Backpacking through Europe in 1994
Day 56 • November 1, 1994
Traveling through Helsingør to Århus, Denmark
One of the things in Europe that fascinated me was the history of it. Visiting locations and touring buildings that were built hundreds of years ago was mind-blowing to me. Learning geography and where cities and countries were situated in proximity to each other was priceless in putting the puzzle pieces of history together.
One of the hallmarks of this trip, and of my life actually, is living spontaneously and approaching each day with a curious, open mind. I especially love the days in my life in which something completely unexpected happens. Today was one of those days.
When I left Sweden I knew my final destination for the day, however, I did not know that I would be visiting the castle Shakespeare wrote about in “Hamlet.”
This story that I had read back in Kearney, Nebraska, in high school literature class was coming to life right before my eyes. The castle William Shakespeare named Elsinore, actually called Kronborg, was built in the 1420s by King Eric VII.
Kronborg Castle, made famous by William Shakespeare as Elsinore Castle in “Hamlet,” in Helsingør, Denmark.
My Photographs from today traveling through Helsingør to Århus Denmark
DAY 56 / 11-01-94
Traveling to Århus, denmark
Today wasn’t too bad. I got up at 8 as Joe was getting ready to leave for school. By 9 I had packed and was leaving also. I had to walk to the train station, but along the way I stopped at a store for some food & the post office to mail Tracy a letter.
The train left at 10:08, and after taking the ferry I was back in Helsingør by 11:30. This was the town of Elsinore in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and also the name of the brewery in Bob & Doug McKenzie’s movie “Strange Brew.”
On the ferry I met some guy from N.Y., who like me, had gone backpacking in his early 20’s. He had fallen in love (both with a person & the place) and has stayed for 30 years. He suggested that I visit Kronborg Slot, the magnificent castle that sits on the water’s edge.
So I walked to the castle and when I entered the entrance I found a woman in at least her 80’s sitting at the ticket window.
I walked up to her and said “I was like, uh, drinking some of your Elsinore beer, right? And uh, one of the bottles had, like, a mouse in it, and I uh, heard once that if that happens, right, you have to like, give me some free beer, so, uh, hand it over, eh?”
And she said “Take off you Hoser! Elsinore Beer hasn’t been brewed here for like, a long time, eh, so I know you’re lying, O.K.?!”
Note from me in 2024:
This is a reference to the 1983 movie “Strange Brew.” See below for links to scenes from the TV sketches and movie that put this joke into context. I watched these comedy sketches about the Great White North and this movie dozens of times with my sister Tracy, and it still makes us laugh to this day!
Of course she didn’t say that, but I did find out from the tour guide that there really was a beer called Elsinore. But they didn’t make it anymore. Also, he had heard of Shakespeare but had no clue who Bob and Doug McKenzie were.
The castle was built in 1425, and one of the coolest things were two huge globes from 1640. It was really interesting to see how they thought the land masses were back then.
The other cool thing was the tour of the dungeons, where I met Holger the Dane, the county’s national hero (and no doubt the inspiration for the comic strip Hagar the Horrible).
I was on the train from 1:30 to 8:25.
Pernille was at the station to meet me, and it was so fantastic to see her. We came back to her apartment where we talked and looked at picture until midnight.
It makes me so happy to be back with old friends, and nights like these convince me this trip is all worthwhile.
