We departed Nynäshamn, Sweden, on July 16, at about 20:00. The cruise schedule had us at sea all day on July 17, arriving in Copenhagen, Denmark at about 05:00 on July 18.
At various times throughout our cruise, Leslie took time to practice with about a dozen other passengers as the ship’s choir. All of the practice culminated with a performance on our last night at sea. When we arrived in the piazza area of the vessel, there was a string quartet playing. The same quartet played every evening.
String quartet.String quartet detail.
When the quartet finished, a talent show began. The first act was two young gymnasts, a girl, and her brother. I believe they were Dutch. The emcee said the girl was aiming to perform at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She was good. Next was a young woman singer who had an absolutely beautiful voice. She reminded me of a singer one might hear in an animated Walt Disney movie. The final act was a brother and two sisters. The brother played the piano, and the sisters sang. They needed a bit more polish, but it was nice to see they at least tried.
Brother and sister gymnasts.First talent show singer.The singer with the golden voice.The brother and sisters singers.
Following the talent show was the choir which sang several songs from The Sound of Music. They sounded good, but of course, Leslie was the best!
The highlight of the talent show…at least for me. The Regal Princess Choir.Leslie hitting that note.Fun “drinking” tea.
After the concert, we, minus Lorraine, went to the dining room for dinner. Lorraine was not feeling well. During dinner, we heard the captain on the public address system announce we would pass under the Storebæltsbroen (Great Belt Bridge) at about 20:00. Sure enough, shortly before 20:00, we saw the bridge looming on the horizon. We watched the sight from our balcony. Below us, on one of the main decks, we saw several other passengers gathering to watch the passage and take photographs of the bridge. The bridge connects the Danish islands of Funen and Zealand. Zealand is the island on which we find Copenhagen. The span really was a fantastic sight.
Leslie watching the approach to the Storebæltsbroen (Great Belt Bridge).A portion of the Storebæltsbroen.A line of wind turbines is visible just beyond the Storebæltsbroen.Several passengers gather on one of the decks to photograph the Storebæltsbroen.Passing under the Storebæltsbroen.Looking back to the Storebæltsbroen.
We docked right on time. Once at the Marriott, Lorraine and Arlene waited for a room while Leslie and I walked to the tourist information center to get our Copenhagen tourist cards. The cards ended up not being worth the price only because we did not make much use of them. We ultimately used them for only one bus ride, one church, and one museum.
While we stood in the tourist information center, my name caught my eye; the Vice and Vesterbro Tour. Vesterbro is a district in Copenhagen. We all know what vice is, so maybe we will try that tour on our next visit to Copenhagen.
With our cards in hand, we decided we would do the Strøget (stroll). The Strøget is a mile-long pedestrian thoroughfare, encompassing the streets of Frederiksberggade, Nygade, Vimmelskaftet, Amagertorv, and Østergade. It winds from Town Hall Square to the Nyhavn area. Along the way, shopping is a mix of tourist shops and very high-end shops and boutiques. We did not buy anything.
On Strøget, the streets came to life as we walked along. The people made it a great walk. I enjoyed capturing photographs of many people as they walked together. Some that stand out in my mind is the couple walking two huge dogs; a young toddler running around; a woman pulling a sausage cart; a juggler; and a street performer.
A view of the crowded Strøget pedestrian street. This is shortly after departing the Rådhuspladsen.Another view of the Frederiksberggade portion of Strøget Pedestrian Street.Walking the dogs along Nygade, a portion of the Strøget Pedestrian Street.A woman pulling a Jens Kurts sausage cart along the Strøget Pedestrian Street.A street performer along the Strøget Pedestrian Street.A juggler in the Stork Fountain Square.
About two-thirds of the way through the Strøget, we discovered the Royal Copenhagen building. That is the primary outlet for Royal Copenhagen china. We went into the store. Beautiful china was displayed everywhere. It was all lovely but incredibly expensive. The only thing I took from the building were some photographs.
