danish love

hey all!
that time of the semester has come again...assignment due dates approaching, copious amounts of coffee consumed, panic in the pit of my stomach with thoughts of upcoming exams, and the need for deep breathes/some solid time for reflection. plus, i must share with you my completely soul warming 10 days spent with the one and only Julie Streton. as many of you know, julie is my other half--my tall, beautiful, silly, blonde other half. after growing together for a memorable year in california we became sisters of sorts. she knows my california world quite completely, from family to favorite spots to weird habits. yet, up until mid-april, i had yet to see her world--her family, her favorite danish spots, her home.
all that has now changed! after years of hearing about julie's people and places, i finally was there to physically meet and see them all. our adventures were numerous: exploring copenhagen, bike riding around town, swimming (and screaming) in the danish ocean in april, going to sweden, and eating breakfast in the forrest. yet, when thinking back on my time in the north what brings the biggest smile to my face are the memories eating dinners with julie's family in her home, feeling that homey comfort, and just feeling so loved. here are some pics that i think say it all:

the whole atmosphere along the water in copenhagen was stunning--the sun sparkled off the water and hit the colorful buildings, street performers sang that Titanic song, people of all ages lounged in the sun and chatted with friends all consuming a delicious beer or sweet ice cream, and naturally, there were smiles all around.

danish castle exploring with Michael, julie's fabulous dad. this is Shakespeare's Hamlet's castle with the fog and mist surrounding the gothic castle.

back to julie's hometown. we rode our bikes to this gorgeous lake surrounded by big, beautiful trees.

bird houses in "Freetown Christiania" the hippie, arsty part of Copenhagen.

julie and i climbed up one of the many towers to see the view. copenhagen rocks from above and at ground level.

on my last morning, julie and i first rode our bikes to the local, bomb bakery, then to the forrest covered with little white flowers indicating the coming of spring. listening to adele in the danish forrest, giggling and smiling...it was one of those 'life is good' moments.
now, let's head north and visit one of my homelands...sweden!

here's the story. julie's aunt bought a summer home in southern sweden as the perfect weekend get away and family time spot. although it is just three hours by train from copenhagen, it is another world--a place of moose, wild boars, chopping wood, and that inner peace that only nature can bring.

talking a walk around with julie, her grandma, and younger cousin.

the lake on our early morning quest to try and see a moose. although our wildlife sighting wasn't as successful as we hoped, the stillness and beauty of the morning was stunning.

although it is never easy to say goodbye to my danish sister, especially knowing it will be over a year before we are together again, i know without a drop of doubt that we have a lifetime of 'hello's and 'see ya later's.' in our future there will be world exploring, more freezing bodies of water to jump in, family reunions, weddings, hard times, love, and one of a kind moments. while we are definitely different people who have known different lives, we are forever connected and both take comfort in knowing that the next adventure of vanilla and chocolate is never too far away <3