France va au Danemark

As of this weekend, I can proudly say I now have my first travel experience in Europe under my belt.  Early Friday morning, Lesley, Abby, and I jumped on the RER train to the Charles De Gaulle airport and were in the air on our way north to Copenhagen by 2:00pm.  We arrived in Copenhagen around 4:30, and this was the beautiful sunset we saw as we flew in:

Copenhagen is a beautiful city, here are some of the pictures I took on my visit:

Best 7 Eleven ever!

Aggressive birds

Making dinner in Kelly's kitchen

Walking on ice, apparently one of the first days in years this was possible?

Kell is walking on water

As you can see in Kelly's last post, she has a beautiful view over one of Copenhagen's lakes from her apartment window.  On our last afternoon in Copenhagen, we looked out her window and saw dozens and dozens of people just walking around the lake as if it was a park --one of the strangest things I've ever seen!  There were dogs, strollers, bikes, and babies all walking around the ice without a thought in the world.  So of course, Abby, Kelly, and I needed to try this too but as you can imagine, we were a bit hesitant at first...

Nervously testing the water

But we became more comfortable after talking to a Danish man who gave us a little back story and said this was the first day in fifteen years it was possible to walk on the lake because "Copenhagen doesn't get that cold"?? (Kelly thought that was pretty funny).  It is still a mystery to me but I am thankful to have been there on a day where we could walk on the lake!

Danish man with cute puppy on the ice

More stories from Copenhagen will be coming your way soon!  Hopefully Kelly can tell you about their strange habit of leaving babies in strollers on the sidewalks as parents go shopping inside....very interseting.  I heard that a Danish woman tried to pull that in New York City and was arrested but I have no idea if that's actually true.

Hej Hej (pronounced as hi hi!) Kobenhavn!  Or as Kelly taught me this weekend, bye bye Copenhagen!

bisous bisous,

Mary

Greetings from Denmark!!

Hej from København!! 

Hi everyone!! My name is Kelly McNally and I'm studying this semester in Wonderful Copenhagen, as the capital city is often called. Although I have had the time of my life at the University of Virginia these past two and a half years, I just couldn't pass up the unbelievable opportunity I have to live in Europe for the semester. Mary, Shelby, and I, three amigos back at UVA,  are excited to use this blog to record all of our adventures and experiences in Europe as well as share them with loved ones and friends near and far. 

So, where to begin!? I have been in Copenhagen 2 weeks so far and it has definitely been a blur! I am glad to say that I have overcome some early crisis already like my computer breaking, new coat being stolen, heat not working, and a cold. Even with some early difficulties I have been having an incredible time so far! I am living on a street called Gammeltoftsgade right in the heart of Copenhagen, and you can only imagine how thrilled I was to show up to my room the first day and see this view out my window...

The lakes (there are 4 in a row like this with land bridges that separate them) are lined with colorful row buildings that epitomize Copenhagen and are a very popular place for runners and walkers!



The first week was filled with Orientations and scavenger hunts run by DIS, the school I'm studying through. The apartment I am living in is only a 15-20 minute walk to class and literally the heart of the city(city center). The Welcome Party was a great time on Friday night and below you can see Emily (my awesome new roomate from Brown!!) and I.

The next morning we got up and went on a trip through our school to Fredericksborg Castle. It was enormous and so beautiful! Half of it was ruined by fire, but the parts we saw were unbelievable. The weather was freezing and rainy, so it could be worth it to go back in the spring to explore the gardens and surrounding quaint town.

you can see the moat is frozen solid!

 They weren't lying about how cold it is in Scandinavia!

Even making the twenty minute walk to school can feel like a lifetime with twenty mile an hour winds in twenty-something degree weather. I have learned that simply wearing a big, warm coat is not enough. You need a sweater, a jacket/fleece, AND your big, heavy coat accompanied with gloves, warm socks, and a large scarf wrapped strategically so it covers your neck, ears, and half your face haha. and power walk!  

