Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Copenhagen- July 9





Today was the day that I always find sad, hard and busy....the day they make us disembark and give up our cabin.  The disembarking was well organized and getting the luggage the easiest we have ever experienced. 

We were to be met by a car and driver to take us to Hotel D'Angleterre. BUT the car didn't ever show up-shades of Gatwick. 
Jim finally got a cruise person to call our emergency number and someone else from a different company came to pick us up. 

At least when we got to the hotel they did have a reservation for us. Later in the day after we had read the history of the D'Angleterre Hotel we asked about one of the meeting rooms. We got a great tour led by the doorman and also the consierge.

Copenhagen is as I remember it- not much of a skyline and no fantastic views. It does hum with a pace different from Oslo. Bicycles glided along beside our car. Because of road construction the traffic seemed to be moving at a pace almost human and not wildly fast.

Copenhagen is not a microcosm of Denmark, but rather Copenhagen is a cosmopolitan city with an identity of its own. Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, is the political, cultural and financial center of the country. The population of Denmark is 7.5 million and 1/5 of those people live in Copenhagen. There is also a growing migrant community.

Looking from our hotel you can see the large square- Kongens Nytorv. Gardeners were hard at work planting low green plants and then adding color accents. This area is filled with charming houses and wonderful restaurants. Last time we were here we took a little boat harbor trip from here.

The palace of the royal family is behind this hotel and we saw their beautiful grounds. The queen is very popular with the people.


From our window you can see 14 windmills busily generating electrical power. What a contrast to see this modern way of providing electricity over the tile roofs  of colorful old buildings. We wandered down the several pedestrian shopping streets. Most stores were filled with tourists.

Since we had been here before, we didn't rush to see the major tourist places. We had a wonderful lunch and did a lot of people watching. 

Going to a neat sounding restaurant for dinner-Restaurant Barock. Be sad to have to pay the tab and even put our napkins on our laps. A good cruise does spoil us for a long time.

However we had a great dinner tonight......tasty AND expensive. Don't know how ordinary citizens manage to live here.