'There's been a stabbing'

Friday was a day of excitement with an underlying freakout waiting in the wings. Slept a little too late, did my errands a little too slowly, had 20 minutes to pack before I had to leave.  Somehow I managed it, though I am no sure how.  I was deeply engrossed in an episode of Deal Or No Deal where the guy dealt waaaaayy to early and lost out big time. Gutted.  Got the metro to Lufthavn (KBH airport) and swept through security as always.  Sat down for like 20 minutes and read my book (Lord of the Flies) then got called to the gate.  Left on time (WOOOAAAHHH) but hit some pretty scary turbulence.  I survived though. Got out into the English air and basically got shoved to the ground by the ferocious wind.  The kind EasyBus man let me on his bus so I didn't have to stand outside to wait for mine and then we were on our way.  Even through North London Friday evening traffic it took about 80 minutes, jumped on the tube and met Tanya and Phoebe at Kilburn Park.  Bought some booze and went back to the apartment ABOVE A PUB for dinner and drinks with her housemates.  When we left the apartment for the pub, everything just went really mental.  This leashless dog jumped all over us, then a strange man videoed us in the pub, then there was a fight, then we thought there might have been a stabbing outside, and then we got invited to an 'after-party' at some 30/40 year old mens flat. Lovely.  The weirdest bits were the 40+ man smoking outside who claimed he was the same age as us, and the fact that the DJ did not have any David Bowie. Moron.  Home via Woody's kebabs, hit the hay at 5.30am.

Woke up at 12ish to a bustling Kilburn High Road.  Coffee and then to Euston for the Vintage Fair at Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes.  Was nice to look at and watch people bowling, but we were all a bit too hungover to care.  Still we watched the makeover area and bought/ate cake.  I had banana and walnut.  Then we walked around for ages, and stopped for a drink in a really beautiful pub, the floor was actual cobblestones, the walls were wood and there were fairylights covering an entire wall.  We waved goodbye to Tanya at St. Pancras, and headed back to Kilburn for Take Me Out and Chinese take-away.  What was meant to be an early night before my interview turned out to be sleep at 3am, just through to much talking.  Up at 8am, prepped, tubed to Pimlico and was early and in the waiting room.  Feel like it went really well.  Went back to Phe's to change, then to Leicester Square to have lunch with Vikki.  Delightful as always.  Then we went to see 127 Hours with James Franco for £10.70, which blew my mind a little bit.  It was so worth it though.  The gory scene was pretty gory, but the rest was so well shot and acted.  And James Franco is a comedy genius - 'Can't take this off, its my face.'  Also a real hottie.  Met Phoebe for Chinese New Year in Chinatown (where we saw a man play-fighting with a huge cuddly Panda to Kung Fu Fighting), but then got really tired so headed back to hers for food and to watch David crumble in his hangover.

On Monday, we had a semi-leisurely start and went for a spot of shopping in the charity shops of Kilburn High Road - I got a copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and 2 nail varnishes - last of the big spenders.      
Weetabix for lunch, and then a few last minute giggles before tube, bus, plane and metro - back sat on my bed in KBH a mere 7.5 hours after I left Phoebes.  Basically straight to bed.

This morning I was up at 8am, for my 9am class on post-colonialism with a lecturer who looks like a lion and a fellow student called Aslan in it.  I think I will continue with this course, but not write an essay at the end as I have enough credits from my other classes.  Also had my first African Studies class with the legend that is Bjorn M.  Only 9 people in that class.  Dinner with Nadine and Hannah, and then home, due to the ridiculous lack of good old-fashioned sleep for the last 4 nights.

I Love My Life (Jeg elsker mit liv)

After Katie left on Sunday morning, I spent the whole day resting - homework, gossip girl, food, etc.

