Sailing into Copenhagen |
During the 16th century Denmark was the largest of the Scandinavian countries because it ruled all of Norway and parts of Sweden. Today however, it is the smallest country in the Baltic area. Denmark was the home of the Vikings. We stayed two days in this lovely city and used the Hop On Hop Off bus to tour the city.
The six of us headed out to explore this fascinating waterfront city. In the end we saw Copenhagen by bus, on foot, and then by water taxi. You couldn't ask for anything better and the cost of a 24 hour Hop On Hop Off pass was relatively inexpensive. Weather was perfect.
Of course we went to Tivoli Garden which isn't a botanical garden at all...it is an amusement park! Everything inside is based upon stories from the famous writer, Hans Christian Andersen. The park is filled with rides, manicured gardens and lawns, bands, games, performance stages etc. But don't think Disneyland...nothing could be further. Some of the rides are original. Dan said one of the rides had a brakeman in each car to manually slow the car! Now that is scary!! The gardens and walkways were enchanting. After walking around the park for a bit, Dan and our friend, Pat, stayed to go on rides, while the rest of us headed out for the famous Stroget Street. This street is closed to cars and is filled with high-end shops, tourist souvenir shops, eateries, and street entertainment. It was all cobblestone, so you needed to be aware of where you were stepping. We stumbled upon a tiny Christmas shop where intricate handmade paper cutouts were sold just like the ones H.C. Andersen had created. Needless to say, the Visa card was placed atop of a few new Christmas decorations that would be heading for the states!
We also spent time along the waterfront of the Nyhaven canal. It reminded us of Bergen, Norway with all of the Hanseatic buildings. This is where H.C. Andersen wrote his first stories. We strolled though the historic quay before having lunch at a little outdoor restaurant. We then boarded one of the canal tour boats. From the sea we were able to see the Opera House (nothing compares with the one in Australia, though), we saw the Little Mermaid (saw her by land as well), the Royal Danish Playhouse, and Holmen (an old naval area). Here's a fact: Did you know that the Little Mermaid was a gift from the brewing magnate, Carl Jacobsen (AKA Carlsberg Brewery) in 1909? She is still pining today for her lost love.
Old Stock Exchange |
Denmark has steeples everywhere. None are the same in design or size. They are not limited to churches as you can see the beautiful on atop the Old Stock Exchange.