Ohhh Buddy!

Often uttered when he just asphyxiated you...I don't have any luck, Buddy is about my size now, at 8 months old.
Here's the beast with his 'Mummy'..hehehe


And here are 4 happy shoppers on the Stroget
. J. still loves wearing caps, and L. is keen on paper napkins, so all visitors out there, bring some of those to the young couple. If however you pass by London, bring me some candy...hihihi

I'll eventually snap back to the present time at some point, and live a normal life. Until then, let me hang on to my past...

hvor er in tog station?

I am not even quite sure it's grammatically correct. The original version that I could extract from my residual memory was: 'hvor er el toiletett?'which is a very useful question when looking for the 'powder room'. In this case, the sentence was used to interrogate a bemused salesman in a gas station, when trying to find Fredensborg train station. I even did the 'tchoutchou' sound, and another patron took pity and gave me directions in English (courtesy of Danish TV which dubbs rarely).

What's this all about anyway? Well, a long weekend in Denmark, to attend the wedding of J. & L., blissfully married on this nice last Staurday afternoon of June. R. and I experienced a full Danish wedding, with hilarious speeches, songs, quizz games, and of me (and other ladies at the reception) kissing the groom as soon as the bride went for the 'toilettet' (R. going for the bride when he goes)...and the dancing on live disco music, always so much fun!


Most importantly, and on the young couple's request, everyone dressed up according to their table theme: halloween trick or treaters, Christmas characters, pirates, cowboys, hawaian party goers, or Chicago gangsters. Everyone made a huge efforts and many had it down to the last details: boa scarves, jingle bells, Santa present bag, cowboy guns, cigarettes holders, vests and hats...it was the most amazing showing of costumes...and an unforgetable hunger for life, fun and food! Everyone were very kind and took pity on us foreigner with no notion of Danish.


While the S. enjoyed their honeymoon, R. and I drove around with caution (missig the passenger window that shattered and fell on my lap), exploring the area...well, actually retraced our steps to the Fredericksborg castle in Hillrod. We were looking for Ullrod I think, but I suck at directions so we ended up going to the same pkace J. took us two days before...And of course chillig in the house doing nothing but taking cat naps and playing with Buddy (who can poison a whole house with his farts).



I will remember this trip in Denmark fondly as those two showed me how it is to be in that happy place they see in each other's eyes...(sigh) And I have gained a whole new family in Denmark...people so friendly, simple and generous..

John Smith and Pocahontas

Today lots of things happened: I woke up at 9am for no reason, when I had nothing planned for the morning. All I had to do was to join Zab at University to grab lunch, a giant XXL modified Scnitzel (with ham and cheese inside). I managed to drag myself to the Belvedere castle under the scortching heat.
This is the residence of Eugene de Savoy, a Frenchman who defended Vienna back in the days:)



I could have explored the botanical garden nearby but I was drenched in sweat so headed home instead to have a nap. Later in the evening, John Smith and Pocahontas decided to have a little paddling afternoon on the Old Danube. So we sailed passed little bridges, passed the naked naturists, passed the various rowing boats and even a beautiful swan.



Then headed for the waterfront grill restaurant that had the slowest service ever in the history of serving drinks...we even got yelled at because we sat at a table of 6 and there were only 2 of us. But hte spare ribs were awesome and I know for sure now I'm completely hopeless in loosing that belly of mine.

Mozart concert and koalas...

Sunday morning rain is falling....and we had to go to a Mozart concert at 11am. After much cleaning and no eating (still digesting last night's fajitas), we headed out driving to the concert hall.


Only the second movement of the last piece was known to us, plebeians, and we were so happy we almost forgot we spent the whole concert jumping from one foot to another as we had...standing 'seats'...
Most impressive was the conductor who was also the piano soloist. So he would conduct when he was not playing his part.

Got gyros and moussaka for lunch, then headed for the summer residence of imperatrice Sissi...We headed straight for the garden, passed the maze and went straight for the zoo.


