09:07 Odense Hostel [Link to Pics]
Just waiting for my laundry to finish so I can hang it while I'm out. I've managed to stash away a nice little horde of apples, clementines, brownies and tea for my travels; acquired from SJ first class, haha. Now all I need are veggies and some sort of protein. Bread I'll buy on the go for freshness :)
I asked about Restaurant Carlslund [at the hostel desk] and they confirmed it was traditional, good, and opens at Noon, thankfully, usually restaurants aren't opened until 17:00 (like Kobenhavn). The only set back, they said, was it was far, which is why I picked it(!), and also confirmed that the walk is beautiful. Ready for the day!
11:50 Restaurant Carlslund
After a beautiful walk and enlightening mediation by the river, I've arrived at Restaurant Carlslund, it's positively adorable and very warm, inviting and cozy; especially since it got a bit colder and started raining pretty hard. I'm throwing caution to the wind and got their specialty, which is a mound of thickly cut, smoked and fried bacon atop an omelette with chives and tomatoes. I know 'Danish' people/regulars like it because the 4 old ladies sitting across from me ordered it.
My walk along the river was amazingly gorgeous. The woods are so thick, the greenery so lush, it's no wonder HC Anderson found Odense such an inspiration. In fact, I found my own inspiration in it. I felt compelled to sit on one of the many clean benches by the river, thickly covered by trees, and meditate on 'connect' (intuition, people and places); I even sent some positive energy to Kobenhavn, I have the strength here to do that, but not there. I watched one spot in the river bend, [the water was] fuzzy with the wind and passing leaves, and listened to the birds. Throughout the meditation I had tears rolling down my right eye, which I typically take as a positive sign. I focused on my chakras and felt my only weakness is around my heart/compassion. I suddenly shifted to things that made me feel happy: new school clothes, supplies and the excitement I always felt on returning to school/staring a new school year.
Now, wanting to do God's will doesn't need to involve huge, lighting-striked epiphanies or struggle in any way really. I strongly believe that which the energy of the universe intends for you is directly proportional to that which you want/feel naturally inclined to do. In talking to Mary about easy ways to become an ex-pat and also in hanging out with her and all of her teacher friends, I became convinced it would be the easiest job for me to get here and I certainly have the education. I worry, however, about my lack of compassion and patience, believing these deficits wouldn't make me well suited to the profession. Her friends, however, are a lot like me in demeanor and mentality and when I think of my strongest inherent skills: written/verbal communication, organization, attention to detail and analytical thinking, I suddenly find that all of those would nevertheless make me a strong teacher. In thinking about the lack of patience and compassion something beautiful happened; I suddenly heard 'Those that can't do, teach,' and it immediately began to rain lightly and I gave a huge smile at this sign. My path forward is clear, I will teach in a foreign country; teaching compassion and patience along the way as I struggle with those attributes myself. Beautiful.
[Food Arrived]
That meal was beautiful too! What's more is I ate most, but not all, of the omelet. The meatier bacon pieces, trimming on the hugs chunks of fat. Ate 1 piece of bread and put the rest (2 pieces) in my container because it's good and sturdy, and will keep well; and I feel perfect! Satiated but not ridiculously full :) The eggs were thick with chives and warm tomatoes, and a bit salty. The bacon thick and delicious. The rye bread is like eating horse-grain-cake and I love it! The mustard was really hot and I immediately tasted horseradish so I didn't eat anymore and told myself that I wasn't allergic, but I can feel the back of my throat is a tad swollen. This place is really filling up now! It's obviously a local favorite and I'm so grateful I found it. The sun is back out just in time for a nice walk back too.
I saw giraffes at the zoo on the way here. When I go back through town I'm going to stop at the HC Anderson house/museum area on the East side of town, then maybe go to the store/post office. Either way, I want to look around the East areas, I explored the North/West last night, I see from the map I need to go a bit more South to get to the tourist info place and that's usually where the more touristy things/shops and museums are. Maybe I'll save that all for tonight and go back to the hostel, then post office and store now. That sounds like a plan... then I'll shower and go exploring again! Woot.
