Copenhagen

The great thing about cruising?  You get to sample lots of different places without having to pack and unpack.  The downside?  Your stay in a fantastic country like Denmark is way too short.  Not only that, but you are doing so much and seeing so much, your blogging gets delayed till you get home.  Then, if you are me, months later you start looking at photos and trying to decipher your notes only to realize how much you have forgotten.

Our Viking itinerary included two stops in Denmark–a full day in Copenhagen and a half day in Alborg.   For both stops, we opted to take the included Viking tours, and we were quite happy with our decision.

Of course, we knew we HAD to see the iconic Danish landmark, The Little Mermaid, which was within walking distance of our ship.

What was surprising to me was how close she is to the shore.  It was possible to climb out to join her on the rock, an impulse our guide requested that we resist.  Other tourists, however, did not feel so constrained.   I’m thinking that I probably shouldn’t have waited till they cleared off to take my shot.  It might have been a far more amusing photo to see them cavorting alongside her.

Our guide mentioned that the mermaid has a less famous sister down the road a bit,  who is affectionately known as the “Dolly Parton version”.  Hmmm, wonder why Walt Disney didn’t include HER in his movie?

Also alongside the harbor is the Opera House, a gift from Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller, the Danish shipping magnate.   The building design has been compared to a spaceship, the grill of a 55 Pontiac and a fly. Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller’s response to suggestions for modifications?   “I’m giving you a gift, not a gift certificate.”  

The Danes are rightfully proud that the harbor is so clean that you can swim in it.  In fact, someone used the roof of the opera house as a diving board to prove that very point.  (Was it Maersk Mc-Kinney Moeller?  Unfortunately, I don’t remember — but I DO remember that Maersk lived 98 years, so maybe.  I certainly had fun envisioning the old guy balancing on the roof’s edge. )

Copenhagen is a lovely city with the requisite number of palaces, towers, forts, churches and statues.  Here are just a few of the images from our city tour.

We were getting close to experiencing sensory overload, so after the tour concluded,  we returned to the ship for lunch.  The fortress was within walking distance of the ship and was the perfect place to spend the rest of our time in port.

Another beautiful departure, as we headed for our next stop: Aalborg.