2013 0810 Copenhagen, Denmark: Could sleep late today, but I was up at 6:30 … doggone time changes are getting me. Started at 7 hours from home, then 8 for a day, then 9 for three days, then 8 for three days, and not 7 again until we reach London.

I watched as we came into the harbour. Lots of wind turbines. We ended up in a berth that is the closest one can get to the city … very nice. We got off the ship about 9:30 and didn’t return until close to 4:00. We walked the whole day except for a cocoa stop and a lunch stop. Were pooped when we got back…Marian took a long nap.

We walked along the waterfront until we got to Christian’s Palace. Walked into the center, talked to a group who were from our ship and also on their own today. Saw some changing of the guard, but it was just a few soldiers … shift change. Then walked toward Kongens Nytorv, which is where the Hotel D’Angleterre is (where we stayed in 1970 and 1986) and the beginning of Stroget, the walking/shopping street that stretches all the way to City Hall Square, a long way. Frist came to Nyhavn, the old harbour that backs up on Kongens Nytorv. Walked around to an ATM for some krone and then into the hotel where the concierge was really nice and told us all about the subway construction that was in the square in front of the hotel so that the park that was there was all torn up and it will be years before it’s restored.

Walked up Stroget. It’s wall-to-wall people. It’s a Saturday and everyone is out, not just tourists. Crowds, crowds, crowds. Stopped at Hotel Chocolat, a place where it’s all about cocoa in its finest form. Had a “classic” hot cocoa with chocolate whipped cream on top. Thus fortified, we went back into the fray. Cruised into and through Illums Bolighus, especially all the kitchen stuff. And back into the crowds.

Made our way into City Hall Square and it started to rain. Fortunately, we had an umbrella and I had a rain jacket. And it didn’t really last long. Went to what we thought was entry to Tivoli Gardens, but we walked a block out of our way and retraced our steps. Went into the gardens and I asked directions to a restaurant I had read about. Got lost anyway and went to another that was nice. Sat on the water. Had aquavit, beer, herring. Lovely. Watched the rides where people screamed either iin delight or in fear. All of them would make us really ill. Then found some slot machines for a brief foray to lose a few krone.

Now it was time for the very long walk all the way back to the ship. It’s probably over two miles and we got slower and slower as we went along. Marian went horizontal as soon as we climbed the steps.

Oh, two things. First, we have only used the stairs on the ship traversing up and down to and from Deck 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10 and our Deck 8 room. No elevators for us. Aren’t you proud of us? Second, lots of bikes all around Copenhagen. None of them have any type of lock on them when sitting along the sidewalk anywhere in the city. Amazing.

Well, it’s about 7:00 and the ship leaves at 8:00. We’re going to eat in the Grand Dining Room. And it’s really early tomorrow for Berlin. 

Had dinner with a window seat and could see the Oresund Bridge that is part of a bridge/tunnel that connects Malmo, Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark. The bridge comes from the Swedish side and then a tunnel runs under the main ship channel to the Danish side. When we’ve been here before, we’ve had to take car ferries across. This bridge/tunnel is for cars and for a rail line.



Share this post