September 19, 2011

REYKJAVÍK, Iceland –We had simply an amazing day in Iceland. This small island country has long been on my “must” list of places to visit. I was a bit concerned that we were only going to be here for less than a day for our first visit, but was still hoping for a good experience. We weren’t disappointed. The place is magical.

The "big Jeep" that we toured in

We were fortunate to be on a private tour set up by Cruise Iceland, which enabled us to see a lot more in a short time. The Emerald Princess docked about an hour early, at 11 a.m., which gave us a tad more time. We were met at noon by our guides, Bjarni Gudmundsson and Linda Hardardottir, in their Super Jeep…a huge vehicle with four-foot tires that are very popular here for exploring the wilderness.

The first magical thing we discovered is that we were out of the city and into the “moorland” within a scant 20 minutes. We were heading to see the The Golden Circle … a trio of natural attractions within two hours of Reykjavík. The moorland is gently rolling terrain that is very rocky and covered with small willows, lichen and other low-growing plants. Being autumn, these low-lying plants were of all colors.

The magical moorlands outside Reykjavik

The second magical thing was the amazing light. All afternoon it would rain one moment and the sun would shine the next. This created a soft light that enhanced the landscape and made for gorgeous photos. Of course, this also created amazing rainbows…we saw several of them, each lovelier than the last.

Another magical aspect of Iceland is its dynamism…with volcanoes, hot springs, glaciers and earth rifts, you are constantly aware of an environment in flux. Earthquakes happen rather frequently here. This is a part of the earth that is alive with energy…geothermal energy to be specific, but more on that later.

Our first stop was at Thingvellir (Þingvellir), a national park where two of the earth’s plates are actually pulling away from each other at the rate of about an inch a year, leaving large gaps and chasms. According to Bjarni, this is one of the only places on earth where this happens…on most faults, the plates are pushing upon each other.

The Strokkur geyser erupts regularly

From the visitors center, you can see the walls of the valley created by this rift. A World Heritage Site, this valley has great significance in the history of Iceland as it is where the first general assembly, or Alpingi, was assembled in 930 AD and the islanders convened here yearly for about three weeks to hear the law, settle differences, arrange marriages and conduct trade. It was here that the Icelanders adopted the Christian religion in 1000 AD. Court proceedings continued here until 1798 and the Republic of Iceland was formed here in 1944. (www.thingvellir.is)

From here we proceeded through more mountainous terrain to Geysir country. (The English word “geyser” comes from Icelandic.) We stop in an area of blowholes, steaming craters and watch as the Strokkur geyser erupts. This is currently the only Icelandic geyser that erupts on a regular basis, about every six minutes. However, Bjarni and Linda point out that new hot springs, blowholes and geysers appear after each earthquake!

At the spectacular Gullfoss waterfall

Note that there is excellent shopping for Icelandic goods, particularly furs and sweaters, at the large gift shop in Geysir visitor center.

Not too far from here we make our third stop, and perhaps the most impressive: the Gullfoss waterfall. In a country full of waterfalls, it is said to be the most beautiful and it is certainly the most accessible to visitors. Although not as large as Niagara, its many levels are quite spectacular…and this day, we enjoyed a rainbow over it. There are numerous wooden walkways to viewpoints, or you can walk down to near the base.

On a regular bus tour from a ship, this tour would take about five hours, but we managed to do it in about 3-1/2. We discovered that Bjarni and Linda had a lot more in store for us. From there we headed over to see how Reykjavík’s electricity and hot water is produced. They showed us how deep wells are dug into the ground, which produce steam under incredible pressure. This steam is sent to a geothermal energy facility which converts it into electricity and hot water which is pumped to the city. No fossil fuels are used and the process is pollution-free.

