I'm here in Copenhagen (along with still buggy tooth) getting ready for reboot.
When I travel, I like to go native, so to speak, because I get a much better feel for what is happening vs. taking cabs around or staying at the american chain hotels.
One intersting observation I've been watching is the difference between how various cultures deal with english. Here in Denmark 'everybody' speaks english and probably one other language besides the native language.
I've watched a whole bunch of tourists in many places start off with 'do you speak english' in an attempt to get help or whatever. So far, here in Denmark nobody appears to take this step, rather they dive in with english. Americans, Arabs, Japan's fine folk, doesn't matter. I've stuck to the more polite (IMO) do you speak english and get a usual, of course. That of course is almost like I should know better. Stills seems polite to me and an interesting cultural observation.
Changing money. There is the not so new tactic of screaming no commission on the 10,000 money exchange places. What amazes me are the sheer number of tourists who don't realize the exchange rates are different between the commission free places and if you are changing a few coins it does add up. But the lure of 'Free' sucks em in, I guess.
More later but for now, I just off at the wrong bus stop so I will be practicing 'I'm lost' in Danish...
------------------------------------------------------ Rick Segal, Partner, JLA Ventures [email protected] +1 416.367.2279
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