We managed to see the classic ones, including the pouting koala and the invisible giant pandas...

Traditional Vienna: Clergy and Army

We managed to spot a real monk in Stephan's Dom.


And we also saw these two weird guards guarding the Hofburg castle.

Finished the evening watching some guy doing haircuts onstage with techno music (Hair salon: black and white in colour) and walked home in disgust to get drunk on Pimm's and lemonade and lemon liquor....

Swimming in Wien and drinking Weissgespritzt

Watching the Old Danube....

Day 1 - memories of Vienna and lost in Wienerwald: Landing in an airport in construction, in a 23C city, I got a quick tour of the city and a refresher from 2001 trip: The Danau Kanal, the StaatOpera, the Rathaus, the Stefansdom. But most memorable this time is the search of that sweet swimmingpool that overlooks the whole city from the heigh of the hill next to Kalhenberg.




And overlooking the Wienerwald...

Finished the day in a Wine garden, listening to an accordeon and a violin play, eating local specialties while the mosquitoes eat us....

a cure from the effect of tryptophane? a trip to vienna and a trip to Copenhagen

After quite a weird tiring week, here comes a new exciting period of the month.....it's trip-time!!!
And for those who are completely out of the loop, there are many many many football fans in Germany at the oment watching loads of people running and kicking after a ball (World Cup 2006).

My contribution is to drink loads of alcohol while trying to watch some of the matches on boat on the Thames...have done it 3 times this week!

But this weekend I'll be in Vienna to eat chocolate, listen to Mozart concerts (maybe), drink some wine, play some board games and hang out with Zab.

Next weekend I'll be in Roskilde to attend Jay's wedding...so it's about time I loose a bit of weight...hmmmm..seems hopelesly late at this point but at least the spirit is there...

What a week!

After a week's worth of silence, a short entry to report that unfortunately World Cup fever took over the area..I even have a brazil fan outfit without any effort: green skirt, yellow top and flip flops, and green and yellow hair ribbons....shame!

Fortunately the weather is gorgeous, blue sky and sun (another blue and yellow), so I could escape seeing TV by going outdoors..and not paying attention to the huge screens out there.

The week has been very strange. Halluciantions, 6.6.6, and what not..but most of all realized how affected I was by last weekend sighting..grrrrr...stupid stupid subconscious.

Still I refuse to be defeated by some idiotic revelations and will have to work harder in getting in a better place, emotionally at least.

In the meantime, I'm a bit broke and will have to stop eating chocolate...arghhh...and will have to keep my room clean...so many earthly task to distract my wandering mind...ah well, my body will travel soon and hopefully will fit into those skimpy outfits for the wedding...nanda yooooo!

'Bloody' Titus Andronicus

We went to see a play in the Theatre in Southwark!!! Titus Andronicus, with fake blood that made the audience faint (seriously!) and fantastic Elizabethan special effects!

Inside the Shakespeare Globe Theatre.


Coco in front of the Globe Theatre

Weekend with a plan

Ahh so my friend Coco is visiting from Zurich this weekend and am expecting to be yelled at because I havent been keeping in shape at all! She my driving force when it comes to ambition and fitness. So I know I'll be sore and tired but also happy because of all that adrenaline.

So what's in for me?
-drinks at a fancy place in Covent Garden (St Martin's Lane Hotel)tonight. We could possibly catch a show if she's motivated.
-Saturday: Running along the Thames on the queen's walk..okay, make it jogging because I aint running anywhere! Good way to show her St paul and Tate Modern, along with all the fun around in the area. Maybe I'll do that London Dungeon thing..we'll see.
In the evening, if I can stand, we'll try that brazilian place for drinks and maybe dancing (Guanabara).
-Sunday: staying in Brick lane to enjoy the market and shopping in Spitalfields market.

-Monday: let's not think about it. It's only work.

I am invoking the Sun God with all my spite and spirit to be gracious this weekend and to give us sunny, warm, not too windy weather, here in this great city of London! Join me in prayers by writing and singing 'let the sunshine in...'