The force of steam produces geothermal energy

There are many hydropower plants in Iceland and seven geothermal energy facilities. After showing us the wells at their source, they took us to the Geothermal Energy Exhibition at the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant, just outside of Reykjavík. (www.orkusyn.is)

After this, Bjarni wanted to show us just what his Super Jeep could do, so we headed off road into the lava fields and caromed through shallow springs, up gravel hills, and generally ripped around where no normal vehicle can go. (These lava fields are covered with soft grey-green reindeer moss and are so mystical that I expect a troll or elf to pop out any moment.) After that bit of excitement, we drove back into Reykjavík for a short city tour.

The Hallgrímskirkja church

This is a lovely small city with a big place in history. It was here in 1986 that Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met in an historic wood building on the waterfront (still preserved) and developed an agreement that would end the Cold War. It is a nice mix of old and new and easy to walk around. Whale-watching tours depart from its harbor from May through September.

There are many cafes and excellent restaurants. We ate dinner at the Sjávargrilli? Seafood Grill, enjoying Arctic char, catfish and lamb. (www.sjavargrillid.is). It is located near the city iconic symbol, the Hallgrímskirkja church (95 percent of the people are Lutheran.)

We were back to the ship around 9 p.m., plenty early for the all-aboard of 10:30 and full of memories of this quirky yet lovely place. One quirk is that everyone last name is taken from their father’s (or mother’s) first name: Therefore, my name in Icelandic would be Cynthia Seelysdottir. Chet’s would be Chester Carlosson. Also, the language is old Norse and its has symbols not found in English and almost impossible to pronounce.

I am anxious to return and do still more. I would like to swim in the famous hot springs at the Blue Lagoon (many from the ship did that) and I would love to spend several hours exploring the city on foot. Maybe we would go river-rafting, hiking, horseback riding, whale-watching, or take a Jeep trip to the ice cap…or go out and shoot more photos in that extraordinary light.

This year Iceland had 70 ship calls, welcoming 65,000 passengers. Next year they will be receiving over 100,000. It appears that ship lines are catching on to the marvelous port of call (which would be well worth an overnight).

The current advertising for Iceland says “Come and Be Inspired by Iceland” and I can only agree. It is, indeed, inspiring.

P.S. And it is only a five-hour flight from New York City!

Photos by Chet Janssens

For more information:

To arrange a small group jeep tour with Bjarni and Linda, email Linda@ri.is.

www.visiticeland.com
www.visitreykjavik.is
www.icelandnews.is
www.cruiseiceland.com
www.icelandair.com

Special thanks to Agust Agustsson (Cruise Iceland) and Hera Brá Gunnarsd?ttir (Visit Iceland) for our tour arrangements.

September 18, 2011

AT SEA on the Emerald Princess – After three busy days of touring, everyone on board was ready for this full day at sea. The waters were a bit rough through the night, but nothing like a few days ago. I think most folks have their sea legs.

This morning we attended a port talk on Reykjavik, Iceland, which we will be visiting tomorrow. Iceland has always been on my “bucket list” – isn’t that term getting overused?? – so we are looking forward to this. It appears that the weather won’t be too good but that is pretty normal for this time of year in this part of the world.

This afternoon I participated in a “Slot Pull” also organized on the Cruise Critic roll call board. Forty-one of us contributed $20 each to participate. Rules were pretty simple: All of the money is put into a $1 slot machine. Each person got six hits. The person who won the most (Sandy won 60 credits) got $1 from each entry, or $41. Then all of the combined winnings were split amongst the group, or $14 each back. That was a pretty fair deal and entertained us for about an hour and a half.

Tonight we are having dinner at the Crown Grill specialty restaurant with Brenda and Ham Morton of N.C. They are the beekeepers and we are looking forward to hearing how they got into this particular retirement venture!

September 17-18, 2011

BELFAST, Northern Ireland – Yesterday we visited Belfast, a city I have long been interested in. We had a very early start as our small group tour departed at 7 a.m. The tour was organized through the Cruise Critic roll call online by Mary Ziergiebel, who tells me that she has been organizing such small group tours for about seven years.

