DAY-14: Copenhagen, Denmark - It's About The Little Mermaid

Day - 14: Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Starting Location: At Sea En-route to Copenhagen, Denmark
Interim Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Ending Location: At Sea En-route to Rostock, Germany

We cruised into Copenhagen around noon as planned. Again the scenery makes for an enjoyable arrival and the boat traffic is widespread.

As I've mentioned, Europe is really in to wind energy with some countries generating as much as 25% of their electricity from wind. Most of the wind farms are off shore but even though the land masses are small, the use of new-age windmills is widespread.

The Captain (on the right, the shorter of the two officers) is literally driving the ship; at the port side mooring console he has engine, rudder and thruster controls. From our cabin I've watched the well choreographed maneuvers and it's sure easier than I remember from the single-screw Badger or even the double-screw Frams. With present day controls the ship pirouettes, slides laterally and appears to be so easy to handle.

So, if it's Tuesday, it must be Denmark. Here's our transportation for the day, not sure if Sheila or I will drive. Our tour guide Ilsa met us at the gangway and told us to meet her by the mermaid. Of course we were all expecting the "Little Mermaid" but what we found was that the little mermaid was all grown up. There was nothing "little" about this mermaid.

Basically Danish humor resulted in placing a more voluptuous mermaid statue at the cruise terminal. The site is used by all the guides for a starting point. For anyone needing a closer view of the "new mermaid" contact me separately and I'll determine if you are old enough for the close-up.

Early on the tour we boarded a longboat for a canal cruise. This was the best canal tour of the trip so far. It seems that Copenhagen's key attractions are all on or very near the water with perhaps the exception being Tivoli Gardens.

In addition to boats and buildings, we passed a very rare "black sculpted stealth bird" and a group of just graduated high school girls celebrating on the canals. According to the guide, the white sailor type caps are the give-away, something worn by many recent graduates.

Need a place to live, why not find an old lighthouse boat and tie it up to a dock, but for sure the lighthouse structure won't make it under what are very low canal bridges throughout Copenhagen.

Copenhagen like other European cities has many of these "famous" green people waving swords and other weapons while rearing back on horses. Not sure if it's some Irish thing or proof that yes there were aliens here in the past.









Tivoli Gardens, amusements, flowers, mowing bunnies, classic rides, with our one hour we saw the park, had ice cream but took no rides.

Another famous "green guy"; this one is a Danish Admiral. You say you didn't know Denmark had any famous admirals, well not so. This one defeated the Swedish Navy in a battle many years ago. But note carefully that I used the word "battle", in fact Denmark actually lost the war. One thing our guide made clear was that throughout history, Denmark has tried the war thing a fair number of times but has yet to feel the "thrill of victory", seems they have historically been the ones feeling the "agony of defeat".

Another "Green Guy"

Palace Guards

Opera House

Alright, enough of the historical stuff here's the "Little Mermaid". We heard the stories, the myths, the reason why the Japanese tourists are so taken with the mermaid, and any number of other stories. Who knows, some might actually be true.

Mission accomplished, we have seen Copenhagen's Little Mermaid, we can go home now.

Once back on the ship, we settled in for dinner and a late departure from Copenhagen. Tonight I ordered another Pacific Northwest wine, this one a Viognier from the Columbia River Valley, maybe we'll find this winemaker on our fall trip.

Tomorrow we'll moor early at Rostock, Germany for a day in Berlin.