The storefront of the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Factory faces the Stork Fountain Square.Porcelain in various stages of hand-painting at the Royal Copenhagen flagship store on the Strøget Pedestrian Street. The brand was founded in 1775.Teapots on display.View from one of the open windows in the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Factory.A closer view of the storefront.
The Strøget ultimately deposited us at the Kongens Nytorv Plaza. From there we walked the short distance to Nyhavn where we had lunch at a beautiful place, Nyhavns Frergekro. I tried a traditional Dutch open-faced sandwich known as Smørrebrød. It was roast beef with a remoulade sauce and gherkin pickles. I thought it tasted excellent. I also had the Nyhavn Dark Ale, which had a real smooth taste. Leslie ordered the Danish meatballs and some fried brie cheese.
Ready to enjoy our lunch in the Nyhavn district.A family stopping to rest and enjoy a beer in the Nyhavn district.
When we finished lunch, we caught a bus, which took us near our hotel. We walked the last few blocks. All totaled, we put in about 3.5 miles that day.
Lorraine stayed in the room all day with Arlene. They were both getting sicker.
On this return trip to Copenhagen, I found it surprising once again how many swimmers, and sunbathers changed from clothing to swimwear and back again in public. I guess I am too shy to try such a stunt. Oh, and there is no way I am flexible enough to get dressed or undressed while covering up with a towel.
Bathers along Sydhavnen Canal.
The next day, Lorraine and Arlene were to depart. Leslie stayed with them while I went on a walk. I wandered into the Christianshavn area. It is a small island. The canal scenes and the colorful buildings were striking.
I took some stairs to get up to the street level of the drawbridge which crossed over the canal. It was easy to see how much this city favors bicycles. On every set of public stairs, there was a steel track installed. The track was wide enough to allow for any size of a bicycle tire. It will enable a bicyclist to walk up the stairs while rolling the bicycle up or down alongside.
A bicycle wheel rail on the stairs to Hans Christian Andersens Boulevard.View from a bridge to bicycles parked below.
I ended up at the Our Savior Church. It dates from the 1680s, known for its massive spire with a winding staircase on the exterior. On a whim, I decided to go up. The climb inside the spire was impressive. One needed to be like a mountain goat to make it up some of the steeper sections. I did not count the stairs, but it had to be close to 200. Finally, one exits the interior stairs through a very narrow door. At that point, a narrow platform rings the spire. The views of Copenhagen were stunning.
On one side of the spire, copper-covered stairs began to ascend, winding around the spire to the very top. Supposedly, there are 150 steps there. Even though there is a sturdy railing, I had several mental battles about whether or not I should continue the assent or give in to my newfound fear of heights. Ultimately, I did not continue to the top.
A unicorn on the corner of the building housing the Christianshavn Apothocary seems to be pointing to the top of the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour).Another view of the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour).Detail of the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour). One can see the handrail spiraling around the steeple.Cityscape view from the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) looking toward the Marriott Hotel.Cityscape view from the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) looking toward the dome of Frederiks Kirke.Cityscape view from the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) looking toward the Christiansborg Palace.Cityscape view from the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) looking toward the cruise ship port area.This sticker was on the handrail on the exterior of the steeple at the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour). It is German for “love for all.”Cityscape view from the steeple of the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) looking toward the Øresund Bridge.
Getting back down was also an adventure. The stairs accommodate two-way traffic, even though they are only wide enough for one person at many points. I felt like kissing the ground when I finally made it down.
Back at the hotel, we got Lorraine and Arlene a taxi for the airport. Once they were gone, Leslie and I took a cab to the Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery of Denmark). We had lunch when we arrived. Then we spent a couple of hours touring the museum. I saw several paintings by Edvard Munch, an artist I am familiar with, but I have never personally seen any of his works. I was also happy to see a couple of works from my favorite Spanish artist, Picasso.
