Copenhagen, Denmark

We arrive in Copenhagen late in the afternoon, check into our hotel, and immediately head out into the city.  Our hotel is near Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world, but we first head the other direction, toward Vesterbro, a renovated former meatpacking district, now trendy clubs and great restaurants, to find something to eat.

 Arriving in Copenhagen

 Dining in the meat-packing district

After dinner, we walk over to Tivoli Gardens and enter a fabulous wonderland.  Tivoli Gardens was named after the Tivoli Gardens in Paris (Jardin de Tivoli amusement park located near the current site of the Saint-Lazare train station) and opened in 1843, occupying 82,717 square meters (20 acres, 8 hectares) just outside the original west gate of the city.  From the beginning, Tivoli included exotic buildings, a theater, band stands, restaurants, cafes, flower gardens, and amusement rides.

 Tivoli concert hall, open air stage

As soon as we enter, we hear the sound of happy people enjoying themselves.  Families, couples, friends, and people on their own fill the park with joy.  Everyone is having fun and so do we.  This is a magical place!

We first wander and see some of the rides scattered through the park, some calm, some terrifying.

Rides

Not only are there exciting rides, but all through the park there are beautiful lakes, gardens, and buildings containing displays of beautiful plants and flowers.

 Grounds and gardens

As we walk by one of the lakes, the fish are all begging for some sort of treat.  We don't have any, but others offer them something to eat.

 Feed me!

As the sun descends in the sky, we stop for a glass of wine and watch the lights come on along the paths and walkways throughout the park.

Getting darker

Leaving Tivoli, we cut through Copenhagen's fabulous Central Train station, serving Denmark, Sweden, and European destinations since 1911, the most direct path back to our hotel for a nightcap and a relaxing sleep.

 Copenhagen Central Train Station

Wandering Through Copenhagen

We head out in the morning and walk through Copenhagen, past the beautifully-painted movie theater and over to Orsteds Park (Ørstedsparken), a few blocks northwest of Tivoli Gardens.

 Movie theater

 Orsteds Park

Orsteds Park was created in 1872 as one of a series of parks built on the grounds of Copenhagen's old fortification ring.  Construction of the park including converting the moat to a lake and building small hills out of former bastions.  One prominent feature of Orsteds Park is a monument to Hans Christian Ørsteds, the Danish physicist and chemist who discovered that electric currents create magnetic fields.  Also, scattered throughout the park are many additional statues funded by the Albertina Foundation created by the head of Carlsberg.

Monument to Hans Christian Ørsteds

 Sculptures around the park

Leaving the park, we spot several great bicycles in this city famous for its biking culture.

 Fabulous bicycles

We walk through the great little streets to the Frederiksborggade pedestrian street and then across the canal to the castle, home of the Danish royal family and built surrounding a large equestrian field.

 Great little streets

 Over the canal

 Through the castle and grounds

Just past the castle, we come back to the pedestrian street (renamed at this end as Amagertorv Street).  This end of the street is a serious high-end shopping district and we head right over to the Royal Copenhagen shop.  We have a family history of collecting Royal Copenhagen Christmas Plates and we start by viewing this year's plate in the shop and then admiring all the other great porcelain products, made in Copenhagen since 1775.

 2018 Christmas plate

 Admiring the Royal Copenhagen (and buying some)

From there, we walk along the canal and riverfront back to our hotel.

 Along the canals and river

We pick up our luggage and have one more adventure on our way to the ship (remember, we're getting on a cruise to Norway and Scotland), a visit to the Little Mermaid statue and a stroll back through the Kastellet, one of the best-preserved fortifications in Northern Europe and still an active military base for Danish Defense, both a short walk from the dock where the ship will depart.  The Kastellket also contains a monument with the eternal flame for Danish military previously or presently deployed, including a chronological list of all places in the world where Danish soldiers have been sent and a list of all the deceased.  The inscription at the eternal flame reads:  "One Time, One Place, One Human Being" ("Et Tid, Et Sted, Et Menneske").

The Little Mermaid

Kastellet fortress (cannon not aimed at our ship)

 Memorial and Eternal Flame

Soon, it is time for us to grab some lunch at the small restaurant next to our ship that serves as our cruise terminal and then head onboard to depart for new adventures.  It doesn't get much better than this, great food, then a few seconds walk to board the ship.  And, no lines!

 Assorted Danish sandwiches and fish and chips before boarding

Cruise terminal/restaurant

Our first evening after we depart, we wander into the bridge (Windstar has an open bridge policy when they are at sea and not arriving/departing a port), chat with the ship's officer and the cadet who are piloting the ship, and look at the view (really great)!

 View from the bridge