First Taste of Danish - Part 3

Elsinore YH - with its own beach

On with the saga, and hopefully this will be the conclusion of this 'epic' journey.
Upon reaching Helsingoer (Elsinore of Hamlet fame) I checked into the local YH (Youth Hostel), one of the best hostels anywhere. It has it's own beach and faces the sound, splendid location.
Almost like living the life of the rich and famous. After settling in I had to go down to the beach (not many beaches in Berlin) to take in the sights and smells of the ocean. People everywhere, well ten or fifteen anyway, a glorious beach and the water - so clean and inviting. Except, when one stepped into it it was positively FREEZING. And there were some hardy folks taking dips! Them Danes are bred tough and a hardy lot - just think of the Vikings making open boat journeys to Iceland and North America. Got to be tough to survive that.

Second Taste of Danish

But, there were compensations! Found this chick (right) sitting on the beach. Having acquired a certain skill in chatting up birds over the past few weeks, I had to talk to her.
We got on famously and spent the rest of the day and evening together. Went to a park at night for some 'alone time', i.e. smooching and groping - very nice indeed.
Next day we made an excursion to Haelsingborg, on the ferry, the girl, Lise, wanted to show me the sights and attractions of the Swedish counterpart to Elsinore.
In the late afternoon Lise announced that she had to return to Copenhagen the next morning. Never being one to make rush decisions I said: "I'll come with you", not really thinking clearly that it would involve spending some money on a train ticket. But never mind, it was said and had to be done.
The following morning we boarded the train for the short ride to the capital. We chatted, held hands and generally carried on like teenagers do. Coming into the outskirts of the city Lise casually said: "Would you like to come to my place for lunch? I'm sure my parents wont mind".
Never one to pass up a free meal I readily agreed. We caught the tram from the railway station to Frederiksberg and walked the few steps to their abode. Her parents were a charming lot, didn't speak much German if any at all, but we got along famously. Her mother seemed totally unfazed by the appearance of another mouth for lunch. Her dad had to work the afternoon shift, thus it was really dinner rather than lunch. Her mum was very impressed with my appetite and the fact that I liked her cooking. She kept refilling my plate over and over again.
Her dad went off to work at 2:30 and we just 'relaxed in the living room whilst her mum was busy in the kitchen and then went shopping. It was late in the afternoon when her mum returned and said something to Lise. Lise translated, it was about me staying the night. I could sleep on the couch in the living room.
Bonus - not only free food, good and plentiful, but also a bed for the night for free.
Should have seen the face on her dad's face when he returned from work at 11 PM!
Lise and I went into Copenhagen the next morning for her to show me some sights I hadn't seen before - nothing like a local guide. We returned for lunch (dinner really) and it was decided, without my say so or approval, that I would stay another night.
The following morning I took my leave, but not before having invited Lise to come to Berlin for Christmas. Surprisingly her parents agreed at once! Could have bowled me over with a feather duster!!
Lise accompanied me to the outskirts of the city where we had a tearful farewell, lots of hugs and kisses and more tears. Then I took up my position to hitch a lift to Gedser in the south from where to catch a ferry to Travemuende.
I was in luck, got a ride right to the ferry. Overnighted in Travemuende and continued hitchhiking to Moelln to pick up my Quickly. It was not fixable, so I had to put it, and myself, on a train to Lauenburg to see if I could hitch a ride to Berlin. It was actually a piece of cake, within half an hour a petrol tanker driver (it was a huge beast of a semi-trailer) agreed to take me and Quickly to Berlin. We heaved the machine on top of the tanker and secured it to the walk plank running along the tank.
The driver was very apologetic that he had to chuck me off just inside West Berlin because of the traffic laws. I then had to push and pedal the contrite machine all the way home, which took close on two hours.
I arrived home about mid afternoon and lo and behold there was not only mum shedding tears for her 'long lost' son but also my sister Gisela. After all, it was the day of my 18th birthday.
When I told the women of my adventures and topped it off with the invitation I had extended to Lise, the look on their faces was priceless! You could have heard a pin drop at that moment.

The 'Wall' Aug 13 - 14, 1961 before concrete was added

Eventually mum said: "Well, let's see what happens. It's nearly five months to Christmas, anything can happen".
I don't think mum had quite in mind what happened fairly shortly afterwards. She was more inclined to think that time and distance would heal all wounds. But NO - two weeks after my birthday the Berlin Wall went up, causing no end of unnecessary disruption to my budding love life. It did all look very grim the first couple of weeks, mum rushed off to the supermarket to lay in more canned supplies 'in case the Russians are coming - again' and I got frantic letters from Lise that her parents had vetoed a visit to such a dangerous city.
But - that shall be the subject of another blog in the future.