Cruise Chronicles – Day 1 – Copenhagen, Denmark

Thatched Roof, Dragor, Denmark (8 May 2019)

This was a special vacation. The kind retired people (or self-employed consultants) take. Dear friends Frank and Suzanne joined us for a cruise that began in Copenhagen. It was a round trip through the Baltic Sea to the Scandinavian capitals and other ports of call. We then arranged to disembark in Oslo, Norway and stay there a few extra days.

I suppose Day 1 was really getting to Copenhagen, a long slog by itself as all flights to Europe are overnight from the East Coast. Plus, the flight was out of Newark. It’s always a good day when you can drive three hours on I-95 and have nothing to report.

On the other hand, it was as uncomfortable a flight as I can remember. The SAS Airbus was chock-full and the plane’s seating plan seemed to be inspired by colonial slave ships. It was very tight in the steerage compartment and once the people in front of us reclined their seats, we were trapped…immobilized for the duration. Despite the confinement, I still didn’t sleep.

Non-Tourists do it Too (8 May 2019)

Since we landed around 0800, there was no way we could check into a hotel. Tour people gathered up our luggage to transport to the hotel while we were herded onto buses for some local sightseeing. This is a good thing. When one lands in Europe after an overnight flight, you must resist that urge to nap. Too bad you might have dozed for a total of six minutes on the flight. Hit the streets and power through the day. Go to bed a little early. You’ll have no trouble falling asleep and your jet lag should be sorted out by morning…mostly. At least that’s been our experience.

The first stop was a quaint coastal village near the airport called Dragor. It was a quiet morning and not much activity was evident. The little harbor had a few interesting-looking boats and some of the houses have roofs made of the traditional thatch.

Fishing Boat, Dragor, Denmark (8 May 2019)

I thought to name this picture ‘Toy Fishing Boat’ because the craft was so small. 

It takes a hearty soul to go into the open seas in such a craft. 

After Dragor, we were taken to a number of stops in downtown Copenhagen. Founded as a Viking fishing village in the tenth century, Copenhagen has been the capital of Denmark since the 15th century. The largest metropolitan area in the country is the center of the nation’s governmental, cultural, financial and educational institutions. One of the stops we made was in the hippie anarchist Christiania neighborhood. Squatters took over an abandoned military facility in 1971 and created an area apart from the rule of Danish authorities. An uneasy relationship existed where cannabis sales were tolerated until a decade ago. Spray painting seems to be the current activity of choice.

Inside Christiania, Copenhagen (8 May 2019)

Just across the street from Christiania is the Church of Our Saviour. Completed in 1695, the edifice is a fine example of Dutch baroque and modest Protestant design. It is known for the external staircase that winds up the outside of the steeple. Visitors pay to climb the stairs and are rewarded with glorious views of the city.

Church of Our Saviour, Copenhagen (8 May 2019)

The interior walls are almost bare of adornments and the large windows are clear, not stained glass. One of the few elaborate decorative elements is the organ. Below the 1698 inscription is a bust of King Christian V, the Danish ruler at the time.

Organ Facade, Church of Our Saviour, Copenhagen (8 May 2019)

Among the few images I saw of Copenhagen before going there was of Nyhavn. Every tourist brochure and post card stand has some view of this part of town. During the 1670’s, King Christian V (more about him when we visit his grave later) had Swedish prisoners of war dig a new canal from King’s Square to the harbor. It was a busy maritime cargo area until ocean-going vessels became too large to use the canal. Now it is a popular area for tourists and locals who flock to the restaurants and bars that line the waterfront.

Nyhavn, Copenhagen (8 May 2019)

We had a nice fish and chips lunch under the sun. Later, we settled into our hotel and ended the day with a brief neighborhood walk and cup of tea before happily going down for the night. There would be another night spent here before we board the ship.