Tilykke med fødselsdagen!

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Today was my aunt's **th birthday (fødslelsdag), so we celebrated - naturally.

Birthday breakfast seems to be a tradition in Danish life (it certainly is in my family). So at 830 my uncle, cousins, and I had breakfast and gifts for my aunt ready on the table. Cute family togetherness ensued. Then I started some homework because - yikes - I'm in school (how I miss Cinci's schedule!). My aunt and I went for a midday run of (drumroll please) SEVEN KILOMETERS. Rolling hills, a glimmering blue lake, beautiful countryside, soft gravel trails...I didn't even notice how far we ran until it was over.

After a lunch of dense, delicious rye bread with assorted topppings, the family piled in the car for a trip to Tivoli. Tivoli is an amusement park located in the heart of København (Copenhagen). I dared my uncle to ride the biggest coaster there and of course he couldn't back away from a challenge like that. We didn't get the photos, but I have no doubt my face is one of complete glee while his more resembles discomfort and regret. But it was all in good fun. The kids ate giant wads of candyfloss - cotton candy - and the adults enjoyed beer, coffee, and small strawberry pies (we deserve it, after all the running we did).

After Tivoli we took the scenic route out of Copenhagen, passing the Black Diamond (library) and Amalienborg (the Queen's palace) before driving up the coast. We ate dinner at a quaint Italian restaurant lined with wood and bottles of wine and have now comfortably settled into food comas around the house.

After this post, I have some light existentialist reading to do for school tomorrow - no big deal.

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