Monday was the usual - cycle, Danish, homework, eat, party! Last night was Valentina's (Italian girl from my Danish class) birthday at Keops Kollegium.  We had homemade spaghetti and tirumisu - DELICIOUS! And quite a few beers, and cycling home through the pouring rain on the newly resurfaced bike lanes of Norrebrogade.  Got home to find Maria, Rune and Simon hanging out and dancing to Danish records.  I had a go at translating the Danish and had the most delightful conversation with Maria, in which she included that I can stay here all summer if I so wish!! and that she doesn't know how they will ever find anyone who can live with Simon again! Hahaha.  Went to bed happy happy happy.  Then up this morning, cycle to class, learning, lunch, tour of the Royal Library/Black Diamond, which was pretty fricking cool.  This afternoon has included me struggling with my homework and making a breakthrough, and receiving an offer from Surrey University for campus accommodation for next year!  I feel like life is good right now.  Drinking a shandy. Listening to the Flaming Lips. Knitting.

'This is my favourite day in recent history' - Katy Evans 18/01/11

Huske Mit Navn

Sunday I did my Danish hjemmearbejde (homework) and slept and hung with the housemates.  Then Matt came round and we went to blockbuster and watched the Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary and got really weirded out.

On Monday I cycled down to KUA for mit danskklasse, lovely fun as always, really learning a lot and think trying the accent is pretty funny.  After that I cycled to town to run a few errands.  Then went home and went for a walk that ended with me going back into town, then back home for sleep.  The next day the same things occured, and in the evening me and Matt tried to go ice-skating but as the God's of fate have ruled recently, we were prevented from realising our true potential on ice.  So drinks instead.

By Wednesday, my legs had had enough of this cycling for hours a day nonsense so I was lazy and got the metro to danish class.  Raced home afterwards to do my homework in 30 minutes, then off to Norreport and on to Hellerup for tutoring gig, then quickly back home for food and then to Amager to a friends.  Still managed to be 30 minutes late.  Had some lovely drinks and in depth talks with Hannah (American) and Nadine (German) and then me and Nadine headed to the International Cafe at Studenterhuset in town.  Danced like a crazy person and then walked the 40 minutes home at 2am.  Getting up for class on Thursday was quite the struggle, but I managed, and was only 30 minutes late.  After all that Danish shiz and 2 large coffees, I went to Norreport and met Katie McManus.  I freaking love having visitors and telling them all the wonderful things about Kobenhavn.  We went back to mine for Italian sandwiches and then back into town for strolling and talking.  Friday I ran off to class and met Katie afterwards for lunch, that night we watched RECOUNT, a film you should all watch.

Saturday was my first chance to properly sleep in quite a while so we took full advantage.  Then we had lunch, I had the massivist sandwich there has ever been.  I will UPLOAD the photo soon.  Then we shopped or attempted to.

Jeg hedder Katy. Hvad med dig?

I can totally speak Danish now.

Wednesday morning was killer, up at 7am, on the bike by 8.15am and sitting in the lecture theatre for INTRODUCTION TO DANISH at 8.55am.  After the Introduction Session we split off into our smaller classes.  Mine is alright, about 9 Americans, me, 2 Italians, 2 Germans and a few others.  One of them studies Political Science which is cool.  We actually learnt quite a lot in about 2 hours and it was pretty fun.

It snowed ferociously all through Wednesday night so I couldn't really cycle the 30 mins to KUA, and it appeared neither could anyone.  The metro was a nightmare, but I eventually got to class only about 10/15 minutes late.  Lots more learnt again, but at the back of my mind all the time was my essay deadline the following day so I cycled straight home and worked on that all afternoon and into the evening, finally deciding I had done as much as I could do and going to bed at 2am.

Friday started nicely enough, up at quarter to 8 and straight into CSS (city campus) to print my 10 page essay and hand it in.  Went smoothly enough as can be expected.  I was aiming for a maximum of an hour late to Danish class.  Then I got a flat tyre.  Absolute nightmare, was ages from any station, my bike completely unridable, so I walked up to Kongens Nytorv and took my bike to class on the metro.  An hour and a half late for class, and flustered, we learnt 'heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Danish which was pretty fun.  After class went off to find a bike shop to pump up my tyres.  In an unfamiliar part of town, walked in entirely the wrong direction and eventually got to a shop where the man changed my inner immediately for 120 DKK.
Cycled back into town, but missed the Danish class afternoon ice-skating (ie. friend-making activity) Booo.  Met up with Matt who told me he got bitten by a dog in Bulgaria.  Then I made lots of Rabies jokes, and generally had a lovely time.

