What was going on in Copenhagen?

March 18 2009

Thank you again to all my various hosts in Copenhagen -- Mikala and Bo from IBM, Convergens, NotesNet.DK, and INOPI.  That was 48 hours well-spent, with a lot of great insight.  Today's Lotusphere Comes to You, sponsored by INOPI, was well-attended -- including my friends Henrik and Oluf, colleagues Bo and Niels, and many other new and old friends.  Even managed an unexpected lift to the airport.

The INOPI event was unusual in that they had quite a snack setup:

Lotusphere Comes to You Copenhagen/INOPI snacks!

Lunch was good, too.

I got out for a short walk in Copenhagen yesterday morning... and the sights included a horse-drawn carriage passing my hotel

Palace Hotel, Copenhagen

and a random marching band near the new harbor.  It was Saint Patrick's Day, but this doesn't look related...

Marching Band in Copenhagen 17 March

I'm now in Brussels but have been stuck on a conference call for three hours since I arrived.  Hoping to find my moules and frites yet tonight....

Ed Brill | Bruxelles, Royaume de Belgique Category:  Travel  Add/View Comments [12]

Post a Comment

  1. 1  Frederic Dahm  | 3/18/2009 5:23:45 PM

    If you are looking for some good fare in Brussels, ask for "La petite rue des bouchers" (the little street of the butchers). There are a lot of good restaurants there, although for my taste, I have found it a little bit too touristy.

    My preferred place is "Le Corbau" (the Raven) on St Michel Street ({ Link } It features excllent Belgian beers and a really good menu. Can't remember if it offers Moules et Frites, but they do an excellent Pavé de boeuf (brick of beef, no, I'm not entirely kidding in my translation) and a good Spaghetti Jambon Beurre. It's got a kitch bistro feel and being Belgian myself, I feel I can honestly recommend it.

    Of course, there was the Opera Bouffe in Boisfort that was even better than all this (all you can eat *and* drink), but sadly, it closed its doors.

    So, hopefully you will be in Brussels a little bit longer to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city as well as its gastronomy. Speaking of which, did you go to La Grand'Place?

  1. 2  Frederic Dahm  | 3/18/2009 5:25:14 PM

    The link for Le Corbeau got translated with the closing bracket and give an Error 404... here is the link without the error...

    { Link }

  1. 3  Niels Jørgen Hansen  | 3/18/2009 5:40:48 PM

    Pleasure seeing you here - super for our devoted Notes community. The horse carriage is actually the queens - out for an exercise and to keep accustomed to the traffic. A good tourist attraction.

  1. 4  Niels Jørgen Hansen  | 3/18/2009 5:43:45 PM

    BTW the band is actually part of the change of watch at the queens castle. They are bringing groups of royal guards from the baracks to the castle and back. Another must see for tourists. You ,managed it all in a small walk, but where is the picture of the little mermaid?

  1. 5  Bob Brodsky  | 3/18/2009 5:54:49 PM

    Ed,

    Don't miss the "House of the Swan" on GrandPlace.

    Bring lots of $$$$$$$

    Smaklek,

    Bob

  1. 6  Bob Brodsky  | 3/18/2009 6:01:32 PM

    Ed,

    AND for next month in Nashville after the "Grand Ole Oprey" finishes up at 9pm (Tuesday)don't miss

    Sunset Grill

    2001 BELCOURT AVE

    NASHVILLE, TN 37212-3719

    It's right off the Vanderbilt campus--small and delicious

    Enjoy,

    Bob

  1. 7  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 3/18/2009 6:03:17 PM

    @1 ok this is just spooky - I went walking from the hotel with no set direction, no map, nor ever having been in Brussels before...and ended up on "La petite rue des bouchers". Had my requisite moules and frites...they were "OK". Felt like the Latin Quarter in Paris... not the best food in town, but OK.

    @3 I heard the Little Mermaid is being shipped off for a World Expo? I've not seen her either time I've been in Copenhagen. Oh well.

    @5 I almost walked to the Grand Plaas tonight, but I didn't quite get there. Maybe tomorrow, though I am at the BLUG most of the day and it is apparently 30 minutes away from my hotel :(

  1. 8  Stefan Lattermann  | 3/19/2009 2:54:37 AM

    Hi Ed,

    I strongly recommend to go to Grand Place. One of the most beautiful places in the world (I am not Belgian! But it's true). Would be a pity to miss it

  1. 9  Frederic Dahm  | 3/19/2009 6:44:42 AM

    @7 in reply to @5... The Grand Place is a two minute walk from the Central train station. You can hop on trains from the South station (Bruxelles Midi -- Brussels Zuid) or from the North station (Bruxelles Nord -- Brussels Noord) and be there in a couple of minutes (beware: Some international trains do not stop at the central station).

    But really, give yourself a treat and see that, the architecture is just stunning.

  1. 10  Andy Dennis http://www.lan2lan.com | 3/19/2009 7:36:38 AM

    Hi Ed, Try Vincents . Always had a great meal there, and eating from within an old boat is an interesting experience! { Link }

  1. 11  John Foldager http://www.izone.dk | 3/19/2009 8:33:31 AM

    Great to have you here for the notesnet.dk event, Ed!

    BTW a wikipedia description of the little mermaid { Link } ) or en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid_(statue) will reveal the real deal about her -- she is a copy! So we (the danish people) are going to ship a copy of the real mermaid to China. With her goes some danish water 8-)

    See { Link }