It was an odd feeling to walk across that gangway for the last time, but at 7:30 in the morning, we were also half asleep. Cruise terminals are actually pretty weird because they are such bare-bones, basic buildings. Copenhagen was no different—it looked like a temporary building and was nothing more than a big room with everyone’s baggage laid out and stacks of city maps by the exit. It was well-organized, though, so we immediately found our bags and exited the ‘building’.

The other thing about cruise terminals is that they are usually in the middle of a very industrial area, as was this one. We knew we could walk to a train station so we bypassed the taxis. Within a few feet we were all alone and trudging along the blue path in a very desolate area, but we did find the minimal train station fairly soon. As we stepped onto the upper platform, a huge blast of wind swept Mike’s hat off and onto the track. Welcome to Copenhagen!

There was no place to buy tickets on the platform, but another passenger told us we had to go back to the 7-Eleven to get tickets. For which we had no money! There was no cash machine at the terminal and we do not have the computer chip credit cards like they have in Europe and that are the only kind you can use in the machines. So off Mike went to get tickets. He came back with tickets in hand only because of the kind generosity of a stranger in the 7-Eleven! With no Danish cash and a non-functional credit card, he was kind of out of luck, so we were so fortunate to have someone buy the tickets for him.

So we finally made it into the Copenhagen Central train station, where we were able to get some cash, and we continued our trudge to our hotel. It was cold, windy, threatening rain. It was a long way to the hotel from the train station. It was so early on a Saturday morning that we were the only ones in the street. We were looking for the address of our hotel, 66 Vesterbrogade. Addresses were scarce, but we did pass 38, then a long time until 62, and then suddenly we were at 72. Huh? So back we went. We could look up and see a big sign for a hotel on the side of the building, but no doorway. Then we realized that the entrance was inside a small driveway off the street. We had to be buzzed in and climb a flight of stairs to check-in. We stuffed Mike with all the luggage into the very small elevator and I know I was wondering what we were in for. But the desk clerk was extremely friendly and helpful, and while our room was not ready (not surprising at 8:30 am), she was full of ideas for places we could see, how to get there, and stored our bags while we did some exploring. We had arrived.

-T