Today has been lovely, a lie-in even though I wasn't up all night.  I took my books from my essay-writing back to the library which was indescribably tainted by my wonderful, glorious, 'best-mittens-in-the-world' mittens falling out of my pocket as I cycled.  Retraced my cycling but could not see them.  Am very sad.

I've been watching a lot of cycling videos like this one, I had become blasé about it, but Copenhagen is pretty spectacular.

Massive beers, Techno clubs and Frozen beaches

My pal since childhood Tanya arrived in Denmark on the morning of New Years Eve.  I cycled to the metro and metroed to the end of the line to wait in arrivals.  She was slightly delayed but not much so we had plenty of day left to enjoy Denmark in its freezing and foggy state.  I took her back to see my apartment and do a Danish supermarket sweep, then we got the metro to Norreport and I showed her my campus (CSS) and the beautiful frozen lakes.

We saw people avoiding the bridges in between the lakes and striding straight over the ice but were a bit worried of disaster striking and falling to our icy deaths.  Then we saw two little boys with fireworks running across the ice and manned up.

These 10-year old boys were setting off fireworks at 3pm on the frozen lake with no adult supervision.

We then crossed the lake ourselves and went home to rest up for the night ahead.  Tanya started watching a film called Enchanted, and I wanted to kill myself, worst thing I've ever half-watched.  Then we 'got ready' girl style and started on some Rum.  Matt came round to give me back my guitar and catch-up and then left us again.  We eventually realised that we weren't even gonna make it to the city centre for the big moment so rushed off, bumped into Matt and his friends and celebrated the New Year as we ran down Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard towards the fireworks at City Hall Square.  Fireworks had been being set off since about midday and it was insane at night.  There was an official display but everyone had their own fireworks that they held as they exploded, shoved in peoples faces and generally gave little regard for health and safety regulations.  One small boy tossed a lit firework right into my path, genuinely got the fright of my life.

After the countdown, the insane fireworks (that did not stop until it got light) and a swig from a massive Christmas beer, we went back to Norrebro to a student flat for a while and then back into town to Culture Box to have a little dance.

Saturday 1st January 2011 was a beautiful day and eventually Tanya and myself dragged ourselves out of my apartment to have a walk around Norrebro, we ended up walking around for 2 hours solid.  Back to mine for pizza, chips and watching crap on TV before conking out again.

On Sunday we were wonderfully refreshed and went down to Amager to a flea market in Den Bla Hal (The Blue Hall) which was just crazy big and rammed full of a mixture of wonderful (organs, carved wooden tables, and pretty china plates) and just plain weird goods (a pack of Tena lady pads, a stuffed fox and a vast array of horror films).  We then walked 5 minutes to the beach of Amager which was spectacularly beautiful in the sun.  A man was making an ice sculpture of massive slabs of ice on the sea shore.

Heading back into the city, we had traditional 'street' danish hotdogs for lunch. Yummy but way too mustardy.  Here is Tanya with hers.

Then walked over to Nyhavn and saw a beautiful sky above the city and a frozen harbour surrounding this part of the city.

Feeling the chill a little, we walked to The Moose and had some beers in its grubby surroundings and the jukebox was actually playing the most perfect wintry Sunday afternoon music.  Submitted to McDonalds for dinner and enjoyed their mega-chilled soundtrack of Gabrielle and Texas.

Monday we headed to the central shopping streets to see what Danish shops had to offer us and revisit the scene of the NYE firework danger zone.  Then we went down to Christiania and Tanya was full of questions about how such a place existed which I didn't know the answers to.  We had a cup of tea and then went for a walk deep into Christiania, away from the smoking and cafe areas, to the wooden houses and incredibly frozen lake.

