tibetan prayer flags - symbols of peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom}

{lonely chair}

{feather decorations in a tree by the elementary school}

{typewriter}

{solitary toy}

{paper roses}

{Christiania kitty}