It's going to have to be another two-parter because I just have too much to share with you, and I think the blogger gods are looking over their shoulder and wondering who it is that is using up so much of their cloud/sky/star space. I've been waiting to get a "knock it off" e-mail any day now. Let's hope they are focusing on more important fish.
Well, I said I was going to get up early and get a head start, and I did.
But first I want to share a little slice of Copenhagen with you. Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I turned out my lights and opened the curtains to look at the "weather." It seems the courtyard my room faces is lit up. And all the lights are shaped like dragonflies, and they even flit and flicker to make it look like giant dragonflies flying overhead.
Not only that, but there is another hotel across the way in the same courtyard, and they have random lighting of different colors on the side of the building - soft hues so as not to compete with the dragonflies. What a magic touch. These folks really put a lot of thought and effort into their living spaces (as you will see from my walk).
So, breakfast was ample and nourishing and busy. I wasn't the only one up at 7 am. I wonder if the food runs out after a certain time so everyone just makes sure they get there early??? Oh, well, I was lucky, there was plenty of food and as much coffee as you can drink.
The weather, on the other hand, was not going to place nice with me today. I had read predictions of cloudy weather, but along with the cloudy weather, there were soft rains and downpours - all unpredictable, unexpected, and totally glorious (I love the rain what can I say). The camera, however, does not like gray skies. Someone needs to invent a fixer app that makes the gray skies in your pictures turn into brilliant blues - you know, like the skies we have in New Mexico.
It was also cold today. The temps were in the low 50's, and I wore my sweater all the time I was outdoors. People tell me it's been in the 90's back home - my body is going to be very confused along with the jet lag.
There is a visitor information center near my hotel (well within walking distance), and yesterday I picked up a whole bunch of literature and maps. There is a real great map that shows all the bus lines in the city. I used it to match my Map app, and was able to figure out which buses I would need to take at any given time. One in particular stood out because it went exactly where I wanted to go.
I had decided to start at the farthest end (the Little Mermaid), and work my way back - weather permitting. It did, and I only had to use the bus one time after it dropped me off at the farthest end. It started to rain pretty heavily, and I decided to check into a nearby museum to weather the storm.
There were walks, a river cruise, and a visit to a very big museum, so let's see how much I can get done.
By 7:30 I was out the door and headed for the bus stop. It took all of 5 minutes for my bus to arrive, and since I had my 3-day pass, I just boarded and we were off. There weren't a lot of people out, but the city was beginning to stir, and there were a lot of sleepy eyed people heading (I assume) to work.
The pictures start with a building that is right around the corner from my hotel. It is unique, but there are many houses and buildings in Copenhagen that are unique. You know me and my random shots, here are a few including where the bus left me and that is Kastellet - http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Kastellet,_Copenhagen - and Churchill Park. My final destination was, of course, the Little Mermaid. I wanted to visit her first because she was way on the other side of town, and the walk back would bring me close to a lot of places I wanted to see/visit.
By the time I reached the Little Mermaid, it started to drizzle a bit, but enough to require an umbrella. Taking photos while holding an umbrella can be difficult, but you do what you gotta do. Someone needs to invent the photographers umbrella - one that protects you and maybe another that protects the camera's lens. It took a lot of maneuvering to make sure the camera didn't get wet and the umbrella didn't show up in the shots. The good thing is I can now join a circus to show off my special skill. I had a "portable" raincoat in my day bag, but I only pull it out as a last resort. It can be very unwieldy and hot. I'm glad I didn't need to use it - http://www.wikiwand.com/en/The_Little_Mermaid_%28statue%29 -
Then I started walking back to the city taking these shots along the way:
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| He was just sitting up there waiting to have his pic taken... |
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| Can you guess what they sell? |
As I was walking around, I noticed that there were canal cruises being offered, so I said why not:
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| A new bridge called the "Circle Bridge" 'cause it open up as circles... |
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| We didn't have much head room passing under these bridges... |
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| More dragons putting their tails together to form this steeple... |
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| And the tourists descended - remember it's raining... |
By now, I was getting very cold and wet, so I decided to take in a museum.
I'll share those pics with your tomorrow as it is getting late here, and I have more big plans for tomorrow.
I hope you enjoyed the pics.
Steve
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