Wasa Crackers Are Norwegian?!?

Apparently, arriving in Oslo on a Thursday is not a good idea because nothing is open, so I had to manage the first 24 hours fueled by little more than a red bull and some (evidently Norwegian) Wasa crackers. I definitely did not enjoy the hostel I stayed at here (loud upstairs neighbors with a habit of dropping things, hot rooms, and only one bathroom) and as a result I spent as much time in the city and as little in my room as possible. As I was only in Oslo for essentially 2 days, I hopped on the big red tour bus and saw a quick overview of the city before deciding where I would allocate my time. I spent a whole morning museum-hopping in the north of the city, visiting a Viking Ship museum and a Cultural/Norse History museum. The Viking Ship museum was small, but really interesting. There were 2 full sized Viking ships there as well as a small burial ship (Vikings buried their dead at sea) and a lot of Viking paraphernalia. One of the coolest artifacts that they had in my opinion was an original boat ornament in the shape of a serpent. These were often used to decorate the bow and stern of the ship. The detail was incredible and after a little research I learned that they are a reference to an Old Norse tale about a monsterous sea serpent known as Midgardsorm who was said to be large enough to encircle the globe.

            The other museum I went to was primarily an open-air museum consisting of old buildings. There was an entirely recreated Old Norse village complete with English townhouses for rich Brits in town for the hunt, several apothecaries and a local craft house with woodwork and pottery. There was also an ancient Norse church. The structure itself was beautiful and apparently its one of only 28 remaining examples of this type of Norse architecture. A fun fact about the church is that both crosses and dragonheads are carved into the steeples of the church to represent both Christianity and Old Norse Mythology (it is considered “safer” this way).

            I also visited a park known as Vigiland Sculpture Park, named after the artist who placed the hundreds of sculptures there. Aside from the fact that this is easily one of the most beautiful parks I have been to in Europe, the statues were absolutely stunning. They depict various stages of the circle of life, from birth to death, and the most striking thing about them, aside from the clear artistic credibility, is how astoundingly dynamic many of the poses are. You begin your walk through the park at a beautiful gate, from which you can see the park’s crowning jewel, a stunning fountain in front of a massive pillar. You walk slowly alone a bridge, flanked on both sides by statues depicting men women and children dancing, fighting, playing, and merely standing. As you approach the fountain, you can see that four male statues sink under the weight of the bowl on top spouting water and the surrounding figures are all people, carved into stone trees. Proceeding past the fountain, you climb an impossible number of steps to the giant pillar and surrounding pensive statues. Upon closer inspection, it becomes that the pillar is in fact made of hundreds of people, carved into the stone. Men, women and children of all ages stacked upon and entangled with each other. It is haunting, evocative and beautiful.

A Study of Food, Foreign Language, and Ego

Despite Paris’s world-renowned beauty, countless excellent shopping spots, and the chance to really practice my French, there is one reason in particular that I have been looking forward to my second trip to Paris essentially since the end of the last one. It’s called Pain, Vin, Fromage and it is one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys bread, wine, or cheese! It is a tiny place down a street barely wide enough for one car, and it is owned and operated by a few gentlemen who do all the cooking and serving. They have two seatings per night and if your table isn’t ready you have to wait outside because there simply isn’t standing room inside. We’ve never tried anything off the menu besides the fondue and the raclette but they number among the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve had fondue in many countries). After a few months of British “vegetarian” food (namely boiled veggies) this was a welcome change of pace.

            After getting off to such a good start, the trip continued to improve. The weather was beautiful and we had time to really just wander around since we had done most of the touristy things back in December. We did a river cruise to see the city from a different 

angle and went to see the Eiffel Tower at night when it was all lit up (definitely a sight worth seeing, even if you have to brave the cold). We spent an afternoon in the Orangerie, admiring Monet’s giant “Water Lillies” and of course, popped into Louis Vuitton to scope out the latest high fashion handbags (and maybe purchase a wallet or two). I also had many chances to work on my French; from ordering a mid-afternoon snack in a café to conversing with a friendly taxi driver who wanted my opinion on a gift for his girlfriend.

            One of the best things to do in Paris if you have the opportunity is take a cooking class. Where better to learn how to cook than in a country that views food not as a necessity, but as a medium with which to create art? The place where I have now taken two cooking classes is called Cookn With Class and the classes are all in English and taught by really friendly and knowledgeable instructors. We tried to take a Vegetarian Market Class this time around, but there was a little mix up about the meeting lace and we didn’t end up finding our instructor, so we were rescheduled for a regular evening Market class. It was a great experience! A young Californian woman named Bernadette who has been living in France for four years and works in two restaurants when she isn’t teaching instructed us. The basic setup of the class, is a trip to the local market to pick out all of the ingredients fresh for the meal, followed by an intensive 3-4 hour cooking lesson in which you learn and prepare the entire three-course meal, chatting with the other participants and sipping red wine throughout. Even if cooking seems a daunting task to you, this class is really enjoyable and you will learn some recipes to impress all who visit you for dinner (I learned how to make chocolate lava cake really fancy like they do in nice restaurants)!

