Mamma Mia!!

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, I will now tell you about the rest of my weekend! =) Here we go!

So after my tour of Næstved, I managed to catch my bus in time (always a good thing) and I went back home. I was only there for a few hours, however, before I was picked up =)

See, I was going to Copenhagen for the weekend with a family from rotary! How exciting! I was picked up by Marianne Bülow and her sister at about 4, then off to Copenhagen we went! We got into the city at about 6 maybe? not sure, but we parked the car and got out. We walked towards Tivoli (the oldest amusement park in the world) and then we walked towards this restaurant. A really fancy one, I might add. (Better than Applebees ^_^) And we went in and ate dinner there. I MUST tell you, I met probably the nicest waiter in all of my life! He was sooooooooooooooooo nice!!! He heard I didn't speak English, and he spoke directly to me, and he asked about why I was in Denmark and for how long and stuff like that. SO NICE! He had a pretty thick british accent, and I think he said he came to DK in the 80's and just never left ^_^ yea, if it were up to me, I would have tipped him a million kr. He just started off my night amazingly, and when we left, he told me to have the best year and the best time here. Yea, he was awesome =D

After dinner, we walked outside and towards the main entrance to Tivoli. It was all decked out for halloween =D it was great. We were able to go inside and walk aruond the park for a bit. It's closed right now, but will open again next week. We were all just a really special group that got to go in =D Tivoli looks like so much fun, if only I had enough time to come back next summer to go! So we walked around the park and then finally started heading towards the theater house in the park. O yea, I forgot to mention, but I was going to see the musical "Mamma Mia" performed live and in Danish!!!!!! I found out that the play was coming to Denmark a few weeks after I arrived (I saw in a magazine) and I new from that moment that I wanted to go! And then in late Sept. a woman from my rotary club called me and told me she had an extra ticket and would I like to go...WOULD I LIKE TO GO!!!!!! yea, I was sooooo excited and looking forward to going. =DD So we got to the theater house and went inside and waited for us to be allowed to be seated. (I really need to mention, that this wasn't an ordinary showing of the play, it actually doesn't open for another week. But this was a special showing for rotary. This was a fund raiser to get the polio vaccine to the few countries that need it still. I found out just the other day, that with all the money made on this night and the money that Bill Gates has promised to donate, over 100,000 children can now be vaccinated. Way to go rotary! Make a difference in the world!) When we were finally allowed to take our seats we went in. The seats that Marianne had gotten were about 4 rows back from the stage and dead center! Yes, it was amazing. The musical was performed in Danish for the first time, and they all did a marvelous job =D I was able to follow the story and understand a lot, and I was really glad for that. It was an amazing time at the musical. I loved every second of it =D

Then on Sunday (Marianne and I stayed in her flat in Copenhagen for the night), her husband and 2 sons came to see us. We left the house at about 11:30 and set off for a tour around the city of Copenhagen! It was just a lovely time. The best ever. And I thought Næstved was lovely, well it's got nothing on Copenhagen ^_^ we walked down the street and I looked to my left and guess what I saw! The royal guards were marching down the street! No kidding. Haha so we walked a little behind them and walked to the queen's castle and saw the changing of the guards at noon. That was really neat to see. Then after that we walked through the royal garden and saw the new opera house that seats over 1,000 people. We walled down the canal-front and saw the headquarters of the biggest ship building company. It's owned by denmark's rishest man, go figure. We walked all over to where the little mermaid usually sits. She is on vacation in china right now though ^_^ then past this old english church. I saw about twenty churches in Copenhagen I swear =P we went to this old park that's for remembering WWII and all the soldiers. That was really cool to see. And there were statues everywhere in the city! Some kings, some heros and soldiers. Really awesome. After walking for a little over an hour and a half, we made our way back to the flat for some lunch. But on te way, I went into 2 churches. One was a Russian church, and I went to the top and inside the sanctuary, they were having a little ceremony. A baby was being baptized I think. I didn't take any pictures, but that was cool to experience. Then I went to this other church, one of the biggest they told me. It was absolutely gorgeous inside. There was a domed ceiling and all 12 desciples' pictures were up with their names. And there was an old set of organ pipes on one end of the room, and on the opposite end there was a newer set. It was a gorgeous old church. I'm really happy I went inside. Then! We finally got back for lunch.

After lunch, we went out again! But this time we didn't walk very far, we got onto a boat =D and took a canal tour. It was so amazing to see most of Copenhagen from the water. I saw so much, and such beautiful buildings. Once that tour was over, we set out on foot into the dead center of the city. We saw all the shops and I saw some familiar brands =) (Tommy hilfiger, I miss home) haha and gucci! I saw that, and was tempted to go inside =P I got this really delicous hot chocolate from a street vender =) I saw a balloon animal making clown! And some of the most 'hygglidt' (cozy) things in Copenhagen, there we little cafes with seats outside about every 30 meters, I swear! And there was a fire outside next to the tables sometimes, and usually there were fuzzy warm blankets on each chair outside. How cozy!! I want to go to one =P (I learned this is just a recent phenomonon in DK, only the past 10 yrs or so.) there was one last sight to see in Copenhagen before the day was done! So we walked over to this other church with a huge cylindrical tower right next to it. Guess what we were going to do =P I don't remember if I have ever mentioned it, but I'm deathly afraid of heights ^_^ however, I haven't once given up a chance to go up high when someone asks =P up the tower we went! This was no ordinary tower though. No stairs. Inside it was jst a spiralled incline. All the way to the top. (there was a floor with a modern art museum in it. I really am not fond of modern art. It doesn't speak to me at all. I could make art like that, people) but finally we made it to the top. It was gorgeous to see all of Copenhagen from a birds eye view. Loved it. This was one of the highlights of my trip =) and then, the trip was over. =( we headed home after eating again at about 8? I didntt get home until almost 10, so yea haha it was a great trip though =D

So that! My friends is the rest of my weekend. I'm hoping to be posting pictures here soon. So please come back and check them out. Take care of yourself! Miss you all. Keep reading, and keep questioning and commenting. Love you!
Rebekah<3

THINGS IVE LEARNED::
-It's not uncommon at all for guys (haven't seen a girl do it yet) to wear the same outfit two days in a row.
-scarves are super popular here, even among the guys.
-big, clunky looking wedge shoes are 'in'. They looked awkward at first, but I really want a pair.
-most girls wear some type of heel everyday whether it's a wedge, boots, or stilettos.
-if you're riding a bike, it seems like it's safer than walking. Cars will stop for bikers crossing the street, but if you're on foot, they WILL hit you ^_^ (that's not actually true, but it seems like it. Very different from Newport where pedestrians have the rght of way no matter what)
-a lot of people consider going to McDonalds a real novelty and treat. Most people go at MOST once a month. But that is a lot!
-WINTER IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is now frost on the ground in the mornings, and it is near 0°C, luckily, I won't have to ride my bike from Nov 13 on. (I switch families)
-in Taiwan they don't celebrate Christmas =((( (my second family has a son there right now)

KEEP READING! THANK YOU! love!