Note: Everybody drinks [booze] early here, haha, and I've decided to embrace the Canadian tuxedo as others in Europe have done, mainly because it takes a combo of my hoodie, jean jacket and a cardigan to keep me warm.
19:10 Odense Hostel
I'm enjoying a pleasant meal of salad, rye bread, tea and brownie protein bar for dessert, haha. The only thing to put on the salad is teriyaki sauce so I also put one of the clementines in, good call! I had to shut my window to write, I opened it to dry the clothes faster but it also creates a crazy wind tunnel and makes the room cold.
I did a lot today, so I enjoyed a rest/nap from about 15:00 to 16:00, then got up and showered. On the way back from the zoo I saw the zebras and a very curious goat who ran towards the fence to see kids that were also on the trail. I got back, posted some shit on Facebook, then headed to the post office and the smaller/bit homelier version of Denmark's Target, called Fotex; the place I saw yesterday. The post office was confusing but I got it figured out. Turns out, for future post cards, I can just use stamps. At Fotex I got a lock for the rest of my travels, salad mix, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, green pepper, bananas and a greek yogurt for breakfast. All that for about 168 Krono. My 2 meals here were 150 and 155, respectively, which is exactly why I also got a set of 3 tupperware containers! I have 2 ready-made salads and one full of snack veggies. I should be set for a bit! Also, I'll be in Berlin tomorrow and per MK, food is cheap there. I'm definitely getting a currywurst tomorrow!
I don't have to check out until 10:00 so I think I'll go for a small jog, shower/pack (hopefully my clothes will be mostly dry) and on my way to Hamburg shortly after 10:00. It's likely that I can't check into the hostel in Berlin until 17:00 or so, but I should at the very least be able to store my pack there upon arrival. I have to see if there's anything worth seeing in Hamburg, or even in the Danish town on the next island West, and by 'worth it' I mean worth paying to store my pack or it's coming with me.
I thought of buying some booze at the store, or about going out tonight, but in my opinion it's both wasted money and calories, a bad combo. I've decided, again, to wait until I'm in Berlin and cheaper. So tonight I'll just walk around the East part of Odense, see the HC House/Museum and just see how I feel in general. If I feel compelled to do something, I certainly will. I'm thankful that I never have to even think about what time it will get dark/what time I can't explore, haha. The sun still stays up until about 23:30.
Importantly, I must again lend praise to my sense of direction/ability to get around. While in the kitchen preparing/storing my groceries I met an Asian-American who works/goes to school at ..... DENVER UNIVERSITY OF ALL FUCKING PLACES!!! She asked me where I got my stuff, so I showed her on my iPod and told her how cheap it was. Then she complained/remarked that there was no traditional Danish fare; so I disagreed, told her about Carlslund and my beautiful walk, and told her how to get to the trail. It made me realize that a combo of maps on my iPod and my general know-how I'm lucky and get to see things that others may never know about. The flip side to that is there must be so much more that I don't know about and is still waiting for exploration! I can't see all the places, but I'm so grateful that I have seen such beauty and nature here. I can't say I'd happily leave Odense for anywhere but Germany. That being said, I must remember that Berlin is likely to be more congested and dirty, therefore stressful. In Berlin it'll be essential for me to try and be more social and not withdraw due to anxiety. There will certainly be some beautiful parks to discover and I want to see 'The Wall'!
I'm pretty sure that about catches me up. Time to do some travel planning :) Note: Flensburg/Hamburg seem uneventful so I'm going straight to Berlin.
22:45 Odense Hostel
New Plan for Tomorrow:
Just waiting for my laundry to finish so I can hang it while I'm out. I've managed to stash away a nice little horde of apples, clementines, brownies and tea for my travels; acquired from SJ first class, haha. Now all I need are veggies and some sort of protein. Bread I'll buy on the go for freshness :)
I asked about Restaurant Carlslund [at the hostel desk] and they confirmed it was traditional, good, and opens at Noon, thankfully, usually restaurants aren't opened until 17:00 (like Kobenhavn). The only set back, they said, was it was far, which is why I picked it(!), and also confirmed that the walk is beautiful. Ready for the day!
