Our new city.

When I last wrote, we had only been in Denmark about 4 days, and we had spent those days catching up on sleep, unpacking, and trying to navigate the Danish grocery store.  So when I last wrote, I didn't have too much to say about our new country, and the only pictures I could show were the ones I had taken of our little apartment.  But our little apartment basically looks like a dorm room (i.e. not that exciting), and I know what you really want to see is what it looks like outside the apartment.  I can hear you now... "Alana, it's great that you have place to live, but what I really want to know is: what the heck is Denmark like??"

Well, now that we've been here about 12 days (and I've remembered to bring our camera while exploring), I can actually show you around a little.

The apartment we're in now is in a great location.  It's an easy 20 minute walk or 5 minute bus ride to the city center.  So we walk down there a lot.

Our street

More of our neighborhood

Our neighborhood, looking towards the
city center

The Internet tells me that the city of Aalborg has about 100,000 people which makes it about the same size as Boulder.  But walking around here, it actually seems bigger and busier than that to me.  Even during the middle of the day on a Thursday, the main streets were packed with people.

In the city center

Algade, one of the main pedestrian shopping streets

The main landmark in the center of town is the white cathedral, Budolfi Kirke.  There's all the older buildings and cobblestone streets and open plazas you would expect in a European town.  There's even an old castle which now houses some of the city's administrative offices (can't say we have that in the US).

Aalborg is also right on the fjord.  So there's nice places to run or walk along the water, and apparently, in the summer, there's even a place to swim in the fjord.  (Although the air temperature doesn't get that warm here, so I'd imagine the water temperature is even colder.  But I guess this is Denmark not Hawaii.)

Walking by the fjord
(you can't see it, but it's to the left)

In front of the Utzon Center
(a building designed by the same guy, an Aalborg
native, who designed the Sydney Opera House

Looking towards the water

Since it's a university town, Aalborg has lots of young people, and therefore, lots of bars and restaurants.  One of David's Danish co-workers has been showing us around.

St. Patrick's Day at the Irish House
(Thanks for the photo, Bailey!)

AND since we live in Denmark now, we can go to places like this:

Bageri = Bakery!

Where the long line of people and the delicious smells coming out the door, tell you that it must be good.  I was told that the Danes make good pastries, so far, they haven't disappointed.  Maybe that's one of the reasons the people here are so happy... well, delicious pastries and 37 hour work weeks and 5 weeks vacation time.

Happy in Denmark :D
Come visit us!