European Adventures - 15. Copenhagen Tour

 15. Copenhagen Tour

We Had Breakfast Near Here

We got on the hop-on/hop-off (hoho) bus which stopped right in front of the Hotel. 

I loved this, loved that the hoho stop was right here, immediately at the front door of the hotel, which was very convenient.

We just rode two stops on the bus when we already got off to have a Danish breakfast at an outside cafe. It was an assortment of pickled fish, salads and whatnots. Not the ‘Danish’ pastry we know in the U.S. Yes, coffee alone is U.S. $7 per cup. 

The Gefionspringvandet Fountain

After this breakfast we hopped onto the hoho bus again, but just for another 2 stops to stare at the statue of the Gefionspringvandet Fountain. 

According to the Ynglinga Saga

the goddess Gefjun (Gefion) was promised all the land she could plow in one day. She turned her 4 sons into oxen and plowed all day and the land she plowed was then thrown into the sea by the angry gods. 

Goddess Gefjun and Her 4 Sons Turned Into Oxen

That became the Island of Zealand (now Denmark), upon which people built a city named Copenhagen.

 

Oh, those saga’s, I have read parts of them since I was very young and I am still having tons of difficulty following those stories, comprehending their thinking. In German we call our Saga ‘die Nibelungen’  but the German stories are more of old heroes and kings and treasure. Here in Scandinavia, the old Sagas are more about the Old Norse gods.

Anglican Church of St. Albans

 

Stained Glass Windows

Right next to the fountain of Gefion is the Anglican Church of St. Albans. The Church was built by the English King Edward VII and his Danish wife Alexandra, Princess of Denmark. Edward VII was the oldest son of Queen Victoria.

The Little Mermaid

Naturally, we had to have a peek inside the Church.

We then walked long the water’s edge to the famous statue of the Little Mermaid.

”Den Lille Havfrue” in Danish is a delightful story by Hans Christian Anderson (HCA). You can read the plot of it by clicking on the blue name above.

Us With the Little Mermaid

After this obligatory, must see mermaid picture (a disappointment because of the crowds and the small size of the statue), we took the hoho back to our hotel and had a nap; just because we could and it was so easy.

HCA With His Stories

Back of HCA's Head

On the way out again we took some pictures of the statue of HCA in the lobby of our hotel. HCA is a true son of Denmark and everybody in Denmark loves him. He was not a good-looking kid, nor a good looking man. So his stories, especially about the ‘Ugly Duckling’, were kind of a self-portrait. In the statue of HCA, his head shows his stories pouring out of it. You can see he was not handsome.

Great Walk Along the Canal

For the late afternoon we decided to walk along the Nyhavn canal. As the name suggests, it’s the New Harbor section and is an idyllic looking spot, of course overrun with tourists, restaurants, ice cream places, etc.

We gave in to the temptations and had an ice-cream, watching the world walk past; sitting on a bench, licking away not having a care in the world.

Great Ice Cream

We thought this ice-cream would be in lieu of dinner, but then after we walked around a lot more, exploring the old city here and there, we stopped and had a hamburger each someplace off the tourist route.

Want to know what a hamburger costs in a just normal place, away from the tourist spots?  U.S. $25 each… Copenhagen is great, but expensive.

Main Entrance to Tivoli Gardens

Carol wanted to make sure she got a picture of the front of the Tivoli Gardens since yesterday we used a side entrance. So off we went, took the picture and then had had it. Nap or not, no matter what else was there to see, we went (walked) back to the hotel. 

Train Station

Inside the Train Station

On the way, we looked around inside the Main Train Station but found it too utilitarian to be of real interest. It’s a train station. There was supposed to be a famous meeting place clock but we never found it.

We slept well that night. Both of us were bushed. Carol’s Fit-bit showed way over the 10,000 steps that is her daily goal.