Road Trip to Copenhagen

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copenhagen
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Copenhagen, Denmark lies on the edge of Europe. I know this because I drove from the Netherlands to Copenhagen in a day, a long day. Leaving Amsterdam I stop off in Aschendorf, Germany to meet a real Country Music Star and Radio Personality, Hermann Lammers Meyer.

Hermann is a part of the world wide radio network. I stopped by and performed a few songs for his show. We exchanged CD’s, then we talked a little Nashville and Country Music. He showed me a couple of his pedal steel guitars. Hermann and his family were very welcoming. Next time we need to pick a few, but for now, time is tight so I am heading to Denmark in the dark.

To continue my journey

I must drive the back roads of Germany at night and make my way to Bremen, where I can join up with the Autobahn. Crossing Hamburg in the middle of the night is starting to look good. It’s an enormous and busy city. The backroads of Germany in the dark are a bit confusing and narrow. The blue dot on my phone helps me find the way to Bremen and soon I am running north on the Autobahn. You really do stay out of the left lane, there is no speed limit and the left lane is filled with Audi’s, Mercedes and BMW’s flying down the road.

I rest briefly at an Autobahn fuel plaza just north of Hamburg. Just past dawn I’m in Denmark, but still a long way to Copenhagen. Denmark is a beautiful country. You can take a ferry from Germany right to Copenhagen. I decided to see the place, so I am driving the whole way. Padborg to Kolding to Odense to Kobenhaven. The countryside is rolling hills and well organized farm houses. Denmark looks like a place that has winter, lots of it. The country looks a little matted down from the long cold season. I stopped in Kolding for fuel and a meal. Yes, I had Danish, and yes, it was the best one I have ever eaten.

bridge

Bridges,

you think you’ve seen a bridge, then you go to Denmark. Buddy they have some bridges. The bridges are beautiful and big. Miles long and really tall to allow ship traffic under, it must be quite a project to keep them open in the winter. I drove over all the bridges between Kolding, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. Malmo is a case of bad signage and a wrong turn.

Uh-Oh, Malmo!

I took a drive around Copenhagen and wanted to see the water. Unlike most of Europe, Denmark has wide uncrowded roads. I pulled onto the highway and headed out to the airport. The airport is close to the water and I was looking for an elevated view of the city. There is a traffic circle coming out of the airport to connect to the E 20. I did not check well enough and took the E 20 circle to Malmo. Malmo, Sweden that is. There is no place to turn around. It is 42 km and 44 minutes, One Way!

bridge 2
I get to drive over more beautiful bridges, twice. I get to explain to the toll/customs person that I really did not intend to enter Sweden. Fortunately it happens dozens of times a day. Sweden is nice enough to lower the toll and hand you printed directions for your return. “We don’t understand why they won’t fix the problem”, the Swedish customs agent told me. Another 42 km and I am back in Copenhagen.

listening room address

I arrive at The Listening Room.

It’s at Onkel Dannys Plads 7, downtown Copenhagen, yes it’s as hard to find as it sounds. Brett Perkins is on stage when I arrive and I am next. The audience is great and the singalong to “Mama’s Goin’ Out” is done with enthusiasm.
The next day I head back across Denmark, thru Germany to Belgium. Now I drop the car in Brussels and take a train to Zeebrugge. It looks like another ferry ride back to England.

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