Crime or no crime… I happen to be a quarter german, and yet last weekend was the first time I’ve ever eaten real bratwurst and sauerkraut! OUTRAGEOUS! I know. But hey, can you think of a better way experience to this special dish then its place of origin?
So what was I doing in Germany anyways? Well, a couple months back my sister and I had a small disagreement. She mentioned that she was coming to visit me in Europe in the fall, and so naturally she proposed the idea of attending Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! I leapt at the suggestion; however, the caveat was that I had to acquire a dirdle for the event (for those of you who don’t know, dirdles are authentic German dresses that many of the women wear to celebrate Oktoberfest). I’m all about a good cultural experience, and so I happily agreed to rent one upon arrival…this answer was not well received. Before I knew it, anytime Ocktoberfest was mentioned, Chloe “graciously” described how excited she was to buy our dirdles and that this would be the gift that kept on giving for many Christmases and birthdays to come. Thus, it came as no surprise that when I met Chloe last Friday night, she came well prepared (purchased dirdle in hand).
Saturday came quickly, Chloe and I rose and made our way to the Glockishpeal for a scrumptious breakfast! When we arrived, we were lucky enough to snap up the last widow facing table over looking the town square and magnificent Glockishpeal (the town hall of Munich). After a delicious meal of eggs and bacon, we hopped into our very own dirdles and made our way to the festivities.
Close your eyes and imagine the biggest state fair you’ve ever seen. Colors everywhere, smells of buttery popcorn and giant crispy pretzels fill the air. Now add the tower of Babble’s bazillion languages, a sea of dirdles, lederhosen (german suspenders and trousers for the men), heart shaped gingerbread necklaces, and a healthy smattering of jolly folk cheering “Ein Prosit,” and voila… you have Oktoberfest!
Before long, Chloe and I made friends with a table of good natured Norwegians. With our steins in hand, we happily sang along to the wide variety of tunes (feat. “We are the Champions” and “Ein Prosit”) played by the live band in the center of the beer garden. Our day concluded with a life altering supper of pork tips sautéed in a creme sauce with buttery mushrooms and potatoes. Chloe and I also Munch(in)ed on a classic german apple strudel with three kinds of cream (liquid, whipped, and iced)..
Sunday rolled around, and we made our way to a cosy german cafe for omelets and suculent sweet potatoes! Tummies happily filled, we made a second trip to Oktoberfest! The remainder of the day we spent frolicking around the lark state park (this included watching the canal surfers and betting whether the man with the life sized kite would be airlifted). Before heading to the airport, we made a mandatory pitstop for a very necessary cheese platter and some more apple strudel. What a weekend!
Monday, Chloe came with me to all my classes (for better or for worse)! This week just happened to be the week that all my courses discussed depression… from brain imaging to psychology of brain injuries to medical practices. Three in a row. Let’s just say by the end of Tuesday Chloe was already picking and choosing which coffee shops she wanted to conveniently visit while I was in class:) On a bright note, Chloe and I had quite the time cooking up homemade tomato sauce with warm shrimp and pasta! The juries out… I missed my sister! Cooking for two is so much more fun!
Tuesday: 30 minutes… doesn’t seem very significant. Well, its nothing, unless you happen to be pre-med, and it’s your job to overreact. Therefore, when my medical methods class found out that our first midterm would last a total of 30 minutes, all HE (double hockey sticks) broke loose. I regrouped, reassessed, and then decided to enjoy the day! Chloe and I headed to the Glyptotek museum (this is home to a large assortment of sculptures including “the kiss” by Rodan). It is also home to one of the largest NOSE collections around; yes, you heard me correctly. They happen to have a wall of noses! The green house court yard was especially cosy, so I will definitely be returning for hot coco when it gets cold. The afternoon came and went. In order to celebrate the end of our test, my three closest friends from the program (Kira, Alexis, and Ashley) along with my sister and I went to my favorite restaurant in all of Copenhagen, La Banchina. Picture the most adorable, candle lit cottage resting along the banks of the canal. Trendy music playing, a chief dreaming up a new menu for the day, the smell of roasted vegetables and fresh bread fill the air. This place is the embodiment of hygge!
Wednesday: Up and Adam, Chloe and I rose and got an early start. We arrived in Helsinger, (Denmarks second largest city) and made our way to Kronborg Castle (Think Hamlet)! It was quite the blustery day! It was fascinating to hear about King Frederick and his wife Sofie, Denmark’s old reign over Sweeden and Norway, and the toll Denmark used to take from sailors traveling the Baltic Sea. I most enjoyed the catacomb’s with Holger the sleeping giant (legend says he will arise in times of stress and come to Denmark’s aid). Chloe also found her very own hobbit hole! Lunch was yummy hamburgers and crispy fries! Then, we went to my favorite castle in Denmark, Rosenborg! There we saw the various vibrant rooms and of course… the crown jewels. Finally, our day concluded with a Harry Potter 2 movie watch with my Kollegium (we are marathoning all of the Harry Potters over the next few Wednesdays).
Thursday: Today, we completed a food neighborhood project in Norrobro. Then, Chloe went shopping and I finished up with classes. Then, Chloe and I went over to my host family’s house for a traditional danish dinner. My host dad even made homemade gluten free bread cups for the chicken, asparagus filling. We ate a strawberry jelly with cream for dessert, and we had a licorice taste test! The salty, strongest version tasted like medicine, I did enjoy the sweet version.
Friday: There’s only so much self control one person can maintain when that person must walk past the cinnamon, super, warm butter smell on the way to class every morning. Thus, today Chloe took one for the team and sampled this bakery’s Canalsnail. After class, we went to the Glassmarket for some scrumptious open faced meatball sandwiches (Smorrbrod). On our way back, we stopped at the spiral tower (Our Savior’s Church) to take in a panoramic view of Copenhagen. This was followed by an official troll hunt in which we found both Sleeping, Louis and Hilltop Trine! To top it all off, we had traditional Danish porridge while watching the sun set over the canal. We also managed to have time for a fabulous Hallmark movie and some very needed chocolate covered marshmallows.
Saturday: We had a breakfast fit for a queen! Five different mini dishes! Eggs, bacon, yogurt, avocado with humus, and mild cheddar cheese with fig jam! Then, for some daily culture, Chloe and I paid a visit to the Copenhagen Art museum. After this, we went on a shopping marathon around Copenhagen (the highlight was our trip to the Royal Danish china collection!) We finished the day with mildly painful back aches, which were well worth the treasures we found! The night came to a close with Chloe and I sipping raspberry tea with our new matching mugs while Chloe achieved most impressive packing feat known to man! This was a week unlike any I’ve ever had! A SPECIAL, BIG THANKS TO CHLOE FOR VISITING!!!! Your message of treat your self will live on!
Hygge Happenings with Haley 
Thank you so much for being an awesome and enthusiastic host!! I had an amazing visit (and very seriously contemplated missing my flight so that I could stay a little longer)
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I’m so happy you came to visit! It was truly a week to remember! One of my all time favorites for sure! Miss you already!
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