Scandinavia

A comedian (possibly Garrison Keeler) once said that you could tell that Minnesota was settled by Scandinavians. Who else would leave somewhere that is cold and depressing, leave it behind, travel at great personal hazard half way around the globe to the new world, and then settle in a place every bit as cold and miserable as the one they had left behind.

I can see the argument. Yesterday’s early sunset, this morning’s late sunrise, the cold, the rain... it can see it. But I can see other similarities as well. There is, for instance, the tendency to be outgoing and friendly.

Last night, walking around the city sightseeing, I got a little lost. I stopped a well-dressed woman to ask directions... (I’d been approached by a number of people who had made their profession obvious to me and so intentionally looked for someone who looked up-scale... more on that later.) On almost any big city street in the US, should I try that my approach would have been regarded as a possible attack and would have aroused suspicion of my motives. This woman, however, even though she spoke little English, did her best to assist me. She did help me find my way to the hotel and I was truly grateful.

They also have the penchant for building things in the middle of their roads that I thought was solely a Minnesota thing. In the town my dad lives in there used to be a statue of a Viking (three stories tall!) called “Big Ole” that stood at one end of the main street through town. Nobody seemed to have the least problem with there being a huge concrete statue in the middle of a state highway. Here in Copenhagen, I came across the same idea... this memorial was in the middle of a six-lane roadway... what it is all about, I have no idea. (I speak no Danish.)

The restaurant yesterday was wonderful! I had a spiced herring and egg starter with a gin and tonic. Then for the main I had a stuffed filet of fish (I didn’t recognize the name of the fish on the menu and the waitress spoke no English. To steal a line from Dave Barry in The Only Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need by Dave Barry: There are actually areas of the world where they do not understand English unless you speak it very loud... ) it was a wonderful dish, it was a filet stuffed with shrimp and topped with caviar and a sauce that may have been a mornay. It was quite nice. For after, I had a lovely Danish cheese tray. I was then presented the bill for 225. Of course, being this was Kroners, it was about £20 or $38. Quite a nice bill after such a wonderful meal.

This morning, sitting in the lounge, I had a lovely chat with a couple that were sitting (still up from the night before) and drinking in the lounge. She was from Oslo; he was from Raines Park - a suburb of London not far from where I live in Thames Ditton. It was a lovely conversation.

I am now sitting here in the Copenhagen airport and waiting for the plane. I have enjoyed my visit and will have to do this again.

I hope wherever you are today you’re enjoying yourself.

Don Bergquist - 05 November 2006 - Copenhagen, Denmark

PS: Happy Guy Fawkes Day!