Copenhagen!

A lot has happened since I last posted, so I'll try to catch up.

The flights went ok. The first flight was long, but it's over. I found out pretty airline stewards still exist :) The technology in the built-in monitors was also impressive. My bike was slightly damaged in a small dent in the top tube, but I'm not worried about it. The cardboard box was destroyed, and came off the conveyer wet and ripped open. Amazingly, everything was there and intact! Guess I'll have to pack better next time.

I went straight to the hostel the first day. The city is not simple to navigate like NY or Chicago, so this took me a while. By the time I got there I was very tired from the fights. It was a good time to unload the bike, and get rid of a few unnecessary items. The hostel very nice, and people are from all over, but most are more interested in their computer or books to socialize. Language has been a very minor problem. Most people speak English well, but menu boards and maps are not always subtitled.

After two days in Copenhagen I can tell you that bicycles have a firm grip on the city. See flicker for more pictures. This the the first time I've ridden without a helmet in who know's how long, but it felt good. Managing the bicycle traffic was odd at first, especially left turns. There were other things that were odd too. Because bicycles are real transportation and not a leisure activity, don't expect bicyclists to be in a good mood. Some are coming home from a bad day, smoking, or just going about their business. It's good to see everyone, even old ladies out on their bikes. Pretty girls in casual cloths, few helmets, surprisingly few bike locks in massive bike racks. I've never gone up and done the isles looking for bike parking. It happened today. I'd stop at a red light with 10 people, just to look back and have another 20 show up behind me. Things like this were a regular occurrence, and took some getting used to.

The people seemed friendly, and though the city has some problems, things have been kept up. There are great pedestrian walkways, very scenic waterfront vistas, and historic properties that have been turned into high end cafes and B&B's. For this, things have been expensive; 9 euro (12 dollars) for a toothbrush and paste which was forgotten at home. The city is nice, but it is quickly pricing itself out. I feel I am missing out on some of fun by being a cheapskate, but I gotta make the money last.

Fast food was the cheapest thing I could find, but felt gross afterwards. I found a healthy option the second night with was a great relief. Breakfast was provided at the hostel for minimal charge, which was one of the many nice services they offer.


The second full day started out rainy, but that didn't stop me from going out and exploring. I saw some really cool areas of the city, somewhat followed the tourist map, and somewhat wondered around on my own following the bike paths. My cell phone, and the mapping service, came useful today.

I hit the national art museum as a cheep thing to do on a rainy day. They had some really good modern art exhibits.

Later it got clearer and I rode around quite a bit more before returning home. I want to check the bike over, go through my things, shower, pack, and get ready for tomorrow when I head out of the city.