On our last day in Paris, we decided to do a little exploring and ventured outside of the city to Versailles. It was about a 40-minute train ride, and definitely worth it to see the beautiful palace and gardens built there by Louis XIV. The whole castle simply oozed extravagance, from the rich dark woods to the red velvet curtains to the gold filigree ornamenting every room.  Furthermore, there was an exhibit on display in the palace displaying thrones from all over the world, from the squat wooden stools of tribal communities to the extravagant red and gold thrones of the European monarchs. As we walked from room to room, we were constantly bombarded with Louis XIV’s monsterous ego, whether it was a bust greeting passersby or a massive painting of Louis in dress that coordinates with the room’s theme.  Definitely an interesting way to finish up our time in Paris. 

   

Cheers To The Royal Couple and God Save the Queen

The opportunity to be in London for the May 29^th Royal Wedding between Prince William and Lady Catherine Middleton was one of those absolutely irreplaceable once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can tell your children about someday and I must say it certainly did not disappoint. I am so grateful to have had the chance to experience such an amazing event and I have the photos and memories to last a lifetime.

While we could not actually attend the wedding unfortunately (I believe that my personal invitation from the Royal Family was lost in the mail) we did manage to find a little patch of pavement in Trafalgar square where it was being broadcast on a jumbo screen in the midst of a Royal Wedding street party fueled by champagne and a traditionally British concoction known as “Pimm’s”. There was a live band playing covers of famous love songs, and the Mayor made a short appearance after the ceremony to present the crowd with the gift prepared for Kate and Wills (a two-seater bicycle; it amused many members of the crowd). We were able to watch the entire ceremony on the screen, from the vows to the fighter plane salute that flew by over head all the way to the second (yes, second!) kiss on the balcony, all the while enjoying the bubbling excitement and fervid flag-waving surrounding us. At one point, the news crews cut to Trafalgar square and confetti canons set off all around us followed by a roar of pride from all those present and a surge of even more vigorous flag-brandishing.

The noise was deafening and the genuine pride and excitement was palpable all day, even after the crowds began to disperse into assorted celebratory pub-crawls. It was a contagious energy, and everywhere you turned there seemed to be people chattering away in enthusiastically clipped British or singing “God Save The Queen” and wielding flags before them like swords. Abandoned Pimm’s cups and confetti littered the street and street sellers hawked their Kate and Wills paraphernalia to passing crowds of consumers eager to own a souvenir or two to remind them of the events. I did, of course, buy a souvenir, but I managed to refrain from purchasing a “Will and Kate Tea Towel” or an “It Should Have Been Me” plate and instead opted for a small china jewelry box in the Will and Kate Royal China print. Someday, it will sit on my souvenir bookshelf, filled with the handful of confetti I caught in Trafalgar Square, and every time I look at it, a small wave of nostalgia will wash over me as I think of the patriotism and manifest excitement that prevailed in London on May 29^th 2011.    

Being American Can Be A Novelty

I love port-cities. I’ve always had a connection with the ocean, sprouting from childhood summer days spent at the beach in Winthrop and Boston’s gorgeous aquarium and seafront views; so coastal cities remind me a little bit of home and combine two of my favorite places, the city and the beach. Copenhagen is no exception and the cobblestone streets and active fishing and sailing communities were a taste of home. However there is a distinctive European twist with all of the dainty canals and the gorgeous traditional Dutch houses lining the roads, useful footbridges spread throughout.

            My favorite part of Copenhagen is an area known as Nyhevn, and it is a manmade canal originally designed to allow shippers to bring their goods all the way up to the old town center. It used to be the “Red light District” of Copenhagen known for the illicit behaviors that were common there as a result of the concentration of sailors. Now however, it is lined with nice restaurants and beautiful family boats, and is literally one of the most colorful places in Copenhagen with houses painted in all colors and boats made of rich woods. In regards to the title, in Nyhevn, I asked a lovely Polish couple is they would mind taking a photo of me and they agreed without hesitation. Following a 5 minute photo shoot in which the wife ordered me around into different positions so as to get the best photo possible, she politely asked if I would mind posing for a picture with her. Suddenly reminded of a time a few years back in Japan when my siblings and I were begged by Japanese school children to take photos with them, I agreed hesitantly. She was thrilled, and assured me that she would be the talk of her friends for having a photo taken with an American. I hadn’t ever considered myself an exotic species before, but I was flattered nonetheless.

            Hans Christian Anderson lived in this area in Copenhagen and wrote many of his stories while there. The most famous in the area is “The Little Mermaid” and there is a hauntingly beautiful statue of her situated in the harbor. Although the Disney movie is fun and I adored it as a child, the original story is much darker and in my opinion, much better. The story is memorialized in the form of a beautiful statue, known globally for twice losing its head. Seated on a rock just feet from the water, she turns her head, eyes downcast, no doubt preparing for her impending death in the wake of an unrequited love.