This is the lake at Christiania which is huge but completely frozen apart from this tiny section so all the ducks had congregated in this area and they were finding it mighty difficult to climb the icy sides of their paddling pool and kept falling back in.  Ducking crazy.  We then headed back to Norreport to have a delicious half-price dinner at Dalle Valle.  Then Floss for a few beers.

On Tuesday we had an incredibly lazy morning, still in bed at 2pm.  Then up and out to the Danish National Gallery (SMK) followed by a second night with dinner at Dalle Valle.  I should be ashamed but as it is half-price it's like we only ate there one night.  Then raced back to mine for Tanya to grab her bag and leave immediately for the airport.

All in all, a wonderful weekend with a wonderful friend.  Many uncontrollable laughing fits, deep conversations and lots of slipping on ice.

It's the most wonderful time of the year - apparently.

After the stress of pending cancellations and delay, I have done  much sleeping recently.  My flight on Tuesday night only delayed by about 3/4 hours which was nice.  In my Twyford bed by 4am (5am my body time).  In the morning I got up and headed to London to see Vikki, who actually met me off my train at Paddington, without meaning to, we had timed it to perfection.  We went to the National Gallery and then had lunch in a cafe.  £6.50 for a bacon and brie toasted sandwich, fat slice of lemon cake and cup of tea, quite a lovely change from Danish prices.  We went to Brick Lane where I tried on a fetching turban and then got the Central line from Bethnal Green to North Acton (very enjoyable to sit and watch all the uncomfortable commuters.)  Dinner and wine with Vikki and Joe and then my first proper sleep in a while which was nice.  Morning of Chris Moyles on the radio and Starman in my heart and then back to Twyford.

A couple of hours later I met Ali at the station and we went to Reading but the Oakford was full and pompous, had a drink in the Purple Turtle but it was weird in there as well so finally settled in to Queen and Metallica on the jukebox at the Allied Arms.

Christmas Eve, I did some stuff I don't remember and then had a lovely evening at the Waggon and Horses with my good pals Tanya and Phoebe. Woke at 11am on Christmas Day to no presents, no tree, and it was perfect.  Massive lunch with the family and watched Inception in the evening.  On the 27th, Mother Evans and myself went to Bristol to see my Grandmother and Aunt, we had Toad in the Hole and gave presents which was nice.  The last 2 days were just going to the sales (big waste of time), haircut and small errands.  Then I woke at 4.40am on the 30th to go to Gatwick Airport (thanks for the lift Mummy!) and just slept when I got back to Copenhagen.

Cancelled, cancelled cancelled. London Gatwick CLOSED.

This has come to be my worst nightmare.  In 48 hours I should be in the air on my way back to the homeland.  BUT flights are getting cancelled all over the place (my friend Lorelei is staying two extra days in Copenhagen, that she could have spent in Paris) and even if you get to your destination, some cannot get home (this girl I know flew into Stansted instead of Gatwick yesterday morning and got home to Kent this evening - that's a journey of over 30 hours due to bus and train cancellations and the motorway blockages).

Well enough of the travel news, what will be will be.  I am practising positive thinking techniques but am still having nagging thoughts about Christmas in Copenhagen.  It's not really the Christmas part that worries me (as I'm not to big on Christmas, plus I wouldn't be alone, there are people around) but I have been in Denmark for four whole months now and have been looking forward to this brief jaunt which shall include nothing but pure enjoyment for a while now.

So I worked hard on my essay Friday and Saturday and today I had a lovely duck lunch with Lorelei and got hit on at midday on a snowy, busy street.  I really want to get the majority of my 5000 word essay done before England-time so that is my plan for the next two days, hopefully with some fun intertwined with the few people remaining in DK.

Right now I am sat cross-legged on my rug, sorting through all the bits and pieces I have accumulated over the last four months, drinking tea, the room lit by tea lights, its a little bit beautiful.

