Catch the Wind In Your Sails ~ Denmark
The Little Mermaid
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain
Today we remember the names of some of the great Portuguese and Spanish explorers while we’ve forgotten about the Vikings who first set sail in their long boats looking for treasure, slaves, fancy goods and ultimately land. Here in Denmark, a country of seafarers it’s hard to miss their contribution.
Danish royalty does not enjoy the public eye of the British royalty, never the less they are a strong active presence in the country. As are authors like Hans Christian Andersen who’s fairy tales many of us grew up with.
The Little Mermaid, a bronze statue by Edvard Eriksen, depicting a mermaid becoming human is a Copenhagen icon and major tourist attraction since it’s unveiling in 1913. This statue brings to life the fairy tale of that same name by the famous Danish son and author Hans Christian Andersen.
We did the hop on hop off bus tour to visit most of the iconic attractions around the city. When we came to this location we were hard pressed to figure out where the famous statue was. Fortunately we were able to follow the crowds to locate her.
Karnan Castle in Helsingborg
Kronborg - Hamlet’s castle is in Helsingor which is how the trip to Helsingborg was planned but we ended up at Karnan Castle instead. This is a well preserved medieval castle and fortress that dates back to the early 14th century and was the residence of Danish Kings. If you climb the steps to the top you have an awesome view of the Oresund and surroundings.
In Copenhagen you have the royal castles of Amalienborg, Rosenborg, Christiansborg, Fredicksborg of which we visited Rosenborg and Amalienborg.
The Royal Library
The Royal Library is the national library of Denmark and the university library of the University of Copenhagen. It is among the largest libraries in the world and the largest in the Nordic countries. It contains numerous historical treasures and holds nearly all known Danish printed works back to and including the first Danish books, printed in 1482 by Johann Snell.
It is a beautiful building representing an interesting meld of the medieval with the modern.
The Royal Yacht Dannebrog
The Royal Yacht Dannebrog serves as the official and private residence for HM The Queen and other members of the Royal Family when they are on official visits overseas or on summer cruises in home waters . It was named by Queen Alexandrine in Copenhagen in 1931 and hoisted its flag for the first time on 26 May 1932.
We were fortunate to see her put out to sea while we were on the hop on hop off boat ride.
Nyhaven
Nyhaven is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district. It is lined by brightly colored 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. The canal harbors many historical wooden ships. Author Hans Christian Anderson was reputed to live here for 18 years.
Oresund Bridge
The Öresund or Øresund Bridge is a combined railway and motorway bridge across the Øresund strait between Sweden and Denmark. It is the longest combined road and rail bridge in Europe, running nearly 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the Swedish coast to the artificial island Peberholm in the middle of the strait. The crossing is completed by the 4-kilometre (2.5 mi) Drogden Tunnel from Peberholm to the Danish island of Amager.
While I drove over the bridge on my way from Denmark to Malmo one cannot appreciate the marvel of going from above ground to a below the sea tunnel when you drive as you can from this vista point where you see it dip beneath the sound.
Danish Crown Jewels
The Danish Crown Jewels are the result of the great interest generations of queens and princesses have taken in jewelry and precious stones.
Frederik VIII’s queen, Lovisa, was very interested in the Crown Jewels and defined which jewels were Crown Jewels, and added some of her own items. Those she supplied are exhibited at Amalienborg.
There are four sets of jewelry called Crown Jewels at Rosenborg. They were all given their current form by Christian VIII’s queen, Caroline Amalie, who had them redesigned in the 1840s, though many of the stones are much older.
The Crown Jewels may only be used by the Queen and only within the country’s borders. They are typically used a couple of times a year. The Crown Jewels are always worn at the New Year Reception, and otherwise usually during state visits, special family events, and similar occasions.
Fika at a charming café in Helsingborg
Fika is a concept, a state of mind, an attitude and an important part of Swedish culture. Many Swedes consider that it is almost essential to make time for fika every day. It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee (or tea) and a little something to eat.
Fika is a ritual. All Swedes consider it important to make time to stop and socialize: to take a pause. It refreshes the brain and strengthens relationships. Exactly what you eat during fika is not really important. The food is incidental to the companionship, the socializing and catching up with friends and colleagues. But whatever food you choose for fika it should be fresh and well presented.
The Turning Torso
Turning Torso is a neo-futurist residential skyscraper in Sweden and the tallest building in Scandinavia. Located in Malmö on the Swedish side of the Öresund strait. It is regarded as the first twisted skyscraper in the world.
Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens, is an amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen. The park opened on 15 August 1843 and is the third-oldest operating amusement park in the world, after Dyrehavsbakken in nearby Klampenborg, also in Denmark, and Wurstelprater in Vienna, Austria. With 4.6 million visitors in 2017, Tivoli is the second-most popular seasonal theme park in the world after Europa-Park. Tivoli is the fifth-most visited theme park in Europe.
Clearly we couldn’t miss a visit here. Alas it started pouring rain and after a fun meal under some shelter we finally gave up and went back to our hotel for the night.