Sunset off Denmark

As we are having dinner, the ship sets sail. Later on I go on deck and watch the sunset.

Ice Bear

I return past the yachts and come to a rest area. Here I buy an ice-cream; sit and look at the sculpture of a polar bear on an iceflow with two cubs. This monument, made by Holger Wederkinck and erected in 1937 represents Greenland.

It is time to visit the row of shops that run along the landward side of the pier. They are mainly clothes and souvenir shops. By UK standards the clothing is quite expensive, but one shop has a reasonable deal on offer and I buy three tee-shirts. I also purchase ten postcards and a very nice 'fridge magnet.

When packing for the holiday, Christine forgot her scissors. I find some in one of the shops and although I'm a few kroner short of the asking price, the shopkeeper lets me have them without needing to break into a banknote. When my bag goes through the scanner on my return to the ship, the scissors show up. The security people say I cannot bring them on board. They want to keep hold of them until we disembark. I explain that we won't want them when we get home — my wife forgot to pack her own and she needs them to cut up some material she is working with. With some obvious reluctance they agree to let me bring them on board.

With temperatures in the high 20s, it has been an enjoyable but exhausting day, so we order a pot of tea and some cakes from room service. I realise later that it is only a short walk past the Little Mermaid to the Gefion Fountain and the Eastern end of the city. In hindsight, I'd have done better to miss walking to the seaward end of the pier and gone to take a closer look at the fountain. I could then have returned via the Kasellet or Citadel which stands on a grassy island. I'd seen this as we'd gone around it in the bus but hadn't known just how accessible it is.

But, no matter, I won't loose sleep regretting the sites I didn't see; rather enjoy the many I did.

The Little Mermaid

I make my way to the Little Mermaid. And little she is. She is a very small sculpture and if not surrounded by tourists climbing upon her, would seem unremarkable to passers-by. As a symbol known all over the world, her reality is an anti-climax.

Peace Angel

A little later, I venture out on my own.

First I walk down to the end of Langelinje Pier. It has a few eating places, an information kiosk and bus shelter but is fairly uninspiring. I take the elevated road back. This goes over the top of the rows of shops and comes out near the Peace Angel.

This statue, overlooking a small yacht basin, is, if I recall correctly what our guide told us earlier, a memorial to the Second World War. Around it are the flags of the Scandinavian countries.

Gefion Fountain

Back on the bus we move on to the Gefion Fountain and the English St. Alban's Church.

The last stop on the tour is by the famous Little Mermaid, but the place is so thronged with tourists and coaches parked three deep, we decide not to stop. In any case it is only a short walk from the ship for those who wish to visit it later.

Opera House

A short walk leads us the waterfront with views across to the opera house on Holmen.

There is a huge queue in the café for both toilets and ice-cream. I hardly have time to queue for the latter but our guide has bought one for Christine and refuses to accept payment. She seems to have formed a genuine rapport with her first batch of disabled clients!

Fountain

Once it is over we make our way back to Amaliehaven where a fountain shoots cool water into the air.

This photo is by Kathrine Felland Gunnlögsson and originally appeared on Copenhagen Daily Photo. It is re-posted here with her permisson.

Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg Castle

The city is heaving with people and traffic. It is very hot. We finally stop by a large coach park and get out. When we are all together, our guide leads us to Amalienborg Castle. The Queen is in residence and the changing of the guard takes place at noon. A crowd has started to gather near the statue of Frederik V and we have to push our way through some reluctant tourists in order for Christine to get to a place from where she can view the ceremony.

Anchor

Between Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn lies this anchor. It is a symbol for and testament to the lives of all sailors lost at sea.

Kongens Nytorv

We turn into Kongens Nytorv.

Dominating one corner of the square is the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.

Nyhavn

We tour parts of the old town before entering the lovely Nyhavn with its colourful buildings and vibrant sailing ships.


It appears to be the central meeting place for everyone in the city.

Tivoli Gardens

We pass by the entrance to the Tivoli Gardens.

Hans Christian Ørsted

As we travel down Nørregade we pass Telefon House.

I notice the carving on the door lintel and take a photograph.

It is only when we look closely that we find out that this is the building in which the physicist Hans Christian Ørsted discovered electromagnetism.

Rosenborg Castle

We travel down Gothersgade past the King's Garden . Lots of people are sunbathing among the trees. Within it's grounds is Rosenborg Castle.

Another view of the castle can be seen on Copenhagen Daily Photo.

Statue

We pass this statue twice as we tour around a very old part of the city.

I don't who the statue is of, nor where exactly it is situated.

Cyclist

Back in the city itself we are amazed by the number of bicycles. We even see some that have carts attached in front carrying children, but missed getting a photo of one of those.

American Ambassador's Residence

Our guide points out the residence of the American ambassador.

Thatched roofs

A few of the old thatched cottages can still be seen.

Klampenborg

We continue along the coast towards Klampenborg. Our guide tells us that once this coastal strip was a fishing village with lots of thatched houses but now it has become overwhelmed by large expensive modern houses. The area is now so expensive that many people opt to live over the border in Sweden and commute daily across the Øresundsbron bridge.

Hellerup Havn

The ship berths at Langelinje Pier. We are soon ashore and waiting for our first Visit to Copenhagen.

There are two small buses with ramps at the rear for access. They each have space for about four folding chairs, whose occupants can move into conventional seats, and two confined wheelchair users. I get a seat at the front, but Christine is stuck at the back in her chair and doesn't have a very good view.

We drive first north out of the city through the suburb of Hellerup.

Taking photographs through vehicle windows is never ideal, but sometimes the results are quite interesting. I was trying to capture the roadsign. I never saw the image of what was on the opposite side of the road being reflected in the window until I downloaded the picture.

Bridge to Sweden

It is a beautiful day and even at just before 9am there is a strong bright sun in the sky. In the distance we can see the new bridge that links Denmark with Sweden.

Arrival in Copenhagen

We partake of an early breakfast in Café Bordeaux. This is a somewhat more intimate dining experience than the restaurant or the cafeteria. I have a sausage kedgeree whilst Christine has eggs Benedicte.



We then go up to the Crows Nest and the Lido Deck while the ship enters the Port of Copenhagen.

As I am taking photographs, a ladybird lands on my wrist. I gently blow it onto some tarpaulin-covered loungers. It lands softly and then flies away.