Got the train to Copenhagen yesterday and spent today exploring this fantastic walkable city. First stop was to the "Little Mermaid" (And Lucy F it wasn't the latest Disney film but the real thing!) Based on the 1837 fairy tale of the same name by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, the small and unimposing statue is a Copenhagen icon and has been a major tourist attraction since its unveiling in 1913. It was fun watching the tourist scramble over the rocks to get close to what is a ordinary piece of work. The Statue is the most famous landmark in Denmark (which says something!). I then made my way around the very scenic harbour to Nyhavn, past the Danish Opera House - I thought they could have done a better design when you consider what the Danish architect Jorn Utzon did in Sydney! Nyhavn was full of people eating and drinking at these old colourful port buildings. I stopped myself for a club sandwich of salmon and avocado!. After lunch I made my way through the narrow cobblestone streets and passageways, crossing the many canals to the Christiansborg Palace. The palace is home to the three supreme powers in Denmark: the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power. It is the only building in the world that houses all three of a country's branches of government. So 20,000 steps and 6 hours later, I still have lot's to see tomorrow. A few interesting observations: Danish people love to recycle and will line up to do so. Danish people are like seals. Wherever there is available space around the harbour you will find them sun-baking! Kind of like seals you see in Antarctica. Danish people only work 25 hours per week, so they spend a lot of time in restaurants and places like the Tivoli Gardens amusement park. Danes love bikes and it's pretty obvious why this is the bicycle capital of the world. Finally Copenhagen is the worlds' capital of fairytales and it is no surprise to find the story of Agnete and the Merman in a underwater sculpture beneath Denmark's Højbro bridge, a bronze merman (I never knew there was such a thing!) and his seven sons (mer-kids) forever mourn for the mother and wife who left them for land. (Very weird) Most people wouldn't have a clue that it's there because the statues are underwater. Only in Copenhagen...
Comentários