Copenhagen
Our favourite city so far
15.05.2011 - 15.05.2011
16 °C
We have had a fantastic day here in Copenhagen. It really is a great city to spend some time in. We started early by getting a couple of free city bikes and cycled across the city along the quayside of the main river The Inder in glorious sunshine - but it was a bit cold at first. We went to see The Mermaid which is surprisingly small, but beautifully formed!
We left just as several coach loads of tourists arrived. The city has a great mix of modern and traditional architecture and with rivers and canals as a backdrop looks stunning. We visited a strange area called Christiana which was a former barracks area taken over by hippies in the seventies and declared a free and independent state. It has been tolerated by the authorities over the years and remains outside normal regulation and government control today. However I think the early political idealism has been diluted now and it is on the tourist trail. Many of the residents make their living from selling to tourists - arts, crafts and drugs! It seemed a bit seedy to us and has become home to petty criminals. On the other hand they do provide housing for the homeless and soup runs across the city and the Danes seem to accept the right for this place to continue.
Later that day we had a traditional lunch - soused herring and various pickles and potato salads.....scrummy. We saw the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Amelienborg which was interesting especially as we have never seen this in London. On our way back we got caught up in a pro v anti President Assad demo. It was handled well by the Police and the pro Assad group eventually left the square to the delight of the antis.
Later we walked around the Tivoli Gardens a very old fashioned kind of amusement park. We weren't tempted by the rides but Frank was tempted by the ice cream,
We ended the evening in the hotel Skybar with drinks and japanese snacks watching the sun go down over this fine city.
Tomorrow we cross over to Sweden and will be staying near Gothenburg for a few days.
Posted by FandC 15.05.2011 12:43 Archived in Denmark
It sounds like you're both having a fantastic time - good plan to take the pretty dress after all!!! Copenhagen sounds interesting in particular. Ax PS Love your old desk!
15.05.2011 by Annawill