Letters From London: Chillin' in Copenhagen

My companions from the left: Rachael, Amy, and Kalli

A few weeks ago, three friends from Baylor and I went on the adventure of a lifetime, all over the course of the week that served as our fall break from school. We hit Denmark, Italy, Vatican City, Spain, and Brussels as a layover for me, as we traveled often, living out of a single backpack each. It was the ultimate backpacking adventure, and I can't wait to share my stories with you.

Everything began with Copenhagen, Denmark.

Well, not quite. We had to get there from London first. No easy feat, as you'll soon find out.

*Ahem.*

I pulled an all-nighter, to start with. Kalli was only able to snatch an hour of sleep, but before we knew it, our alarms were blaring, and we trooped into the bathrooms to shower and prepare to leave. Only half of our little quad squad would be going to Copenhagen on this flight. Our companions Amy and Rachael would be arriving later that afternoon.

Danish is something else.

Stuffing the rest of my things into my bag, packing lightly isn't one of my skills, I met Kalli in the dark hallway of our flat with a yawn. Our cab had arrived at 4:30, and we rushed down the stars to meet it. Taking a private cab to the airport is great and all, but not so much when it's expensive, the sun isn't up yet, the airport is an hour away, and, oh, the driver can't even drive.

But we made it to Luton airport in one piece. Stopping for sushi, katsu, and yakisoba for breakfast, we sleepily wandered to our gate. We had two hours before boarding, and were grateful for the time to relax before we had to jet to a new country with a new language.

Because really, who speaks Danish?

Quiet cobblestone streets and narrow, colorful buildings?
You must be in Copenhagen.

Our Copenhagen morning was bright and chilly. Kalli and I, after asking at the information desk, boarded our train that brought us into the city center. Once there, we got lost.

We wondered around for a while, trying to find our hostel, but in the end, not being able to make much sense of our early morning surroundings in the quiet city, we had to duck into a familiar establishment.

Good to see you again, Starbucks.

After a break, enjoying the delicious coffee and the WiFi, we set off to find our hostel. After checking the map a couple more times, we found it hiding on a narrow street, just off a cute little square with a fountain in the middle.

First order of business: NAPTIME. It was a well needed and much appreciated one as well.

Kalli and I slept most of the day, well until Amy and Rachael joined us later that night. As they got ready for bed, we made a dinner run to McDonalds. Because that's traditional food, right?

Outdoor seating at restaurants comes with blankets.
Because it's so dang cold around here

The next day was a lot more touristy. After breakfast and chai lattes at the hostel, we set out into the cold. Our main mission was to see the Little Mermaid sculpture, as the author of the original Little Mermaid story, Hans Christian Andersen, was from Copenhagen. The statue was small, surrounded by tourists, and was looking a little worse for wear that morning, the trip was worth it.

Nearby, there was an old fortress, so we decided to check it out as well. There I made an intentional bathroom stop, because how often do you get to PEE in a FORTRESS. That's right, like never. There aren't many fortresses in the world that allow a quick and painless run to the loo.

Right after that occasion took place, we were able to witness a wedding, as the bride and groom, along with all their guests, exited one of the buildings in the area. We were shocked to see them wearing such short sleeves on their outfits. Weren't they cold?

After checking out the colorful buildings on probably the most picturesque and magical canal in the world (after Venice, but I'm posting about it too), and venturing into one of the tallest towers in the city to catch a breathtaking view, our little fellowship decided to part ways. Kalli and Rachael went to a park, while Amy and I, exhausted, trooped back to the hostel for a quick snooze before dinner.

We had made a confident choice that we were going to have authentic Danish food, but once seeing menu after menu of pickled herring, we opted for a slightly sketchy Chinese buffet instead. In our defense, the food was great.

That night, we enjoyed all the hostel had to offer, a pool table, and a rather large bar (no wonder the place had such high ratings). I tasted vodka for the first time, and rather liked it. After the first sensation that tastes something how I think licking a highlighter would be, the aftertaste is quite nice.

Oh, and I smashed Kalli in pool. And she's better than I am.

Bedtime came all too soon, as we had a mid morning flight to a completely new destination, and this time, it would be a biggie. A city of conquerors, gladiators, history, art, and some of the worst driving I've ever seen.

Tomorrow, Rachael, Kalli, Amy, and I would face Rome.