Copenhagen - Day 2

I got back to the hotel and it was still very warm in my room. I had left a few windows open, but it didn’t seem to have done much good. I wasn’t looking forward to trying to sleep under a down comforter. My worst expectations were realized. I woke at some point and tossed and turned for what seemed like hours. I finally fell asleep again at some point. I eventually got up around 9:00.

I spent the morning doing a little exploration of Copenhagen on foot. It was a beautiful sunny day and I think I fell in love with this city almost instantly. I don’t know why, but I imagined some place much smaller. I was surprised to see how built out even the older parts of the city were. For those of us who have grown up only thinking about Denmark as this little country in the north of Europe, it’s difficult to recall that Denmark was once a mighty military and maritime empire. Copenhagen is not just the capital of a little Nordic monarchy, but the capital of a once great superpower.

The city was awash with late season tourists and revelers who had gathered for Copenhagen’s Pride Parade. I had an enjoyable few hours getting oriented. I needed to eat something before setting meeting our group, but I was surprised to discover just how difficult it was (at least for me) to find just plain old Danish food. On a hunch, I followed the main road away from the center and found what I was looking for. A shop that made Danish sandwiches. All the sandwiches were named after famous women. I opted for the Hillary C – roast beef, with tomatoes, lettuce, carrots and sauce. Yum! That was good. Now, back to the hotel to begin the tour.

Our bus was waiting outside the front door and I boarded with just a little apprehension. I have never been on an organized tour like this; and, now that it was here, I wasn’t sure.  that I still wanted to do it. We had assigned seats, and, as a single traveler, I was alone. Quickly though conversations sprang up and soon we were on our way.

Our first stop was the Amelienborg Palace, the residence of the Danish royal family. Being August, however, the queen was not at home. We didn’t go in, but the visit also served as a brief introduction to some of Denmark and Copenhagen’s history. Our walk back to the bus took us through a rose garden, where I managed to pick up a honeybee that was behind my ear. When I went to brush it off, it stung me! Fortunately, no reaction other than what you feel from a bee sting.

Our next stop was the Little Mermaid statue. By this time, it had begun to rain in earnest, so it was a very brief stop for a photo op! Our next stop was Rosenborg Castle, another royal palace in Copenhagen. This residence started out its life as a summer palace, but evolved over time. It is also where the Danish crown jewels are on display. I would have liked to seen the gardens, but the weather and our schedule did not permit that. It was back to the bus for a quick turn-around at the hotel before the group headed off for dinner. Prior to dinner, there was a welcome reception for the group in the hotel, where we introduced ourselves to each other. It seems like a congenial group. Dinner was in a well-known restaurant on the edge of Tivoli Gardens. The food was tasty, if unremarkable and then it was back to the hotel for an early evening. The following day we had an early start.

The Little Mermaid (and me!)