            After exhausting the cities tourist attractions on both the hop on hop off bus and a hop on hop off canal boat tour, I meandered down the cities main shopping street that stretches from Nyhavn all the way to the government district and is cited as one of Europe’s longest pedestrian walkways. I did a little shopping, but mostly just explored the area, turning at random down tiny eccentric side streets and trying not to lose my way. After a long day of navigating and cobblestone tromping, I treated myself to some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

            On my final day in Copenhagen, I decided to really step out of my comfort zone and voluntarily climb to one of the highest points in Copenhagen, the Our Savior’s church steeple. I should point out here that I am terrified of heights and not only is this church steeple more than 15 stories off the ground, the last 2 stories are scaled via an outdoor spiral staircase wrapping around the church. I started out strong, barreling through the first few stories without much problem other than a rising temperature, but a quick look out a window and I started to lose my nerve. Determined to complete the task I had set out for, I convinced myself that the view and the photos I would get (not to mention the bragging rights) would be worth the fear and climbed the rest of the way to the top. When I got to the outdoor portion of the staircase my knees began to shake, but I had already climbed most of the way so with the last of my courage I stepped out into the wind and the sunshine and began my final ascent. Little children went flying past me, adding to my fear and I flattened myself against the tower to allow some rather large tourists to pass on their way down. Upon reaching the top I managed to take some fantastic photos of the city, but I didn’t really feel any pride until I was back on the ground twenty minutes later, staring up at the tower. Definitely an exhilarating way to end my time in Denmark!

Side note:BEST chai tea I've ever had came from this guy right here.

There Are Cowboys in the Lobby!

The weather was beautiful for the whole trip and there was so much history and culture to explore that I was busy for the whole four days I was in Berlin. I also got to catch up with a friend who attended Moira for 3 months earlier this year, so I was really glad I went. Despite and eccentric hostel (yes, there really were cowboys in the lobby one night, an army of Justin Bieber clones another) the city was as beautiful and historic as I’d heard.

World War II fascinates me and one of my favorite history courses in high school was Modern European History. I even wrote my thesis paper about Hitler and his impact on global dystopian literature during that time period. I saw the Wall and the Brandeburg Gate and Checkpoint Charley and learned about all of the restoration work that has taken place since the 40’s. It’s amazing to think that just 70 years ago the city was practically in ruins, and now it is a vibrant bustling metropolitan to rival London and Paris. I made sure to take some photos around the Brandeburg gate, where the iconic photos of Hitler’s army were taken, and stood at Checkpoint Charlie looking down the street at where a piece of the wall still stands, one foot in what was Soviet territory and the other in what was American territory.

Obviously one of the most well known landmarks in Berlin is the Berlin wall, which fell in 1989. I was instantly captured by the images of the soviet era and the stories that the graffiti on the wall seemed to tell. Although it was a beautiful warm sunny day when I went to visit, and I even posed smiling in front of the wall, I couldn’t help but feel a nearly tangible melancholy in the air. Small groups gathered around photos of the Nazi army marching the streets or of rebellious teenagers sitting atop the wall hurling insults and anyone who would listen, and not one of them smiled. Since visiting this historical monument, I have read countless stories about escape attempts (both successful and failed) including one that I particularly enjoyed about a set of three brothers who all successfully “jumped” the wall by the names of Ingo, Holger, and Egbert Bethke. The first brother floated down the river on a mattress to escape detection. The second, used a system of arrows and cables (yes he actually shot an arrow over the Berlin wall and snaked a cable down the line) to cross the successfully. However, when it came time for the youngest, Egbert, to give it a go, he sought some help from his two brothers. Together, they flew two ultra light planes, one to pick up Egbert and one to VIDEOTAPE the affair. After painting them with the Russian stars, they crossed the wall and picked up Egbert then went on a short joyride around Eastern Berlin before touching down in the American part safely. The brothers have since been quoted saying that if they’d known then that the wall would fall the same year, they would have done it anyway. A bit off-topic, but its this sort of heroic story of 3 parts ingenuity and 1 part lionhearted stupidity that I think comprise and important part of this monuments history.

On my last day in Berlin, after Linds had left me to head back to school, I met with a good friend of mine who lives just outside Berlin. We met this year, when she came to study at Moira for three months, but I hadn’t seen her since December, so I was really excited. We walked around central Berlin for a while just catching up before grabbing lunch at a nice restaurant in the train station. She taught me a little bit about the German train system and showed me where her house was on the map as we headed out of central Berlin a bit to go see a square she enjoyed sitting in. As it turns out, there was a little market set up in the square, styled similarly to the Christmas markets that spring up all over Europe during the holiday season. We spent an hour or so walking around and munching on some little treats, and before we said goodbye she gave me a traditional German cookie similar to gingerbread as a parting gift.