Day 2 - Sunday: Touring the City / Meeting our Hosts

Before taking the tour of the city, I had to check out of my room at the Ascot Hotel and into the Ascot Apartments down the street. Two friends from class, Brian and "Hans", were coming into town that day and we'd agreed to share living quarters. With a separate bedroom, multiple beds, a fold-out couch, dining room and kitchen, the apartment was a much better arrangement. Heck, it was a swanky American bachelor pad. Plus, it was conveniently located between a small grocery store and the Wonder Bar. What kind of establishment is the Wonder Bar, you ask? Exactly the kind of establishment you think it is. More on that later.

The bus tour took us to ornate government buildings, former sailor-friendly red light districts (Nyhavn), the new opera house, the Royal Palace, the Little Mermaid statue, and as I mentioned earlier, the area where the riots took place. I'll skip the details, but for those who would like to see pictures and a few comments click here.

After a brief break, it was time to meet our hosts at Denmark's International Study program (DIS). Everyone was gracious and excited to have us there. Typical exchange students are of the 18-22 variety, so we were a change of pace for them in a good way. 18-year-olds have ways of getting into trouble that adults with careers can't even contemplate, so it was a chance for the folks at DIS to relax and get to know us. Had they seen our group operate back on The Corner in Charlottesville they might not have been so at ease...

A few speeches were made, food and drinks were served, and everyone had a great time. Photo documentary evidence of said good time can be found here. Be sure to note the first of many photos involving our Dean in a compromising position.