The main entrance to the Statens Museum for Kunst also known as SMK (State Museum for Art) in the City Center area.The counter at the cafe in SMK.A delicious lunch, and of course wine, at the cafe at SMK.Seating in the cafe portion of SMK.An art patron stopping for lunch at SMK.In a Roman Osteria by Carl Bloch (1866).A photographer among the sculptures at SMK.The Shadow by Niels Hansen Jacobsen (1897-1898).Evening Talk by Edvard Munch (1889).Workers on Their Way Home by Edvard Munch (1914).Lady in Black by Edvard Munch (1891).Samson and the Philistines by Carl Bloch (1863).A String of Horses Outside an Inn by Otto Bache (1878).Sculpture of a woman.Danish Landscape by Harald Slott-Meller (1891).The Panther Hunter by Jens Adolf Jerichau (1845-46).The photographer in the red shirt captured again four rooms away at SMK.Alexander the Great on his Sickbed by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (1806).Mendel Levin Nathanson’s Elder Daughters, Bella, and Hanna by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (1820).Still Life with Door, Guitar, and Bottles by Pablo Picasso (1916).Glass with Lemon Slice by Pablo Picasso (1913).Two Nude Figures by Pablo Picasso (1909).The Green Blouse by Henri Matisse (1936).Interior with a Violin by Henri Matisse (1918).Portrait of Madame Matisse, The Green Line by Henri Matisse (1905).Woman with a Vase by Fernand Léger (1924).Portrait of the Venetian Painter Giovanni Bellini (?) by Tizian (1511-12).Calvary by Jan de Beer (1510).The Archangel Michael with the Dragon by Unknown (1500).Dominican Friar by Peter Paul Rubens (after 1628).The Judgement of Solomon by Peter Paul Rubens (1617).Matthaeus Yrsselius (1541-1629), Abbot of Saint Michael’s Abbey in Antwerp by Peter Paul Rubens (1624).The Holy Women at the Sepulcher by Ferdinand Bol (1644).Christ on the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens (1592-1633).A perspective box by Unknown (1650).A woman sitting on a bench outside the SMK.
We departed Copenhagen on July 20. At the Copenhagen airport, we decided to get a wheelchair for Leslie. Once we made it through security, we sat in a very comfortable waiting area set aside expressly for those passengers needing additional help. Everyone who helped us was extremely friendly.
When we arrived in Dubai, we also had a wheelchair waiting. However, they took us to the land-of-broken-people. It was not nearly as courteous or friendly as what we experienced in Copenhagen. Regardless, we only had a three-hour flight ahead of us.
As we approached Islamabad, it was cloudy and rainy. I do not believe Islamabad has a precision approach capability, so I began to get nervous as we circled. I was hoping we would not be diverted to Karachi or Lahore. I did not feel like dealing with that. However, nearly 30-minutes late, we landed in Islamabad. We were at home.
A building on the street side of the Rosenborg Castle.Bicycles are everywhere in the City Center.A bridal store in the City Center.Bicycles across from the entry to the Tivoli Amusement Park.The underside of the over-the-ocean observation deck.A mural at a beer garden near the Tivoli Amusement Park.Jazz Jazz.North entrance to the Tivoli Amusement Park on Vesterbrogade.Approaching the north side of the Town Hall.Pedestrians crossing the road from the Rådhuspladsen (Town Hall Square).The north facade of the Town Hall.Goodbye Serious.The Zero Kilometer Stone is in the middle of the city center of Copenhagen. All distances are measured from that point.The Copenhagen Town Hall.The Lego Store on Vimmelskaftet, part of the Strøget Pedestrian Street. Legos are a Danish product.Buildings facing Gammeltorv Square. It is the oldest square in Copenhagen.The fountain in Gammeltorv Square.Looking along the Amagertorv portion of the Strøget Pedestrian Street. The steeple in the distance is the Nikolaj Kunsthal Contemporary Art Center.Part of the Strøget Pedestrian Street across from the Helligaandskirken, a church dating from the 13th Century.Final SaleA man monitoring his young son along Strøget Pedestrian Street.Run like the wind!People listening to some musicians along Strøget Pedestrian Street.A busy mom with her children on Strøget Pedestrian Street.Approaching the Stork Fountain Square on Strøget Pedestrian Street.People at the Stork Fountain in the square.The Stork Fountain dates from 1894.Patek Philipe and pedestrians along the Strøget Pedestrian Street.Antique shopping in front of a wonky mirror at Kongens Nytorv (Kings New Square).A building