I went on a tour to Denmark with my choir. It was bundles of fun. I got to hang out with friends, meet new people, see a new city and country, and have a good time.
We met at the ferry terminal at 06:30, just a little early. My friends at school were jealous that I got the day off, but when I told them what time we were leaving they were glad to start school at08:20. Anyway, the ferry left at 8. We had to get there early to put everything in the bus and get our tickets and everything sorted out. On the ferry we got the breakfast buffet. That was good, and I haven't had a buffet since I left the US. I guess it's not too common in Norway. So on the ferry we basically ate, sat and talked, and some went to the tax free store. The ferry ride was 2 hours and 30 minutes from Sandefjord to Strömstad, Sweden.
Once we got to Sweden we got off the boat and onto the bus. We were on the bus for 5 hours before we stopped at a mall in Sweden to buy lunch. Then, after that 30 minute stop we were back on the road. On the bus we watched the movie A Walk to Remember, let me just say, that is not a bus ride movie; it is sad and i cried, but when you are on a bus you really do t want to ball your eyes out in front of everyone, so you put on your sunglasses and act like you are coughing :). For another 3 hours we drove, until we finally arrived at the hostel we would be inhabiting in Denmark! After about 20 minutes in the hostile, just enough time to get our keys, find our rooms, and move in, we left in the bus again. But this time we were on our way to Tivoli.
Tivoli is an amusement park in Copenhagen. But to me, it felt like more of a carnival. It had games, rides, and restaurants. But you had to pay for tickets to each ride. But it was really fun! We ate at a Chinese restaurant in the park. Then we walked around, it was a very cozy park. Then me and 2 other went on, what I would call the Supreme Scream because that is what it is called at Knott's Berry Farm, back where I live in the states. But if you don't know why Supreme Scream is, then it is the ride that you go really high up, then it drops you down really fast. It was fun. But, what I learned is Norwegians, in general, are not very fond of roller coasters. They thought almost every roller coaster was big and too scary. I didn't understand, because I have been going to amusement parks and I have been on roller coasters since the age of 5 (or as soon as I was tall enough to ride them).
Then there was a concert in the center square of Tivoli. And afterwards I bought a cotton candy, I wanted to be really cliche.
 |
| Jenny and I |
 |
| A ride at the park |
 |
| The concert |
Then, we all met up, took a group picture and were back on the bus by midnight.
At the hostel, we basically all just died and went to sleep.
The next day we had breakfast at 09:00 and by 10 we were on the bus and driving into the city. Today we were just hanging out in Copenhagen. I would have loved to have gone sightseeing, but no one else wanted to and we weren't allowed to I alone. Everyone else wanted to go shopping. Copenhagen ha better stores and things are a little cheaper than in Norway. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy shopping, I am just saying that now I want to go back to Copenhagen to see the sites :-).
 |
| Me in the city center |
 |
| The city center |
 |
| People playing music in the main square |
 |
| A random train in the city |
They had a lot of American stores there and all the Norwegians were really excited to shop there because they had only heard about these stores.
 |
| Anna's first time in Sephora |
 |
| Me and Anna |
 |
| Me eating the red hot dog |
Then after a long day of shopping, the whole choir met up and we went out for ice cream. Then we walked back to the bus and back to the hostel. We had 2 hours to relax and get ready for dinner. For dinner we went to an Italian buffet. (Another buffet! The weird thing is I used to be able to eat maybe 4 servings at a buffet with different foods, but at this buffet I could only have one serving before I was stuffed. I think my American stomach has shrank....).
Then, there is a bridge in Copenhagen where people hang locks. It is usually where couples go to hang a lock and throw the key to show that they will be together forever. But, everyone in the choir hung their own luck and wrote whatever they wanted to on it. In mine I wrote on one side: having the experience of a life time USA --> Norway. And on the otherwise I wrote: never stop enjoying life. 2012-2013.
 |
| Where we hung our locks |
 |
| My lock |
 |
After we hung the locks we all went to the movies together. We saw Silver Linings Playbook. It was a really sweet film. And thank the heavens it was in English, because if we saw a Danish film I believe I would have understood next to nothing. Yes, Danish and Norwegian are very similar languages, Norwegian kind of, in a way, came from Danish because Norway was under Danish rule in the past, and when you read Danish it is almost deny octal to Norwegian. However, when you hear Danish it sounds nothing like Norwegian, at least not to me. Norwegians say that Danes speak like they have a potato in their throat. I don't know if that is true, I just know that when they spoke Danish to me I just smiled and nodded and hoped they don't say anything important.
After thy we went back to the hostel and slept.
The next morning we had breakfast from 08:30-09:00 and were on the bus at 09:15. We drove to the Norwegian Seaman's Church. There we attended the Sunday service and sang 4 songs for them. It was really nice. The we had a coffee and some cake there and themes were back in the bus and back on the road. Again, an 8 hour bus ride, with one stop half way through, then a 2 and a half hour ferry ride.
The ferry ride on the way back was awful. We had a dinner and dessert buffet, which was good. But basically right after we finished the buffet the waves got big, it started raining, and the boat was rocking a lot! I am glad I don't get easily sea sick, but I know a lot of others did. We got back to Sandefjord at 23:00. And I was happy to be on solid ground again. When I got home I took a shower right aw at, because I had forgotten my shampoo at home, so at the hostel I washed my hair with body lotion (not a good idea and I don't recommend it). Then, after my shower I basically died from exhaustion Then, lucky me, I had school the next day :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment