The Little Mermaid

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Now, I don't care how you old or how cynical you've become. Everyone loves the story of the Little Mermaid. Second only to St. Petersburg, I wanted to do this trip so that I could see the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbour. After a day at sea yesterday, I felt much better and ready to go see some more sights. Lynn, however, had decided that she needed another day on the ship, so Mom and I set out on our own.

First things first. We stopped to see the Little Mermaid. She was wonderful! There were lots of people milling about, but I managed to get some wonderful photos of her. She is smaller than I had imagined, but just as beguiling. I loved standing and looking at her. There are some things that, as soon as you see them, you know where you are. The Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Sydney Opera House. That's how I felt about this statue. What a treat.

Tearing ourselves away from her, we were then taken on a whistle-stop tour of the city. Absolutely lovely and loads and loads of green space. We saw Castle Square, which seems to me to solve all family living arrangements. On one side of the square lives the queen. Her two sons live on two more sides. The fourth side is set apart for visiting dignitaries. One of her sons is currently living with his brother as he is having his side of the square done over. Why? His grandmother, the Queen Mother, refused to do any improvements to it because (and I quote) she couldn't afford it.

It was another gorgeous day and a Saturday, so the city was alive. Everywhere we went were people outside enjoying the sunshine. There were loads of cafes and places to sit and watch the world go by. Mom and I stopped at the Cafe Norden for a Carlsberg. OK, coffee might have been more appropriate at 10.00 in the morning, but (a) we were on holiday and (b) we were in Denmark. We sat and watched the world go by and talked about how travel has changed in our lifetimes. Back when I lived in Italy (the late 70s), one could always tell the Americans by their shoes. This is no longer the case as everyone wears the same shoes. How do I tell now? The teeth. Americans have the best teeth in the world thanks to fluoride and orthodontia.

After our refreshment stop, we headed over to the Rosenberg Castle. Originally the home of Christian IV, it is now where the royal family stores the crown jewels and their other treasures. We were told that we were not allowed to take photos, so I left my camera on the coach -- only to see others snapping away. I was a bit miffed, but enjoyed the jewels all the same. They were magnificent. A pearl set that my mother and I are still lusting after and perhaps the most beautiful emeralds I have ever seen. As they are my favourites, that is saying something. Included in the treasures was an Order of the Garter that Christian had received from James I. Now, normally one returns the gift when the monarch dies. But, when Christian tossed off this mortal coil, Cromwell was in charge and, therefore, there was no one to return it to. As a result, the Danes have one of the few outside of England.

The other bit of trivia that I loved? This is one of the few castles left standing in Denmark that was built before the 18th Century. Why? Back in the day, they were built of wood and had a bad way of burning down in the winter with all the fires inside to keep the people warm. The bigger problem? It's so cold that the water would be frozen and there was nothing to put the fires out with. Not sure why, but that made me chuckle.

Having hit the highlights, Mom and I headed back to the ship to see Lynn and spend the afternoon in the sun. I spent the rest of the day grinning over the fact that I had finally seen my mermaid.

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Photos

The Little Mermaid
How one knows one is in Copenhagen.

The Little Mermaid
She deserves two shots.

Underwater Statues
This was cool. Statues of a fisherman and his seven sons under the water.

Copenhagen
The square where we had our beers.