Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen

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Geo: 55.6763, 12.5681

We flew from Bergen to Copenhagen, arriving about 3pm on Saturday. We had originally planned to stay for a couple of days but because of Fletcher's surgery it was only to be a fleeting visit. As soon as we had checked in we headed out on a very sunny but windy afternoon to renew acquaintance with this lovely city that we had visited last in 1980.

We found our hotel was just behind Central Station so in easy walking distance (even for Fletcher) of the main centre. We wandered up past Tivoli Gardens which the children had so enjoyed all those years ago. We then found the Town Hall, a very ornate building and nearby, Hans Christian Andersen's statue. Half of the square was under reconstruction. Here as in all Northern countries Summer is Construction season.

We then ambled down the Storget, the pedestrian mall which runs through the centre. As it was a Saturday afternoon there were crowds of people enjoying the sunshine. Each of the squares had outdoor cafes and bars and for a rest we enjoyed a Happy Hour pint of Carlsberg at only $5. The buildings here are mainly 19th century and though there are heaps of shops etc they have maintained the heritage well. Our walk took us into a large square, Kongen Nytorv. On one side was the beautiful building, headquarters of the Danish Ballet but the rest was closed off for renovation. This brought us to Nyhaven or New Harbour. I remembered walking along here in 1980 and it being a lively place. It still is!

We spotted the Canal Tour sign. We are always enthusiastic about seeing a city by boat and as we had limited time this would give us a great overview of the city and we could sit down while discovering it. We bought our tickets and boarded the cruise leaving at 6pm. By this time it was twilight and the wind was cold. I was glad of my new Norwegian cardigan! The boat headed out under the impossibly low bridge, (we all had to duck down in our seats to go under it) and out into the main channel leading into Copenhagen Harbour.

We cruised past the very new Drama Theatre in a very modern design completed in 2008 and headed across the harbour to see the new Opera House which was built in 2002. These are interesting pieces of architecture making much of their proximity to the sea and using metal and glass in their construction. We did see some of the older buildings as well, old warehouses which, like most cities in the world, are now being turned into apartment blocks and restaurants. We went to the symbol of Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid near the shore.

On our way back we passed Amalienborg Palace, home of the Royal Family including Prince Frederick and our own Princess Mary. Last time we had seen the changing of the guard there but this time were content to view it from the seaward side. We then turned into Christianhaven. This had been created by a former king based on the canals of Amsterdam. It is a series of canals on artificial islands and certainly mimics those of the Dutch city. Here were many boats tied up along the edges and apartment buildings and beautiful churches. The imposing spiral staircase spire of the Church of Our Saviour dominated the skyline.

We went under many very low bridges in our tour and past important buildings such as Christianborg Palace, the Thorvaldstet Museum and the Black Diamond, the new Library with its black glass panels which catch the afternoon sun and glitter like a diamond. It was a great hour spent on the boat and we saw more than when we were here before. We returned to Nyhaven at 7pm. By this time it was very chilly and as we had not really had lunch (our plane was a buy your own) we were ready for a good meal.

We walked along the bustling street running along Nyhaven. We finally chose a restaurant that had a fixed price menu that looked real value for money. Skipperhoen was its name and it offered an entree of half a lobster and salad, main of Tournedos Rossini and then Creme Brulee for dessert with a glass of champagne, all for 395 Danish Krone. ( divide by about 5) We sat outside but under heaters. The food was delicious: fresh and tasty lobster, very tender steak and the brulee about an 8/10 (on my Chambery scale). We had a nice St Emilion red to enhance it. We also chatted to a Canadian couple on one side and a Danish one on the other. All in all a pleasant evening.

We found a taxi to take us back and retired to our room for a nightcap.

On Sunday there was really only time for breakfast, final packing and then a walk to the Railway Station, a train to the Airport, a horrendous queue with a 40 minute wait to get through security and then a short stay in the Lounge before boarding our flight to Dubai. That trip was uneventful and again after having a 3 hour wait in Dubai in the lounge we had another great flight on Emirates back to Adelaide arriving at the respectable time of 8pm.

We have had a wonderful holiday but it is always nice to come home!!

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