Danish Wonders

The Danes are a proud people.  The narration on our hop-on hop-off bus tours certainly emphasizes the unique and superlative aspects of the country's history and culture.  Their achievements in maritime endeavours, leading edge modern architecture as well as beautifully maintained historic buildings, and concern for ecology were pointed out as we wound our way through narrow cobblestone streets, along immaculate parks, beside remarkably clean waterway and through neighbourhoods with distinct characteristics.  Their pride is well founded.

Laburnums -- let me say to start, that I have never been anywhere else where there are so many of these fabulous trees in bloom at once.  I know that is for the most part timing, but they are spectacular in their profusion -- both in numbers and richness of blossoms.  I miss my little one at the front of our house which had a few chains just starting to go yellow when I left.  And while we are on the topic of flowering flora, check out the rhodies!

On to the human constructions.  The building that was started several hundred years ago for a centre of commerce for Scandinavia, is now a market, but the tower with the four dragons with intertwined tails still tops it impressively. The "New Harbour" buildings were originally commercial warehouses next to the canal, but now are exclusive shops and restaurants thanks to urban renewal.

Modern buildings are distinctive structures of glass and concrete -- there is very little natural stone.  

Sculptures abound in private, public and commercial areas.  They adorn historic buildings, dot parks and express the sleek Scandinavian aesthetic.   The first is an unusual metal and stone piece in a park, the second, a sea of aluminium fish in the Fish Market Mall.

One of the major sources of pride for Copenhagen is its commitment to becoming carbon neutral.  Green spaces were part of the original city design and there are many parks, large and small that are enjoyed by the citizens on a lovely day such as today.  Bicycles are so part of the culture that there are accommodations for them here which I have never seen anywhere else.  It calls itself the "Bicycle City".  The mall has a special bike parking garage and on the waterfront, the city constructed an elevated, 'bike only' path so cyclists could look down to the water below them.

 
And for some unrelated impressions and comments:
       There is an election coming up and there are photo posters of the candidates all plastered over the poles in the city.  Many of them look about 25 years old.
       Boats are everywhere-- we saw sailing sloops, motor boats, tour boats, cruise boats, tug boats, house boats, fishing boats, military boats and even a submarine.
       Be careful of cobblestones in the rain.
       Don't stand on the bike path!
And so we leave Copenhagen tomorrow, having experienced the one thing Joan has always wanted to come to this city to see -- the Little Mermaid from the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale.