Strange things happening around here. For starters, I think the weather in Aarhus was nicer today than it was back home in Merrimack. With temps in the low twenties (mid-sixties for all us not familiar with things Centigrade), the sun shining and trees starting to bloom, everybody and everything around here is really beginning to embrace the changing seasons. It's light out until nine o'clock most nights and I find myself opening more windows to keep the apartment aired out (even when I don't have laundry to do). Excitement amongst the student population is also setting in, fast and furious.
The Aarhus University has about 40,000 students. Since I've been here, I think I may have seen five of them. Today, I must have seen or heard the other 39,995 of them taking advantage of the lovely day. Before settling down for tonight's NTD installment, I took a stroll to Kiwi to get some milk (one litre or thirty-three ounces lasts for a surprisingly short time in my fridge) and on the way, I noticed many goings-on in the surrounding apartments and establishments. Aside from one gathering of about ten guys sitting around listening to Billy Joel, the streets were reverberating with energy after what was probably a pretty exciting day for one special reason.
Today marked the annual "Kapsejladsen," held at the end of April or beginning of May each year at the lake on the University's central green. The name of the event basically translates to "Regatta," yet the usual pomp and circumstance associated with rowing seems to have lost its way somewhere along the line here in town. A few of the guys on the team who attend school there told me about it in advance and opted to go there today, instead of our practice session. Based on their description, I can't say I would have done otherwise had I been in their shoes. I even thought about going over for a little before practice today with some of them, but I had some things to prepare for both U16 and Senior Training tonight (plus I did some running around myself tonight, still feelin' good). Here is a link to the Google Translated version of the event's website:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&u=http://www.kapsejladsen.dk/&ei=9fPZS7OgAsOoOLX00ccP&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBEQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dkapsejladsen%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff
In brief, this is how it was explained to me: It's a boat race where teams construct boats out of materials not usually used for boat-making. The teams get good and sauced before boating and are announced in front of all in attendance. The spectators (about 15,000 of them) get good and sauced before boating. The race happens (saucing continues). The race ends (saucing ... you get the picture). Festivities ensue and go long into the night, hence all the hooplah amongst the locale surrounding me.
In the interest of doing fun and different things while I'm here, this would have certainly qualified as both. However, the job description never said anything about allowances for quasi-boat festivals. I don't think I could have faked a sick day, either. No regrets though. Had a great practice with my U16 guys preparing for another game this weekend. It was also nice to get the helmet on the first time and do a little bit more with the Seniors. I had to send the shoulderpads we ordered for me back for a size change, but the new ones will be here shortly. Pretty anxious to throw those on again.
I will be back tomorrow with some more exciting posts, perhaps including two that I've been holding on to for a few days now. Many cool things on the horizon for NTD, although I suppose that will be up to you to decide. Just keep reading. For now though, I leave you with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5imonPJyVw
Quarterback/Tight End, hat enthusiast, amateur filmmaker, college housemate, NTD reader and most importantly, good friend, Jack Scanlon of OWEGO, NEW YORK (don't even think of putting an 's' in there) has released the trailer for his videologue of a 2009 post-graduation cross-country excursion. Check it out and behold a few snippets of Americana that The Cowboy was able to capture with his trusty MiniDV camera. Some cool footage here, I'll be excited to see the rest. Always wanted to make that Documentary, eh, Jackie Boy? Looks like you're off to a good start.
Goodnight, all; stop by again real soon.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Two Down ...
After a very busy day, it's rather late here but I thought I could do a quick post about this past weekend's games. I was involved in two contests on Sunday; the first being my first as U16 Head Coach and the second, our Senior team's second game of the year.
The U16 game was played down in Vejle (VAI-lee), against the Triangle Razorbacks. Prior to negotiating with Aarhus, I actually was in talks with members of the Razors. Coincidentally, I also have them to thank for setting me up with Peter and the Tigers when they informed me they could not use my serivces this year. They have a one of the strongest Clubs in Denmark and I thought it was kind of neat visiting yet another place I had researched before coming over. The biggest draw in town: a GumLink chewing gum factory. Sadly though, the sign outside did not feature a giant mechanical set of teeth chomping away. I'm considering writing their management.
My debut as head coach did not end as I would have liked, however our play did improve from our last outing at the Viborg Camp two weeks earlier. The kids continue to work hard and I'm confident wins will come for them as they still learn the nuances of the game.
Looking to avoid disappointment twice in one day, I quickly dismissed the morning's performance as Peter and I headed about a half-hour North for a three o'clock tilt against the Stallions of Horsens. During the week leading up to this one, I soon learned there was no love lost in this rivalry. I suppose that makes sense: Tigers and Stallions are natural enemies out in the wild, are they not? From what I gathered, it was historically a tough, hard-fought game for both sides, yet in the end, the Tiger boys usually come out victorious. That being said, a win for the Stallions always means much more than your a-ver-age W.
When we got to Horsens (which, despite what the name suggests, was not overrun with wild, untamed equine galloping about), I could already sense a very tense environment. As our guys warmed up, I couldn't help glance across the field to watch our opponents studying what they saw, as though they were preparing for an exam of sorts. They then begin their own warm up, running along our sideline. I stood with my back to them, not caring much to be disturbed while still looking for all the real horses.
The game started off pretty sluggish for both sides: our offense stymied by ourselves, their offense by our swarming D. After some momentum got going, the half came to a very anti-climactic halt knotted at zero - zero. During halftime, we didn't make any adjustments of consequence but once again realized, just as we did the week before, that our intensity and "compete level" (C. Julien, 2009) needed to rise significantly to get out of our rut. This happened on the initial drive of the second half.
Following a another stellar defensive series that got us the ball rather quickly, our O went to work and moved at a much higher tempo. Although we came away with no points again, thanks to a few mistakes late in the drive, we certainly established a new pace to the game; one their defense did not respond particularly well to. The next time we got the ball, this time with excellent field position, courtesy of a defensive takeaway, the Tigers O drew first blood with QB Mathias Lilhauge finding WR Morten Sehested on an out in the endzone for six. A missed extra point kept things where they were, us leading 6 - 0.
This would change early in the fourth, as LB Stefan Meyer blocked a punt and took it the house from about midfield. A two-point conversion gave us a two TD advantage, now up 14 - 0. As the D continued to dominate, the offense also moved downfield methodically, tacking on another score midway through the final frame. For the second week in a row, Lilhauge called his own number in the redzone and hit paydirt. That would round out the scoring, putting us ahead 21 - 0. The defense shut down any late hopes of a Stallion rally and preserved the shutout. A very satisfying win, considering the history in this series. I look forward to playing against them later in the season.
During the handshake at the fifty to close things out, I experienced my second "Welcome to Danish American Football Moment" (the first you remember, being the pregame proposal). The last man in their line, a defensive lineman who was constantly winded throughout the game, made his way through, sans shoulderpads and helmet, with a cool, refreshing cigarette pursed between his lips. Indeed, a bastion of peak physical fitness; very entertaining.
We have a few weeks until our next matchup on May 15th, which I have circled as my return. In preparation for this, I will continue to train and ramp up my activity during our practice sessions. That itch is gettin' stronger. Seriously, I think I need to see a doctor.
More fun things to follow tomorrow. I'm glad to be back on the air with you all. Before signing off for the night (well, early morning here), I'd like to send some birthday wishes to my (sort-of) cousin Holly up in Rochester, NY. Holly is an avid NTD reader and we have had the pleasure of staying in touch over the past few months thanks to those internets. Hope you enjoyed your day, Holly. Try not to startle anymore labmates while reading this; I don't need to be tied to lawsuits.
Take care, all. Be back soon.
The U16 game was played down in Vejle (VAI-lee), against the Triangle Razorbacks. Prior to negotiating with Aarhus, I actually was in talks with members of the Razors. Coincidentally, I also have them to thank for setting me up with Peter and the Tigers when they informed me they could not use my serivces this year. They have a one of the strongest Clubs in Denmark and I thought it was kind of neat visiting yet another place I had researched before coming over. The biggest draw in town: a GumLink chewing gum factory. Sadly though, the sign outside did not feature a giant mechanical set of teeth chomping away. I'm considering writing their management.
My debut as head coach did not end as I would have liked, however our play did improve from our last outing at the Viborg Camp two weeks earlier. The kids continue to work hard and I'm confident wins will come for them as they still learn the nuances of the game.
Looking to avoid disappointment twice in one day, I quickly dismissed the morning's performance as Peter and I headed about a half-hour North for a three o'clock tilt against the Stallions of Horsens. During the week leading up to this one, I soon learned there was no love lost in this rivalry. I suppose that makes sense: Tigers and Stallions are natural enemies out in the wild, are they not? From what I gathered, it was historically a tough, hard-fought game for both sides, yet in the end, the Tiger boys usually come out victorious. That being said, a win for the Stallions always means much more than your a-ver-age W.
When we got to Horsens (which, despite what the name suggests, was not overrun with wild, untamed equine galloping about), I could already sense a very tense environment. As our guys warmed up, I couldn't help glance across the field to watch our opponents studying what they saw, as though they were preparing for an exam of sorts. They then begin their own warm up, running along our sideline. I stood with my back to them, not caring much to be disturbed while still looking for all the real horses.
The game started off pretty sluggish for both sides: our offense stymied by ourselves, their offense by our swarming D. After some momentum got going, the half came to a very anti-climactic halt knotted at zero - zero. During halftime, we didn't make any adjustments of consequence but once again realized, just as we did the week before, that our intensity and "compete level" (C. Julien, 2009) needed to rise significantly to get out of our rut. This happened on the initial drive of the second half.
Following a another stellar defensive series that got us the ball rather quickly, our O went to work and moved at a much higher tempo. Although we came away with no points again, thanks to a few mistakes late in the drive, we certainly established a new pace to the game; one their defense did not respond particularly well to. The next time we got the ball, this time with excellent field position, courtesy of a defensive takeaway, the Tigers O drew first blood with QB Mathias Lilhauge finding WR Morten Sehested on an out in the endzone for six. A missed extra point kept things where they were, us leading 6 - 0.
This would change early in the fourth, as LB Stefan Meyer blocked a punt and took it the house from about midfield. A two-point conversion gave us a two TD advantage, now up 14 - 0. As the D continued to dominate, the offense also moved downfield methodically, tacking on another score midway through the final frame. For the second week in a row, Lilhauge called his own number in the redzone and hit paydirt. That would round out the scoring, putting us ahead 21 - 0. The defense shut down any late hopes of a Stallion rally and preserved the shutout. A very satisfying win, considering the history in this series. I look forward to playing against them later in the season.
During the handshake at the fifty to close things out, I experienced my second "Welcome to Danish American Football Moment" (the first you remember, being the pregame proposal). The last man in their line, a defensive lineman who was constantly winded throughout the game, made his way through, sans shoulderpads and helmet, with a cool, refreshing cigarette pursed between his lips. Indeed, a bastion of peak physical fitness; very entertaining.
We have a few weeks until our next matchup on May 15th, which I have circled as my return. In preparation for this, I will continue to train and ramp up my activity during our practice sessions. That itch is gettin' stronger. Seriously, I think I need to see a doctor.
More fun things to follow tomorrow. I'm glad to be back on the air with you all. Before signing off for the night (well, early morning here), I'd like to send some birthday wishes to my (sort-of) cousin Holly up in Rochester, NY. Holly is an avid NTD reader and we have had the pleasure of staying in touch over the past few months thanks to those internets. Hope you enjoyed your day, Holly. Try not to startle anymore labmates while reading this; I don't need to be tied to lawsuits.
Take care, all. Be back soon.
ROUTED
The excuse of having spotty internet service in my apartment will no longer be tolerated as of about fifteen minutes ago. I had been having some problems with the 3G Stick I was using and as I was unable to use my iPhone (despite what Luke Wilson says) to post, you nice people have been in the dark for several days. However now thanks to my Stofa Wireless Router, I am back in the business of talking to you about food, football and ... well, not much else. Going off to prepare for practice now, but I will return later with much to talk about. Hej hej.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Jackpot
With the majority of my time spent at the gym, at practice or possibly out for business (and rarely, pleasure) with other members of the Tigers, one could argue that I might have a lot of free time on my hands. I can assure you, this is only true part of the time. Planning to get from place to place on a bicycle takes time, as does cooking, cleaning, laundry, personal grooming, grocery shopping, watching film and preparing for practices and games at home. Not to mention, writing this damn thing, which always takes me much longer than it probably should (does anyone even read it, I wonder?).
So there you have it, my time is rarely NOT occupied with this, that or the other thing. I dare say I'm the busiest guy I live with. But things do get a bit lonely at times. Going out and exploring is fun for a little while, but I usually end up seeing the same things and following the same routes on bike. Some company doing that might make things more enjoyable, yet everyone that I know is either busy during the day or probably has no interest in looking at things they've been surrounded with their whole lives. No biggie, I can take a hint.
Actually, living in solitude isn't entirely undesirable. No one complains if I eat the last few Digestive Biscuits (the best cookie/cracker in town), and I always do. I don't have to worry about making anybody else cold if I open a window for some fresh air. The toilet seat is always down (if I leave it that way). The music I play, quite loudly sometimes, is generally well-received. Come to think of it, this is a pretty sweet gig here.
However, in the interest of establishing that I do need to do something fun and blog-worthy once in a while, I must proceed. Before arriving here, I planned on getting a Netflix subscription and pass the time watching all the movies I've meant to over the years. Sadly though, Brian informed me that Danish copyright laws prohibited services such as that from operating here. The same also goes for various (legal) online TV services like Hulu and Adult Swim. Since I'm not much of a downloader, that kinda narrows things down a bit. I should be getting cable soon to go with the thirteen inch TV I'm borrowing. But, the allure of watching past seasons of American TV shows I didn't even both to watch while living there doesn't seem to captivate me. Who knows, maybe I'll find a few Danish shows to fill that void?
I honestly don't miss TV that much. If anything, I'd rather resolve the movie issue to preserve my entertainment sanity. And thus, I was introduced to this:
Just like so many of our public libraries in the States, the book depositories here aren't just limited to those papery things filled with words. The Aarhus Public Library is no exception. Brian told me all about its wares and I thought he was exaggerating when he told me about everything that they have. After two visits now, I am a believer for sure.
They have books. Lots of 'em. Some of 'em are probably in English, I just haven't looked for 'em yet. Same goes for magazines, journals, periodicals, the works. When I finish up the reading material I brought on my own (sometime in September, probably), I might just look to expand my literary horizons at the library. For now though, I'm more interested in their multimedia departments.
Music: Any and all genres. New and old. Good and not so good. CD, cassette, vinyl, sheet, you name it, it's here. Take a look for yourself:
That's maybe an eighth of what they have. I'll give you three guesses where I spent most of my time during my first two visits ...
Oh yes, indeed; just like yours truly. I couldn't believe some of the things they had here. Stuff I can't even find in record stores back home, or even on iTunes for that matter. From the look of things too, I believe they rotate the catologue pretty frequently and are always bringing in new releases. I definitely have my work cut out for me if I want to make the most of my free library card. Tough job, but I think I'm up to the task.
I didn't take any pictures of the films section, but you get the idea. Same principle. Back home, Mom and I always enjoyed a few selections from the good ol' Merrimack Public Library. Pretty much the same idea here, except there's now a Blockbuster in the foyer area and new releases won't run you six bucks apiece. Free music. Free movies. Zero judgment (checkout is self-serve and I don't think there are limits to how many things you can borrow at a time, or if there are I haven't reached them yet).
Apparently there are pretty nice readings and speakers that come by from time to time, also. Perhaps if something catches my fancy one of these days, I'll see if nobody wants to go with me and check it out. At the very least, I feel that I should be documenting the goings on of the Aarhus Public Library and submit my findings to the US Government. Want to get our kids to like reading? Turn our libraries into Barnes and Nobles and throw away all the price tags. Seems easy enough, right?
Going to sleep now. I've got some heavy stuff on my mind; well, at least in my ears.
So there you have it, my time is rarely NOT occupied with this, that or the other thing. I dare say I'm the busiest guy I live with. But things do get a bit lonely at times. Going out and exploring is fun for a little while, but I usually end up seeing the same things and following the same routes on bike. Some company doing that might make things more enjoyable, yet everyone that I know is either busy during the day or probably has no interest in looking at things they've been surrounded with their whole lives. No biggie, I can take a hint.
Actually, living in solitude isn't entirely undesirable. No one complains if I eat the last few Digestive Biscuits (the best cookie/cracker in town), and I always do. I don't have to worry about making anybody else cold if I open a window for some fresh air. The toilet seat is always down (if I leave it that way). The music I play, quite loudly sometimes, is generally well-received. Come to think of it, this is a pretty sweet gig here.
However, in the interest of establishing that I do need to do something fun and blog-worthy once in a while, I must proceed. Before arriving here, I planned on getting a Netflix subscription and pass the time watching all the movies I've meant to over the years. Sadly though, Brian informed me that Danish copyright laws prohibited services such as that from operating here. The same also goes for various (legal) online TV services like Hulu and Adult Swim. Since I'm not much of a downloader, that kinda narrows things down a bit. I should be getting cable soon to go with the thirteen inch TV I'm borrowing. But, the allure of watching past seasons of American TV shows I didn't even both to watch while living there doesn't seem to captivate me. Who knows, maybe I'll find a few Danish shows to fill that void?
I honestly don't miss TV that much. If anything, I'd rather resolve the movie issue to preserve my entertainment sanity. And thus, I was introduced to this:
Just like so many of our public libraries in the States, the book depositories here aren't just limited to those papery things filled with words. The Aarhus Public Library is no exception. Brian told me all about its wares and I thought he was exaggerating when he told me about everything that they have. After two visits now, I am a believer for sure.
They have books. Lots of 'em. Some of 'em are probably in English, I just haven't looked for 'em yet. Same goes for magazines, journals, periodicals, the works. When I finish up the reading material I brought on my own (sometime in September, probably), I might just look to expand my literary horizons at the library. For now though, I'm more interested in their multimedia departments.
Music: Any and all genres. New and old. Good and not so good. CD, cassette, vinyl, sheet, you name it, it's here. Take a look for yourself:
That's maybe an eighth of what they have. I'll give you three guesses where I spent most of my time during my first two visits ...
Oh yes, indeed; just like yours truly. I couldn't believe some of the things they had here. Stuff I can't even find in record stores back home, or even on iTunes for that matter. From the look of things too, I believe they rotate the catologue pretty frequently and are always bringing in new releases. I definitely have my work cut out for me if I want to make the most of my free library card. Tough job, but I think I'm up to the task.
I didn't take any pictures of the films section, but you get the idea. Same principle. Back home, Mom and I always enjoyed a few selections from the good ol' Merrimack Public Library. Pretty much the same idea here, except there's now a Blockbuster in the foyer area and new releases won't run you six bucks apiece. Free music. Free movies. Zero judgment (checkout is self-serve and I don't think there are limits to how many things you can borrow at a time, or if there are I haven't reached them yet).
Apparently there are pretty nice readings and speakers that come by from time to time, also. Perhaps if something catches my fancy one of these days, I'll see if nobody wants to go with me and check it out. At the very least, I feel that I should be documenting the goings on of the Aarhus Public Library and submit my findings to the US Government. Want to get our kids to like reading? Turn our libraries into Barnes and Nobles and throw away all the price tags. Seems easy enough, right?
Going to sleep now. I've got some heavy stuff on my mind; well, at least in my ears.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Straight off the Streets of CP ... H?
Hello again. First order of business: the new appearance. As you may or may not have noticed, I've decided to redecorate a bit, so to speak. I got an email a few weeks ago encouraging Blogspot users to check out new template designs and more customizable layout options. Thinking that the old, stock version of NTD (Now that's Danish!) was a bit too cold and industrial, I felt the urge to change things up a little. The end result: still pretty industrial, but a little less cold. Stay tuned for more changes as I learn how to further make my own personal blog, well, more my own and personal.
Secondly, I apologize for being incommunicado the past few days. At home in Aarhus, I was having some internet troubles. That would have been a viable enough excuse, had I actually been in Aarhus. Rather than spending my weekend in DK's second-largest city, I enjoyed an adventurous one in the largest: the Capitol city of København, more commonly Anglicized as Copenhagen. Here's how things went:
Following Saturday's win in Amager (about twenty-five minutes outside Copenhagen or CPH), I met up with a friend I had made just before arriving here five weeks ago (today, actually). This person was a friend of a former coach of mine at Marist and offered her support and advice, as she had been in my shoes six months before she first contacted me online. Although she was not coming to Denmark to prolong her football career, she was doing so to return to the hardwood.
Olivia Nagle, of Acton, MA, has just finished her first season of international basketball. Collegiately, Liv (as she says she goes by) starred first at Wagner College on Staten Island before finishing up a storied two-year run at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. The difficult transition from the bright and lush landscape of Staten Island to the dank and dreary Florida coastline did little to faze Liv, as she led the Tritons (sweet name) to their best years in Women's hoops. From here, the door also opened to extend her playing days. Following her graduation last spring, Liv soon became connected with the Virum Vipers basketball club just outside CPH.
Moving forward to the present, Liv and I are basically at two different ends of the Danish sports spectrum: she has completed a very successful season as the dominant post threat for the Vipers and has also honed the dribbling and shooting skills of a group of rambuncious pre-teenage boys, whereas I am still in the relatively early stages of my adventures. In any event, Nagle (as I call her) has been great online company since I've been in DK and is always willing to offer pointers on how to make living here seem a little more like home, particularly when it comes to peanut butter.
Having finished up her season with the Vipers about three weeks ago and my first game likely another three weeks down the road, Nagle and I both realized that we weren't going to get the chance to see each other play. However, during the middle of last week, we discovered that our schedules would mesh during the weekend. She planned to come to Amager to watch her friend play for their basketball club and also catch some of our game. As things would have it, our game was played on the field behind the same gymnasium the basketball game was in. This would come in most handy later during the third quarter, as temperatures outside dropped significantly and sent Liv inside to warm up some. After the game, Brian dropped us off near the downtown area and we commenced our weekend festivities.
Nagle showed me around the city a bit, but we decided to save most of our sightseeing for Sunday afternoon, when temperatures would perhaps rise some and I was not wearing shorts (it's a coach thing). Hence, we returned to her apartment outside the city a little ways and enjoyed a splendid homecooked meal. The pasta was great but the masterfully prepared salad, thanks to my ability to cut vegetables into small pieces with a large knife, was probably the crown jewel of the dinner. After relaxing for a while, we hit the town with Liv's roommate Sarah, a fellow Vipers teammate and another MA product (from Wissstaahhh) and also their friend, Joe. Joe is a tall drink of water from West Virginia; he hails from the same town as NFL great Randy Moss (of RAND University), interestingly enough. He plays for another club in Copenhagen and also works for a marketing firm, as he's been in Denmark for three years now. I will tell you firsthand: you haven't heard anything until you've heard Danish spoken with a serious WVA twang.
The night moved along to some of their favorite hotspots; all of which were loud, fairly pricy and filled with Danes, young and sometimes old, looking to have some fun. Aside from some very rude redheaded little boys (who pretended to be British and were promptly and triumphantly dispatched by Nagle's friend Sydney, whom we joined forces with at one point), the night was a most enjoyable excursion. We did happen to have a bit of trouble just as the sun was rising, because Sunday morning travel times do change slightly. So, we arrived back at Liv's place around 6:30 in the AM to catch a few hours of shut-eye before a sightseeing tour a little later.
About two o'clock we set out once again to indulge my touristiness. We didn't go far before reaching a bakery, where Nagle introduced me to the best jelly donut I've ever eaten. While consuming the delicious pastry (filled with real fruit preserve), we checked out the cool little district where her apartment is located. Parts of it looked eerily similar to New Jersey, albeit with fewer off-ramps and Jets flags waving over garages. After that, we took a bus into town and she showed me all of the cool things I had read about prior to coming over, as I was originally in negotiations with a team in Copenhagen before talks with the Tigers. I could write way too much about all the cool things we looked at, but in lieu of doing so, I offer a few highlights:
1. Rosenborg Castle: Completed in 1624, used by Danish Royalty until 1710. Currently being patrolled by armed military personnel who do NOT always keep a straight face.
2. Nyhavn: Argualby the most popular tourist attraction in Denmark. Famous for colored building fronts and history as a former hub for prostitution and other sailor-related debauchery. Currently synomonous with harbor tours and restaurants/bars that offer outdoor seating and blankets for your legs on chilly days. The newest picture up on the right was taken here.
3. Copenhagen Opera House: Impressive $500 million building right on the waterfront donated by shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, a man so wealthy, he allegedly keeps Danish taxation constant by himself.
4. Børsen: "The Stock Exchange," built between 1619 and 1640. Famous for the four dragons and their tails entwined into a massive spire originally designed to keep the building safe from fire and enemies. Three crowns atop this spire represented the former united Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
5. Fristaden Christiania: "Freetown Christiania," a hippie commune of about 850 residents is an autonomous neighborhood, formerly famous for legal marijuana trade. Picture a flea market with as many Danish Bob Dylan covers going on at once as possible. Not nearly as bad as portrayed in travel guides. No photos allowed inside!
6. Vor Frelsers Kirke: "Our Saviour's Church," completed in 1695. Finished in 1752 with yet another impressive spire, this time of the corkscrew variety with an external staircase that goes all the way to the top (tours were closed by the time we got there).
As I said before, there are many more cool things we saw that afternoon and we were indeed lucky to have some great walking weather. We capped things off with a dinner of all-you-can-eat salad and "Deep Dish" pizza, which I believe plummented some 0.8 inches into the pans they used. Tasty stuff though, as we both enjoyed the effort the restaurant put forth. We returned to Liv's apartment, fairly exhausted, to a relaxing viewing of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg in "Hot Fuzz," a hilariously British motion picture. I awoke the next morning and caught an early train downtown to meet up with Brian and head back to Aarhus.
An unexpected surprise of a weekend, but most certainly worth it because I don't know when I will have the time (or resources) again to do such crack exploration. I would like to extend many, many thanks to Nagle for her hospitality and willingness to help out another American athlete in the Danish world of sports. It's pretty wild that two people who only communicated online prior to meeting were able to coordinate things and enjoy a really awesome time; internets, you've done it again. It's unfortunate that she will be leaving soon and I can't offer her the same opportunity to come to Aarhus for a weekend of equal or lesser enjoyment, yet I do applaud her for making the most of her Danish 'experience' (as she might say). Thanks again, Liv; you're a swell gal.
More exciting posts to come this week, with some neat pictures as well. Tomorrow, I will reveal the discovery I made several weeks ago, yet somehow forgot to write about. Before heading to sleep, I leave you with these two announcements:
1. It was thirty-three degrees and snowing as I biked my way to practice this afternoon. My hands almost contracted frostbite, as did my beard. Seventy-degree Merrimack, eat your heart out.
2. I would like you all to wish William "Baby Boy" Lott a very happy birthday on this April 20th (even though it's already the 21st by me). Bill, all I ask of you on your special day is that you email me a Viva Burrito, so that I might celebrate with you as we would back home. Enjoy today and your final weeks of school, young lad. Talk to you soon.
Good night to the rest of you, as well. Be back before you know it.
Secondly, I apologize for being incommunicado the past few days. At home in Aarhus, I was having some internet troubles. That would have been a viable enough excuse, had I actually been in Aarhus. Rather than spending my weekend in DK's second-largest city, I enjoyed an adventurous one in the largest: the Capitol city of København, more commonly Anglicized as Copenhagen. Here's how things went:
Following Saturday's win in Amager (about twenty-five minutes outside Copenhagen or CPH), I met up with a friend I had made just before arriving here five weeks ago (today, actually). This person was a friend of a former coach of mine at Marist and offered her support and advice, as she had been in my shoes six months before she first contacted me online. Although she was not coming to Denmark to prolong her football career, she was doing so to return to the hardwood.
Olivia Nagle, of Acton, MA, has just finished her first season of international basketball. Collegiately, Liv (as she says she goes by) starred first at Wagner College on Staten Island before finishing up a storied two-year run at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. The difficult transition from the bright and lush landscape of Staten Island to the dank and dreary Florida coastline did little to faze Liv, as she led the Tritons (sweet name) to their best years in Women's hoops. From here, the door also opened to extend her playing days. Following her graduation last spring, Liv soon became connected with the Virum Vipers basketball club just outside CPH.
Moving forward to the present, Liv and I are basically at two different ends of the Danish sports spectrum: she has completed a very successful season as the dominant post threat for the Vipers and has also honed the dribbling and shooting skills of a group of rambuncious pre-teenage boys, whereas I am still in the relatively early stages of my adventures. In any event, Nagle (as I call her) has been great online company since I've been in DK and is always willing to offer pointers on how to make living here seem a little more like home, particularly when it comes to peanut butter.
Having finished up her season with the Vipers about three weeks ago and my first game likely another three weeks down the road, Nagle and I both realized that we weren't going to get the chance to see each other play. However, during the middle of last week, we discovered that our schedules would mesh during the weekend. She planned to come to Amager to watch her friend play for their basketball club and also catch some of our game. As things would have it, our game was played on the field behind the same gymnasium the basketball game was in. This would come in most handy later during the third quarter, as temperatures outside dropped significantly and sent Liv inside to warm up some. After the game, Brian dropped us off near the downtown area and we commenced our weekend festivities.
Nagle showed me around the city a bit, but we decided to save most of our sightseeing for Sunday afternoon, when temperatures would perhaps rise some and I was not wearing shorts (it's a coach thing). Hence, we returned to her apartment outside the city a little ways and enjoyed a splendid homecooked meal. The pasta was great but the masterfully prepared salad, thanks to my ability to cut vegetables into small pieces with a large knife, was probably the crown jewel of the dinner. After relaxing for a while, we hit the town with Liv's roommate Sarah, a fellow Vipers teammate and another MA product (from Wissstaahhh) and also their friend, Joe. Joe is a tall drink of water from West Virginia; he hails from the same town as NFL great Randy Moss (of RAND University), interestingly enough. He plays for another club in Copenhagen and also works for a marketing firm, as he's been in Denmark for three years now. I will tell you firsthand: you haven't heard anything until you've heard Danish spoken with a serious WVA twang.
The night moved along to some of their favorite hotspots; all of which were loud, fairly pricy and filled with Danes, young and sometimes old, looking to have some fun. Aside from some very rude redheaded little boys (who pretended to be British and were promptly and triumphantly dispatched by Nagle's friend Sydney, whom we joined forces with at one point), the night was a most enjoyable excursion. We did happen to have a bit of trouble just as the sun was rising, because Sunday morning travel times do change slightly. So, we arrived back at Liv's place around 6:30 in the AM to catch a few hours of shut-eye before a sightseeing tour a little later.
About two o'clock we set out once again to indulge my touristiness. We didn't go far before reaching a bakery, where Nagle introduced me to the best jelly donut I've ever eaten. While consuming the delicious pastry (filled with real fruit preserve), we checked out the cool little district where her apartment is located. Parts of it looked eerily similar to New Jersey, albeit with fewer off-ramps and Jets flags waving over garages. After that, we took a bus into town and she showed me all of the cool things I had read about prior to coming over, as I was originally in negotiations with a team in Copenhagen before talks with the Tigers. I could write way too much about all the cool things we looked at, but in lieu of doing so, I offer a few highlights:
1. Rosenborg Castle: Completed in 1624, used by Danish Royalty until 1710. Currently being patrolled by armed military personnel who do NOT always keep a straight face.
2. Nyhavn: Argualby the most popular tourist attraction in Denmark. Famous for colored building fronts and history as a former hub for prostitution and other sailor-related debauchery. Currently synomonous with harbor tours and restaurants/bars that offer outdoor seating and blankets for your legs on chilly days. The newest picture up on the right was taken here.
3. Copenhagen Opera House: Impressive $500 million building right on the waterfront donated by shipping magnate Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, a man so wealthy, he allegedly keeps Danish taxation constant by himself.
4. Børsen: "The Stock Exchange," built between 1619 and 1640. Famous for the four dragons and their tails entwined into a massive spire originally designed to keep the building safe from fire and enemies. Three crowns atop this spire represented the former united Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
5. Fristaden Christiania: "Freetown Christiania," a hippie commune of about 850 residents is an autonomous neighborhood, formerly famous for legal marijuana trade. Picture a flea market with as many Danish Bob Dylan covers going on at once as possible. Not nearly as bad as portrayed in travel guides. No photos allowed inside!
6. Vor Frelsers Kirke: "Our Saviour's Church," completed in 1695. Finished in 1752 with yet another impressive spire, this time of the corkscrew variety with an external staircase that goes all the way to the top (tours were closed by the time we got there).
As I said before, there are many more cool things we saw that afternoon and we were indeed lucky to have some great walking weather. We capped things off with a dinner of all-you-can-eat salad and "Deep Dish" pizza, which I believe plummented some 0.8 inches into the pans they used. Tasty stuff though, as we both enjoyed the effort the restaurant put forth. We returned to Liv's apartment, fairly exhausted, to a relaxing viewing of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg in "Hot Fuzz," a hilariously British motion picture. I awoke the next morning and caught an early train downtown to meet up with Brian and head back to Aarhus.
An unexpected surprise of a weekend, but most certainly worth it because I don't know when I will have the time (or resources) again to do such crack exploration. I would like to extend many, many thanks to Nagle for her hospitality and willingness to help out another American athlete in the Danish world of sports. It's pretty wild that two people who only communicated online prior to meeting were able to coordinate things and enjoy a really awesome time; internets, you've done it again. It's unfortunate that she will be leaving soon and I can't offer her the same opportunity to come to Aarhus for a weekend of equal or lesser enjoyment, yet I do applaud her for making the most of her Danish 'experience' (as she might say). Thanks again, Liv; you're a swell gal.
More exciting posts to come this week, with some neat pictures as well. Tomorrow, I will reveal the discovery I made several weeks ago, yet somehow forgot to write about. Before heading to sleep, I leave you with these two announcements:
1. It was thirty-three degrees and snowing as I biked my way to practice this afternoon. My hands almost contracted frostbite, as did my beard. Seventy-degree Merrimack, eat your heart out.
2. I would like you all to wish William "Baby Boy" Lott a very happy birthday on this April 20th (even though it's already the 21st by me). Bill, all I ask of you on your special day is that you email me a Viva Burrito, so that I might celebrate with you as we would back home. Enjoy today and your final weeks of school, young lad. Talk to you soon.
Good night to the rest of you, as well. Be back before you know it.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Chalk one up for the Good Guys
I've been having some internet issues at home for the past day now and seeing as how I'm using a friend's computer to post, I'll make this brief. Your Aarhus Tigers moved to 1-0 on the season today with a 21-18 come-from-behind win at the Amager Demons. The weather was not unlike some of the autumn afternoon games I used to play in high school and college; pretty chilly, windy and overcast with the occasional sunburst that makes everything seem brighter and warmer than it actually is. Felt good to be back on the gridiron.
Though I was only coaching (returning to play very, very soon), I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Danish American Football. We responded to the Demons' first score of the game with a long aerial strike that put us up 7-6 after the first quarter. Amager then took control with two scores to close out the first half up 18-7 (we blocked two PATs).
After a sluggish start to the second half, them Tiger boys really dug in and played some good football on both sides of the ball, closing out the third quarter down 18-14. In the fourth, the defense played superbly, shutting down the Demons' O and setting up the go-ahead Tigers' score, a seven-yard TD scamper by QB Mathias Lilhauge. The PAT made it 21-18 with under two minutes to play. The D then rose to the challenge, forcing a crucial turnover with fifty-seven ticks to seal the victory.
Most impressive from an outsider's perspective, was the intensity and no-quit attitude from all of our guys when things got tough. We responded and took control when the game was in the balance and showed a lot of heart until the end. This was something a lot of guys told me has been lacking the past few years; glad to see things are changing for the better. The attitudes are there and our guys clearly committed to improving their game.
Hats off to the Demons (who, with the Tigers, have routinely been the dominant teams in this league for the past few years), they played a great game. Their QB, a young man from Sweden who I caught up with after the game, was a pretty good ball player and has done some coaching in the States. His top highlight of the day was, oddly enough, NOT a seventy-yard TD run, but rather proposing to his girlfriend (the team's medic) right before kickoff. She said yes, which then prompted both sidelines and the hundred or so fans in attendance to cheer with uproarious approval. A surprising moment for all, but just par for the course (or, in the case, gridiron) though, when you're talkin' football in DK. Good win today, see you all soon.
Though I was only coaching (returning to play very, very soon), I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Danish American Football. We responded to the Demons' first score of the game with a long aerial strike that put us up 7-6 after the first quarter. Amager then took control with two scores to close out the first half up 18-7 (we blocked two PATs).
After a sluggish start to the second half, them Tiger boys really dug in and played some good football on both sides of the ball, closing out the third quarter down 18-14. In the fourth, the defense played superbly, shutting down the Demons' O and setting up the go-ahead Tigers' score, a seven-yard TD scamper by QB Mathias Lilhauge. The PAT made it 21-18 with under two minutes to play. The D then rose to the challenge, forcing a crucial turnover with fifty-seven ticks to seal the victory.
Most impressive from an outsider's perspective, was the intensity and no-quit attitude from all of our guys when things got tough. We responded and took control when the game was in the balance and showed a lot of heart until the end. This was something a lot of guys told me has been lacking the past few years; glad to see things are changing for the better. The attitudes are there and our guys clearly committed to improving their game.
Hats off to the Demons (who, with the Tigers, have routinely been the dominant teams in this league for the past few years), they played a great game. Their QB, a young man from Sweden who I caught up with after the game, was a pretty good ball player and has done some coaching in the States. His top highlight of the day was, oddly enough, NOT a seventy-yard TD run, but rather proposing to his girlfriend (the team's medic) right before kickoff. She said yes, which then prompted both sidelines and the hundred or so fans in attendance to cheer with uproarious approval. A surprising moment for all, but just par for the course (or, in the case, gridiron) though, when you're talkin' football in DK. Good win today, see you all soon.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A Case of Heartbreak
As much as I'm trying not to think about it, I do have to mention a bit of sad news that happened to me today. While looking for a particular barbershop in the downtown area, I stopped to check my iPhone's GPS for directions. To preserve the sheer fanciness of my very useful and necessary mobile phone, I have been keeping it in my iPod's carry case. This particular case itself is not fancy nor very elaborate (I believe my mother found it at Marshall's for about three dollars), but it is extremely handy and practical as it provides a good amount of protection without being obnoxiously large or stupid looking. More importantly, its sentimental value is through the roof. Not only was it an item that my mom found for me close to two years ago and I have used pretty much every day since then, but it has been a trusty companion all across the US during many hours of football-related travel. I had planned the same for my future European adventures.
Well, I guess things change sometimes, as some Dane is most likely enjoying it this very moment with his or her HIGHLY undeserving iPod. When I took my phone out to check the GPS (which probably would have been successful, had I spelled the name of the location properly), I rested the case on the seat of my bike. After my search for directions failed, I called Peter to guide me from my location. As I talked, I began to walk with my bike at my side (with the case still on the seat, at least for a little while). I nearly came to the door of the barbershop and looked for my case to return the phone to when I suddenly realized my costly mistake.
I retraced my steps exactly as I had walked, through a very crowded square in broad daylight with temperatures warm enough that to prompted me to take off my fleece before checking my phone. I returned to that location. Nothing. I looked up and down that particular alley. Nothing. I looked along the sides of the alley, to see if had been kicked aside. Nothing. I asked the sales attendants in the two stores closest to where I had been standing if anyone had turned such an item in as lost. Nothing. I looked in garbage cans. Nothing. I returned to the square and ... you get the idea. I even went back for another look after I booked a time with the barber. All searches were in vain. My very prized possession had most likely been picked up by a passerby, who realized what an awesome case it was and felt they needed to claim it as their own.
I was instantly devasted when I realized I'd lost such a great accessory. I quickly convinced myself things could have been much worse, had my phone or iPod been in the case as well. However, it's still not a great feeling looking back to see how easily such a tragedy could have been avoided. I even told myself at the time to put in in my pocket, but figuring I wasn't going anywhere, I didn't see the need. Bottomline: it was a stupid mistake that was totally my fault and should have been never happened.
But, I'm of course also going to pin this one of the dozens of other people that were in and around the alley and square at the time. I absolutely refuse to believe that not ONE person saw the case fall from my seat. "Hey dummie, you dropped this," is all it would've taken and I would be writing about how I ALMOST lost my very dear musical bodyguard. Furthermore, the area where it would have fallen was frequented by some pretty high-rollers; people who probably would have no use for such a commoner's item. Could they not have had the decency to help out a lost American in need of a haircut? Nicest people in the world, my eye.
Apart from this sadness, today was a pretty nice day. Beautiful weather as you can see by the many people pictured below out for a midday rest by the stream.
The barbershop was absolutely awesome and I will most likely write about it in greater detail in the future. It has the classic chairs, mirrors, twirly thing outside, old men smoking in the corner, you name it. Peter has made an agreement with the owner of the joint to allow me to come by as needed for a trim; something to which I am truly grateful for because I don't think this place is any too cheap.
There are a bunch of news clippings outside singing its praise and there's a damn bar in there for heaven's sake. I had to kindly refuse the owner's very persistent offerings of beer an othe libations, as I had to go to practice later in the day. I opted for some water, which came in a bottle emblazoned with the place's name and logo on the label. Good stuff. The barbers, of course, were masters of their craft as I got one of the best haircuts (below) I think I've ever received from someone not named Bobby Abbatiello. They also shave with straight razors, something I absolutely must take advantage of in the months to come (just to say I have).
That's all for now. Time to go to sleep without my carrying case for the first time in many moons. Good night old friend, we had a good run. I'm sorry.
Well, I guess things change sometimes, as some Dane is most likely enjoying it this very moment with his or her HIGHLY undeserving iPod. When I took my phone out to check the GPS (which probably would have been successful, had I spelled the name of the location properly), I rested the case on the seat of my bike. After my search for directions failed, I called Peter to guide me from my location. As I talked, I began to walk with my bike at my side (with the case still on the seat, at least for a little while). I nearly came to the door of the barbershop and looked for my case to return the phone to when I suddenly realized my costly mistake.
I retraced my steps exactly as I had walked, through a very crowded square in broad daylight with temperatures warm enough that to prompted me to take off my fleece before checking my phone. I returned to that location. Nothing. I looked up and down that particular alley. Nothing. I looked along the sides of the alley, to see if had been kicked aside. Nothing. I asked the sales attendants in the two stores closest to where I had been standing if anyone had turned such an item in as lost. Nothing. I looked in garbage cans. Nothing. I returned to the square and ... you get the idea. I even went back for another look after I booked a time with the barber. All searches were in vain. My very prized possession had most likely been picked up by a passerby, who realized what an awesome case it was and felt they needed to claim it as their own.
I was instantly devasted when I realized I'd lost such a great accessory. I quickly convinced myself things could have been much worse, had my phone or iPod been in the case as well. However, it's still not a great feeling looking back to see how easily such a tragedy could have been avoided. I even told myself at the time to put in in my pocket, but figuring I wasn't going anywhere, I didn't see the need. Bottomline: it was a stupid mistake that was totally my fault and should have been never happened.
But, I'm of course also going to pin this one of the dozens of other people that were in and around the alley and square at the time. I absolutely refuse to believe that not ONE person saw the case fall from my seat. "Hey dummie, you dropped this," is all it would've taken and I would be writing about how I ALMOST lost my very dear musical bodyguard. Furthermore, the area where it would have fallen was frequented by some pretty high-rollers; people who probably would have no use for such a commoner's item. Could they not have had the decency to help out a lost American in need of a haircut? Nicest people in the world, my eye.
Apart from this sadness, today was a pretty nice day. Beautiful weather as you can see by the many people pictured below out for a midday rest by the stream.
The barbershop was absolutely awesome and I will most likely write about it in greater detail in the future. It has the classic chairs, mirrors, twirly thing outside, old men smoking in the corner, you name it. Peter has made an agreement with the owner of the joint to allow me to come by as needed for a trim; something to which I am truly grateful for because I don't think this place is any too cheap.
There are a bunch of news clippings outside singing its praise and there's a damn bar in there for heaven's sake. I had to kindly refuse the owner's very persistent offerings of beer an othe libations, as I had to go to practice later in the day. I opted for some water, which came in a bottle emblazoned with the place's name and logo on the label. Good stuff. The barbers, of course, were masters of their craft as I got one of the best haircuts (below) I think I've ever received from someone not named Bobby Abbatiello. They also shave with straight razors, something I absolutely must take advantage of in the months to come (just to say I have).
That's all for now. Time to go to sleep without my carrying case for the first time in many moons. Good night old friend, we had a good run. I'm sorry.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A month already?
Okay, so it won't technically be a "month" for another two days, but seriously? Where does the time go? Four weeks down and it hardly feels like I ever settled in. Must be because the weather's starting to get a little bit nicer. Approaching the high fifties/low sixties these days. I know that's a far cry from the sweltering heat of an Merrimack April (well, at least this year's April), but I'm not complaining.
Because of all the sun we've been getting, the fields are drying off nicely and things are just generally starting to look as I imagined. I guess Odin has really started to heed my words from a few weeks back. We've been able to get a lot of quality work in lately and I continue to enjoy the effort my players show me day in and day out. I'm starting to get very excited leading up to this weekend's game in Amager, a suburb of CPH.
I'm also starting to get that itch to throw those pads back on. Normally, Gold Bond powder does the trick when such an itch arises, but not even the green bottle's extra strengthness could quell my desire to get back out and start a-crackin'. Very soon; two weeks in my best estimation. Training on my own continues to go well and I'm beginning to incorporate some football movements during practice. Today was actually a pretty momentous occasion as I played center during an on-air drill (no defenders, just running through plays). I stepped in and before I even realized it, I was moving around like I used to. For not being able to do much for close to six months now, I was feeling pretty A-O-K during that drill. Needless to say, I put a whompin' on that guy who wasn't across from me. Before this week is over, I will hopefully have picked up my equipment at an American Sports Outlet about 80 km away. With any luck, the place will also have a mechanical bull that I can see if the club might be willing to buy for me and install in my apartment. If not, they are really taking some liberties with the term "American" Sports Outlet. Stay tuned to see how that goes.
On a completely related note, I had my first encounter with Danish Royalty today. By that, of course, I mean Peter and I went to Burger King. As I experienced with McDonald's a couple of weeks ago, Danish QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants, the industry term) are far superior to their American equivalents. No lie, I would have held a corporate function at this particular BK. Most importantly, the food is hands-down tasty. I will be doing an in-depth fast food post in the coming weeks, but for now, I leave you with two words that I think sum things up pretty well:
"KING WINGS"
Before I go for the night, I'd like to send a special birthday greeting about a billion miles away to Palmerston North, New Zealand to my cousin Erica. I know it's like 10:30 am there now, so by the next time I post, it just won't be as special - at the very least, international travel makes you more aware of distant (in terms of location) relatives and their birthdays. Enjoy it, Queenly. I'd hoist a tankard of mead in your in honor if I had one. I do have to pick up a few things at the store tomorrow though, perhaps I'll check the availability of both the vessel and the beverage...
Because of all the sun we've been getting, the fields are drying off nicely and things are just generally starting to look as I imagined. I guess Odin has really started to heed my words from a few weeks back. We've been able to get a lot of quality work in lately and I continue to enjoy the effort my players show me day in and day out. I'm starting to get very excited leading up to this weekend's game in Amager, a suburb of CPH.
I'm also starting to get that itch to throw those pads back on. Normally, Gold Bond powder does the trick when such an itch arises, but not even the green bottle's extra strengthness could quell my desire to get back out and start a-crackin'. Very soon; two weeks in my best estimation. Training on my own continues to go well and I'm beginning to incorporate some football movements during practice. Today was actually a pretty momentous occasion as I played center during an on-air drill (no defenders, just running through plays). I stepped in and before I even realized it, I was moving around like I used to. For not being able to do much for close to six months now, I was feeling pretty A-O-K during that drill. Needless to say, I put a whompin' on that guy who wasn't across from me. Before this week is over, I will hopefully have picked up my equipment at an American Sports Outlet about 80 km away. With any luck, the place will also have a mechanical bull that I can see if the club might be willing to buy for me and install in my apartment. If not, they are really taking some liberties with the term "American" Sports Outlet. Stay tuned to see how that goes.
On a completely related note, I had my first encounter with Danish Royalty today. By that, of course, I mean Peter and I went to Burger King. As I experienced with McDonald's a couple of weeks ago, Danish QSRs (Quick Service Restaurants, the industry term) are far superior to their American equivalents. No lie, I would have held a corporate function at this particular BK. Most importantly, the food is hands-down tasty. I will be doing an in-depth fast food post in the coming weeks, but for now, I leave you with two words that I think sum things up pretty well:
"KING WINGS"
Before I go for the night, I'd like to send a special birthday greeting about a billion miles away to Palmerston North, New Zealand to my cousin Erica. I know it's like 10:30 am there now, so by the next time I post, it just won't be as special - at the very least, international travel makes you more aware of distant (in terms of location) relatives and their birthdays. Enjoy it, Queenly. I'd hoist a tankard of mead in your in honor if I had one. I do have to pick up a few things at the store tomorrow though, perhaps I'll check the availability of both the vessel and the beverage...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Taco Night!
Just as I'm sure many of you imagined, nothing screams Denmark like a traditional taco dinner. Brian and I went to Fitness.dk a little on the late side today and when we finished up we decided to go back to my place for a grande Fiesta. About two weeks ago, I realized I hadn't had Taco Bell in about five years (okay, a little over a month) and was in the mood for something of the like to fill that beefy and cheesy void. With that, I bought a packet of taco seasoning for about four US dollars and some tortillas for about eight US dollars. I made some very rudimentary chicken fajitas and loved every last blackened bit of them.
Well tonight, I'd figured we would finish up what was left of that stuff. Upon taking inventory of our available fixin's, it soon became apparent that we needed more supplies. So, while I started working on chopping some veggies and preparing the kitchen, Brian ran to Kiwi (kind of a Danish Kwiky Mart, that also doubles as a grocery store ... surprisingly reasonably priced for most things) and picked up a few things.
When he returned, we readied the feast and soon, were enjoying delicious tacos. The Danes and judging by all the languages on the box of our 'Tex Mex Taco Kit,' most of Scandinavians, really like their tacos. Tex-Mex stuff is pretty popular here; one such dish is Chili con Carne (sort of a mildly spiced Danish 'sloppy joe,' without all the grossness associated with the American version). I will say though that the hard shells and flour tortillas here are good for maybe three or four bites and then you're on to the next one. They also have stuff known as 'taco sauce,' which is pretty much just chunky salsa that I guess you're supposed to make tacos out of.
Brian also bought a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce; a gesture much appreciated. To go with our meal, we enjoyed some ice-cold Danish Coca-Cola, the first soda I've had since my first Faxe Kondi. It was pretty excellent. All the legends about European soda are indeed true; they taste far, far better than American soft drinks, as they are made with real sugar. Very nice. Taco withdrawal averted. Next on the list of Yum! Brands: KFC. The only one in DK is in Copenhagen. Guess where we're playing this week?
Well tonight, I'd figured we would finish up what was left of that stuff. Upon taking inventory of our available fixin's, it soon became apparent that we needed more supplies. So, while I started working on chopping some veggies and preparing the kitchen, Brian ran to Kiwi (kind of a Danish Kwiky Mart, that also doubles as a grocery store ... surprisingly reasonably priced for most things) and picked up a few things.
When he returned, we readied the feast and soon, were enjoying delicious tacos. The Danes and judging by all the languages on the box of our 'Tex Mex Taco Kit,' most of Scandinavians, really like their tacos. Tex-Mex stuff is pretty popular here; one such dish is Chili con Carne (sort of a mildly spiced Danish 'sloppy joe,' without all the grossness associated with the American version). I will say though that the hard shells and flour tortillas here are good for maybe three or four bites and then you're on to the next one. They also have stuff known as 'taco sauce,' which is pretty much just chunky salsa that I guess you're supposed to make tacos out of.
Brian also bought a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce; a gesture much appreciated. To go with our meal, we enjoyed some ice-cold Danish Coca-Cola, the first soda I've had since my first Faxe Kondi. It was pretty excellent. All the legends about European soda are indeed true; they taste far, far better than American soft drinks, as they are made with real sugar. Very nice. Taco withdrawal averted. Next on the list of Yum! Brands: KFC. The only one in DK is in Copenhagen. Guess where we're playing this week?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
"The American and the Toaster."
I lied, I'm back early. This was supposed to be a surprise because I've known it was coming for a few days now. I figured I'd stretch it maybe until tomorrow but eh, why bother? This was the spread on pages 20-21 today's Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, Denmark's national newspaper:
Early last week, some of the guys set up an interview with a reporter from this particular publication (the largest newspaper in DK, famous for printing the controversial cartoon featuring the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, several years back). I must say things went quickly after that because a photographer came by the same day and snapped some pics, which you can see a few of if you Google "JP Aarhus" and my name. Two days later, I conducted the interview with a delightful young chap that was less a formal Q & A and more a two-hour monologue about American college football, European travel plans, soccer in Aarhus, Volkswagens, John Grisham and above all else, my take on Danish toasters (hence the title). Not exactly what I would have focused on, but it's still cool to be recognized and bring some press to both the Tigers and the sport.
I'm not totally sure what the article says, as I'm still waiting for somebody to read it to me, but for being my first experience with the European media, I'd say it was pretty fun. Thanks to reporter Lars Sejr (and his Seahwaks, for some reason) for spending some time with me and hopefully writing some cool stuff. I'm interested to find out.
Early last week, some of the guys set up an interview with a reporter from this particular publication (the largest newspaper in DK, famous for printing the controversial cartoon featuring the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad, several years back). I must say things went quickly after that because a photographer came by the same day and snapped some pics, which you can see a few of if you Google "JP Aarhus" and my name. Two days later, I conducted the interview with a delightful young chap that was less a formal Q & A and more a two-hour monologue about American college football, European travel plans, soccer in Aarhus, Volkswagens, John Grisham and above all else, my take on Danish toasters (hence the title). Not exactly what I would have focused on, but it's still cool to be recognized and bring some press to both the Tigers and the sport.
I'm not totally sure what the article says, as I'm still waiting for somebody to read it to me, but for being my first experience with the European media, I'd say it was pretty fun. Thanks to reporter Lars Sejr (and his Seahwaks, for some reason) for spending some time with me and hopefully writing some cool stuff. I'm interested to find out.
Camped Out
Okay, okay, so I already went back on my policy to post more frequently by not getting to one yesterday. However, I'd like all seven of you out there to know that I tried very hard to get one in. It's true. Apparently amidst all the things that the iPhone is capable of doing, allowing you to input text into a Blogspot window is not one of them. Furthermore, among the millions of useless applications there are for so-called "smartphones," a Blogspot App is nowhere to be found. I'm considering calling Steve Jobs and asking for my (well, the Tigers' money) back.
Nonetheless, I assure you that my lack of posting was due to a professional commitment. I neglected to mention that I was going to be away for the weekend at a Youth Camp in Viborg, about forty-five minutes west of my present location. I figured I could just post from the camp seemlessly, while you all out there would be none the wiser. Alas, foiled again by technological technicalities. Damn.
The camp was held at some school (you'd think I would have remembered the name) in Viborg and was open to all U13 and U16 team in Jutland (DK's Western Island mass). It was pretty cool to be involved with a camp that basically attracts half a country's youth football players. In all there were about ten clubs represented (including some wildmen who drove twelve hours from Oslo, Norway), totalling about a hundred campers. While there were no ghost stories nor smores (which I am so jonesing for right now), there were a bunch of kids there who might not have had the best idea of how to play football, but sure as hell wanted to learn.
For my first European football camp, I'd say things went okay. I didn't make anybody cry or throw up. I got a little sunburnt that should turn into a nice tan in a day or two. I yelled and screamed and hooted and hollered and I think maybe ten or twelve kids understood what I was saying. A good time was had by all.
I guess word travels fast in DK any time a foreigner graces the American Football scene because most people there seemed to know me better than I did myself before I even got there. That was sort of a cool deal, although I did grow a little tired of answering the question, "How come you didn't go to the NFL after college?" Short answer: "So I could be here, of course." What was really great was being able to converse with other coaches and organizers about the state of Danish American Football. I know it may seem a tired point by now, but considering how small participation may be in comparison to other sports, the people who are involved absolutely LOVE the game. Very nice environment.
That being said, there were a few things I could have done without:
1. Leaving home without my toothpaste.
2. Having to wait in line for food behind all the kids.
3. Sleeping on a throw blanket on a gymnasium floor.
4. Yelling at 100 campers to go to sleep and having no shaving cream to retalliate against those who gave me a hard time.
5. The canned breakfast sausages from this morning (picture Johnsonville Lil' Smokie with a strangely metallic aftertaste).
Looking forward to some rest now, dem kids done weared me out. First game's in six days, so this is going to be a big week. For now, I leave you with a few nice shots from this weekend's action.
Nonetheless, I assure you that my lack of posting was due to a professional commitment. I neglected to mention that I was going to be away for the weekend at a Youth Camp in Viborg, about forty-five minutes west of my present location. I figured I could just post from the camp seemlessly, while you all out there would be none the wiser. Alas, foiled again by technological technicalities. Damn.
The camp was held at some school (you'd think I would have remembered the name) in Viborg and was open to all U13 and U16 team in Jutland (DK's Western Island mass). It was pretty cool to be involved with a camp that basically attracts half a country's youth football players. In all there were about ten clubs represented (including some wildmen who drove twelve hours from Oslo, Norway), totalling about a hundred campers. While there were no ghost stories nor smores (which I am so jonesing for right now), there were a bunch of kids there who might not have had the best idea of how to play football, but sure as hell wanted to learn.
For my first European football camp, I'd say things went okay. I didn't make anybody cry or throw up. I got a little sunburnt that should turn into a nice tan in a day or two. I yelled and screamed and hooted and hollered and I think maybe ten or twelve kids understood what I was saying. A good time was had by all.
I guess word travels fast in DK any time a foreigner graces the American Football scene because most people there seemed to know me better than I did myself before I even got there. That was sort of a cool deal, although I did grow a little tired of answering the question, "How come you didn't go to the NFL after college?" Short answer: "So I could be here, of course." What was really great was being able to converse with other coaches and organizers about the state of Danish American Football. I know it may seem a tired point by now, but considering how small participation may be in comparison to other sports, the people who are involved absolutely LOVE the game. Very nice environment.
That being said, there were a few things I could have done without:
1. Leaving home without my toothpaste.
2. Having to wait in line for food behind all the kids.
3. Sleeping on a throw blanket on a gymnasium floor.
4. Yelling at 100 campers to go to sleep and having no shaving cream to retalliate against those who gave me a hard time.
5. The canned breakfast sausages from this morning (picture Johnsonville Lil' Smokie with a strangely metallic aftertaste).
Looking forward to some rest now, dem kids done weared me out. First game's in six days, so this is going to be a big week. For now, I leave you with a few nice shots from this weekend's action.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Some Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem.
Considering I'm spending a great deal of time here, I thought it might be nice to write a little bit about the gym I've been working out at lately. Not unlike the "Dodgeball" rivalry between 'GloboGym' and 'Average Joe's,' there are two main health clubs that attract most of the Århus locale looking to get in shape. That is, assuming anybody here is actually out of shape. Very few people here would fit or rather, spill over, the mold of those you would find in an American news montage of large bellies for an obesity package. This is surprising because tonight, two of the guys prepared a traditional Danish dinner of bacon and potatoes in a heavy cream and parsley sauce (well, maybe not surprising because they were both offensive linemen).
Moving on, the two gyms are called Fittness World and Fitness.dk. When I first heard this, I immediately pictured the scene from ''Coming to America," where Cleo McDowell points out the subtle differences between McDonald's and McDowell's ("They have the Golden Arches, we have the Golden 'Arcs'"). Although I wrote a few weeks ago about how I had been training at Team Danmark Center, I have since moved most of my operations to Fitness.dk. I will probably return to the training facility at least part of the time as the season moves on, but for now, I've been pretty satisfied at Fitness.
It is a health club first and foremost, not a true gym, but I am able to do quite a bit there and take advantage of its two convenient locations (both about a ten to fifteen minute bike ride away) and long hours. It is very comparable to a Gold's Gym, with less emphasis on weights and more emphasis on spinning/step/boxing/dance/something called COMBATBODY classes. What's kind of neat is that my membership includes all of these and as much "sol" (tanning) as I want (When the guy showed me around the first day, he pointed that out and I just kinda stared at him for about a minute until he realized I wasn't one of those reprehensible 'Jersey Shore' actors).
This brings me to my next point. Before coming to DK, a friend who'd been here for a while beforehand pointed out that, "Danish men spend more time in front of a mirror than Danish women." Thankfully, most of the Tigers do not fill this profile (well, at least MOST of them). Many of those who frequent the gym however, do. It's actually quite amusing. A typical outfit is as follows:
- A very thin t shirt that's somewhere between a v neck and a ''Pirates of the Caribbean's" extra's tunic.
- Soccer shorts OR sweat pants OR (most popular) clam diggers.
- Socks that may or may not match whatever may or may not be on a given patron's feet.
- Sneakers OR these weird boxing boots OR just socks that may or may not match the carpet.
OPTIONAL:
- Hair gel. (LOTS of it ... wait, that's not much different from Gold's back home)
- Tattoos (tribal and Chinese characters are making a huge comeback)
With this sort of image to uphold, a lot of the male members typically feel the need to act the part. This week alone, I've witnessed two near fights between the same guy (who doesn't appear to be completely in balance) and a few tough hooligans who were (I believe) hassling him. It could have been the other way around but I just looked away and kept about my business. Yesterday though, I asked a guy if he would remove his water bottle from a piece of equipment so that I could use it and I think he took exception to that. Either that or he didn't speak English (NOT the case I'm sure). Maybe the bottle had a few more sets. Punk.
There are no water fountains inside, but they do have a sink that dispenses nice cold water (just as good as NH tap water if I might say so myself) and plastic cups. This is about the only place I've found that you don't have to pay for water (including most restaurants). The place is really clean, the staff is friendly and the TVs play some of the finest current series the past thirty years has had to offer. Some of these include 'Ally McBeal,' 'MTV's Made' (ca. 2005) and 'Little House on the Prarie.' Last week, several members watched in horror as Mr. Edwards was mauled by bear. It was actually some pretty terrifying stuff for 1976.
All in all though, I'm pleased to have a nice place to workout and have been enjoying a pretty nice routine for the last two weeks now. Things are going so well here, maybe I'll look into another hobby (assuming I don't breach any details of my contract) ...
Frankly, I don't see any one of these jabronis fit to go toe-to-toe with "DemBones" & Tim "The Great" Wall (maybe Big Van Walter & Fight Club). Man, I really hope I get to see one of these before I leave.
Sleep soon. Good night, all. See you soon.
Moving on, the two gyms are called Fittness World and Fitness.dk. When I first heard this, I immediately pictured the scene from ''Coming to America," where Cleo McDowell points out the subtle differences between McDonald's and McDowell's ("They have the Golden Arches, we have the Golden 'Arcs'"). Although I wrote a few weeks ago about how I had been training at Team Danmark Center, I have since moved most of my operations to Fitness.dk. I will probably return to the training facility at least part of the time as the season moves on, but for now, I've been pretty satisfied at Fitness.
It is a health club first and foremost, not a true gym, but I am able to do quite a bit there and take advantage of its two convenient locations (both about a ten to fifteen minute bike ride away) and long hours. It is very comparable to a Gold's Gym, with less emphasis on weights and more emphasis on spinning/step/boxing/dance/something called COMBATBODY classes. What's kind of neat is that my membership includes all of these and as much "sol" (tanning) as I want (When the guy showed me around the first day, he pointed that out and I just kinda stared at him for about a minute until he realized I wasn't one of those reprehensible 'Jersey Shore' actors).
This brings me to my next point. Before coming to DK, a friend who'd been here for a while beforehand pointed out that, "Danish men spend more time in front of a mirror than Danish women." Thankfully, most of the Tigers do not fill this profile (well, at least MOST of them). Many of those who frequent the gym however, do. It's actually quite amusing. A typical outfit is as follows:
- A very thin t shirt that's somewhere between a v neck and a ''Pirates of the Caribbean's" extra's tunic.
- Soccer shorts OR sweat pants OR (most popular) clam diggers.
- Socks that may or may not match whatever may or may not be on a given patron's feet.
- Sneakers OR these weird boxing boots OR just socks that may or may not match the carpet.
OPTIONAL:
- Hair gel. (LOTS of it ... wait, that's not much different from Gold's back home)
- Tattoos (tribal and Chinese characters are making a huge comeback)
With this sort of image to uphold, a lot of the male members typically feel the need to act the part. This week alone, I've witnessed two near fights between the same guy (who doesn't appear to be completely in balance) and a few tough hooligans who were (I believe) hassling him. It could have been the other way around but I just looked away and kept about my business. Yesterday though, I asked a guy if he would remove his water bottle from a piece of equipment so that I could use it and I think he took exception to that. Either that or he didn't speak English (NOT the case I'm sure). Maybe the bottle had a few more sets. Punk.
There are no water fountains inside, but they do have a sink that dispenses nice cold water (just as good as NH tap water if I might say so myself) and plastic cups. This is about the only place I've found that you don't have to pay for water (including most restaurants). The place is really clean, the staff is friendly and the TVs play some of the finest current series the past thirty years has had to offer. Some of these include 'Ally McBeal,' 'MTV's Made' (ca. 2005) and 'Little House on the Prarie.' Last week, several members watched in horror as Mr. Edwards was mauled by bear. It was actually some pretty terrifying stuff for 1976.
All in all though, I'm pleased to have a nice place to workout and have been enjoying a pretty nice routine for the last two weeks now. Things are going so well here, maybe I'll look into another hobby (assuming I don't breach any details of my contract) ...
Frankly, I don't see any one of these jabronis fit to go toe-to-toe with "DemBones" & Tim "The Great" Wall (maybe Big Van Walter & Fight Club). Man, I really hope I get to see one of these before I leave.
Sleep soon. Good night, all. See you soon.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Slackin' on Hackin'
First and foremost. I would like to apologize for the recent decline in posting. While one might think coaching American Football in a foreign land is an easy go, I can assure you it's no picnic. My day starts between 9:00 and 11:00 am. I have to work out whenever I please. I'm at least a ten minute bike ride from everywhere that I need to go. Times are tough, but cut me some slack here!
Sarcasm aside, I promise to be more vigilant with posting ... starting tomorrow. I do stay quite busy with "Training" here (that's what the Danes call 'Practice'), especially since our first "match" is fast approaching. I work with four teams: Under 13, Under 16 (of which I've actually been promoted to Head Coach), Under 19 and Senior (which I'll start playing for soon, too). That requires quite a bit of preparation. Also, when I come home, I sometimes have to provide commentary to online video from practices. While I'm not sitting around talking about why Ross did whatever he did during Season 6 of Friends (which I believe is still running on the air here), I do make notes about how my guys did on certain plays. This is pretty awesome way to get film study done, particularly when we can't always meet to do it on our own.
Training has gone very well so far. We're starting to get better at the techniques I'm installing. We still have plenty of work to do, but I can honestly say I have a great group of guys (young and old) who want to get better. Pretty good feeling knowing that about your players.
Very tired now and more posts/pictures will follow, more frequently starting tomorrow. I have some pretty good stuff saved up from this week, including possibly the biggest discovery since they found that alien casino on the moon. What, that never happened? Well, this is bigger than that WOULD have been. Stay tuned to find out!
Sarcasm aside, I promise to be more vigilant with posting ... starting tomorrow. I do stay quite busy with "Training" here (that's what the Danes call 'Practice'), especially since our first "match" is fast approaching. I work with four teams: Under 13, Under 16 (of which I've actually been promoted to Head Coach), Under 19 and Senior (which I'll start playing for soon, too). That requires quite a bit of preparation. Also, when I come home, I sometimes have to provide commentary to online video from practices. While I'm not sitting around talking about why Ross did whatever he did during Season 6 of Friends (which I believe is still running on the air here), I do make notes about how my guys did on certain plays. This is pretty awesome way to get film study done, particularly when we can't always meet to do it on our own.
Training has gone very well so far. We're starting to get better at the techniques I'm installing. We still have plenty of work to do, but I can honestly say I have a great group of guys (young and old) who want to get better. Pretty good feeling knowing that about your players.
