Copenhagen

Greetings from Denmark. We only managed 24 hours in Copenhagen. I did think we were going by train the whole way from Hanover and was very surprised when our high speed Intercity Express drove onto a ferry, right next to the semitrailers and cars for a 45 minute crossing to Denmark. Past many wind farms, both onshore and in the sea.

Fell in love with the Ibsen Hotel, a little place recently renovated with spirit and energy, using materials from the businesses on their street – but done with such style and quality.

Claims to be the world’s first carbon-neutral hotel chain with 4 hotels. Really friendly atmosphere with a guest library, and the restaurant was excellent. Tiny room but with a small study. Highly recommended.

More cute and beautifully decorated elephants on the street - a campaign to save their habitat by eventually auctioning them.

Enjoyed a cruise on the canal with trilingual guide – seems to be a must in Europe, past the very impressive opera house (gift from a corporate donor, but apparently with 1 billion kroner per year in public upkeep charges) and the even more impressive black glass squashed cube Shakespeare theatre with its beautiful water reflections.

Spent the rest of our time going to the Viking Museum in Rathskilde. Great idea, but we did not realise it was not in Copenhagen but a town 50km or more away - I hate maps without scales! When we added the time to get to the rail station, and the 20-30mins walks at the either end we really should have turned right back once we got there and headed for the airport. But of course we didn’t. We got to see the remains of 5 ships which were discovered under the mud at the bottom of the harbour. They were sunk there with rocks around 1050AD to partially block the entrance as a defensive strategy. The museum run a workshop there building Viking replica boats by various traditional methods, and using traditional tools.

Mad dash back to get our bags and head for the airport, made even more interesting by the train stopping one station from our destination because of some problem. The taxi driver’s good work was then undone by Anna’s need to find a letter box to post a parcel which already had its Danish stamps. Unfortunately airports are reluctant to have post boxes around the place. Great hiding spots for bombs apparently. Anyway we did finally manage to catch our plane with a fair bit of sweat.

Treated to a look at a remarkable new hotel built near the airport. Twin 30 story buildings leaning away from each other – about 60 metres of combined lean. Pisa eat your heart out!

Word from Norway soon I promise!