I connected up with Mary at the Cruise Critic “Meet and Greet” on the first full day at sea. She had a cancellation for two within her tour group and Chet and I snapped up the spots. We paid 60£ (about $95) for the two of us. The ship was charging $169 per person for a comparable itinerary.

Our group of 27 left the pier promptly on time in a Mercedes bus with our driver-guide Tommy. As it was a quiet Saturday morning so Tommy first spent an hour showing us about the city. As there was almost no one in the streets, we were able to see a lot…the Cathedral Quarter, the newly developing Titanic Quarter, the political murals along Falls and Shankill roads, churches, pubs and more. It was obvious the money that has been pumped into the city by U.S. and European investors since the peace accord between the Catholics and Protestants.

It was interesting to note that there are still parts of the city where Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods butt up against each other and that there is still a physical wall between them with gates that are locked at nights and other times. But it is also obvious that peace is creating prosperity for the city.

In 2012, the centenary of the Titanic’s maiden voyage from the shipyards of Belfast, a major new attraction will be opening called Titanic Belfast. This is a dramatic building which will offer a ride through the ship’s construction, relieve the drama of her sinking and visit the wreck on the ocean floor. It is at the heart of a number of other Titanic experiences and I look forward to seeing them on my next visit. (www.titanicbelfast.com)

We then got on the motorway and drove about an hour and a half to the county of Antrim on the northern coast (Atlantic Ocean) to see the country’s greatest natural attraction, the Giant’s Causeway. This World Heritage Site is a mass of some 40,000 regular-shaped basalt columns packed tightly together at the water’s edge. They were created some 65 million years ago by volcanic eruptions. They create “stepping stones” and other rock formations that can be explored on foot (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giantscauseway.)

The site is operated by the National Trust which operates a bus between the visitor center and the site for those who don’t want to walk (2£). If you visit the Giant’s Causeway on your own, you might want to take advantage of the Park and Ride deal offered by the nearby Bushmills Distillery (which I wish we had been able to include in our visit). The cost is 1.75£ per adult or 5£ per family. As it costs 6£ to park at the Causeway, this is worthwhile.

The drive to and from the Causeway is quite beautiful – it is called the Causeway Coastal Route and extends 80 miles from Belfast to Londonderry. It has been ranked as one of the five most beautiful road trips in the world. Our bus took a shorter route but we were able to see lots of lovely farms and all the wonderful shades of green that Ireland offers. (www.causewaycoastandglens.com)

Of course, it rained off and on during the day…this IS Ireland, after all…but we did have sunshine for much of the time.

We stopped for lunch in the charming village of Ballycastle and our meal (on our own) was the “Pie of the day with mash and vegetables.” This turned out to be a delicious pot pie with chicken and English bacon with sides of mashed potatoes and mashed squash. All for under 5£ at the Central Bar at 12 Ann St. If you are looking for beer, wine or spirits the Cooperative grocery just off the main town circle has great prices…we did a little stocking up.

On our return we visited the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede (some of our group paid the fee to walk across it) and then back near Belfast we made a quick stop at Carrickfergus, a well-preserved 12^th century Norman castle set in a lovely seaside town. (www.carrickfergus.org)

We were back at the ship at 4 p.m. and it was certainly a full day. We sailed out of the River Lagan and Belfast Lough at dusk and were able to see clearly the shipyards (shipbuilding is pretty much defunct here now) and the drydock where the Titanic was outfitted. This is a small city with lots of possibilities and well worth a future visit.

September 16, 2011

DUBLIN, Ireland – Today we woke to typical Irish weather – rain. Oh well, it is to be expected. Because we have both been to Dublin before, we decided to book the shuttle ($20 round-trip) into the city and to explore on our own.

This worked out fine and by about 11 a.m. the sun came out. Again, typical for Dublin. We saw most of the sights…did a bit of shopping…and headed back to the ship. (The ship has to sail earlier than usual today because of low tides.)

Before departure, there was an impressive show of Irish music and dance called the “Gaels Afloat.” The four musicians and three dancers put on a rousing show that set just the right note for leaving Dublin. They announced that this was their 18th season of playing for Princess and that this was their last show for this year.

The famous statue of Molly Malone

After that was concluded, we went out on deck for the sailaway and noticed a small drama in progress. The crew was pulling up the gangplank but it was obvious some passengers were missing. They called the names of four people…and soon a cab pulled up and dispatched two stragglers. But where were the other two? Soon we saw the purser appear, obviously carrying the passports of the missing. She reluctantly passed these off to the port agent and we prepared to sail.

Of course, just as we were pulling away from the dock…a taxi screeched in, bearing the missing man and woman. But it was too late, the ship was underway. They stood forlornly and soon the port agent showed up to help them handle their situation. Of course, they are fortunate that they only have to get to Belfast by tomorrow (some 100 miles away) to catch up with the ship.

The lighthouse at the mouth of the River Liffey

Photos by Chet Janssens

September 15, 2011

GREENOCK, Scotland –After two rambunctious days at sea we arrived today in Scotland and after a foggy morning the day turned out gorgeous, with blue skies and white puffy clouds. Our tour guide Lesley thanked us for bringing good weather, noting that the weather has been gray and rainy of late.

A tout boat enters the Falkirk Wheel

Today we took a ship excursion to see the Falkirk Wheel and visit the small city of Stirling. This turned out to be a great outing all around. Princess did an excellent job of getting everyone gathered and off on time and from then on the day progressed perfectly. Our bus drove around Glasgow and on into the countryside to Falkirk.

The Falkirk Wheel is considered to be an engineering marvel. Basically, it is a large counter-balanced wheel which rotates to raise or lower boats. It replaced a system of 11 canal locks. Opened in 2002 as a Millenium Project (it received funding from the lottery), it connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. It lifts or lowers boats 35 meters (approximately 105 feet) in 4-1/2 minutes using a minimum of electricity.

It is pretty amazing to look at and even more interesting to ride. Although it was designed primarily to revitalize the canal system in Scotland it has also become a tourist attraction which raises funds for the British Waterways Scotland system. The tourist aspect is that you can ride a boat as it is lifted…and then lowered…in the wheel for 8£ (7£ seniors).

It was the beginning of a huge transformation of Scotland’s canal systen, which was originally developed for commerce and fell into disuse after the railroads took over distribution. Now the canals have been reopened and are primarily used for recreation and tourism. Bike paths, small marinas, restaurants and other facilities have developed along the long-disused canals. To learn more, go to www.thefalkirkwheel.co.uk

The Wheel lifts the boat 35 meters

After our visit to the wheel, we then went to the city of Stirling, which is dominated by a lovely medieval castle. Most people opted to get off the tour at the castle and walk down into the town area. There we had lunch and then browsed the shops in this charming village.

After, we rode back to the ship through the countryside rather than on the motorway as Lesley regaled us with facts about the country. Altogether it was a satisfying tour and it took most of the day.

This evening we did manage to see the production show of Cole Porter hits, called “What a Swell Party” and then headed to bed early knowing we were going to have a full day in Dublin.

Photos by Chet Janssens

Jim and Maureen

AT SEA on the Emerald Princess – Today was another day at sea, with rough waters most of the morning, but smoothing out in the afternoon. Still, most people were confined inside for the day.

But the usual hum of activity continued, the only odd thing being that the casino was not open “due to local regulations.”

I did sit in on some of the art auction. Princess is one of the lines that still runs these…like many frequent cruisers, I bought some art over the years but am over that and out of wall space. Still, I like to hear the patter. They run this auction somewhat differently in that the auctioneer will talk at length about one artist and then show 5-10 works by that person and offer them all at once. Not sure it is all that effective, because when I left he had only sold about eight pieces overall. Frankly, I am all for ending onboard art auctions like RCL has done.

This was our first formal night. But despite Chet looking great in his tux (and there are fewer and fewer men wearing them, most opting for dark suits) and a very nice dinner the evening ended on a strange note. We opted to eat a bit early so we could make the 8:15 show…but when we arrived at the Princess Theatre at 8 p.m. it was full, and so was the Explorers Lounge for the comedian’s show. (They kept telling us to come back for the 10:15 show…not going to happen).

Brenda and Ham

Unfortunately, the casino was still closed. So then we went to Crooner’s but that show did not start for another hour. So then we ventured into Club Fusion…a DJ spinning tunes but no one there. So we ended up in the lovely Adagio bar on Deck 16 and there was just us, the bartender, waiter and piano player. This is such a lovely room but this was getting downright depressing. So we went back to our cabin, hung up the fancy stuff and read our books. Oh well…into bed at nine on formal night!

Actually, the best part of today was our lunch…we had such great company that we sat at the table and talked for almost an hour after. We enjoyed meeting Jim and Maureen from Lethbridge, Alberta, and Tom and Kathy from Whitby, Ontario, and Brenda and Ham from Cary, N.C. (who became beekeepers after retirement…plenty of discussion about that!)

Here are some other nice folks we have met thus far:

Bella and Norm from New Zealand

Carol and Al from Winter Park, Fla.

Sheila and Frank from Vancouver Island, B.C.

Glenn and Claire from Redlands, CA

Esther and Jerry from Calgary, Alberta

Betty and Walt from Richardson, Texas

Judy and Arthur from Punta Gorda, Fla.

And we know we will meet many more!

September 13, 2011

AT SEA on the Emerald Princess — Last night we were given word that the Emerald Princess was changing its itinerary so as to avoid as much of tropical storm Katia as possible.

Well, we may have missed most of it but not all of it. Everyone on board had a heck of a night. I didn’t know that a ship this large could pitch and roll so much…but the wind and waves were so high that the captain reported that he had to slow the ship to five knots for most of the night and much of today. I didn’t hear of too many reports of seasickness…although I am sure there were many…but everyone reported a fairly sleepless night due to the creaking and collateral noise created by the ship crashing through waves. (50 MPH winds, 20-24-foot waves)

Most of today has been the same. The outside decks and pools were all closed but people managed to keep busy during this unplanned day at sea. Chet and I attended two lectures this morning…one on ports and another on Viking lore and this afternoon enjoyed another on “Bad Science in Movies” … a rather funny look at disaster movies.

We ate lunch in the DaVinci Dining Room, not wanting to cope with the hustle and bustle (and unsettled footing) in the buffets on Deck 15.

People seemed to be busy reading, playing cards, shopping, playing bingo and chatting with others. Others no doubt indulged in the spa and maybe some hearty souls went to the fitness center. It is already 5 p.m. and I’m not sure where the day went. Well, I did just spend most of two hours doing a load of laundry, then editing photos and coping with bad internet connections trying to get these blogs posted. This is why there are no photos yet; the connection is just so slow that it eats up all of my online time just checking email and trying to get the blog up. I haven’t even posted on Facebook yet!)

Tonight we are had dinner at the specialty Italian restaurant, Sabatini’s ($20 pp. surcharge). We always enjoy the cuisine and good service here but were surprised there were so few other people in that dining room. Chet and I ordered the Branzino in Crosta di Sale (striped sea bass in an herb salt crust) for two. The presentation was lovely and the fish served tableside by the waiter. Others nearby ordered the lobster entrée: Tris d’Aragosta (lobster three ways) – a lobster tail, with lobster risotto and a lobster bisque sauce, and they reported it excellent as well.

After dinner, we stopped in at the Crooners Lounge where pianist Tom Franek put on a rousing show of Broadway hits. He packed the room and we will return again to see his show.

As we retire, the waves have lessened a bit and the captain reports that we are now up to 17 knots. But it still looks pretty fearsome out there…

For the past two days in Copenhagen we have been staying at the Hotel Kong Arthur (“Hotel King Arthur”) a family-owned hotel located near the center city.

I chose this boutique hotel because I knew it would give us more of a European experience. We were not disappointed. The Brochner family now owns most of the buildings on this small block, including another smaller property, Ibsens Hotel. All are cleverly interconnected but have the feel of distinct properties.

The “village,” as Kirsten Brochner Mortensen describes it, consists of the two hotels, the Helle Thorup Spa and three restaurants – La Rocca is Italian, Pintxos has a Spanish tapas theme and SticksnSushi which is Asian. All are situated around a central open courtyard.

The Brocher family manages the two hotels and leases the spa and restaurant operations. “We want people who are passionate about their work…be it food or spa services.” All of these other businesses are open to the street as well and have a lively local trade.

We ended up in staying in two different rooms at the Kong Arthur, one was a “small” and the other was a “mini suite.” Both were satisfactory, but I know that most Americans would prefer the larger space. So if you are booking here, do ask for one of the larger rooms. The rooms feature contemporary artwork, beds that are high enough for suitcases to fit underneath, ironing boards and free wired internet access.

Breakfast is included in many packages and it is ample…yogurt, three granolas, fresh fruit, baked good, eggs, cheese, meats, fresh-squeezed orange juice and smoothies.

There are many, many personal touches in this hotel which makes it fun to stay in and explore. Ibsens Hotel is also quite nice but a bit more minimal…but also less expensive. It was totally renovated and redecorated just a year ago with artwork and furniture produced by local artists. Perhaps “hip” is the best way to describe it. There are few amenities, but again the rooms are adequate and there are five sizes. If you want something less expensive, this is a good choice.

This eco-friendly hotel – it is one of the first in Europe to be carbon neutral – also rents bikes and tiny electric cars to its customers for exploring the city.

To learn more, check it out online: http://www.kongarthur.dk/uk-index.php

Black Diamond

We have had a busy time in Copenhagen thus far. It is a fairly compact city so it is easy to visit its main sights in a couple of days. It reminds me of two other smaller cities of Europe: Amsterdam for its canals and Dublin for its walkability.

Today was Saturday so when we set out at 10 a.m. there was hardly anyone on the streets. We were headed for the canal tour so decided to walk via the Rosenberg Castle and the King’s Garden. We had purchased the Copenhagen Card so we have admittance to all major attractions and public transportation.

Nyhavn

When we arrived at the castle we got our tickets and stood in line to enter only to be told that I had to check the tote bag that I had over my shoulder. (You can carry a small purse but nothing larger.) My husband had seen people paying to check lockers and decided that this was a whole waste of time, so we left the castle without seeing the crown jewels (I am sure they are lovely). It was a perfect example of inconveniencing a tourist…if they had put up a sign at the entrance about the bags, then we probably would have complied. But we did not want to go back and go through the process. I had nothing in my shoulder tote but a small purse anyway!)

We then had a pleasant walk through the King’s Garden and ended up a Nyhavn (“New Harbor”) which, after Tivoli, is probably the city’s second tourism center. Here is where the canal tours depart…the Hop On, Hop Off buses stop…street entertainers do their thing and there was also an antique/crafts market running. (www.nyhavn.eu)

Little Mermaid

We took the canal tour and it was definitely the best thing we did after Tivoli. On this one-hour tour you will see all the city’s main sights, including the new Opera House, Playhouse and Black Diamond (an extension of the library) and many other key buildings including the Parliament and home of Queen Margarethe. And…it takes you right up to the famed Little Mermaid statue in the harbor. This is certainly the easiest way to see it. The open-air tour runs year around and is a must-do. There is live narration in Danish and English and other languages as needed. (70 DKK for adults and 40 DKK for children. About $14/$8).

