Week #3

Friday, August 9:

GERMANY!  This meant a total of 6 hours traveling time.  2 hours driving to the ferry, 2 hours on the ferry, and 2 hours driving after to reach our first destination Berlin.  Germany is notorious for their highways with no speed limit, so it was interesting being passed while driving 85+ mph.  Our apartment is right next to where the Berlin Wall used to stand (we are technically on the West side.)  When we arrived, we did some grocery shopping, made currywurst (classic German dish) and salad for dinner, and called it a night (except not really because our apartment is haunted I swear.)

Ost-West Cafe

Saturday, August 10:

Today we went on this really awesome Fat Tire Bike Tour around Berlin.  Everywhere you look there is a piece of history, which is usually linked to WWII and the Holocaust.  We saw so much, including the Berlin Wall, Hitler's Bunker, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and more.  This link explains the major highlights of the tour. After the bike tour, we walked back to Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin Wall to read more about the history and see the exhibit behind the wall.  It's amazing to think that the wall didn't come down until 1989!  After this we went to a street vendor and got bratwurst for dinner, then hopped into Einstein Cafe to split some chocolate cake and a Belgian waffle.  We took the metro home and Shona and I went out for the night which was really fun!  We ran into some street stalls and then went to a Weekend Rooftop Bar with spectacular views of the city.  Of course, Berliners don't come out at night until around 2am, but us Craig's always have busy days planned so we got the metro home before then.

Checkpoint Charlie

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Berlin Wall

Weekend Rooftop

Sunday, August 11:

Today, we walked around one of Berlin's top tourist attractions - the Mauerpark Flea Market.  This market was the most crowded market I've ever been to, it took hours just to get down a few isles.  For lunch we found this food cart in the center of the market called Vegan Day Burger.  Probably the best non-meat burger I've ever had.  In the park right next to the market they had karaoke on this massive stone stage which we ended up watching for 4 hours it was so hilarious.  We then walked a trail in "no-man's land" (the area between the inner wall and the Berlin wall which made it nearly impossible to escape East Germany.)  There was information about this area, memorials, and markers where the successful and unsuccessful underground escape tunnels were.  We then grabbed some delicious pizza and went to a wine bar where you pay what you think your wine is worth.  This place was packed for a Sunday night. 

Karaoke

Helping Shona escape

Monday, August 12:

We left Berlin this morning and drove to our next destination in Lübeck.  Along the way, we stopped at Charlottenburg Palace and the 1936 Olympic Stadium (these Olympics had a lot of controversy because they were run by Hitler.)  We ate our pack lunch in the King's Sans Souci (No Worries) garden, then drove approximately 3 hours to Lübeck.  We did some grocery shopping for the apartment, made dinner, had toblerone cake for dessert (it exists!!), then I had to sort through a lot of DIS emails about classes and orientation week.  I'm starting to get nervous there's so much I have to do before move-in day on Sunday, but also so much to see here in Germany. 

Charlottenburg Palace

Olympic Stadium

Sans Souci

Tuesday, August 13:

Hamburg was our destination today!  We took a 45 minute train from Lübeck and then took a walking tour around the city.  I came to the conclusion that I like Hamburg better than Berlin.  It feels more European and the people are friendlier.  All day the weather was crazy!  Very cold, windy, and rainy, with random bursts of sunshine to slightly warm our faces.  After the walking tour, we walked through the red-light district Reeperbahn (where the Beatles played when they first started) which was interesting to say the least.  We then had hamburgers in Hamburg.  I can check that off my list. 

The Craig Family as the Beatles

Wednesday, August 14:

In the morning, we walked around a cute little beach town near Lübeck and ate our lunch on the waterfront.  We walked around Lübeck in the afternoon and ventured into marzipanland.  Literally everything marzipan.  We shared some marzipan cake and marzipan hot chocolate and walked around a marzipan museum.  We ate dinner in a classic German-style restaurant that was underground and looked like a dungeon. 

Beach Town

Marzipan Cake

Thursday, August 15:

LEGOLAND!!!  So excited for this day!  We left Germany and drove 3 hours up to Billund, Denmark.  Legos were invented in Denmark, so this is a big deal.  The last time I went to a Legoland I was 8 and it was in San Diego (so not as legit as the real original Legoland in Denmark.)  As a kid, I had a huge desire to drive, so when I went to Legoland I'm pretty sure all I did was drive the lego cars all day.  This time, sadly, I am too old to partake in that activity but it was fun to watch the little kids and reminisce.  We walked around Miniland and went on some different rides.  Fun fun fun.  We then drove to meet some of my Dad's colleagues for dinner which was really great because we got to meet her kids and talk to them about travel and everything that is SO much better in Denmark than the US - for example the students actually GET PAID to go to school.  The government pays you to study.  Why was I not born here?  There are lots of other things like free health care, paid maternity and paternity leave, etc etc I could go on forever about how awesome this country is.  After a delicious dinner, we drove to our new apartment in Aarhus.  

Legoland!

Nyhavn made out of legos

Friday, August 16:

We didn't do too much today in Aarhus, just strolled down the main shopping street (everything in Denmark is so expensive) and then went to the ARoS Aarhus Art Museum which was really interesting.  They have a circular rainbow walkway at the top of the building so you can see the city through different color screens.  Not sure what the plan is tonight exactly but we will probably walk around the harbor and get some dinner.  

ARoS Aarhus Art Museum

Crouching Boy

Tomorrow we head back to Copenhagen (another 3 hour drive) with some stops along the way at Hans Christian Andersen's House.  Our house swap family has invited us over for dinner which will be fun (and interesting being guests in the house we lived in for 2 weeks.)

On Sunday,  I move into the Green House Living and Learning Community, meet my 2 roommates as well as 20 other housemates, and start my orientation which continues through Wednesday with various activities and sessions.  It's always sad when my family adventures come to an end, but I'm excited (and really nervous) to start my own adventures in Copenhagen.