A weekend in Aarhus, a pride parade, and some thoughts on impermanence

On 4 August, 20197 August, 2019 By Alison HaywoodIn Culture, Life Abroad, TravelLeave a comment

It’s been four years since I lived in Aarhus. In June of 2014, I packed up my dorm room, tied my suitcase to my bike, and started the next chapter of my life in Hamburg. Since then I’ve only been back twice, primarily to visit the few remaining friends I have in Denmark, but also to take a trip down memory lane.

Selfie in front of the art museum Aros in Aarhus, Denmark, topped by the interactive exhibit "Your Rainbow Panorama."

Sandwiched between a canceled train journey and a grueling 7-hour bus ride, I spent just over 24 hours in Aarhus last weekend. It was Pride Weekend, and my Danish friends who have since moved away from Aarhus were back in town to see the parade. I jumped at the opportunity to see them again in one place and booked a train north.

Continue reading “A weekend in Aarhus, a pride parade, and some thoughts on impermanence” →

My first Easter bonfire – Osterfeuer 2019

On 23 April, 2019 By Alison HaywoodIn CultureLeave a comment

On the Saturday before Easter, it’s German tradition to light a huge bonfire – the so-called Osterfeuer, or Easter Fire.

Osterfeuer / Easter Fire 2019 in Hamburg Allermöhe

Continue reading “My first Easter bonfire – Osterfeuer 2019” →

My first German sauna experience

On 17 December, 201817 December, 2018 By Alison HaywoodIn Culture, Winter1 Comment

Saunas are a popular winter pasttime in northern Europe. The steam and heat are the perfect antidote to the darkness and the cold, which sap your energy and leave you tense and shivering all the time. Though many of my friends spoke fondly of their sauna experiences, I had somehow never been invited to one, and I was too nervous to go on my own. But when a dear friend from the U.S., Kel, came to visit me in Hamburg in November, it was the perfect opportunity to try.

Holthusenbad_Eppendorfer_Stube — The sauna called “Kaffeestube” (coffee shop) at Holthusenbad.

Continue reading “My first German sauna experience” →

Something magical happens in this botanical garden in Germany every night

On 10 August, 20172 September, 2018 By Alison HaywoodIn Culture, Sightseeing, Summer2 Comments

Planten un Blomen. The name is low German, or Plattdeutsch, for “plants and flowers.” This beautiful botanical garden is located right in the Hamburg city center, easily reachable by public transit.