Copenhagen, Denmark

Aug. 3 - 17, 2007

Took the SBB train (www.sbb.ch) from Lausanne, Switzerland to Copenhagen, Denmark and it was so easy to get on. They had everything waiting for me because I had called the day before to make sure they had the ramp ready. First stop was Basel, Switzerland and it was an easy change to the next train. I had to do it fast though, 15 minute connection straight from one train to the next. The workers there quickly transferred me and sent me on my way again.

Off to Hamburg, Germany where I almost missed my stop there because I wasn't paying attention, but got off the train in time to sit in the station for 2 hours with no money. Most people hardly spoke English there, nor were the signs in English at all so I had to struggle a bit. I could have changed some money but I wanted to wait till I got to Copenhagen, because the currency is different there anyway. They use the Danish Krone in Denmark and Germany uses the Euro, so I figured I'd just wait.

I got to Copenhagen at midnight and the people were all really helpful in getting me off the train. They spoke enough English for me to understand and even though they were not informed ahead of time, they were right on top of getting the lift and everything to get me off the train and up to the street to meet my ride. Chalk it up to another miscommunication with the train system.

Went to the pub down the street with a couple friends to have a few beers. Tuborg is the home brew there so of course I had to try 1... or 10. Of course, I made a couple new friends as well along the way. This is basically the only pub open late in my particular neighborhood and the locals have dubbed it "The Death". I am not really certain why, but if I had much more to drink I probably would have found out the hard way.

I got out with my friend Niklas today. First I had to find a bike shop to get my tire fixed so we stopped at one right by the place I was staying and he didn't have the right size, but in Niklas talking to him he found out that there are a ton of shops all over the city and the surrounding suburbs. So I found a shop that had the right size I needed and a CO2 cartridge pump to get me back rollin' down the path and found a nice little park on a lake and sat in the grass and fixed my tire. Worked like a charm!

Niklas had to head off to his job so I was left on my own to explore. I got on one of the public trains and headed for the downtown city center of Copenhagen today. The trains are really easy, the platforms are pretty close to the train floor so it was an easy hop in. They have ramps that you can get out and use easily, but I am too impatient for that and there was really no need. The grab bar just inside the door works just fine for me to pull my self in with.

Once I got to the city center I saw that there were quite a few main street closed off to car traffic which made getting to and from really easy. The cobble stones everywhere didn't really help, but I made do. There were good curb cutouts everywhere. I mean, slapping down a bit of concrete in front of the curb edge isn't perfect, but good enough to get around.

Most shops had a few stairs going up or down to get into so that made it a bit difficult but all the restaurants had cafes out front so eating was easy, shopping would be the difficult part. And pretty much everyone around that area spoke English so I got around just fine. Even stopped at the Irish Rover to get an order of some really tasty fish and chips.

I took the train back out of the city and had no problems. There were lifts/elevators everywhere to get me to what ever floor I wanted to, even in the small suburb of Charlottenlund where I was staying.

Took the train today to Bakken (pronounced Bah-gen) (www.bakken.dk) with a few more friends and goofed around at the carnival there. It was a very eclectic place where there aren't near as many tourists and a lot of the locals frequent to hang out and have a beer or 3. It is a ways off the beaten path out in a section of woods in Klampenborg. After a few hours wandering around aimlessly and having some traditional Danish food, laughing with my friends, I took the train back to my buddies apartment for the night.

Tonight I took the train to main station, a train I have taken quite a few times now and got it down to a science. This time with all my bags though, so I had a lot more difficulty getting into the train than I was used to. The conductor peaked his head out the window and asked if I wanted the ramp. I said yes, giving up on my stubbornness. He came and quickly pulled a ramp out for me and I rolled right up. On the train I met an old man who I talked with for a bit and he said to me at one point, "It's not the legs that make the man, it is the soul." Now, this drunken old man is spouting wisdom at me and he was so right it was a bit eerie. How about that, drunken wisdom at its best.

I dropped off all my bags in large locker for 35 krone for 24 hours. I can say I am really starting to figure out the trains here -- not like it is really that mind-boggling. I took another train to the City Center and found this city is alive with all sorts of people-- shapes, sizes and nationalities. I decided to push to the Irish Rover Pub again and have a pint of Guinness and listen to this acoustic duo play great Irish drinking songs. There was 1 step into the door but the bouncer helped me up with little effort.

Then off to Rosie McGee's (www.rosiemcgee.dk) near Tivoli where a huge body builder of a bouncer let me in. One step into the club, again no worries. After grabbing a drink at the bar I headed to the dance floor that was up one more step and small. One of the bartenders made a joke of "why am I sitting down there", I thought he was funny and laughed then later he came over later to apologize, saying he didn't know I was in a wheelchair. He couldn't see it from behind the bar. I let him know it was ok, that I thought it was funny as well. I end up dancing with a chick that kept knocking the glasses off the ledge with her butt. she wasn't big, just drunk. Part way through the night I get offered a shot by a man standing next to me who was thoroughly liquored up. After a few shots with them I realized that the bathrooms were downstairs. I know that isn't going to happen so I figure that was a good time to find a new place to hang out. Also another whole upper floor to the club but never went up there.

Strecker's was next where I met Julie the bartender( from rural island near Germany) and had a pint of Guinness. This time the restrooms were on the first floor and no steps, but were kinda small. Hey, I am not complaining at all. All the buildings in the city center are 700-800 years old and still look exactly the same yet the insides have been recently renovated to make room for new, modern stores and restaurants. The accessibility leaves still something to be desired, but like everywhere else, they are trying.

After a couple pints and some good conversation with a couple people behind the bar they invite me to a place called the Moose Bar after this bar closes down. I figure it sounds like fun and head out with them to drink until 7a. This was a total locals hang out. It was great! Then we decided to call it a night there and tried to find some pizza to soak up the beer. No luck anywhere near there as all the pizzerias weren't open yet, so I parted ways, went to the main station and got my bags. I found my train to the airport and wandered by many shops and restaurants. This station is very easy to get around. I made my way easily to the Copenhagen Airport and was very early to the plane to Geneva so I wandered around the airport as well. When it was time to board the plane a very polite lady to help me on the plane who had been working there for 15 years.

Super easy and quick flight to Geneva. At the airport I found a train to Lausanne and jumped on. Once I got to Lausanne I thought it would be nice to sit on the water for a while so I "strolled" down the hill from the station. I burned my hands so bad on my push rings on the way down that I realized I should really get some gloves for times like these. Well, lesson learned and another great trip in the books.