The Viking and I woke up late today. We had a lovely continental breakfast on the penthouse floor of the Radisson Blu Hotel. The almost 360 view proved breath-taking. I’m amazed that we can actually see the bridge that joins the mainlands of Sweden and Denmark.
We discovered in Stockholm, Finland, and Tallinn that Hop On/Hop Off tours are a great way to get a quick layout and history of a city, so after breakfast we head to Central Station and purchase two-day tickets. Yesterday, when we arrived the temps were almost suffocating and nary a breeze relieved the heat. Today, it’s in the 60s, the winds are gusting, and hold an icy chill. But, the sun’s shining and only a few clouds interrupt the vast expanse of a powder blue sky. Here are some pics of Copenhagen:
Everyone hails Denmark as a ‘green’ city, and the narrative on the tour emphasizes over and over that the country intends to have no, that is absolutely zero, carbon footprint by 2025. Cars are taxed a 180 percent to encourage cycling and, believe me, all those on bicycles have the right of the way. Yet, this is the first country (except for parts of St. Petersburg) we’ve visited where litter abounds. I took a shot of one street to prove this. There are cigarette stubs, paper wrappers, and other garbage everywhere. It’s so contradictory.
We have lunch along this charming canal (this is what I imagined Copenhagen would look like everywhere), and then head back to the hotel for a nap. After our rest, we cross the street to Tivoli Gardens to grab dinner before the Elton John concert. The gardens are lush and soothing, and we eat outdoors at a Bavarian place in Tivoli.
Now, Elton John’s one of my favorite performers, and I’m totally in paradise when he plays Candle In The Wind, Rocket Man, Daniel, Your Song, and so much more. The breeze has died down, the sun’s shining, and Elton John’s singing. Could there be a more perfect end to our first full day in Denmark?
Cheers,
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