The Gauntlet has Been Laid Down

So the race for the most famous Irvine brother is heating up.  Go here to see what I'm up against.

I Live on What?

During the introduction meeting with the housing office, it was casually mentioned that our residence was in need of some soil tests to see if a factory nearby had contaminated the area.  I originally though this would mean a few engineers or scientists walking around taking samples with a small shovel.  What showed up was the small tank/drilling rig you see here.  It drilled holes for two weeks, six days a week, starting at 7 am.  Needless to say, the homeless looking construction workers became the most hated individuals in Holger.  Thankfully they are finished, unless they find something and then I will have to learn the best way to sabotage one of these drills.  On top of the whole living on a theoretical Superfund site, it was recently published in the daily English newspaper that exchange students are paying at least twice the market rate for housing at CBS.  Here is the original story and the follow-up.

Classic Copenhagen

So this is the mermaid statue that is probably the most famous attraction in the city.  In typical Danish fashion, she is kinda in the middle of nowhere so that when you finally find her, you are really underwhelmed (the statue is maybe 3 or 4 feet tall).  My opinion of the whole thing may be a bit tainted as I snapped this picture just after a Russian tourist felt the spotlight on him and responded by feeling up the statue.  It makes you wonder why some people actually travel.  When I was in Japan, we were waiting for a train when we ran into another group of Americans who were cleary just there to do nothing but lower the worlds' opinion of Americans.  It was nauseating to see and hear them talk rather explicitly about what they wanted to do to the Japanese women who walked by.  Seriously these guys could have gone to Daytona Beach for 20% of the cost and done the exact same thing.  As for the Russian, fate would have it that I at least got to see him bust his ass on the sidewalk five minutes later.

If I Were a Pacific Islander...

...this would be my sword of choice.  Incase the picture is not that clear, it is basically a wooden blade with shark teeth attached to it.  I found this at the renowned Danish National History Museum which is famous for its well preserved bog people (Danish mummies).  Those pictures did not turn out so well but you weren't missing much.  Call it Danish humor but in the floor with Roman and Greek statues they had a collection of smaller Hercules statuettes which incorporated a modern plastic one from the recent Disney cartoon.  

As a general note about life here that can be rather annyoing and heart stopping, you are almost always walking into a dark room.  According to my pre trip research, Denmark has one of the highest costs per kWh in the world.  As a function of that, nearly every light is tied to a motion detector and is compact fluorescent bulb.  In practice, when you walk into a room, you trip the sensor (maybe) and then it takes a few seconds for the bulbs to turn on in any meaningful manner.  So you can patiently wait at the door (not my style) or barge in and hope for the best.  So far I have almost fallen down a flight of stairs, walked into a winow shutter, hit my head on a lamp, and tripped over a chair.  At least I live near the local hospital.

No More Famous Grouse

I feel no further explanation is required.

(For reference: me, Martin, Antoine)

Collins Center ca. 2050?

Or if the Collins Center were built in Denmark in 2004.  This is a very impressive building to have class in or borrow one of the study rooms.  I wish my school had the audacity to try something like this.

The Moral Hazard of Universal Healthcare

Young Danes used to skateboard down this tower since the floor is sloped without any steps.  As a newly minted subscriber (for free by the way) to the national healthcare system, I do not feel compelled to try it.

Nilla Cakesters Got Bumped Down a Place

Seriously, I find myself thinking about this in class.

CBS

This is the main building here at CBS.  It was built recently and clearly has the Danish design feel to it.  The only odd thing is the fountain that is in the middle that streams water down the length of the whole building, dividing the main floor (the black strip in the middle is the fountain which I was sleepy enough to stumble through when I first got here).  Another fun fact is that there is a bar in the far left corner which turns this place into a full-on club on Thursday nights.