Brinja's Visit

Last weekend the fabulous Brinja came to see us in Copenhagen.  She and I have been friends forever--we met half our lives ago on an exchange trip between our two high schools (Brinja is from northern Germany), and have stayed close ever since.  It was so wonderful to see her again--she is one of those friends that I am able to synch with immediately, even after years of not seeing each other.

We had all kinds of fun catching up, playing with Alex, and exploring Copenhagen together.  Here is the proof:

Brinja and Alex, Feeding the Ducks

Brinja and Me, Back in Nyhavn

Brinja and Alex, In Christiania,
A Hippie Community 

Russ, Alex, and Me
In Christiaina

Brinja and Me, Shopping on Stroget
The Trendy Shopping Area of Town

Brinja's visit marked our first experience as hosts in this Danish home, and it was very surreal having a guest who knows more about how to get by around here than we do. Her knowledge of how things are done in this part of the world helped us to unravel some of the mysteries of Northern Europe that have confounded us since our arrival.  For example:

Q: Why is our new comforter exactly the same width as our bed (with absolutely no hang over to accommodate the bodies that may be sleeping under it)?
A: Because when we measured it to be 140 cm, that is not a bed size theme like "Full" or "Queen" at home.  So since we bought everything in the 140 cm size (including sheets and comforters), everything fits just exactly on top of the bed. Bummer.

Q: Why can't we find a kitchen rug ANYWHERE in this city?
A:  They don't do kitchen rugs around here.  If you spill water on the floor, wipe it up.  If you want something soft to stand on while you wash dishes . . . Man up?  I dunno.

Q: How can we join the breakfasters of this part of the world in eating soft boiled eggs?
A:  6.5 minutes in boiling water, rinse briefly in cold water, enjoy!

So we did some learning, some laughing, some site seeing, and had an all-around really fun time.  It was so great to have Brinja here, and we have been missing her all week.  Come back again soon Brinja!