11:50 Restaurant Carlslund
After a beautiful walk and enlightening mediation by the river, I've arrived at Restaurant Carlslund, it's positively adorable and very warm, inviting and cozy; especially since it got a bit colder and started raining pretty hard. I'm throwing caution to the wind and got their specialty, which is a mound of thickly cut, smoked and fried bacon atop an omelette with chives and tomatoes. I know 'Danish' people/regulars like it because the 4 old ladies sitting across from me ordered it.
My walk along the river was amazingly gorgeous. The woods are so thick, the greenery so lush, it's no wonder HC Anderson found Odense such an inspiration. In fact, I found my own inspiration in it. I felt compelled to sit on one of the many clean benches by the river, thickly covered by trees, and meditate on 'connect' (intuition, people and places); I even sent some positive energy to Kobenhavn, I have the strength here to do that, but not there. I watched one spot in the river bend, [the water was] fuzzy with the wind and passing leaves, and listened to the birds. Throughout the meditation I had tears rolling down my right eye, which I typically take as a positive sign. I focused on my chakras and felt my only weakness is around my heart/compassion. I suddenly shifted to things that made me feel happy: new school clothes, supplies and the excitement I always felt on returning to school/staring a new school year.
Now, wanting to do God's will doesn't need to involve huge, lighting-striked epiphanies or struggle in any way really. I strongly believe that which the energy of the universe intends for you is directly proportional to that which you want/feel naturally inclined to do. In talking to Mary about easy ways to become an ex-pat and also in hanging out with her and all of her teacher friends, I became convinced it would be the easiest job for me to get here and I certainly have the education. I worry, however, about my lack of compassion and patience, believing these deficits wouldn't make me well suited to the profession. Her friends, however, are a lot like me in demeanor and mentality and when I think of my strongest inherent skills: written/verbal communication, organization, attention to detail and analytical thinking, I suddenly find that all of those would nevertheless make me a strong teacher. In thinking about the lack of patience and compassion something beautiful happened; I suddenly heard 'Those that can't do, teach,' and it immediately began to rain lightly and I gave a huge smile at this sign. My path forward is clear, I will teach in a foreign country; teaching compassion and patience along the way as I struggle with those attributes myself. Beautiful.
[Food Arrived]
That meal was beautiful too! What's more is I ate most, but not all, of the omelet. The meatier bacon pieces, trimming on the hugs chunks of fat. Ate 1 piece of bread and put the rest (2 pieces) in my container because it's good and sturdy, and will keep well; and I feel perfect! Satiated but not ridiculously full :) The eggs were thick with chives and warm tomatoes, and a bit salty. The bacon thick and delicious. The rye bread is like eating horse-grain-cake and I love it! The mustard was really hot and I immediately tasted horseradish so I didn't eat anymore and told myself that I wasn't allergic, but I can feel the back of my throat is a tad swollen. This place is really filling up now! It's obviously a local favorite and I'm so grateful I found it. The sun is back out just in time for a nice walk back too.
I saw giraffes at the zoo on the way here. When I go back through town I'm going to stop at the HC Anderson house/museum area on the East side of town, then maybe go to the store/post office. Either way, I want to look around the East areas, I explored the North/West last night, I see from the map I need to go a bit more South to get to the tourist info place and that's usually where the more touristy things/shops and museums are. Maybe I'll save that all for tonight and go back to the hostel, then post office and store now. That sounds like a plan... then I'll shower and go exploring again! Woot.
Note: Everybody drinks [booze] early here, haha, and I've decided to embrace the Canadian tuxedo as others in Europe have done, mainly because it takes a combo of my hoodie, jean jacket and a cardigan to keep me warm.
