Spring Break – Denmark and Sweden

On Wednesday I got to see Six the musical. I would say it was the most entertaining thing I have done since coming abroad. The music was amazing, it was funny, and the costumes and special effects were very flashy. Six is about King Henry VIII’s six wives, and the play compares their lives. I loved it!

Thursday morning I got up early to go to the airport. An American friend had a flight leaving from the same airport at the same time as me, so we went together. Kingston University is on a week-long break from class, so I planned a trip to Denmark and Sweden. I landed in Copenhagen in the afternoon and spent three days there. I really enjoyed it – it felt cozy and the food was great. I can see why Denmark is known for having some of the happiest citizens in the world. I got to see museums, cool sights, and rode a boat through the canals around the city.

On Sunday I went to Malmö, Sweden which was a short train ride from Copenhagen. I only planned to spend one day there, and looking back, I wish I hadn’t made that one day a Sunday. Most things were closed, and it was so windy and cold I found myself constantly looking for shelter while I was out and about. Despite that, I got to see some cool museums and a famous sculpture which I have learned about in my art classes back in the states. It is called the non-violence statue, and it’s a pistol with its barrel twisted into a knot. Of everything I visited, the Disgusting Food museum was my favorite. It showcases weird and disgusting food from around the world. They have places where you can sniff some of the food. It was, in fact, disgusting. It was really fun and informative though! At the end they had a place to sample foods found in the museum, and I decided to try durian. Durian is a fruit that smells extremely strong. Some people don’t mind the smell, but I thought it was horrible. The museum worker assured me the fruit tasted better than it smelled.

The sample was no larger than my pinky fingernail. I popped it in my mouth. The first couple of seconds were fine, and then suddenly the taste kicked in. I frantically rushed past the tasting bar and sped out of the museum. The aftertaste wasn’t going away. I found a nearby 7/11 and bought a chocolate bar. It was too windy and cold to expose my bare hands and eat the chocolate then and there, so I had to make it to my hostel. Luckily it was a short walk, but I was gagging the whole way. I checked into reception and had to pretend I was okay. I was not okay.

I retreated to a random room in the lobby and I ate the chocolate as quickly as I could. Finally, the durian taste was gone. To me, it did taste as bad as it smelled. As you might guess, I was a little exhausted at this point and I was eager to settle into my bed. As I found my room, I started to think that this building didn’t really feel like a hostel. It seemed too nice.

I scanned into my room, only to realize I had booked a HOTEL. Not a hostel! I don’t remember booking a hotel, but it must have been cheaper than a hostel somehow. I was very excited to have my own room and shower. I like to have my own space, and three days in a row in Copenhagen in a 12-person bunk room was a little tiring for me. The next day I rode a train for five hours to get to Stockholm, where I am writing now.

Stockholm reminds me of London, but the architecture looks prettier. I am really enjoying it. Many of my ancestors are Swedish, so it is cool to be here! I fly back to London on Thursday. As much as I’m having fun, I am excited to get back home. My University is going on strike, and I think I will have less classes to go to over the next couple of weeks. I’m going to spend this extra time cooking, writing my essays, volunteering, and planning my last couple of trips!

(Pictures: Non-Violence statue, Malmo. A view down a canal in Copenhagen, Denmark)