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Some notes from Northern Europe


Brisketexan

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Wanted to see the Viking ship museum since I was a kid...
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It was beyond cool.

And the cultural museum was pretty cool, too. They have a rebuilt stave church - didn’t think we were going to get to see one.

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Also....tourists from all over, so the museum crapper needed instructions...

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So, we went to our first Michelin starred restaurant tonight: Lofoten Fiskrestaurant. It was good. But we weren’t blown away. Granted, we’ve eaten some amazing meals, just in cities Michelin doesn’t cover.

Didn’t get pics of everything, but some sampling from our orders.

Starters:

Tuna tartar. This was better than most any other I’ve had.

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Fiskesuppe. Good enough, but they went too heavy on the basil. Honestly, we preferred the classic fiskesuppe we had in Ålesund, and even that we made in our cabin.

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Smoked mackerel. This was very good...but again, I picked up a piece at a fish market to eat in the car that was just as good.

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Scallops. Very good, but scallops usually are.

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Bisque, with smoked mussels. This was creative, and good... it again, I’ve had better bisque.

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Cod with saffron sauce and summer veggies. This was very good.

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And Arctic char - the wife liked it, but wasn’t blown away.

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I know it seems silly, but we just haven’t had great luck with “fancy” dining. We seem to do better, and are happier, when we discover something small, local, and basic. Do what you do, and do it well.

We may try something similar in Copenhagen...we’ll see.

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Free dinner at Noma with classmates. Copenhagen is a nice little foodie hub, lot of good choices

Tivoli garden was just fun

many museums and art galleries, almost all are free. Take a cab to the furthest one from your hotel and walk back 

canal / boat tour was fun

we met with the danish chief economic advisor. That was a great two hour talk. 

Lot of walking Around Day drinking / hitting shops. 

Female classmates with loose morals ha 

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1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:


What were your highlights? Your favorite places to visit, eat, etc? We’re still playing it by ear.

1) walking the Strøget of course.

2) getting a pic along the Nyhavn is touristy, but pretty neat to see

3) walking up the spiral ramp of the Round Tower and getting a view of the city is fun.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rundetaarn

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4) i think the hands down the most gorgeous women in Europe are in Copenhagen.

 

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I still remember thinking I was big shit when I was a kid because I got to spend most of one summer in Houston with my dad. Told my friends about “big city” life when school started. 

Now I read this about kids summering in Berlin & going to school in foreign countries and it ruins my perception of childhood and damages my ego. Check your privilege, Brisket. 

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I still remember thinking I was big shit when I was a kid because I got to spend most of one summer in Houston with my dad. Told my friends about “big city” life when school started. 
Now I read this about kids summering in Berlin & going to school in foreign countries and it ruins my perception of childhood and damages my ego. Check your privilege, Brisket. 

Yeah...as a kid my typical summer vacation was driving 15 hours to visit family in the Mexican desert, with a stop off in the RGV to visit my mom’s folks. The big years were the years we road tripped to Colorado, and then a couple years later, to Florida. I was thrilled if we stayed in a motel with a pool.

My kids have been made VERY aware that their first trip to Europe was MY first trip to Europe. And that with experience and perspective comes responsibility and obligation. They know a lot more about this world and the people in it than I did...so what are you going to do with that?

And, this trip is a bit nicer than I had originally planned, as my wife’s uncle left us a nice gift, and he was a world traveler (flew in for our wedding direct from Botswana), so we thought it appropriate.

It helps that we’ve cultivated friendships with folks in several countries - people to host us, show us around, etc. (and of course, our door is open to them - my kids’ friends call our house the “Europe house,” because we often have someone from overseas staying with us).

We’re very fortunate.
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I don't think the importance of networking can ever be overstated, this shit here is a good example of that.  Man, what a great trip for your kids.  Really enjoying the food pictures.  Isn't it amusing how we're more proud of some meal from a hole-in-the-wall cabin than a five-star restaurant?  

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I don't think the importance of networking can ever be overstated, this shit here is a good example of that.  Man, what a great trip for your kids.  Really enjoying the food pictures.  Isn't it amusing how we're more proud of some meal from a hole-in-the-wall cabin than a five-star restaurant?  

Although this snack did just take the boy to his happy place:

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Also, we went to the Norwegian resistance museum. If you’re not pissed off walking out of there, then you’re not paying attention. When I read about Quisling being summarily executed right outside the walls where I was standing, I fucking grinned.

The press is “truly the enemy of the people.” Huh. Man, why does that ring a bell?

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I fucking hate nazis. Old ones, new ones, collaborators, quislings, all of them.

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And, had an ethical quandary at lunch. The girl ordered the smoked fish plate.

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It included both whale salami and smoked whale. The girl ate the salami... it then stopped, and couldn’t do more. I ate the smoked whale - like a very moist smoked beef, just a hint of fishiness. But...it really bothered me. Seriously, my first stirrings of environmental conscience were when I was 8-9, and became a lover of all things cetacean. I donated to save the whales, wrote letters, the whole deal.

