We visited the Resistance Museum, which is a tribute to the role played by a group of Danish citizens who formed an underground movement to resist the Nazi occupation of their homeland. The museum has hundreds of fascinating exhibits, including printing presses, examples of newsletters, very emotional letters written home by prisoners, hand-made guns and other weapons, a torpedo, sketches and items smuggled out.
On Wednesday we walked to the Church of Our Savior and climbed the beautiful Baroque copper staircase which winds its way like a corkscrew around the outside of the spire. The 360 degree views of Copenhagen, including the wind turbines in the bay, were stunning.
Next on the schedule was a visit to Christiansborg Palace in the city, which houses the Parliament, Royal Reception Rooms where the Queen receives foreign ambassadors and important dignatories, the Prime Minister's Office and the Supreme Court. The palace's copper tower is the highest in Copenhagen, but the real eye-openers are the magnificently decorated rooms, particularly the Great Hall which is the largest room, and the dining room which is the setting for state dinners and royal events for as many as 400 guests. The walls are covered in woven tapestries the likes of which I've never seen before - 60 weavers took ten years to create these as a 60th birthday gift for the current Queen of Denmark. They are utterly breathtaking, bright and colouful, celebrating a thousand years of Danish history.
Yesterday, C and I went shopping at Field's shopping mall, the largest shopping centre in Scandinavia - I don't know how to account for the four hours we spent there, except to say that purchases were made and fun was had! When you're away from home, every item in every shop is more interesting and desirable than whatever's available at home - I know it often seems that way, but seriously everything in Copenhagen really is interesting and desirable and I constantly wish finances and luggage space were limitless. The hard part is knowing this is only the beginning of our trip and there are several weeks and three countries to go.
As I have no shopping mall photos (which is for the best) I'll now take this short break to insert some photos of deliciousness and a photo of a knitted bridge - the Danes love to "enhance" statues, monuments, bridges and public buildings - sometimes a top hat or a beret will mysteriously appear overnight on King Christian X's head, for example. Having said that, I'm told the knitting thing happens In other parts of the world and is called "yarn bombing". Oh, and there's a photo of the guards who passed us by in the street - every day they march down the street at midday on the way to the Changing of the Guard process at Amalienborg Palace. Most Copenhagen people don't even pay any attention, as it's just part of daily life.
We will return to normal programming after the break . . .
Danish pastries for elevenses |
Spice stall at the local market |
Bread selection at the bakery |
Knitting on the bridge in Christianshavn |
Nougat stall at the market |
Despite threatening weather we took a train out to the town of Roskilde today. It's about 25 minutes from the centre of Copenhagen and is famous for its stunning Cathedral built around 1170, when the art of brick making had only just been introduced to Denmark. Roskilde Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is stunningly beautiful. I won't describe every aspect of it, but here are some of D2's great photos from today's visit.
Wow! Your photos are great...did D buy his new camera :-) I'm really loving your Denmark adventure! I've been staying in a villa 20km out of Florence near Lastrada Di Signia for the past 3 days to relax...tomorrow back on the train to Orvieto for my final week before heading home.
ReplyDeleteI know you don't have much room in your suitcase, so really, no need to buy me a gift :-)
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Glad to hear you're enjoying the Denmark adventure - just imagine how much you would have enjoyed last year's Italian adventure if you'd read it? Never mind, it's still online here for you to access - never too late! ;-) Yes, he did buy the camera, but some of the shots on this blog are actually taken by me, with my not-at-all fancy camera. I love your comment that you've Gone to La Strada to relax - what do you call what you've been doing up until now? Please give Kaye our best regards and enjoy your last week in Orvieto. Don't worry, youu're getting the same present that youu're planning to give me. xx PS Don't point out typos - having keyboard issues and I'm well aware....
DeleteAaaah the nougat - edible and architectural. Splendid blogging as always and I'm enjoying my armchair ride.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear from you, Allison and thank you! D1. x
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