Although the temp is not going to get above -6.C here before I leave, according to the BBC no more snow is scheduled here or in the Gatwick or Reading areas before Tuesday.  So please everyone, cross your fingers for my return (as that will do as much good as praying - ie. none.) I really make myself chuckle.

Backgammon Champion

So my life has continued to consist of doing work and avoiding doing any sort of work in equal amounts.  The weather has continued to be extremely cold (gonna be -10, feels like -20, this weekend i think), snowy (snowed for about 10 hours today) and generally not as bad as it sounds.  I've got all the gear I need (bought some new lined boots on Monday, which I discovered are really good in the snow today), and can quite enjoy walking around with snow being blasted in my face.  It's really not the tragedy people make it out to be, it's just nature, the world etc.

Events of note include beating Charlie AND Alex at backgammon in Christiania on Friday afternoon, passing my oral exam for Scandinavian Political Systems with a 7 (equivalent of a B i am told) on Monday, walking around in the freezing cold with my friend Lorelei, and discussing the Bronte sisters and Good Charlotte with Matt last night.

Been planning my grand return to England as well, think I'm going to be crazy-busy, but I can't wait to see everyone!

Wow, Another Whole Week???

I have been crap at blogging. Amen.

A Whole Week????

Wow time really does fly when you lock yourself in your apartment away from the snow and (feels like) -20.C temperatures to try and read 1200 pages of political academic literature about the presence of women in Nordic politics but then procrastinate to high hell.

Last week was a mash-up of studying, not studying, eating and sleeping.  On Tuesday I had a pretty interesting class focusing on regionalism in relation to the Middle East, would serve as a great essay writing starting point if I were writing an essay on the Middle East. Haha.  After that I went to the South campus and handed in my application for the pre-semester Danish Language Course at the Department of Scandinavian Studies.

Wednesday I read for my oral exam and went for my penultimate session this year with my tuttee.  It was so good, I cannot describe how much I like the school and tutoring.  Thursday was something like a high of -4.C and a low of -17.C (plus the -10.C winds) so I think I actually stayed home all day long.  And Friday.  And Saturday. Then I got cabin-fever to the extreme and went for a mammoth walk through Copenhagen.  I walked through a snow-covered graveyard in my canvas shoes, down a backstreet where I'm pretty sure I walked right into the middle of some CPH gang activities, paused on Dronning Louises Bro (Queen Louise's Bridge) to watch the pink sun set over the pure white, frozen Peblinge So while the wind blasted my face.  Refreshing.  The snow on the frozen lake had little footprints all over it.  I then walked back to Frederiksberg and (metaphorically) locked myself in my room with my book.

All week it had been sleeting on and off everyday.  On Saturday night I went to sleep with snow, and woke on Sunday with snow.  It continued snowing all day long, the flakes getting bigger and slower as the day went on.  I met Max and Lorelai for lunch and then ice skated the central streets on Copenhagen instead of walking.  These Serbian (?) men with violins were playing some of my most melodically beautiful music I had ever heard outside FootLocker. We went to Abercrombie and Fitch and I wanted to kill myself and everyone in there.  Horrible consumerist, 'lets all own the same things', pretentious schmucks.  Not going there again.  There was a technically good-looking boy stood in the doorway with his shirt open.  Vom.  I then went over to Nyhavn, right out to the sea and watched the snow.  Then I met Matt and we went to Palads Cinema to see Harry Potter 7.  Was okay, I think my expectations were a bit too high.  Totally want a Deathly Hallows necklace for Christmas though and to call my child Xenophilius.

So far this week I have studied and I had a class this morning, but it was pretty boring, nearly fell asleep.  I only went because it is my only class that is still in session and my week needs some sort of structure.

In other news, it is exactly 2 weeks and 11 minutes until I leave Denmark for my 9 day Christmas extravaganza, taking in the wonderful surroundings of London, Twyford and Bristol.  Started making plans already. PSYCHED.