across from Kongens Nytorv (The Kings New Square).Artwork at buses at Kongens Nytorv.The Thott Palace in Kongens Nytorv dates from 1683. It is now the French Embassy.Storefronts and chairs in the Nyhavn district.The Royal Danish Theater dates from 1874. It is across from Kongens Nytorv.The flagship store of Magasin du Nord, a chain of Danish department stores.Walking along Bernstorffsgade Street.A family walking along Bernstorffsgade Street.The queue at the Bernstorffsgade Street entry to Tivoli Amusement Park.Birdhouses along Bernstorffsgade Street.Birdhouses and bicycles along Bernstorffsgade Street.A very red Porsche.Boat traffic on Sydhavnen Canal.Looking across the Sydhavnen Canal along Njalsgade Street.Kayakers playing in the Sydhavnen Canal.The Cultural Center fronts onto the Sydhavnen Canal.Sign for Hans Christian Andersens Boulevard.Entry to the Langebro drawbridge control tower. The metal is copper.The Søren Kierkegaards Plads and the Black Diamond Library.The Langebro drawbridge control tower.The Stadsgraven Canal with the Radisson Hotel in the background.Flowers beside the Stadsgraven Canal.Buildings across Stadsgraven Canal.View of Christians Kirke across a canal.View across Kobenhavns Canal. The Black Diamond Library extends to the left. The steeple of the Christiansborg Palace is visible in the background.A canal tour boat in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.This is not an entry point for vehicles in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.A Jupiter bicycle secured to a park fence.The Cafe Rabes Have building looks a little worn.Graffiti on a transformer.A sculpture in a small park in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Looking northeast along a canal in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Brøste’s Gaard is known as the Potter House after Thomas Potter. It was completed in 1785. It is located in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Some colorful buildings in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.A wooden boat in a canal in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.An office building facing a canal at Overgaden Neden Vandet 11 in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Boats lined up along a canal in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.View to the northwest along Torvegade Street. The tall steeple in the background is the Nikolaj Contemporary Art Center.Some graffiti behind the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour).The tomb of Pastor Hans Peter Borresen in the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour).A very small car outside the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour).A very busy canal in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.View back to the Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour) along Sankt Annæ Gade.Bicyclists spin by at breakfast time at the Café Oven Vande at the corner of Sankt Annæ Gade and Overgaden Oven Vandet.An old home at Overgaden Neden Vandet 37 in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.View southwest along Overgaden Neden Vandet in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.A row of colorful buildings along Torvegade in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Another view of the row of colorful buildings along Torvegade in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.This building along Torvegade in the Christianshavn and Holmen area is the least plumb, yet still occupied, building I think I have ever seen.A parting view of the row of colorful buildings along Torvegade in the Christianshavn and Holmen area.Looking southwest along Strandgade toward Christians Kirke.The Christians Kirke is visible behind some buildings fronting onto a canal.Stairs lead to the roof of the Universitets-Jubilæets Danske Samfund building.A red boat on a canal in desperate need of paint. The steeple of the Town Hall is in the background.The red boat.A boat on a canal in the City Center area.Waiting for the dog in the City Center area.A tour boat passes by the Horse Guard barracks in the City Center area.Looking northwest along a canal toward the buildings on Nybrogade. It appears the tour boat will barely fit under the bridge.This yellow house at Ny Kongensgade 5 in the City Center area also seems to be a bit out of plumb.Detail of the yellow house.A few issues with this white house too.A woman riding along Hans Christian Andersens Boulevard.An Aston Martin outside the hotel.
