Traveler IQ Challenge

So far, I've gotten to level 6:

http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq?e357=41cc

Fortune Cookie

Random Thoughts...

1. In Denmark, they celebrate Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the 26th of December, which they call "The Second Day of Christmas." Way to draw it out, Denmark.

2. It is effin' freezing here.

3. Girls Aloud are such wanna be Spice Girls.

Burberry & Denmark

I don't know what it is, but Danish people absolutely LOVE the traditional Burberry Nova Check (herein referred to as BNC) pattern to an extent that is probably unmatched anywhere else in the world. Seriously, I imagine Danes love to wear it even more than people in the UK do, which is amazing for a London-based company.* If I earned one kroner for every BNC patterned item I saw each day (scarves are most popular, but I see a fair amount of skirts, gloves, small accessories - wallets handbags, and a woman I work with owns a poncho(!)), I would be able to afford some of it myself - though I'd personally want to spend any significant amount of disposable income on a Mulberry bag. But, yes, admittedly I am guilty of purchasing Burberry London duty free when I flew to Amsterdam a few months ago. I was sick of my Burberry Brit and I like the more honeysuckle-esque overtones of London. Also, a boy recently told me that he really like the way it smelled on me, and that he would forever associate Burberry London with me... have I found a signature scent?! :) I am apparently a fan of Burberry perfumes. Must be my Danish blood.

In other news, check out this recap in Copenhagen revisited of a traditional Danish julefrokost that I attended. I couldn't have written about it better.

* I am making a comparison to Italian-headquartered companies, which are popular worldwide, but seem to be particularly prevalent in Italy - Though this is perhaps skewed on account of the (frankly, rather scant when one considers how much these luxury items cost in the first place) Italian-made discount one receives if these products are purchased in Italy...

Top Christmas Songs

I compiled my Christmas playlist today (Don't worry, Mich. I still have Miami Boys Choir for when I'd like to get in touch with Judaism :)) My top 5, can't-live-without-them during the holidays:

1. Trans-Siberian Orchestra | Ukranian Bell Carol
(in fact, all versions of Ukranian Bell Carol/Carol of the Bells. This is my all-time favorite Christmas carol of all times and I have even been known to listen to it in, like, June)
2. Mariah Carey | All I Want for Christmas is You
3. Tchaikovsky | Nutcracker Suite
4. Christmas songs by Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra
5. Mannheim Steamroller | A Fresh Aire Christmas (album)

** Bonus: DJ John Mash Up | Lonely Siberian Winter (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Blackeyed Peas, The Beatles mashup)

My favorite gas station in Denmark...

Is definitely Q8. Now that I live in a new apartment, I bike by one everyday (I used to bike by a Statoil everyday). Q8, "under it's distinctive "Q8 sails" logo" amuses me everytime. It's like they know it wouldn't sell in Denmark or anywhere else in the world if it was actually named Kuwait Petroleum and they weren't clever enough to come up with some other snazzy name. Haha.

Inspektør Tingest...OR... if Inspector Gadget was Danish...

Inspector Gadget was one of my favorite shows as a kid. Today, over my normal Danish-to-the-max lunch of smørrebrød med pålæg (open faced sandwich with, um, stuff on it) and tomato soup, I got to talking with Libby about what kind of gadgets my favorite bumbling Inspector would have if he were Danish.

First, his name would translate to Inspektør Tingest, which goes nicely with the song:

Inspektør Tingest
Ooh ohh
Inspektør Tingest

Inspektør Tingest
Ooh ohh
Inspektør Tingest

Gå Tingest gå
Gå Tingest gå

Inspektør Tingest
Ooh ohh
Inspektør Tingest

... but I wouldn't be surprised if the Danes made it something like Inspektør Tingestsen either, to make it as Danish as possible.

Now, for the gadgets... Among his usual helicopter, umbrella, spring and stretch legs, etc., he would have some things suited specifically for living in Denmark. They would be stated in the usual "Go-go-Gadget" command style, but in Danish, of course:

1. "Gå-gå-Tingest-fyrfadslys!" (Go-go-Gadget-tealights!) - Perfect for creating hygge when badies come around to fight. Hygge is like weed. No one ever fights when they are stoned. Likewise, no one ever fights when they are hyggelig. Hygge and Hatred are antonyms.

2. "Gå-gå-Tingest-cykel!" (Go-go-Gadget-bike!) - Extremely necessary for Copenhagen. Everyone needs a bike, not least of all Inspektør Tingest. For night time he would also be able to utilize the command "Gå-gå-Tingest-cykel lygter!" (Go-go-Gadget-bike lights!) so he wouldn't get pulled over and given a ticket while he was chasing badies. Also, "Gå-gå-Tingest-regnbukser!" (Go-go-Gadget-rain pants!) for when it's raining. Handy and so Danish it hurts.

3. "Gå-gå-Tingest-saltlakrids!" (Go-go-Gadget-salt licorice!) - Best when used against non-Danish badies. One taste and they are down for the count, clutching their throats and crying for Mama.

4. "Gå-gå-Tingest-klippekort!" (Go-go-Gadget-clip card!) - The Inspektør uses this when he has to ride public transportation to catch a badie. Danes never cheat and ride for free, and neither would Tingest.

5. "Gå-gå-Tingest-vejkryds!" (Go-go-Gadget-crosswalk!) - Tingest uses this handy gadget for crossing streets to chase after badies in the middle of the night. He shoots out his own crosswalk whereever he wants so he doesn't have to wait for the light to change. It comes shooting out of his wrist, like Spiderman's webs. Spectacular.

More may follow as I continue to Dansk-ify my favorite childhood tv show.

Man, I would totally watch Inspektør Tingest.