Traveling Thursday - The Baltic Adventure - Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the Man and Lady's Baltic Adventure. 

Day 3 of our trip, we did more sight seeing in Copenhagen. 

We visited the the National Museum, which was not air conditioned so was fairly warm. Most of our visit we did with a free guided tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and interesting. 

We then spent time checking out Christiansborg. This palace is in the heart of the city. It also has burnt and been rebuilt 2 times. One time a steward would not allow firefighters in as the floors had just been waxed! It is now the home of Parliament and some official events. 

We wandered in the stables where there was a display of the horses and kings for the past 400 or so years. 

Then into the palace itself.

This was in one of the halls.  I loved the row of these statues

We need this table! 

A new tapestry

The royal kitchen that is not currently used for events

After the palace we spent more time exploring the streets.

From the Round Tower (Rundetaarn) we looked out at the city.

Copenhagen is probably the most bike friendly city I have ever visited. The number of bikes and bike lanes is amazing! Here is one bike parking lot we passed.

Day 4, we left Copehagen and headed north to Kronborg. We had purchased the Copenhagen card which covers the cost of all transportation and entry into 86 sights. We found it to be well worth the money. We went to Kronborg because my BFF said it was one of her favourite places in Scandinavia (she visited it about 20 years ago). I must say, it was well worth the trip (about an hour via train and bus from the city), and was one of my favourite places on this entire trip.

Kronborg is famous for the castle, which is the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet. 

Walking up to the castle we passed this art piece, which I loved! 

Also in this moat (and others on this trip) we saw a heron. Herons are my favourite bird.

What made Kronborg very memorable is that 2 times a day a cast of actors act out Hamlet. They do this in a very approachable way, mixing Shakespeare's prose as written (for example when Hamlet is giving the "to be or not to be" speech), with everyday English and audience interactions. The story takes place in scenes throughout the castle, sometimes with 2 scenes happening at once. We spent over 3 hours at the castle.

The cast

In the castle

Under the castle - Holger the Dane sleeps until he needs to save his homeland again

In the chapel

While in Kronborg we also visited the Martine Museum. There I learned about sailors in popular culture, how tattoos were brought to Denmark, how STDs were treated among sailors, as well as about shipping routes.  It was an odd museum.  Our favourite part was this . . . .

We also passed this statue, which I loved. (Warning, I love statues. I think it is my favourite form of art).

Day 5 of our trip was a half day in Copenhagen before heading onto our ship.  First, the day started with the Man eating a Danish in Denmark (gluten free Lady could not partake).

I was not left out as I dragged the Man to one of my favourite places, a cemetery. I love to see how different parts of the world honour their dead. The cemetery in Copenhagen was green and beautiful. People were walking their dogs, biking to work through it, doing tai chi in it, it was a place filled with life.

We found Hans Christian Anderson's grave.

This wraps up "phase one" of our trip, traveling in Denmark, and brings us to phase 2, cruising. Come back next week for some funny on the ship stories.