Just an ordinary scene in Starbucks, somewhere in London's docklands. But wait - what's that just outside the window?
Yes, the Vikings have arrived at St. Katharine's Dock, London.
St. Katharine's Dock is just a few steps from the Tower of London. It's good for a drink or a wander around, specially if you like visiting a yacht broker or simply ogling unusual and/or expensive boats.
But Denmark, one of the homes of the Vikings, has chosen St Katharine's Dock for its open-air, "open house" event during the Olympics. I have fond memories of Denmark, not only as an adult but also as a child. I remember swimming in the sea (full of jellyfish - intriguing to a kid) visiting Hans Andersen's papercut-festooned birthplace in Odense, and singing around a bonfire at midsummer on the beach, when I believe we burned a witch. (though not a real witch)
One of the most famous Danish products is Lego, and the Lego pavilion at the event had a super model of the Olympic park AND a professional Lego-maker in attendance. Needless to say a queue of little boys were wanting to know how to get a job like that.
Here's the Lego Olympic Stadium.
I liked the little pink Danish bacon pigs around the place. Here's one supervising the popular table soccer (made by a Danish firm).
And there were lots of Vikings in furs and leather boots. Not sure what's going on in the photo below, but the guy on the left seemed to be mixing up a potion to use on the younger one. Hmmm...
And a replica Viking boat, Alas, it didn't set sail.
It sure looked like hard work building a boat, slaving away in the hot sun chipping at oak logs.. I can't help thinking that the Vikings might have preferred to do a bit of pillaging and use the money to buy one of the boats in the background of this picture.
There were lots of other things - a big screen showing Olympics (commentary in Danish- at first I thought my ears were playing up because I couldn't understand a word). Beer and free hot dogs,
And sophisticated Danish cuisine in a gorgeous kitchen, Viking games, and a house full of well designed Danish furniture....
Yes, I think I might be feeling a trip to Denmark coming on.