19:10 Odense Hostel
I'm enjoying a pleasant meal of salad, rye bread, tea and brownie protein bar for dessert, haha. The only thing to put on the salad is teriyaki sauce so I also put one of the clementines in, good call! I had to shut my window to write, I opened it to dry the clothes faster but it also creates a crazy wind tunnel and makes the room cold.
I did a lot today, so I enjoyed a rest/nap from about 15:00 to 16:00, then got up and showered. On the way back from the zoo I saw the zebras and a very curious goat who ran towards the fence to see kids that were also on the trail. I got back, posted some shit on Facebook, then headed to the post office and the smaller/bit homelier version of Denmark's Target, called Fotex; the place I saw yesterday. The post office was confusing but I got it figured out. Turns out, for future post cards, I can just use stamps. At Fotex I got a lock for the rest of my travels, salad mix, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, green pepper, bananas and a greek yogurt for breakfast. All that for about 168 Krono. My 2 meals here were 150 and 155, respectively, which is exactly why I also got a set of 3 tupperware containers! I have 2 ready-made salads and one full of snack veggies. I should be set for a bit! Also, I'll be in Berlin tomorrow and per MK, food is cheap there. I'm definitely getting a currywurst tomorrow!
I don't have to check out until 10:00 so I think I'll go for a small jog, shower/pack (hopefully my clothes will be mostly dry) and on my way to Hamburg shortly after 10:00. It's likely that I can't check into the hostel in Berlin until 17:00 or so, but I should at the very least be able to store my pack there upon arrival. I have to see if there's anything worth seeing in Hamburg, or even in the Danish town on the next island West, and by 'worth it' I mean worth paying to store my pack or it's coming with me.
I thought of buying some booze at the store, or about going out tonight, but in my opinion it's both wasted money and calories, a bad combo. I've decided, again, to wait until I'm in Berlin and cheaper. So tonight I'll just walk around the East part of Odense, see the HC House/Museum and just see how I feel in general. If I feel compelled to do something, I certainly will. I'm thankful that I never have to even think about what time it will get dark/what time I can't explore, haha. The sun still stays up until about 23:30.
Importantly, I must again lend praise to my sense of direction/ability to get around. While in the kitchen preparing/storing my groceries I met an Asian-American who works/goes to school at ..... DENVER UNIVERSITY OF ALL FUCKING PLACES!!! She asked me where I got my stuff, so I showed her on my iPod and told her how cheap it was. Then she complained/remarked that there was no traditional Danish fare; so I disagreed, told her about Carlslund and my beautiful walk, and told her how to get to the trail. It made me realize that a combo of maps on my iPod and my general know-how I'm lucky and get to see things that others may never know about. The flip side to that is there must be so much more that I don't know about and is still waiting for exploration! I can't see all the places, but I'm so grateful that I have seen such beauty and nature here. I can't say I'd happily leave Odense for anywhere but Germany. That being said, I must remember that Berlin is likely to be more congested and dirty, therefore stressful. In Berlin it'll be essential for me to try and be more social and not withdraw due to anxiety. There will certainly be some beautiful parks to discover and I want to see 'The Wall'!
I'm pretty sure that about catches me up. Time to do some travel planning :) Note: Flensburg/Hamburg seem uneventful so I'm going straight to Berlin.
22:45 Odense Hostel
New Plan for Tomorrow:
- Forget jogging, I'm here to explore!
- To maximize #1, get to Berlin as early as possible, this way I can take advantage of tomorrow's free use of the S-Bahn to see some of the outer parts of Berlin :)
I'm proud; I felt hungry and opted for carrots and an apple instead of sweets or booze (I'm saving those for Berlin!). Also, after looking around the HC Hus and East side, I really felt satisfied with my time here, which is when I came up with my new plan. No place/person particularly spoke to me, so I came back to pack and re-schedule.
Odense to Flensburg 08:03
Flensburg to Hamburg 12:13
Hamburg to Berlin 12:39
Once There : Go to tourist info or pick an attraction from the iPod app; drop off pack at the hostel (hopefully); explore and currywurst, schnitzel or cake!
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