The ship let us off about six miles from the hotel. Since there were no ATMs (this happened at the dock in Barcelona as well, so I should have known better) we were unable to use the city bus. We managed to find a map in a gift shop (not in the terminal, which would have been logical). Based on the shop owner’s advice we decided to take a cab, which cost us $70 dollars. Good thing the taxi took credit cards. The driver was Persian, but immigrated to Denmark 30 years ago. He is a building engineer between contracts and working as a cab driver for something to do.
The Pea Blossom B&B is conveniently located. According to the cabbie, we are near the red light district, across the street from a grocery store, and 10 minutes walk from the train station. The establishment is 5 flights up a circular staircase. (if you are booking rooms, it’s advisable to inquire if a lift is available). The apartment is large by Danish terms: 6 guests rooms, common room, and kitchen. The floors are wood, the walls white, the furnishings are natural wooden. The high ceilings have decorative and crown mouldings.
Our room is bright, spacious, and overlooks a quiet street. The owner is in Paris at the moment, so it is more like a high-class hostel, which is fine with us.
Around the corner from the B&B is a bakery where we bought Danish sandwiches and a latte for lunch.As we ate, I people watched. There are people everywhere. Mothers push babies–often twins–in large black hooded prams. Children sit in seats on the back or front of bicycles. Some bikes have an extended front wheel to accommodate a cart where children sit; sometimes the cart is attached to the back of the bike. Since autos are imported in Denmark, they are very costly; the Danes pay about three times the car’s price in taxes.
Women’s attire varies. Professionals dress in suits and high heels. Others are more casual. Muslim women are covered up, as everywhere, but wear brightly colored shoes such as fluorescent-blue sneakers. Tall hairy or short-cropped men tower over short and stocky ones. Old people walk hand-in-hand and teens bop along. There are all shades of skin tones–a panoply of humanity.
We walked around the neighborhood, and then bought groceries for supper, saving exploring until Tuesday.