Since I only have class on Mondays and Thursdays I have lots of time to explore Copenhagen during the day. One day I went to Nyhavn (pronounced Nu-hound....I had been pronouncing it Nee-How, and finally asked for the correct pronunciation after two different Danes told me they hadn't heard of that Asian Restaurant...) which is where all of the pictures come from if you Google Copenhagen. Picturesque, colorful row buildings, cafes, and restaurants all lining canals with old sailboats that lead to the harbour. This is by far my favorite place in the city so far!

 FIRST SUNNY DAY!! (Day 6 might I add)

Little cafe's like this one above line the street and come fully equipped with warm blankets and outdoor heaters so the Danes can still enjoy sitting outside. And they definitely do eat outside! The Danes have an unbelievable tolerance for the cold. I have learned that it is because they are trained early to endure the low temperatures because they make the babies nap outside! They believe it is very healthy for the children to sleep in the fresh air (even if the air is below freezing!)  It is also common for Danish mothers to simply leave their babies in strollers outside of stores when they go in to shop or have coffee with a friend. I guess this shows how trusting Danes are and how safe of a city Copenhagen really is.

Anyways, this first post is to simply say hi and give a little introduction to Copenhagen and my semester here! There is so much that has already happened that I will share over the next few posts, like a tour of the city with my "Danish Family" that I signed up for through DIS!

Also, be on the lookout for a post from Mary about her trip here to visit me this weekend!! Lots of good food and fun!!

Hej Hej (pronounced Hi Hi, meaning goodbye) & Godnat! xoxo

Picture Day!

Shelby, Kelly, et moi!

Notre Dame at night!

Favorite grocery store so far in Paris!

Beautiful sunset

 

two euro fromage

Versailles

Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris

Picture I took right off the metro stop for the fashion show

So as I let you all know yesterday, it's haute couture fashion week in Paris!  Tonight was one of the first times a show did not conflict with my class schedule so I was ecstatic to go watch the bustle of people coming to and leaving the Valentino show in the 8th arrondissment.  You can find the schedule and locations of all the shows that happened this week in Paris here:

http://www.modeaparis.com/spip.php?article38#toppage8

After some serious searching, we found the Hotel Salomon de Rothschild where the show was being held and came at the perfect timing.  Upon our arrival, we were stampeded by a group of reporters as Tara Reid (American Pie Star) and her date started walked directly at us.  One of the reporters was backing up so quickly that he almost tripped over the curb and onto us!  I was caught a bit off guard so my pictures of her are not the best. 

We found ourselves at the backstage entrance

Tara Reid and date--can't ya tell?

Real photographer's picture of her...I could truly be in the background of this

Notice my friend Hannah in the background with a trench coat and black boots...I died when I came across this

My favorite celeb, Michelle!!

Hotel Salomon de Rothschild

Paparazzi!

Hotel Saloman de Rothschild

This was my final chance to go to a show this week but no worries, there may be many more fashion show stalking stories in my near future!  The ready-wear Paris fashion week starts March 1st and ends March 9th which will have lots of good blogging material I am sure.  For more info on the Valentino show check this out:

http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/valentino/

It's been an exhausting couple of days with the start of real classes and such this morning so I won't be surprised if I fall asleep within the next hour or so...gotta rest of because this weekend I'm visiting my favorite Danish friend Kelly!!  We will see if we can co-write a post for you guys this weekend and will be sure to document all that we do.  I think Sunday her Danish family is going to give us an authentic tour of Copenhagen!

Bonsoir mes amis!!

Bijoux bijoux, Mary

Félicitations Carol!!

Although today was quite a different experience from our stroll in the park (literally) yesterday, it was still an equally amazing experience.  In our apartment on Boulevard Brune, our study abroad program has designated us with an RA who we can go to with key problems, broken things, etc.  Carol, a 26 year-old PhD student at the Sorbonne is ours and has been one of the most welcoming people I have met since being in Paris.  Carol gave her 3 hour+ dissertation in a tiny library/classroom this afternoon in the Sorbonne and guess who she invited?  Her residents!

