JUNE 2010
1-4 Arizona
4-6 Hamburg, Germany
6-8 Edinburgh, Scotland
9-12 Tel Aviv, Israel
12-14 Berlin, Germany
15-17 Copenhagen, Denmark
17-19 Madrid, Spain
19-29 Utah
30-1 Oslo, Norway
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I have been lonely, tired, petered. sad. Happy. touched. wasted, basted, fried, tried, scared, loved, amused, torn, shorn, born. again.
And I bought these boots:
1. Luckenbach
2. Eagle
Some things are so aesthetically pleasing I can't even handle it. One is my neice Angelina. 2. Is Old Gringo Boots. I can't even handle it.
Natasha and I went to Berlin, Copenhagen, and Madrid together. Ostensibly it was for work. But we all know what happens when you go to cool places with friends. Here's what we did:
Berlin
This was the best organized Tour I have ever been on. Click on the link above and you'll see where we went, what we saw. I love Berlin. It's not the most beautiful city, but it is one of the most interesting mostly because of it's World War II history.
Things that I ate: sausage in a bun at the beer garden, disgusting saurbraten at a restaurant called Berlinske near our hotel. I also had the first disgusting salad I have ever had in Germany. Normally everything is excellent, especially the salads. I should have gotten Schnitzel. Everyone else got schnitzel and basically licked their plates clean. Serves me right for trying to be different.
Copenhagen
First thing we did when we got in was work out. This Marriott hotel we stay at has a great gym.
Natasha had never been to Our Lady Fruhe Kirche where Bertel Thorvaldsens Christ and Twelve apostles are. So of course we had to go. Since we use that Christus so much in our church, this is the place to go in Copenhagen. Plus, the combination of old and modern, simple and ornate, make this Church my favorite church on earth. I just love it. Natasha loved it too.
Afterwards, we walked past the train station to the grocery store. At the train station is a little food truck that sells hot dogs and sausages. They have this one they call Franske (french). I think its' because the bread they put it in looks like a small thin bagette with a hole in the middle. So delicious! Honestly, the best hot dogs I've ever had are in Copenhagen. At the grocery store, I bought some traditional meatballs called Frikadellen. They also have them in Germany. The Danish make them the best.
You might think that's all we did in Copenhagen but your'e wrong! The fun just got started. After the grocery store we slept a little (we had been up all night working the flight) then met up with Brittany and Paul to see the Royal Danish Ballet perform an outdoor production. Basically they performed several pieces from the different performances they will be doing throughout the year. There were two modern, and several classic including pieces from Sleeping beauty and Swan Lake.
After the ballet, we walked over to Tivoli gardens which is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world. Most of the lamps and light fixtures are the original from the 1850s, just re-wired for electricity. This was the second time I had gone and for Natasha the 1st. Paul used to work there so we were able to get in free, that's always a bonus. Here you can find all sorts of fun things but one thing that stands out to me (besides the beautiful lights and lamps) are the mini churros with ice cream! I never thought of trying this combo but they have it here and it is GOOD. The Churros are more the Spanish style (not so sweet), so hot and crisp, mixed with the cool sweet ice cream, amazing. Paul and I had some last time I visited so we made Brittany and Natasha try. By the way, Brittany (American) and Paul (Danish) are engaged.Brittany was there visiting Paul when Natasha and I came. It was perfect.
Perfect trip to Copenhagen and Berlin. . .how was MADRID?
Madrid
In Madrid, I was tired. So much working. so much fun. remember I had been working 8 trips for both April and May, and then so many for June. . .I had already done three (one of which was a Tel Aviv!!!!) before Natasha started.
So, what did we do in Madrid? We went straight out. . . running in a park. I could barely get in 30 minutes. then we went shopping to ZARA. My favorite. but all i did was look briefly. Natasha was surprised. she was expecting to be waiting for me but i was waiting for her. then we bought some Olive oil at El Cortes Ingles, famous Spanish store, and and dinner at the hotel, grilled chicken with vegetables, cheese slices swimming in olive oil for a complimentary appetizer (they just bring it to us, we don't ask for it) and I was falling asleep over my food.
Madrid? It was vaguely fun, but I was too tired to enjoy it as much as I could've. Poor Natasha.
We arrived in the afternoon of the 19th, went over to Termainal B and hopped on a Delta flight to Salt LAke City. We were put in First, which was nice. Very nice. And fun. Natasha lives in Arizona but was flying to Utah to meet up with her husband and daughters who were visiting their grandparents.
Throughout all of these trips I was reading two books that worked together synnergistically:
Both talk about racism in the South, both talk about the beginnings of the Klan. Both on opposite sides. So fascinating.
And then I love Scarlet who Mitchell originally named Pansy. I loved Rhett Butler, I loved it all. One of the best romances I have ever read. "My Dear, I don't give a damn." I have been there. I relate to Scarlet in her ridiculous imagined feelings for Ashley. And I relate to Rhett when he had had enough. My Dear, I don't give a damn.
"Some say the world will end in fire . . ."
Thank you, God, for this Beautiful, emotional, reckless, but organized world we live in. Thank you for love, thank you for June. Thank you for Canyon breezes at night blowing through the trees.
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