Danish Diary Entry no.5

Friday was the start of 'Family Weekend,' a rather exciting but nerve-wrecking day for me. You see, I was set supposed to spend the day with my mom's brother, Lennart, and my cousin Emilie. I hadn't seen my cousin in TEN YEARS, and she's a lot different than I remember from when we were little, so I was a little nervous as to the two of us being together again.
So Lennart and Emilie came down to Dronningmøle, and the five of us had some coffee and cakes, talking a bit and getting comfortable. Emilie and I were obviously a bit awkward at first, with her purple hair and lip piercing, and my dorky Old Navy jeans and big glasses. After listening to my grandparents and uncle make small talk and discuss politics and whatnot, I put my weekend bag in the car, said goodbye, and rode with Lennart and Emilie to Roskilde. The car ride was filled with my uncle's funny jokes, and me talking about everyone back home. In Roskilde, we saw an old church, and stopped at a little outdoor cafe for lunch. I spent some quality time connecting with Emilie, talking about school, work, fashion, and everything normal teenage girls discuss. Even though the two of us hadn't been together for a decade, it appeared to everyone else that we'd grown up side by side.
We then drove out to the FAAAAR end of the countryside to visit my great-aunt Kate, dubbed 'The Hippie.' Reasons for this nickname are quite obvious and self explanatory (Mommy warned me not to touch, smell, pick, eat, or bring on the plane ANYTHING growing in her 'herb garden'). We spent about an hour there, eating Danish lemon tarts (nothing homemade, of course), and assuring Auntie Kate that I don't have a boyfriend nor do I need her to set me up with a Danish pothead thank you very much. Aunt Kate said that I wasn't rebellious enough....DOES THIS WOMAN KNOW WHO SHE BE TALKIN' TO?? xD
After leaving Aunt Kate's, sans-any funny smelling sustances, the three of us went grocery shopping fo dinner. Let me tell you, a Tikotzki, a Jacobsen, and a Tick in a grocery store...not a quiet, calm combination! We ran around, making weird noises, talking in strange accents, throwing food around, and just causing enough general chaos to get a few weird stares.
We then drove to the new Tikotzki residence of my uncle, aunt, and younger cousins in Holbæk, where I got to be Santa Claus and get re-aquainted with Victoria and Oliver. We had dinner, danced to some new CDs (courtesy of mommy to Lennart), and watched 'Talent' (the Danish rendition of 'America's Got Talent') before Lennart drove Emilie home. I spent my night in the 'Lene Suite.'
The next morning was spent walking around inner Holbæk shops helping my aunt and uncle pick out gifts for everyone. Afterwards, I spent some quality time with Oliver and Victoria: we broke some language barriers, played on the trampoline, built a fort, and they helped me overcome a huge fear: DANISH DISNEY CHANNEL. (Still makes me shiver)
On Sunday, we drove into København to take part in the ultimate dorky turista experience: CHEESY CANAL TOUR. We met up with Nichlas, the giant, and Emilie, my new BFF, and then proceeded to seat ourselves between dorky Italian tourists. The bigger cousins and I spent more of the our cracking jokes, made fun of Emilie picking her brother's teeth, and talking in funny accents than paying attention to the tour guide. It was good to see that my big cousins had that happy attitude I loved and remembered. After the boat tour, we went to a small pizza shop (where Emilie's ex-boyfriend worked) and got sandwiches. We sat in the park, people watching, listening to Nik's crazy college-boy antics, and just spending quality time catching up.
After parting from my awesome cousins, we went back to the house and lazed around:the kids napped, and I attempted to tackle my summer reading. We watched 'Man of the Year,' but nobody really liked it much.
Monday was school for the kiddies so I said goodbye to Victoria early, and accompanied Oliver to Kindergarden. It was Oliver's birthday, so I helped Lisbeth bring the homemade cake to his classmates and took pictures: they sang, gave a class gift, ate some cake, and raised the Danish flag. I said goodbye to my last cute little cousin and auntie, Lennart and I made the long drive back to Dronningmøle. We stopped to get schwarma for lunch, and had a lot of time to really talk a lot of things out, a BIG deal for two goofballs like us. We then stopped by his friend, the jewler, to pick up some last gifts for my family. He insisted that I have a present from him, so I got my very first Danish Skagen watch, which I absolutely love and will take good care of. When I got home, we walked to a local store to buy some postcards for my friends back home.
Tuesday was shopping and finishing day, Morfar and I went to see an old monastary which used to be the biggest building in Northen Europe. We then proceeded to buy all of the various snacks I listed to bring home: remoulade, solbært tea, franskevafflen, and of course, LOTS OF LICORICHE.
We then went to Hornbæk to buy some Tshirts for the family, and then watched some more sappy British soaps.
I REALLY don't want to go home yet. ;(