Just like my first two tours, I couldn't fall asleep last night due to excitement. Despite that and the bourbon consumed, and lack of sleep on the flight, I felt fine. I couldn't shower in the morning because there were no towels in the room--I had to buy one at reception for 5kr (less than $1) and use it later when I had time.
Our tour manager was Matt Wells, who had done this tour before, and the driver was Jared Smith, doing it for the first time. Reportedly, only the best drivers get sent up to do Scandi & Russia.
Queen's residence at Amalienborg Palace.
Marble Church at Amalienborg Palace.
The Little Mermaid. This was a difficult photo to take because a group of ~20 Korean tourists kept going up one by one to pose next to it. This was the exact same problem I had with the Japanese at Greenwich and at Mrs. Macquaries Chair. (DIATRIBE) I have to say that it's pretty fucking rude to go up and stand in a shot when there are lots of other tourists around who are waiting to take that shot without your ugly face in it. Do it later. Also, it's pathetic that you have such low credibility with your friends that they won't believe you visited even a mid-level tourist attraction unless you have a photo with you in it to prove it.
And as for the mermaid, she wasn't quite as little as I had hoped.
Next we toured the Carlsberg Brewery. Most of the tour consists of exhibits on the history of the company and the brewing process.
This horse was sticking his head out as if he liked and expected to be photographed. Apparently the brewery uses horses for something--I think they eat hay and turn it into barley.
Highlight of the tour--the bar where everyone gets two free beers.
The old brewery started by Carlsberg founder J.C. Jacobsen in 1847.
At this point we went our separate ways to do our own sightseeing.
Nyhavn.
Rosenborg Palace.
Rosenborg Palace.
From here I took a long walk over the bridge to Christiania, the one thing I was curious to see in Copenhagen. Christiania is a semi-autonomous hippie commune founded back in the '70s with dirt roads, no running water and open selling of weed. I didn't smell any weed myself, but just inside the entrance there was a crop of cannabis growing in a rowboat filled with dirt. The place reminded me of Tijuana or India with all the shacks and dirt. Photos weren't allowed in certain sections so I kept my camera away to be safe.
Bourse.
Tivoli Gardens, an amusement park built in 1843. This section here looks great when it's lit up at night, except night starts much later like I said.
I took this shot again without that couple in the way. Here there are two other women hiding behind a plant for me.
Copenhagen is full of hot blondes on bicycles. I suspect they don't know how hot they are, especially compared to girls in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if they were created in a lab.
Back at the hostel we had another foyer party. Tonight's drinking game involved celebrities. One person names a celebrity, then the next has to name one whose first initial is the same as the last initial of the previous celebrity. If you fail or the celebrity isn't recognized, you drink. A double initial like Marilyn Monroe reverses direction. I scored with Lars Ulrich, but otherwise I was at a disadvantage being an American since my celebrities weren't necessarily known to my Aussie and Kiwi tour mates. Still, Carl "The Truth" Williams should have been recognized--he was famous enough to fight Mike Tyson and get knocked out in 93 seconds.
For certain reasons we thought I might have to sleep in a different room, but it turned out I stayed in my room and with an extra person as well because Chris "Broges" Brogan threw up in his top bunk across the hall. This was after he went around knocking on doors and sticking his foot in trying to talk to girls. What a boob.