Another alternative is the Hop On-Hop Off Red Buses and the Jump On-Jump Off Green buses. They take you to all those main sights on land, however, the narration if by headphone. (These are not free with the Copenhagen card, however, there is a 10 percent discount on the red bus.)

Restaurants

Another attraction of the Nyhavn area is a collection of some 25 open-air restaurants along the pier. We stopped here for lunch…mussels and a lovely fish soup…and enjoyed the people-watching. This being Saturday, there were many young Danish families strolling with prams.

This reminds me that I have forgotten to mention one of the most distinctive characteristics of this city, how bicycle-friendly it is. There are bicycles everywhere…many with large front and rear carriers for children. All major boulevards have special lanes for bikes, and you see all sorts of people on them. Many dressed for the office. My new friend Bo Larsen, who heads up Cruise Copenhagen and Cruise Baltic, says that everyone rides and that cars must give way to bicycles. “It is simply a way of life here,” he says. “Almost everyone uses bicycles to get around the city.”

There are many bicycle rentals available to tourists and most hotels have bicycles available to their customers as well. We also noted a number of people kayaking through the main canals. These kayak tours are available to visitors as well. Seeing the city by bicycle or kayak would definitely give you a different perspective.

Tonight we had dinner at a tapas restaurant near our hotel called Pintxos. Dinner for the two of us with a bottle of wine cost about 600 DKK…or about $125. Food and drink are definitely more expensive here in Denmark.

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We arrived in Copenhagen yesterday at about 12:30 p.m. (their time), which was 6:30 a.m. E.S.T….we had both managed to get about four hours sleep on the plane so thought we did pretty well.

Copenhagen Airport is very efficient and by the time we reached the baggage carousel our bags were already coming off…so we caught a taxi and were into our hotel by about 1:30 p.m. There is excellent service into the city via public train or bus, but being tired and carrying three bags we opted for the more expensive taxi. As the airport is only 6.5 miles from city center, the $50 cab fare did see a bit stiff.

We checked into the Hotel Kong Arthur, a smallish family-run hotel. Our room is small (by U.S. standards) but plenty adequate. It was a bit hot, so we opened the windows (no A-C, which is typical of most hotels)…and soon the room was fresh.

Because it was now early afternoon, we decided not to nap but to “power through” the day and so decided we would walk to Tivoli Gardens, the city’s major tourist attraction. It was a pleasant 20-minute walk in glorious weather.

Tivoli was a good place to start our first visit to this lovely compact city. Built in 1843, it is one of Europe’s longest running attractions. Set over about 10-12 acres, it is a combination of gardens, amusement areas, shopping and restaurants. When Walt Disney visited here in the early 1950’s it is said that Tivoli inspired him to create Disneyworld.

As I said the weather wis lovely, sunny with just a slight chill in the air, and so perfect for a stroll. The bells were tolling the quarter hours, toddlers were playing with their grandparents in the children’s areas while teens were riding the thrill rides in another section of the park. Seniors were dozing on benches in the still-lush gardens. Workers were setting up barricades in preparation for a concert later in the evening.

Tivoli is constantly recreating itself. Right now there is a large exhibit on the Titanic in one of the historic buildings. The Michelin-starred restaurant Paul is about to close after a nine-year run as the British chef has decided to retire. At the entrance, there is a Build-a-Bear store and a Hard Rock Café. There are also shops for Bodum and Ord Nin G7R EDA, both well-known Scandinavian brands. (I discovered that the Bodum products sold here are actually significantly cheaper on the www.bodumusa.com website.)

We met Bo Larsen, head of Cruise Copenhagen and Cruise Baltic, for drinks and dinner. He was full of information about the area and, of course, a great promoter of pre-stays such as ours. I will share more info on his comments in my next post. All  of the lights of Tivoli were a-twinkle as we strolled out to catch a taxi back to our hotel. A magical start to this trip.

Today we are off to explore the city further….and I will post some photos later, too.