Last night, following my Fulbright orientation day, the new grantees went to a dinner with the Danish Fulbright Comission staff and board members. The locale was a building in the middle of Copenhagen called Admiral Gjeddes Gaard. The original farm (it was a farm once open a time, despite now being in downtown Copenhagen) dates from the 15th century and has housed or hosted illegitimate royal children, the legendary astronomer Tycho Brahe, the wedding of a Prime Minister, several brothels, the founder of the Danish East India Colony, an accountant who helped start not only the Danish Resistance but also Arthur Andersen (of ENRON fame), king's ministers, the Danish Journalist's Union, the printing press in Copenhagen, a gunpowder factory and, naturally, several ghosts.
As an unabashed history geek, you can understand how awesome it was to be having a three-course dinner in a 600 year-old building.* Conversation topics at my table of three American Fulbrighters, one Danish staff member and two Danish board members ranged from European integration to Danish women's handball to the American health care debate (you can't escape it...) After many toasts (Skal!) and many laughs we parted ways. I was hoping to see the spirit of the thieving orphan girl on my out, but had no such luck. I'm sure there will be many more chances to see the ghosts of Denmark's long and storied past during the coming year.
http://www.admiralgjeddesgaard.dk/index.php?id=13
*The original building burned down in 1728, so technically I was only eating in a 250 year old structure. But really.
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