Copenhagen

October 29, 2006 by zankbennett.

Copenhagen is maybe somewhat less expensive than the rest of $candinavia. My first night there, I was staying at a “quiet”, clean hostel out of town. I checked in and they gave me a bed in a 12-bed room. That’s twelve, not a typo. So I go to the room and discover this and U-turn to the front desk insisting that there was a mistake. Nope. Nothing left. So, dropped my stuff off in a locker (that I had to pay additionally for) and figured I’d just sleep in the room, but live out of the locker. Happy enough. Went for a quick 30-min run and then out for some town exploration. Wednesday is free-museum day all over town, so the rush was on to get to an exhibit before 8 pm. Made it just in time after being lost for a bit…buses confuse me…along with everything else! So, I had a great time there and went out for a quick drink…at a place with a $6 cover and all-you-could-drink beer for the next 2 hours…wow! Drunks everywhere and smokers…so I had a beer and a half and walked home… The experience that welcomed me upon opening that door to the 12-man room at midnight was absolutely awesome. The smell was incapacitating. Not worth the long description I was thinking of writing; but it was just incredible. So, I figured I would become inured to it and went for my bunk. I was prepared for a little snoring; with my new earbuds I wouldn’t hear anything! Right? About 5 (I counted) of the men were snoring so loudly that I couldn’t handle it. Every time a LOUD song would end I had to endure like two seconds of this chainsawing. But in the end, it was the smell. I figured I’d just breathe out of my mouth and fall asleep. It was actually so bad that I could TASTE it. OK. That makes sense…it’s a bunch of smelly old men…I’m OUT. So at 3 AM and after about 5 minutes of sleep (ha) I headed down to the TV room. After all, at 3 am I’ll have it all to myself. So i get to the TV room with my blanket an pillow and, of course, there’s this like 50 year old man watching porn. They just show it in Denmark after midnight or something. Great. So I’m so irritable and to top it off, I have to deal with the awkwardness of THIS. Zero sleep that night. At 8 am, and with the attitude that I would pay ANYTHING for a single room, I booked something closer to town. Good call. Great (if tiny) place. I emailed Ayo (crazy African donkey-tamer, beluga-lover I’d met earlier this trip in Madrid) in New York. He got right back to me with a friend in Copenhagen…good call, Ayo!! His friend set me up with a great plan for Friday night…party bus!!! I had met a record-store owner during the day so Tim and I met up at the Zoo Bar and made our way on to the Bus! Wow! There were about 100 people on a 45-person bus. There were bottles of champagne, beer and a karaoke machine! By the time I got on the bus, I had made about 10 friends, so I was in good company almost immediately. Pictures… We stopped at several places and got out and saw bands play or had a drink at a bar or all sorts of things I didn’t even know about! Late in the evening there was a karaoke contest for some prizes…I mean, of course I took the win from a cross-dresser! Yep! Laura, by Scissor Sisters…He/It hardly had a chance! Had a great time in Copenhagen. Certainly one of my favorite cities, but not quite the inviting vibe of Rome or Barcelona or Stockholm. Loved it.

on the bus…with my karaoke competitor

Tim, from the music store…on the bus!

Last night in Copenhagen…

….someone bet me I couldn’t clear it…HA HA!!!  This “horse” was about 8 feet long!

One of the bands we stopped to see along the way (bus is in background).  This band was playing on the street.  Singer (!) used a megaphone and played tuba when not screaming.  Wow!

It’s not every day you get to meet two bearded girls!!!  Tim in background…on the bus…it was CROWDED!!

So, there are free bikes for public use in Copenhagen.  It works like this: they’re locked up at with special locks and in certain places around town.  You put 20 Kr (about $3) into the bike lock and it’s yours to take.  When you re-lock it, you get the 20 Kr back.  These things are all over town.  If you don’t want to lock it up, just leave it anywhere and someone will gladly re-lock it and get your 20 Kr.  So I was sick and tired of having old ladies go wizzing my me on my 30 kg bike, so I stand up and get ready to make granny regret….when the chain broke!  Ha ha!  Good stuff.

Breakfast…just outside of my hotel…

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