OK, first of all I write this from the plane, executive class – you know it! – although THIS executive class is even COOLER than the outgoing flight because it’s this modular futuristic one-seater number, everything’s lit up by little blue lights and I’m stretched out with my feet up like I’m George Jetson and I just got a promotion at “Spacely Sprockets”. Although for those of you who regularly fly first class, I must sound a bit more Jethro Clampett right now.

So I spent two and a half more days in Copenhagen (came home a day early for my son Hank’s hockey game) but had a great time and met some very nice people along the way. By day I rented a bicycle (when in Rome, right?) and toodled all over CPH (as we locals refer to it) checked out some museums, some sculptures, saw The Little Mermaid (not THE MOVIE, you tools, it’s a famous piece of art!), took a few pictures, did a little shopping, and even managed a little jaunt over to Sweden (very cool). Copenhagen’s a great vibrant city, full of energy and it was great to drink it in.

By night I played a little poker. Although it was not as easy as one would think. It’s a tiny little casino by North American standards and they just weren’t equipped for this influx of hundreds of us poker players. Tables and therefore seats were scarce. Not being much of a “cash game” player I waited patiently for spots to open up in the few single table “sit-n-go” tournaments they were running. Over three nights I managed to play all of three (fairly high-staked) “sit-n-go”s. I did get a first and a second which was nice because, of course, I made a little cash, but also reaffirmed for me that I do know how to play this damn game. It also gave me a chance to just observe a lot of the big tournament, have a few drinks and just hang out with a few of the players.

These Scandinavians, on the whole, are very good. Collectively, it’s the stiffest competition I’ve seen. By the time I left there were 39 players left in the tournament and looking quickly at the list it seemed to me that they were ALL named Per Olauffsson or Olaf Perrsson or Petr Svennssonn. (These people should just spend the money and “buy a vowel” for Chrissakes!) There are very few, if any, real fish in this stream other than barracuda and piranha. The young ones are very brash but deceptively so, and the older ones – and there were plenty of those – are patient and wily. Nice folks too, if you can stand listening to that language with all its hacking and hucking.

One last quick story. The night after the tournament I went down to the concierge desk to get some information. Now, I’d approached this guy who is the concierge once or twice over the last couple of days and I’d found him quite useless if not a tad rude, but I never let him bother me because I’m a Buddhist as you know, so I don’t let anything or anyone get to me. So I go to him now innocent as you please and I say “Hey, listen I’ve just lost out on the tournament and I was wondering if you could give me some advice on a daytrip or something”.

After a long dramatic pause he says “No, I can’t” in his Asian/Danish accented English.

I say “Pardon”

He says “I can’t help you with that”

“Why not?” I ask – only because I wondered not because I’m aggravated or anything. (Remember, Buddhist?)

He says “I’m not allowed to help you with that” and he pulls out some book and says “ I have some numbers you can call but YOU have to call and get the information, I can’t do it for you.”

So without any bite at all I say “Buddy, you’re standing right here, why would I make the calls?”

“Because that’s the way it’s done” He’s getting more and more agitated “I’m not allowed to give you any details about that. ”

So finally, Buddhism be damned, I get just a little angry and I say “But you’re a concierge, man! Isn’t that what a freakin’ concierge DOES?!”

He says “No I don’t “– but then he hesitates for a second. “Wait a minute, what is it you want again?”

“I just want some help with putting together a little daytrip.”

“Ohhhhhhhhhh – Daytrip! So sorry, I thought you said DATE”

He thought I was looking for a hooker.

Well Omigod, after that he was so fucking helpful I thought he was going to TAKE me on a daytrip himself!

Anyway that’s all. Next stop, Monte Carlo. We’ll be better prepared. And we’ll get better cards.