Copenhagen - Hugge

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Up early to catch our original train, plus two more. At the third train station, all trams are relocated because sadly, someone has chose to commit suicide on the tracks. Crossing over into Denmark, the trees become shorter, and there are acres of solar panels. We are quizzical regarding the seemingly new trains left out in the field to decay. Our seat partner explained that Denmark had purchased all new train cars from an Italian firm and none of them have ever functioned, hence the waste, plus the loss of a whole lot of krone. The Danes are not overly happy with that!

The temperature has dropped as autumn has arrived, along with the lovely change in the colour of the leaves. Copenhagen is a very clean and hugge (the Danish word for cozy) city of 600,000. This mornings stroll is through Nyhavn with rows of brightly painted 17th C townhouses right on the waterfront, canal, and harbour.

Since the city is growing, islands are being constructed to provide for the construction of new homes and neighbourhoods. A few kilometres away at the pier is the bronze statue of the little mermaid, sculpted by the artist Edvard Eriksen, and based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The model used for the head of the mermaid was a ballerina, and the model for her body was the artists wife Eline. There are fifteen copies of the little mermaid around the world, including one half size in Calgary.

The city garbage is incinerated at the Amager Bakke plant. This doubles as an artificial indoor ski slope. Copenhagen‘s focus is to become a zero-carbon city by 2025. The first in the world. The hotel is very bohemian, and there are Airstream trailers out back to rent for a European glamping experience, really quite cool!

Why are there no handles on the coffee cups here? Our only complaint. Tak (thank you) Copenhagen.

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