Very tired now and more posts/pictures will follow, more frequently starting tomorrow. I have some pretty good stuff saved up from this week, including possibly the biggest discovery since they found that alien casino on the moon. What, that never happened? Well, this is bigger than that WOULD have been. Stay tuned to find out!
Monday, April 5, 2010
A Real Nor(dic)'Easter
As the majority of Danish business establishment refuse to return to normal operating hours, Easter 2010 rages on. While celebrating on Saturday with some fellow Tigers (teammates, not real big cats), the Easter holiday was explained as follows:
"Yeah, Christmas and Easter. That's about it in DK. You gotta take 'em as you get 'em."
In this case, you get 'em for about an entire week at a time. I suppose this rationale makes sense. Many observed United States holidays usually materialize into three or four-day-weekends. You take enough of those away and I guess you have to make up for them somehow. Ergo, I was unable to purchase two onions from the local market today. It would have brought a tear to my eye, but given my onion-less state, I couldn't even manage to do that.
Before moving on, I suppose I should discuss some of Saturday's festivities. At a teammate's apartment, about fifteen or twenty of us gathered to feast upon some traditional Danish holiday cuisine. Much of it is what one would commonly peg as typical Scandinavian fare: pickled herring, smoked salmon, another kind of pickled herring, spiced salami, the hollowed-out skulls of our defeated foes. A bit of a stretch, the last one is actually partially true. When proposing a toast, the Danish word "skål" (pronounced 'skoal') literally means 'skull.' This tradition harkens back to the days when viking forefathers would drink their mead out of, well, you guessed it. Sadly, modern Ikeas do not carry these models in their drinkware section.
Below, I'm trying to make sense of one of the many Danish conversations going on during the meal. We were, however, fortunate enough to have Canadian acting legend Mike Myers (green/yellow striped shirt) grace us with his presence.
The food was tasty. We used the fish, dark rye and wheat breads and various spreads to create the very Danish dish that is smørrebrød (I would offer a phonetic spelling, if I could figure out a way to type the sound that your throat is supposed to make - the character ø deserves its own post sometime down the road). Anyways, smørrebrød translates to "bread and butter" and that pretty much says it all. Using whatever spread you choose (I was adventurous and opted for butter), you coat your slice of bread then top it with one or more of the delicious meatsies or fishsies available. Below, you can see my half-eaten smørrebrød. The whitish fish in the top right corner is tradional pickled herring, which basically tastes like a sweet pickled pepper. The more reddish stuff towards the bottom center is a spiced herring that had a decidedly more fishy taste. I really liked that one.
The green things on my plate, cucumbers, were about the only veggie to be found at the table. There was no salad, nor even any real side dish. In place though, there was bacon. That was used to top a liver pate, the name of which I can't recall at this time. Pretty good also. All in all, a very enjoyable meal with good company.
The drink of choice was schapps, another holiday tradition. Although the good Dr. McGillicuddy was nowhere to be found, some pretty tasty homemade creations filled in for him quite nicely. It's very common to add one's favorite flavoring to a basic schnapps, thus customizing your holiday merriment. This can be done for as little as a day or two or prolonged over several years. Pictured below is a twenty-five hour vintage honey schnapps.
That's about it for my 2010 Danish Easter Report. Maybe by tomorrow, things will be back to normal so I can get on with my onion-buying ways. Until then, take care.
Oh, one more thing: Duke - Butler tonight? Seriously? Butler? Where the hell have I been the last ... wait, don't answer that.
"Yeah, Christmas and Easter. That's about it in DK. You gotta take 'em as you get 'em."
In this case, you get 'em for about an entire week at a time. I suppose this rationale makes sense. Many observed United States holidays usually materialize into three or four-day-weekends. You take enough of those away and I guess you have to make up for them somehow. Ergo, I was unable to purchase two onions from the local market today. It would have brought a tear to my eye, but given my onion-less state, I couldn't even manage to do that.
Before moving on, I suppose I should discuss some of Saturday's festivities. At a teammate's apartment, about fifteen or twenty of us gathered to feast upon some traditional Danish holiday cuisine. Much of it is what one would commonly peg as typical Scandinavian fare: pickled herring, smoked salmon, another kind of pickled herring, spiced salami, the hollowed-out skulls of our defeated foes. A bit of a stretch, the last one is actually partially true. When proposing a toast, the Danish word "skål" (pronounced 'skoal') literally means 'skull.' This tradition harkens back to the days when viking forefathers would drink their mead out of, well, you guessed it. Sadly, modern Ikeas do not carry these models in their drinkware section.
Below, I'm trying to make sense of one of the many Danish conversations going on during the meal. We were, however, fortunate enough to have Canadian acting legend Mike Myers (green/yellow striped shirt) grace us with his presence.
The food was tasty. We used the fish, dark rye and wheat breads and various spreads to create the very Danish dish that is smørrebrød (I would offer a phonetic spelling, if I could figure out a way to type the sound that your throat is supposed to make - the character ø deserves its own post sometime down the road). Anyways, smørrebrød translates to "bread and butter" and that pretty much says it all. Using whatever spread you choose (I was adventurous and opted for butter), you coat your slice of bread then top it with one or more of the delicious meatsies or fishsies available. Below, you can see my half-eaten smørrebrød. The whitish fish in the top right corner is tradional pickled herring, which basically tastes like a sweet pickled pepper. The more reddish stuff towards the bottom center is a spiced herring that had a decidedly more fishy taste. I really liked that one.
The green things on my plate, cucumbers, were about the only veggie to be found at the table. There was no salad, nor even any real side dish. In place though, there was bacon. That was used to top a liver pate, the name of which I can't recall at this time. Pretty good also. All in all, a very enjoyable meal with good company.
The drink of choice was schapps, another holiday tradition. Although the good Dr. McGillicuddy was nowhere to be found, some pretty tasty homemade creations filled in for him quite nicely. It's very common to add one's favorite flavoring to a basic schnapps, thus customizing your holiday merriment. This can be done for as little as a day or two or prolonged over several years. Pictured below is a twenty-five hour vintage honey schnapps.
That's about it for my 2010 Danish Easter Report. Maybe by tomorrow, things will be back to normal so I can get on with my onion-buying ways. Until then, take care.
Oh, one more thing: Duke - Butler tonight? Seriously? Butler? Where the hell have I been the last ... wait, don't answer that.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April Showers bring ... more Showers?
Since I've been in DK, I think there have been a total of three days without some sort of precipitation. Funny, because the same thing was going Stateside when I left. The difference there, I suppose, is that us New Hampshirites experienced an extremely mild winter by our standards, whereas the Danes had their worst winter in fifty years. In any case, I look forward to more suitable conditions as we continue to work outside in preparation for our first game in two weeks. May Odin smile upon the fields with his drying gaze.
Before I move on though, I would like to clarify a few things from my last post. The aim of that entry was not to whine and complain about having a lousy day. I thought it was actually a rather uplifting one because I really did not give two thoughts as to how crappy the day may or may not have been until I was walking my bruised bike home that night. For insinuating anything other than that intended meaning, I apologize. Having said that, I hope to avoid paying 145 Kroner to replace tube and fix a flat whenever possible (even though the Tigers are footing the bill).
Easter is approaching fast and for being a place that is (admittedly) not religious, people here sure do love this holiday weekend. Though there doesn't seem to be quite as much hooplah surrounding giant rabbits, chocolate eggs and Starburst Jellybeans (which DO NOT exist here), there is a strong sense of family togetherness. Just to clarify, that's actually code for closing shops and businesses early and indulging in delicious food and drink (mostly drink, I'm told). Either way, one can't argue with tradition and I look forward to sharing Danish Easter with some fellow Tiger Bretheren this weekend.
On a related note, I think there's also a bit of irony involved with my being here this weekend. A pleasant suprise growing up was that I always used to find a small Lego set in my Easter basket each year (up until I grew out of them last year). In conjunction with my mother's eclairs, this always made Easter one of my favorite times of the year. Today now as some sort of an adult, I know find myself preparing to celebrate one of the Dane's favorite holidays with them, in the proverbial Mecca of all things Lego (betcha didn't know those little blocks were a Danish creation, did ya?). And yes, you bet. I will be going to the Legoland theme park sometime while I'm here.
Until I post next (maybe with apartment pics?), I bid you adieu. Everyone in the US and A, please savor those Startburst Jellybeans just a little bit more than usual this year for the Ol' Danish Ball Coach.
Before I move on though, I would like to clarify a few things from my last post. The aim of that entry was not to whine and complain about having a lousy day. I thought it was actually a rather uplifting one because I really did not give two thoughts as to how crappy the day may or may not have been until I was walking my bruised bike home that night. For insinuating anything other than that intended meaning, I apologize. Having said that, I hope to avoid paying 145 Kroner to replace tube and fix a flat whenever possible (even though the Tigers are footing the bill).
Easter is approaching fast and for being a place that is (admittedly) not religious, people here sure do love this holiday weekend. Though there doesn't seem to be quite as much hooplah surrounding giant rabbits, chocolate eggs and Starburst Jellybeans (which DO NOT exist here), there is a strong sense of family togetherness. Just to clarify, that's actually code for closing shops and businesses early and indulging in delicious food and drink (mostly drink, I'm told). Either way, one can't argue with tradition and I look forward to sharing Danish Easter with some fellow Tiger Bretheren this weekend.
On a related note, I think there's also a bit of irony involved with my being here this weekend. A pleasant suprise growing up was that I always used to find a small Lego set in my Easter basket each year (up until I grew out of them last year). In conjunction with my mother's eclairs, this always made Easter one of my favorite times of the year. Today now as some sort of an adult, I know find myself preparing to celebrate one of the Dane's favorite holidays with them, in the proverbial Mecca of all things Lego (betcha didn't know those little blocks were a Danish creation, did ya?). And yes, you bet. I will be going to the Legoland theme park sometime while I'm here.
Until I post next (maybe with apartment pics?), I bid you adieu. Everyone in the US and A, please savor those Startburst Jellybeans just a little bit more than usual this year for the Ol' Danish Ball Coach.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)