Headed South: Coping in Copenhagen

By the time we got to Copenhagen, Michael and I were in the up and down phase of our respective illnesses in that he was going up and I was going down. But we were not so bad that we couldn't soldier on. Our first morning in Copenhagen featured a walking tour to familiarize us with the city. Our local guide, who arrived directly from the Bataan Death March, surveyed our gaggle (only one of who was on a cane) and set out at a blistering pace. Despite multiple pleas to slow down, she insisted that she had to proceed to see "what our capabilities were". Michael, our tour manager acted like a sheep dog cutting out the weak and faltering and providing a "safe place far behind the few fit Alpha types. After a grueling two hours we were dismissed and left to our own devices. Time for a beer.

When we set off on our "forced march tour", we encountered this sculpture, which we we thought was most apropos.

The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum founded by Carl Jacobsen in 1897. Carl was the son of the founder of Carlsberg beer.

This work of art "F* double Morality" by the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt was installed here by the Carlsberg Foundation.

They were exercising the horses in front of the Christiansborg Palace, which also houses the Royal stables.

Here is a full view of the Christiansborg Palace.

The triple crown on Christiansborg Palace symbolizes the three branches of the Danish government: the executive, legislative, and judicial powers. It reflects the palace's role as the seat of the Danish Parliament and the Prime Minister's Office, representing the unity of these governing bodies.

These two photos show the detail on opposite sections of the Palace.

A scenic bricked street in Copenhagen.

A view of the Town Hall clock tower.

The Caritas Fountain is the oldest fountain in Copenhagen, having been built over a well in 1608 by Christian IV to provide fresh water to the people.

Detail of the top of the Fountain.

This photo is of the Royal Danish Theater built in 1874...

and this of the Hotel D'Angleterre, one of the first deluxe hotels in the world.

The Royal guards on duty.

Years ago, on a long layover, we had come into Copenhagen, taken a boat ride and indulged in a lunch featuring a herring buffer. Herring, which appeals to approximately 2 percent of the world's population, can be enjoyed in a seemingly endless variety of recipes. But it is still herring. You like it or you don't. We do. So, our appetites whetted by our forced march we headed to Nyhavn to scout out those delicious little fish.

Nyhavn is a historic waterfront district in Copenhagen, Denmark, known for its colorful 17th and 18th-century townhouses, lively atmosphere, and numerous cafes and restaurants.

One of the coolest things about Copenhagen is how people enjoy their canals on the rarest of Denmark's days -- when it is sunny and hot. And it was both while we were there. In the canal directly across from our hotel were two swimming pools which were really just docks forming a square in which people dove, floated and had a jolly time. If not in a swimming mood, denizens could be found loafing beside the canals with a beer in hand and a smile (also rare) on their faces.

Having rested up we were ready to head out the next morning for a full day of checking out the countryside. The first stop was Fredriksborg Castle which really was, even to our jaded eyes, really quite impressive. From there it was on to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør which sits high above the strait separating Denmark from Sweden. This castle is better known to most Sophomore English students as the Elsinore Castle of the Bard's Hamlet. Our last stop of the day was the Maritime Museum. It was interesting enough but what really baffled me was the affinity Scandinavians have for building museums underground. Why? It wasn't just this one but also the Danish War Resistance museum and we found others scattered around. I mean, it is really dark for a lot of the year in Scandinavia. Wouldn't you want your museums to let in what light there is? Which leads me to another aspect of Scandinavia that baffled me.

The bridge leads across the canal to the entrance of Frederiksborg Palace, built be Christian IV in the early decades of the 17th century.

The number 4 is encircled on the entrance to indicate Christian IV.

Canals surround the Castle on three sides and the lake is on the backside.

These two stone friezes face each other on the Castle entrance.

The decorative ceilings throughout the Castle were among the most notable feature of the Castle, as can be seen from this series of photos.

This ornate structure was above the altar in the Royal Chapel.

These silver figures adorned the pulpit.

On all of the walls around the chapel were these Royal Orders of Knighthood from various countries around the world.

The one exception is this medallion of Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his importance in liberating the Danes from the Germans in WW II.

Even the organ pipes of the Private Royal Chapel are ornately decorated.

One of the many ceiling paintings in the Palace.

Going through the Palace we encountered these three strange figurines on display with no explanation.

Another example of an amazing ceiling in the Royal Ballroom.

The Royal Bed.

Behind the castle, the largest Renaissance residence in Scandinavia, are the Royal garden in the Baroque style.

We were somewhat bemused by this fake swan in the lake of the castle.

A rear view of the castle complete with scaffolding as a testament to the continual upkeep requirements of a residence of this size.

This was the entrance to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør. The encircled 5 indicates this was built by Christian V.

A view of Kronborg Castle.

The underwater museum contained a series of photos taken by divers of various shipwrecks.

Emile Landgreen created this fanciful illustration of the warship Gribshunden which sank in 1495.

This photo accurately portrays how Deirdre felt at this point in our travels.

Remember the color wheel from elementary school? Red..Orange..Yellow...Green... Blue etc. Well, here is the Scandinavian color wheel. White... Off White.. Brushed Silver... Silver... Light Grey... Dark Grey... Black. Every hotel. Every restaurant. Every bar. White. Black. Grey. In the dark of winter (merely 20 or so hours of dark) wouldn't you think they would thirst for a splash of color? A jaunty red perhaps? A sunny yellow? If anyone can explain this, please do.

The next day, Michael and I set out with a group to visit a couple of sites outside of the city. I don't know what we were thinking and I definitely don't know what the tour organizers were thinking. The average age of the group was probably late 60s through 70s with the usual impediments that those ages imply. The first stop was at Camp Adventure (that should have been a warning clue) which featured The Forest Canopy. This was a ramp that ran circularly until you had attained a height of 125 feet and a view of-- well , trees. I sat that out. Then on to Mons Klint (Cliffs). After a little hike through the woods you would arrive at the White Chalk Cliffs. The only problem with this was that in order to view the white, chalk cliffs you had to descend (and thus ascend) 500 steps. What a great adventure for geriatrics! I sat it out. Michael made it to the cliff top.