Baby it's cold outside

This past weekend, my goal was to go out and explore Århus more, despite the crappy weather. But, lucky enough, when we woke up Sunday morning it was beautiful and SUNNY! Seriously, only the second day of sunshine since we've been here, and it was much needed on my part. (It's like I'm from California or something...) Anywho, we set out and determined it was freezing, but wanted to make the most of it anyway. We rode to the city center, through some little side streets full of shops and restaurants, and finally made it to the BEACH! We rode along the coast a bit of a ways, then stopped across from Risskov forest. We rode up some more, through some gorgeous little beach houses, and even some huge mansions, where I will no doubt attend some elegant, classy, summer party, of course. 

We took some steps over the railroad tracks that make their way up the coast, and landed on the beach. Parts were muddy, mostly rocky, and it was even colder with the wind picking up, but being by the ocean and and smelling the salty air was absolutely perfect in my mind. 

On the way there we also passed the weirdest thing I've seen-a pacifier tree. Ok, maybe not the weirdest but odd in its own respect because it was a bunch of pacifiers hanging from a dying gray tree and looked like something out of some sick horror film. Emiel asked some Danes what it was, and apparently when children get too old to use them, the parents hang them on the tree. Eww.


We continued riding, but got to the city center and decided to stop for coffee...at the PERFECT moment. Right when we sat down, we looked outside to see what? SNOWFLAKES. Still sunny, but totally snowing. Only added to the mysterious day.

From there we set off to follow the canal/river that flows through the city, out to the lakes. It was pretty flat, but the intense wind made us ride pretty slowly and provided a bit of a workout. A little too swampy for my taste, but around 330 when the sun starts to set (damn you north pole!) the colors were fabulous.


A much needed day (if not exhausting) but worth it after Thursday and Friday nights. Thursday we had an introduction dinner and got to meet all the new internationals (all in all, 5 of us from SFSU, plus 3 other US and 4 Canadians), then Friday was the first "Friday bar" or the semester. The bar isn't open everyday, just Fridays starting at 2:15, and in a sort of basement-like setting that provides no ventilation, so basically we were in a sauna. Either way, it was really fun, and there is a RULE that at 8pm, the pool table is closed so people can DANCE on it. Crazy talk, but a good time. (And no, I did NOT submit myself to that sort of utter embarrassment. I'm a professional.)

Me, Simona, and my roomie Jena, with her friend Ashley that came to visit from London.