Day 26 – 4 August 2023 – Copenhagen, Denmark – 3rd full day

Another early breakfast & then onto the close-by Bella Centre Metro station into Copenhagen city & Kongens Nytorv again. We help another couple staying at the hotel on holidays with directions for the train, we are old hands now. The plan today is to ride the Hop-on Hop-off bus around the city. The bus is parked waiting across the other side of Kings Park & as we stroll across we browse the stalls that are set up. On the bus we listen to the commentary about Copenhagen & the various buildings & sights through the supplied headsets, it is well done.

Our first stop is the statue of the Little Mermaid, based on the character in the book by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. We can tell where the statue is by the crowd lining the fence. The brass mermaid sitting on rocks in the water close to shore is little & not that special, we don’t see why so much fuss is being made about her, but we made sure that we saw her & took several photos.  When in Kobenhavn (the real name) it is a must see. There are so many other really good sculptures in Copenhagen.

Back on the bus & we admire lots of impressive buildings, castles, museums, art galleries & churches before getting off at “Frederiks Kirke”, & walking down to the Danish Royal Palace, home of the royal family. The change of the guard is in progress (a bit subdued, there is no music because Queen Margarete isn’t in residence) & we watch it for a while. The royal guard wear similar uniforms & hats to the British royal guard. We talk to a policeman standing guard on crowd control & he tells us that the only royal in residence is the Queen’s sister. That is the only royal house with a flag flying. He points out the Queen’s residence plus the residence of Prince Frederick & Princess Mary. It’s good to see that (our) Princess Mary is put up in a decent shack, a bit close to her mother-in-law though. Apparently most Danish think that Mary is OK.

We decide to walk along the shoreline, looking at all the boats & buildings along the waterfront, including the Queen’s wharf & waiting rooms. The statue of the Little Mermaid is even busier than before as we walk past & explore more parks. We get on the bus again & get off at the 400 year old Rosenborg Castle. This is another impressive castle with gardens & moat. We walk the full way round admiring it, watch the changing of the guard at this castle then discover that the wait to get inside is more than an hour. We move back to the bus & travel on until we get to the bus start point.

Time for a late lunch at Nytorv alongside the old port canal (apparently the longest stretch of bars/café & restaurant in Denmark, if it gets cold there are several heaters under the umbrellas that go on & blankets are handed out – a very popular place), again a table for two in the shade, it is hot in the sun. We decide on traditional Danish seafood Smorrebrod, (we have been told that we must try it if we are in Denmark) an open sandwich on Danish rye bread. Tereza decided on a Danish squid dish. Delicious when washed down with a Danish Carlsberg beer. It is after 4pm by the time we finish & take a stroll the length of the canal to the main canal & back, admiring the old buildings & boats lining both sides of the old canal. It is very busy with throngs of people walking & on bicycles.

Back to the Metro station & back to our motel by 6pm, another great day.