| On my first visit to Denmark, I fell in | | | | poured beer. From its trunk. Ah, let me |
| love with the country and the city of | | | | start at the beginning. |
| Copenhagen. Contrary to my guidebook, | | | | Having been befriended by some local |
| you could see elephants and experience | | | | Danes, we were asked in hushed tones if |
| ice hockey in the dead of summer. | | | | we would like to see real Danish |
| The Hanson Brothers | | | | elephants. Yes, we'd be able to touch |
| Upon arriving in Copenhagen, I was | | | | them. No, they weren't dangerous. We |
| burned out from backpacking and looking | | | | could even ride them? Wow, this was |
| forward to a good nap. I was traveling | | | | going to be a great entry in my Nomad |
| with three other Americans and we became | | | | travel journal. |
| distressed as each subsequent hostel | | | | We were picked up at the ice rink that |
| told us all beds were sold. After asking | | | | evening and taken to the center of town. |
| around [okay, we were in a bar], we were | | | | We stopped in front of what looked like |
| given a lift by a local to a "hotel" | | | | all the world to be a small tavern. |
| guaranteed to have space. | | | | This is where they keep the elephants? |
| I could only sigh as we pulled up to the | | | | We walked into a small tavern with...a |
| ice rink for the local professional | | | | life-sized, wood elephant. |
| team. Since we were "high and dry", we | | | | As it turned out, the elephant was the |
| entered and booked our beds. Left face | | | | world's biggest and best beer dispensing |
| off dot. Yes, our beds were arranged | | | | unit. Put you glass under the trunk and |
| around the left face off dot. To make a | | | | pull down on a tusk to dispense your |
| little extra money during the summer, | | | | beverage of choice. Each tusk provided a |
| the rink melted the ice and set up beds | | | | different beer, but I investigated the |
| everywhere. The scene can best be | | | | mechanism far to often that evening and |
| described as a giant collection of | | | | don't recall the brands. Unfortunately, |
| cubicles in an office with beds instead | | | | there didn't appear to be an aspirin |
| of desks. It was cheap, dry and had a | | | | elephant anywhere to be seen the next |
| communal feel since you could hear | | | | morning. |
| everything. If you've seen the movie | | | | If you're going to be visiting |
| "Slap Shot", it was like living with a | | | | Copenhagen and don't give a hoot about |
| few hundred Hanson Brothers. | | | | privacy, the ice rink hotel can't be |
| Danish Elephants | | | | beat for price and a communal spirit. |
| Okay, there was one Danish elephant. | | | | Well, maybe by the Danish elephants, but |
| Okay, it was made out of wood. And | | | | don't tell anyone I told you. |