Through the eyes of a Dane

Anders is one of Karen's most longtime friends. When he asked to come from Denmark to visit the US for the first time, naturally the answer was "of course", but how to decide what to do in less than two weeks? 

Landing in NYC, the whirlwind included Times Square, the Met, Guggenheim, Grand Central Station and the 9/11 Memorial. Then wandering along Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty was about all we had time for before visiting Karen's mom and brother Chris.   (Touring NYC with Karen is a fast paced affair, guaranteed to cure jet lag!)

A sailor and educator  about life in the 1800's made stops in boat building Mystic Connecticut and whaling Nantucket mandatory. They didn't disappoint. 

Not to be missed - Sturbridge Village. It reminded them both of where they'd met in Denmark and the years Karen had spent at Lejre, working as an 1800's weaver while illustrating books for the center. 

And while in the neighborhood, why not try out the local "hipster" BBQ joint. Sorry, no open faced sandwiches and liverpostej here!

Finally, here in Boston and it's Steve's turn. So where might you guess we headed? After a visit to Harvard Museum's  glass flowers - it's off to Fenway. 

Remarkably, not only did our Danish friend learn the essential  rules under Steve's tutelage, he insisted on watching games on TV during the week. Steve felt validated!

Then we were off to Maine. Lighthouses, rugged coasts, lobsters, sunsets, warm

days and cool nights. You know the drill. There's nothing like it - particularly for a Dane with the sea in his DNA. 

Back in Boston, there's whale watching, Walden Pond, Concord,  the MFA, Freedom Trail, Italian delights from the north end  and just hanging out watching the boats sail the Charles. Oh, and a traditional diner for a dose of comfort food. With huge omlettes, home fries, people sitting at the counter with chatty waitresses, well this certainly isn't Denmark! 

It may not have been the most balanced view of the US, but it's a big country and you have to start somewhere. We're certain our Dane has thousands of images dancing in his head and may still be catching up on the rest he didn't get while here on his vacation. PS - the request has already come in to inquire about renting a sailboat in Maine for a month - one of these days!