After a lonnnnng flight from Dubai, it was so comfortable being back in Copenhagen again, a city we first visited together two years ago on our way back home after our trip to Eastern Europe, Turkey, Jordan and Israel. Then, we only had one night compared to this time, when we had a full day to explore some castles in nearby cities as a kind of 're-entry' to our lives back home.
After dropping off our bags at the hotel just steps from the city's train station in the center of town, we bundled up against the chilly weather and headed out to reacquaint ourselves with downtown Copenhagen.
First though, I finally faced reality and decided to throw out my very trusty Kohl's river shoes that I had worn virtually every day of the trip that had begun more than four months earlier in Latvia. Even I had to admit their best days had been many weeks or even months ago!
We'd forgotten that the sun set so early, about 3:30, in the winter. It was so dark just minutes later. That just added to the allure of the Tivoli Gardens, located in the center of Copenhagen, and a place for people of all ages to enjoy with entertainment, rides and more than 40 restaurants.
Tivoli all lit up for the holidays:
Fur coats were common in Copenhagen - certainly animal rights activists don't have a strong presence. On the city's almost one-mile long pedestrian mall, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves on the Tuesday afternoon just a week or so before Christmas. Smokers were everywhere, it seemed - it was hard getting used to that after smelling so little cigarette smoke the last couple of weeks of our adventure.
No one could plead ignorance as to where to dump their trash as there were painted footsteps to the garbage cans!
Many European towns and cities are famous for their open-air Christmas Markets. It was fun wandering through the stalls in the Copenhagen Market that contained crafts and delicacies of all kinds.
Everything at this booth was made of chocolate - yum, yum! The vendors sure made it easy for people wanting to buy items as we could pay with euros, Danish or Swedish or Norwegian kroner or USD.
I certainly wasn't a gentleman but this 'gentlewoman' always eats fudge!
Surely, only hardy Copenhageners (yes, that's the word for residents of Copenhagen!) would choose to sit outside at a cafe in the winter in the dark.
Christmas displays after my own heart as they used recyclable books, disposable tableware, straws, bubble wrap, etc to create these festive Christmas designs.
We'd both forgotten how insanely expensive everything was here: the cheapest bottle of water at the 7/11 was well over $3; a glass of water in a restaurant was $1.50; a croissant was a staggering $3.50; a loaf of bread was over $5. Our very small room was $100 per night and for that, we still had to hike about 30 feet down the hallway for the toilet and shower - we felt like we were in a hostel dorm, not in a hotel.
But, on the bright side, it was fun being back in a familiar city once again and enjoying dinner at the same restaurant we'd eaten at previously. I wonder if and when we'll return to the lovely city; if so, I hope it will be in the summertime!
Posted from Littleton, Colorado on April 8th, 2017.
After dropping off our bags at the hotel just steps from the city's train station in the center of town, we bundled up against the chilly weather and headed out to reacquaint ourselves with downtown Copenhagen.
First though, I finally faced reality and decided to throw out my very trusty Kohl's river shoes that I had worn virtually every day of the trip that had begun more than four months earlier in Latvia. Even I had to admit their best days had been many weeks or even months ago!
Copenhagen City Hall was one of the tallest buildings in the city.
These angora wool socks looked so cozy but they weren't inexpensive by any means.
Another store display with recycled items:
But, on the bright side, it was fun being back in a familiar city once again and enjoying dinner at the same restaurant we'd eaten at previously. I wonder if and when we'll return to the lovely city; if so, I hope it will be in the summertime!
Posted from Littleton, Colorado on April 8th, 2017.
Looked like a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit. Fudge - yum yum Lil Red
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