I understand that there’s an indigenous whaling culture dating back a long ass time. But still. I already kinda regret taking part in it. Oh well. I tried it. I won’t be doing it again.

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In Copenhagen. Already regretting only scheduling 3 days here. We like it MUCH more than Oslo - such a classic old world city.

We had a free form kind of day. Slept in (needed the rest), headed to the palace a block away to watch the changing of the guard (meh...they were not terribly crisp, and my god, they all looked 17). Then, coffee and a simple brunch: porridge for the ladies, an egg, rye toast, and cheese for the guys. Then we walked through the old place gardens.

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Lavender and yellow roses (Texas, y’all) smelled incredible.

Then we walked a bit more, to Torvehallerne. Dude...that place is fucking COOL. Next time we come, we’ll air BNB, so we can shop and cook dinner ourselves a few times.

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And hey, outside they had tacos!

We talked (espanol, man) with the crew - Mexican and Argentine. Didn’t get any, but they knew what they were doing.

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Had to get lunch there, of course.

The boy was thrilled with caccio y pepe from a fresh pasta stand:

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And we got some Smørrebrød - fish cake for the girl, wife for shrimp and egg, and I got liver pate with lingonberries, bacon, and beets (holy shit):

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And did I go back to the seafood counter? Fuck yeah I did. Fried herring in a curry seasoning (goddamned amazing, but I’m the only herring fan here), octopus salad (meh, not great seasoning), fish cake made with cod and pork fat (so yeah, good), and simple local fried shrimp.

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And some candied dates for dessert:

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Did the Round tower and walk through Nyhavn and a long walk through the pedestrian shopping district (most photos have the fam in them, so not here). I will say...we all loved the damned LEGO store. 16 or not, the boy was very tempted there.

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At the hotel bar, recharging before the FIFA match tonight (I think we have found a place to watch...):

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On 7/1/2019 at 12:30 AM, Helobious said:

I still remember thinking I was big shit when I was a kid because I got to spend most of one summer in Houston with my dad. Told my friends about “big city” life when school started. 

Now I read this about kids summering in Berlin & going to school in foreign countries and it ruins my perception of childhood and damages my ego. Check your privilege, Brisket. 

My family trips were to Galveston, Oklahoma for family reunions and Wichita Falls. We'd throw in the occasional Hot Springs or Austin trip in there. My first time on a plane was a one-way trip to Austin when I was 16. My parents drove to pick me up for the way home.

Both of my kids spent the summer in Russia and have been to Montreal. My oldest went to Munich, Rome, Salzburg, Hallstatt, London, Pamplona to Run with the Bulls and Barcelona. My youngest did Paris/Disneyland Paris, Berlin, London and Iceland. Different time.

Cool trip Brisket.

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3 hours ago, DCA_HORN said:

That place is indeed awesome. Beef and well everything is so expensive there. Is the exchange still about 6/1?

9 to 1 my friend.  I'm pondering a work relo there -- literally crunching the numbers right now -- but I don't think it's compelling enough

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9 to 1 my friend.  I'm pondering a work relo there -- literally crunching the numbers right now -- but I don't think it's compelling enough

6.6 krone to the dollar. Still, that means that ribeye is about $32 a pound. It ain’t cheap. Slightly cheaper than Norway, though.
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2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:


6.6 krone to the dollar. Still, that means that ribeye is about $32 a pound. It ain’t cheap. Slightly cheaper than Norway, though.

Ah you've traveled past, thought it was referring still to NOK

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Went to Malmo for the day.

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Rented an electric boat and toured around through the canals.

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Let the boy handle the boat, from dock to dock. We got a healthy dose of this from him along the way:

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They were pumped for the game. Didn’t go their way.

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Dinner at Tivoli food hall on the way home:

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Smorrebrod with a couple of tapas.

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Watched the gal make what looked like a great pork sammich.

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And my wife and daughter are OBSESSED with this place, Grod, for porridge. We had breakfast there two days in a row. It IS pretty good...

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Did Tivoli as well. Today was our first really rainy day of the whole trip (we got lucky - a couple days after we left Geiranger, they got a bunch of rain and snow). But Tivoli in the rain was okay. We enjoyed it, but it’s still just an amusement park, albeit a quaint and charming one.

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My daughter was happy to coax a bumblebee onto her hand:

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We visited the Church of our Savior. Someone was practicing on the organ from 1684, which was a treat to listen to.

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And had my horns up till this dude blew his horn...

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And as I was walking the church, I noticed this man, at the children’s table they have set up for the little ones at services. He was pretty scruffy. I suspect that he was getting in from out of the rain. But he was also using the pencils and paper there to sketch. He was drawing various elements of the church, on both the front and back. I thought it was a pretty fantastic human moment.

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Now, we’re taking it easy for a bit before dinner at Brace.

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