Learn Danish with Audrey - lesson 1

So here are some of my favorite words in Danish so far:

- fart: If you see a sign on the side of the road that says "Din fart: 49 km/h", it doesn't mean that Danish people like to have a farting competition to see who can fart the fastest :) Fart in Danish is your speed.
- slot = identically, if you see directions to "frederensborg Slot", it will not take you to the prostitute of the city, but rather to the castle. Oh and yes - there are a LOT of "Slots" in Denmark, so these signs are everywhere :)

yes, I know, a bit childish....but still, I can't help but smile when I see them - and to the Foremans: I know you too would be laughing and taking pictures of you standing by these signs, you know you love it too :)

Haaaa yes, the innocence of learning a new language again :)loving it! Ok, this was a short lesson, but come back soon for more words and funny expressions.

want to move to Greenland, anyone? :)

After seeing this, you'll probaby all want to :) We all had dinner at Troels' parents, and Hanne made us Greenlandic coffee - she taught there for a year and loves their culture! She had told me about the Greenlandic coffee before.....but this was even cooler than I expected - it just puts any Irish coffee to shame!!! Ames sensibles (and Pregnant women) s'abstenir, this drink is quite strong.

So here is how she learned how to make it:
- You start with a shot of whiskey - which represents the strength of the Greenlandic natives
-Then add coffee - as dark as the long winter Greenlandic nights
- Then a shot of Kahlua - for the sweetness of the Greenlandic people.
- Followed by some whipped cream that you add on top of the drink - like the beautiful icebergs of Greenland.
- And last but not least, you heat up Grand Marnier in a spoon and light it up into flames, and slowly poor the alcohol on the drink, like the Northern lights falling on Greenland.

Now I can't wait for baby to be born to prepare a round for everybody - including myself :)

Copenhagen

An another freezing day in DK, which didn't stop us from going to KBH (Copenhagen in short here). Even though all we really did, in the end, was trying to stick in some vague points of interest of the city (Little mermaid, old port, main plaza) in between restaurants and coffee shops so that we could stay warm - looking at it, we probably we spent more time eating and drinking than anything....but we get a good grade for trying, right? :)

1. The LITTLE Little Mermaid; 2. Street around the old harbour; 3. Who wants another cup of coffee? :); 4. The little Mermaid, bar-version - as you can see some of her attributes are "slightly" larger :D

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Sweden!

The port of Elsinborg, Sweden

With my parents and Soazic visiting, we thought that a fine rainy day would be the perfect occasion to go visit one of our favorite places in the whole wide world - SWEDEN. Just a 15-minute ferryboat ride away from where we live, Danish people can thus very conveniently travel to their Scandinavian arch enemies. Let's just say that the relationship between Swedish people and Danes is very similar to that of the British and the French - That is, a very old love-hate relationship, fueled by who won the last soccer games and such other very crucial battles:) Haaaaaa good old grudges :)

In any case, a quick little stroll to walk (be pushed, for me) up to the top of the port....and back down to the ferry :) The weather was just awefull anyway, so we came back home where it was warm and "hyggelit" - a favorite and very important concept in the Danish culture, I shall tell you more about "hygge" in a later post!

Grrrrrrr Sweden! Nothing like swearing at your enemies in their own country :D

8-month pregnant women and stairs = just not the best combination!!! thanks Troels for giving me a hand though ;)

Dear Advertising: - Thank you so much for always making this world a better place! Please stay true to yourself. Love always, Audrey.

Mmmmmmmm Gammel Dansk :D

Nothing like a good old shot of Gammel Dansk before breakfast, right Soazic? :D Sorry darling, but you know....it's Danish tradition :D

"Merry Christmas to me!" :D

Says Troels.

Sweet sweet viking land

Troels had promised me nothing but gray skies and rain to me once we move to Denmark - oh and I was soooooo looking forward to it......but so far it's been all but that! Blue skies for a few days, snow falling the next, and repeat the pattern over and over - it's like Denmark prepared a little welcome present for us, to Troels' surprise :) Everywhere we got the landscapes just look beautiful...well, if you don't look at all the cars stuck in the ditch on the side of the road :D Keep the faith people, I am sure that you too can think that snow is making Denmark a sweet sweet viking land. Yes you can :)


Taking a walk by the Baltic see with Steffen, Kaare, Line, Rasmus and Mads who didn't want to keep his hands in the warm under the blanket :)

Spinning my wheels

Literally and metaphorically. With the cold and snowy weather we've had since we arrive, the wheels of the cars were spinning on a few centimeters of ice today as we were driving back from Ikea to troels' parents house - an almost daily ritual for us these days (The Ikea cafeteria almost feels like home these days "babe, will you have the meatballs again?" "No I think I'd rather have the salmon today?" - quite pathetic I tell you :).

And the wheels spinning and spinning and spinning around made me realize why exactly I've been feeling a bit frustrated for a couple of days- because my own wheels have been like spinning on ice! Going going going but yet not really moving: still working for AOL and waiting on news as to when my last days will be, buying things and things for the house and building furniture and yet we're still not quite able to move there for a few more days....and have contractions over contractions but I know that our little girl is tricking us and she's not quite ready to come out for a while (thankfully!). Of course, my wonderful pregnancy hormones are making me a lot more frustrated than I should be - Troels "Noooooooooooo you think?:D" .....but it is too much to just ask for a little push to get things going? :) Just a little push to get out of the ice.

Bienvenue Enzo!

Everybody is so happy that you are here! Congrats to my cousin and his girlfriend, a nice little Christmas present for you :)

Be kind, Rewind

A vague feeling of deja-vu here, as our apartment empities out once again. Slowly packing boxes and selling furniture before the movers come to take care of the rest...Bye bye New York, bye bye stinkeby, we love you but it's time for us to go. Denmark here we come! Another Frenchie and geek on the run :)