Somehow I seem followed by Danish beer here in Russia. Yesterday, when I opened the fridge at the Norwegian University Center, a can of Tuborg smiled back at me. And on the Marshrutka going home two men were drinking beer – one had a bottle of Carlsberg and the other a bottle of Tuborg. But why? Why drink bland and uninteresting Danish beer (Denmark has good beers, but neither Tuborg nor Carlsberg qualify) when there are plenty of better Russian beers readily available (this question also applies to other bland and watery beers like Heineken, Amstel, Stella Artois and the American Budweiser)… Is it the power of marketing, blanket bombing cities and countries with advertisement? Or is the aim to dull the taste of the beer to such an extent that nobody can complain that the liquid is bitter or has a bad taste (well, it does not really have taste). Or is drinking the beer like making love in a canoe since they are both fucking close to water and it is not recommended to drink tap water in Russia…