Monday, October 21, 2013

Copenhagen, Denmark

Sorry for the radio silence around here last week.
I spent another week fighting the plague a cold but I'm starting to feel more like myself.
You'll be hearing a lot more from me this week.

First, it's time to wrap up our Baltic Cruise.  The last two posts will feature our final stop.

Copenhagen, Denmark

*I received two complimentary 3-Day cOPENagen Cards from Visit Copenhagen for our visit.


Our cruise originated here, but we only saw the route from the airport hotel to the cruise port.
When we returned to Copenhagen, we were excited to settle in for a few extra days to explore after the cruise.

(I won't mention the hotel we stayed in because it wasn't great.  Our room was so small that only one of us could be standing at a time.  Add in our luggage and it was a pretty tight squeeze.
But, we spent most of our time exploring the city so it all worked out.)

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen was founded in the 10th century and was originally a viking fishing village.
It is now the capital of Denmark.  This is another Baltic city that heavily features water.
Islands, bridges, canals and a harbor all combine to make this beautiful city
which has been named "the world's most liveable city." 
(This link will lead you to a video that will give you a great feel for modern Copenhagen.)

Copenhagen, Denmark

We often take a double decker bus tour to acclimate ourselves to a new city.
But in Copenhagen it's best to see the city from a boat.
We took two different boat tours and loved every minute of them.
The guides were fun an informative and the narrative was in both Danish and English. 
 
Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

"Keep your hands inside the boat at all times" and "Please don't stand up" were repeated.
And you can see why.  There were some pretty tight spots along the canals.
(I also spotted a nude sunbather in one of the houseboats we passed along the way.
No.  Of course, I didn't snap a photo.)

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark

Can you spot the popular attraction in the photo below?

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark

You can barely see her, but it's The Little Mermaid who was celebrating her 100th Birthday
the weekend that we were there.  Busloads of tourists were joining her for the celebration.

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark

When we visited the Carlsberg Brewery, we were able to get a closer look at a smaller replica of the statue.  The bronze statue from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale was donated to the city of Copenhagen by Carl Jacobsen, who's father founded the brewery.

The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark

(Be sure to visit the Elephant Gate in Carlsberg. Beautiful.)

Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen, Denmark

We also spent an evening in Tivoli Gardens which is the second oldest amusement parks in the world.
It was founded in 1843 and is said to be the inspiration for Disneyland.


It was a great place to people watch and enjoy being outdoors.
(However, 80% of those people seemed to be smoking, which was very annoying)   
The highlight for me was watching ballet at the Pantomime Theatre.





It was especially pretty at night with all of the twinkle lights.


The canal boat tours, Carlsberg and Tivoli were all included in our cOPENhagen Cards.
A huge thank you to Visit Copenhagen for your help in planning our visit.
Tomorrow I'll share a few more of the places we visited in Copenhagen.


In other news...

//  I've been talking to several other expat bloggers and we've decided that it's time for us all to get together face to face.  So, I'm planning a Blogger's Tea in London!!!   I'm still working out the venue.  I have narrowed it down either Saturday (November 9th) or Sunday (November 10th).  I need a headcount to get started.  Please email me at Selena_Jones@me.com, if you would like to join us.  Let me know if one date is better for you than the other.  Please share this with your blogger friends (and you don't have to be an expat to join in the fun).  

//  I'm starting a new Photography Course today!  I'm thrilled to be joining  Bonnie from Bonnie Rose Photography for her B. In Focus Class which is the first in her B.Lux Online Photography Series.  She has another session starting in a few weeks and you can Register Here.  I can't wait to get started.  I'm excited to go from Automatic to Manual.

//  Thanks so much to everyone who has voted!  And if not, never fear...  there is still time to vote in the Avis A-List Travel Blog Awards



Happy Monday and cheers to a wonderful week!!


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 *I received two complimentary 3-Day Copenhagen Cards 
from Visit Copenhagen for the purposes of review.
All photos, writing and opinions are 100% my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.