An American Girl in Denmark

Aaaaaand we're back!  Jet lag is crazy and my internal clock is still completely confused, but we are home. To say the trip was magical, incredible, amazing, perfect and wonderful would be understatements. There really are no words to describe it. It was just that good. Denmark is a beautiful country with so much to offer. From seaside villages, rolling hills, farms, cities, fashion, people, food and history- it had it all and then some.


Ocean front...the Danish flag raised in honor of my birthday @ John's Aunt and Uncle's house

The trip started with my first international flight and getting to use my passport. It's such a small simple thing that really shouldn't mean much, but for me, it was exciting!  Handing over that little blue book was proof that I had accomplished getting across an ocean to see another piece of this great big world. While the customs folks could totally use a lesson in pleasantries and customer service, it was an experience I won't soon forget. I found myself several times looking at the stamps and running my fingers over the thick threaded pages just taking in the delicious feeling of having my ticket to roam.
Speaking of fingers...the first day in Copenhagen turned into the best night of my life to date. After a much needed nap, exploring the city and eating the most delectable hot dog ever encased- we headed to Tivoli. I had read about the carousel and how it was classic, bright, engaging and historic. I have always had a soft spot for the ornate carved animals and the music. Something about the twirling spins of a merry-go-round brings back childhood complete with cotton candy smells and squeals of delight. My Johnny was on a mission to find it straight away although unwilling to ride it. I tried to convince him...there was a camel just waiting for us!  Complete with humps and my dramatic interpretation of the "hump day" commercial complete with the "Whooo Whooo!" did little to convince him to hop on. So instead we took a seat on the shiny cobalt tiles that housed beautiful pink flowers and mounds of green plants and watched the camel come around every other second to the sounds of music and in the shadow of the bright twinkling lights.
It was then that he began to ask the most important question I'll ever be asked..." So I was thinking..."  As I saw the cherry red wooden box emerge from his coat pocket, I swear time stood still.  Everything disappeared and I may have gone deaf momentarily. I felt tears running down my cheeks and as he dipped to one knee before me I unraveled into sobs of joy. He spoke the sweetest words I'll never share (they are only ours) and placed a stunning ring onto my left hand. He's made fun of my "old lady hands" for ages and as he placed the ring securely on my finger, I just knew a joke was coming about it...but instead he kissed me and my world became infinitely better as I was now John's fiance. He then followed it up with " We should get some wings...for the rest of our life!" (Our favorite dinner and just about every date night, wings are a staple) I don't even remember if I said yes...he had to ask me again later over ice cream and fireworks to which I know I actually responded this time. YES!

 

 

The excitement continued through fireworks and calling my family and best friend...the best part is we still had an entire vacation ahead and an entire country to see and families to meet! I was so enchanted by all of the family. Aunts, Uncles, cousins, children...and especially...MorMor. She was as cute as can be and had a kind smile. She cannot speak English and she is almost completely blind, yet we found ways to communicate and spend many breakfast mornings with her. Her warmth and her laugh are blessings to me now and I am so glad I got to meet her. She was one of the firsts to learn of our engagement and she told us about how she met her own husband. John was great at translating for me and his relationship with her was touching. I fell even more in love with him as I watched him with her. He played on her piano, rehashed old stories, told me about the little antiques that decorated her apartment that she has lived in for 70 years! We drank coffee and ate pastries and reminisced about the family and past visits. It was such a special time. I am so thankful we took the majority of the time to spend with her and that I was able to get to know the woman John has spoken of so many times.

We had many adventures...delicious foods, sailing a real Viking ship, seeing countrysides and ocean stretches. We saw thousands of jellyfish that glow in the dark cold waters but don't actually sting. We drove over crazy long bridges and dodged a world of bicycles. We enjoyed a quiet bed and breakfast in the country and the beautiful bustling city.  We ate way too much candy and drank our fair share of Danish beers. We visited a free town where artists come together to live an alternative life...complete with marijuana and organic beers and less than conventional ways of living. We toured castles and churches older than the United States. We saw the royal palace. We went to a deer park where huge bucks were feet away from us- completely enraptured in the beauty surrounding them and not at all concerned with us.We went to see the famous little mermaid and then to pay our respects to Hans Christian Andersen at his grave. We went to one of the most famous museums in the world and saw an exhibit from Yoko Ono. We made a wish on a wishing tree overlooking the ocean. We laughed, we strolled the streets hand in hand, we tried to find wifi and more candy, we took pictures, mispronounced many words, made memories and soaked in the place that makes up a little of both of us.

While the differences in language, currency, rules and manners were slightly intimidating at first, I found myself feeling quite comfortable soon after our arrival. This was like a second home to John. He and his warm, welcoming family made me feel so right at home. I saw many faces that resembled my own and my grandmothers.  I felt the spirit of my roots planting deep in this place I cannot wait to visit again.