Copenhagen

My time in Denmark should have been around 4 days, but thanks to either Norwegian Air or Malaysian Air, my initial flight was delayed 29 hours which also led to a subsequent delay in Stockholm.  Let me start off by saying Copenhagen is CRAZY adorable.... like, Its a Small World at Disneyland adorable.  According to your local artist/wine drinker, Rolf, Copenhagen has very strict guidelines about what can and cannot be done with real estate there which has resulted in a city beautifully trapped in time.My first day in Copenhagen was spent drooling on my sister's couch as I face-planted in a way only 3 straight days of traveling can cause. Later that night after I wiped my sleep-ridden face clean and pulled myself together. My sister and her comrades from the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design gathered at her apartment for a small house-party and welcome dinner.  The food, which I have no memory of preparing, but have been told I assisted, was delicious, and the company was even better.  We all gathered with about 4 too many bottles of wine to split and had a wonderful evening filled with conversation, laughs, and a strange Danish game of pool involving a red ball, two cue balls, and 4 wooden miniature bowling pins.  I'm couldn't tell you how to play, but I can tell you that the bartender at Cafe Viking is none too friendly... not rude, but definitely not warm. She seems like the kind of lady who has absolutely had it with throwing drunken vikings out.
My second day I walked around Nørrebro and ended up renting a bike for about 75DKK to explore Copenhagen and meet my sister at the Institute. That did not go as planned.... Or did it? What should have  been a 20-30 minute ride turned into over a three hour expedition throughout the Danish countryside and Copenhagen outskirts.  I can unequivocally tell you that the Danes speak marvelous English, and are very friendly.  I don't know why this surprised me, but it did.  Perhaps I stereotype cold climates with cold people... either way, the people of Copenhagen were positively surprising in this aspect. Once I finally found my way to the Institute and met up with my sister, we participated in an artist's lecture  and presentation wherein we were paired off into groups according to eye color (yes, I'm serious), blind-folded (again with the serious), and led around the city for the sole purpose of enhancing our auditory awareness as to the symphony of the City.  It was a remarkable experience, if not only for the 100% survival rate. Most of those participating are not native to Denmark, and were responsible for the blind-folded lives of their random partner.  It's a little amazing that everyone enjoyed it without injury, death, or absolute disorientation.
After we finished there, my sister and I enjoyed typical tourist-fare at NyhavenC where we ended up meeting the previously mentioned, Rolf. She introduced me to a variety of ways herring is served along with schnapps to go with our fish. Between Rolf's company, the schnapps, and the live local band playing along the canal, our evening was only getting better.My sister decided to take me on another (small) bike adventure after we ate, and we cycled over to Islands Brygge to take a dip in Øresund.  I think this means I have officially swam in the Baltic and North Seas. This could be a stretch, but because I am not very cold tolerant, I'm taking the liberty. Then we biked home, as I had to catch my flight to Barçelona the following day....