La Sorbonne today

The original Sorbonne

This was the first time I had seen the Sorbonne and it is beyond beautiful!  One of the oldest universities in Paris, it sits in a charming area of the Latin Quarter and was very approachable and easy to locate for all of Carol's American residents.

Carol gave her dissertation in front of a board of five French professors.  One professor in particular I found especially interesting: a blonde 60+ aged woman wearing a skirt that ended above her knees and heeled boots that rose above her knee.  And may I add that she did no less than demand the respect of everyone listening to her (I was afraid to take any pictures!).  Maybe because I come from UVA which is considered such a conservative school, I found it very interesting to see the dramatic difference in dress that is accepted as respectable here.  I don't know whether it was because she was dressed from head to toe in black or because she was Parisian that she pulled it off so well--either way this sixty year old woman rocked it.

 Anyways after four hours of the dissertation, a Q&A session, and a reception, the story has a happy ending....Carol received her PhD!

 

Where Carol and the professors spoke was just inside this side of the Sorbonne

La Sorbonne from a street view

Félicitations Carol!!  

Lots to do for me tonight so I apologize for such a short post.  Fun things should be coming your way tomorrow though...It's fashion week in Paris and I am going star stalking.  Three friends of mine saw Kirsten Dunst and Diane Kruger at the Chanel Couture show today...Valentino here I come!

Bijoux bijoux, Mary

le Fameux Chocolat

Bonjour tout le monde!

J'ai eu une journée très intéressante aujourd'hui.  I discovered just last night that there is a once in a lifetime show currently at the Grand Palais near the Louvre showing the biggest collection of Monet in one place the world has ever seen.  The exhibit has brought more people to the Grand Palais than any exhibit has ever drawn in visitors for decades in Paris.  It has been running non-stop since Friday and been open to the public around the clock.  As soon as class was over, I jumped on the metro with a few friends in hopes to stand in line and get into the exhibit.

It was an utter madhouse of people waiting outside in the rain for the final glimpse of the Monet exhibit that would close at 9pm that evening:

 

 

 

Grand Palais from a distance

 

 

 

 

 After less than a half an hour of waiting, we were told that the exhibit would close before we would even come close to reaching the front of the line...did I mention we were there at 4:30?

So onto the next.

We walked around for a while since we were already in such a beautiful area.  We even saw a wedding!

 

 

 Two friends I was with recommended trying a favorite cafe of Coco Chanel as well as many other celebrities called Angelina's across the street from the Louvre.  As our menu informed me, "Angelina's remains a unique setting in which to savour the famous hot chocolate and the unmistakable Mont-Blanc whose secret recipe is still closely guarded after one hundred years."  Both of which I successfully did.  Abby and I decided to split a hot chocolate and Olympe--a macaroon filled with jelly, custard, and raspberries and one of the best desserts I've had since being in Paris.

 

 

 

Olympe--bigger than it looks!

Real and best whipped cream with the chocolat chaud!

For 9 euro, you could take home a whole bottle of the most delicious/richest hot chocolate EVER

Abby, Lesley, Natasha, et Sydney

Abby et moi

After the long but relaxing trip to Angelina's and the sugar overload, Abby (also a 3rd year at UVA) and I decided to at least attempt to walk the 3.5 miles home.    We found ourselves home with sore feet two hours later but the walk was well worth it.  There is nothing like Paris at night.  Our walk took us by the Louvre, Notre Dame, and we could see the beautifully lit Eiffel Tower for much of the walk as well.

Louvre at night!

Notice the top of the Eiffel Tower very very small in the background

Although the day did not go as planned, it was still absolutely incredible and made me feel so thankful to have chosen to come to Paris and to be lucky enough to live in this city for an entire semester.  I can't imagine I will ever get used to seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night or the immense size of the Louvre.  Il a été 2 semaines et je suis tombée en amoureuse avec Paris.  How will I ever leave?

Bonsoir et bijoux bijoux, Mary