This may well be our winner day, weather-wise. And a winner for Snowdrop too, though not for reasons of spectacular weather. It's a day where she can give Tivoli Gardens her full attention. With sunshine and a very perfect high of 71F (22C).
But we get up late. For good reasons! You could not possibly fall asleep before the concert in the park ended (at 11pm). And when quiet took hold, we gave ourselves time to read together, with lights out at ... midnight. Lucky break for us -- we were one foot in Reykjavik, clockwise, so the shift to a later day was not a burden. Well, until we heard the squawk out on the balcony at 5:55 in the morning. The resident peacock decided to pay us a visit!
We said good morning to him and settled back to sleep, despite the bright sunshine pouring into the room by then (sunrise in Copenhagen: 4:25 a.m.). Snowdrop was sure that it was nearly noon, but after I pointed her to the clock, she rolled over and we both gave in to slumber.
Breakfast at the hotel. A buffet, which Snowdrop loves. She hasn't quite gone the Danish route, preferring an American pancake and a French croissant, but still, she is happy. Me, I go the full monty: dark, seeded bread and a pistachio Danish pastry.
Since we do have excellent croissants in Madison these days, I look for other more local breakfast specials and Denmark provides my real favorites: their pastries are, in my mind, morning perfection. Deserving of a second cup of coffee. And not easily found back in the Midwest -- certainly not in my home town.
Hotel guests are allowed to enter Tivoli twenty minutes ahead of the general opening. You get this moment of quiet and it is wonderful.
(Well, quiet and empty aside from the rehearsal of the "military parade!" Yes, here as well. At a level even I can tolerate.)
For Snowdrop, the benefit of being an early bird is obvious: she gets to pick her ride of choice and go to the entrance, ensuring for herself a place in the first round of riders. This is a modest benefit as the lines here are not huge -- it's no Disneyland after all (though Disney himself was inspired by Tivoli in his vision for his own park in California), nonetheless, you get this tiny little perk and I, the one who stands by while she rides, do appreciate it!
She does two rides -- a big one...
... and a lighter one that has mostly kids her age, pumping them up and down. Again and again.
(too much up and down for these little guys)
Snowdrop loves theme parks, but she isn't all out crazy about the most topsy turvy fast paced rides. She wont, for example, go on the roller coaster and especially not one that goes upside down. This is great for me as I do not have to stand by for the ones where young adults form long lines. She gets her fill early and shortly after noon, we pick a place for lunch. Actually she picks the place, giving one look to one menu, finding fish and chips on it, and telling me that she finds this to be perfect. I protest -- you'll likely have fish and chips tonight! So what, I like it. And this place has haddock. That's my favorite! Who knew.
(I pick a mushroom dish, with a quite excellent citrusy non-alcoholic beer at the side)
I tell her I have an image for this perfect weather day. Yes, it includes Tivoli in the morning, but I did also book us a boat ride in the early afternoon. It's a good way to understand (at least a little bit) the lay out and thus history/culture of Copenhagen and Denmark in general.
We walk through the city, giving Snowdrop a first good look at this place.
I had chosen the Hygge Boat Tour both because of its size (small, just 12 people) and its duration (1 hour 10 mins -- which I imagine to be her tolerance level). Okay and a little because of its name! Offered by Stromma boat tours -- which is the same company that ran the boat trip I took on my previous trip to Copenhagen.
(the day demands sunglasses!)
Snowdrop is as patient with a guide spewing endless unverifiable facts at a crowd of people as I am. Our group is half American and half German and I do find them to be polite and sensible. Our guide? A professional speak-to-the-lowest-common-denominator type. Snowdrop mostly tunes out. I mean, would you believe that his mom once left him in a stroller next to the stroller of the king of Denmark and when both moms came to retrieve their babes, there was a bit of confusion as to which was which? So that if there was an error made, we could be on the boat with the real king? Ufff...
I think a boat tour does give a great overview of the city...
... and I was hoping this one would (as the one my daughter booked for us two years ago did) take us to the statue of the Little Mermaid (having spent the entire cab ride yesterday telling Snowdrop about Hans Christian Andersen), but our guide claimed it was "too far."
[One interesting and even believable fact offered by him was that you could rent a kayak for the canals and inlets and if you rent a green one, they will give you a bag and if you fill it with canal litter, you get the rental for free. Snowdrop found this to be inspiring! However -- the canals looked to me to be spiffy clean. you'd have a hard time filling a baggie let alone a garbage bag.]
After this brief Copenhagen exploration, we return to the hotel because there is a small pool here, really small! -- but lovely and basically empty as it's a very small hotel, and if you're ever going to try it out, today is the day for it. After we pick up an ice cream cup at Tivoli.
(I sip an alcohol free G&T. It feels decadent, even though it isn't.)
Dinner? We're starting our true seafood exploration with a meal at Kodbyens Fiskebar. It's in the meatpacking district -- an older, historically significant neighborhood of warehouses and buildings dating back to decades of meat slaughter and processing (early 20th c.). Bloody work! Snowdrop, who will not eat meat out of principle, was a bit unnerved. RIP, cows! -- she shouted toward the ghosts of those slaughtered here.
(this is what a fake smile looks like...)
A couple of decades ago, the city decided to transform these blocks of functionalist buildings into a hub of eateries, bars and art galleries. It has a casual vibe and it does pack a crowd of locals and visitors, especially in great weather.
The Fiskbar does take reservations so we are set!
The girl is a bit apprehensive after studying the menu. She loves fish, but in their fleshy form. Not, for example, fish heads. Nor ones adorned with sauces that may or may not be to her taste. But, we order well. I had white asparagus with Swedish langoustines, she had squid to start the meal. She preferred mine. Eventually we switched. She chose mussels for her second, I picked the pan fired hake. She liked hers just fine, but ate half of mine as well.
A walk home is lovely. Still light and bright outside. Still in need of a Tivoli stroll, and of dessert...
The hotel gave her a coupon for a free balloon. You'd think a ten year old girl would not especially be thrilled with a balloon. You'd be wrong.
Me, I settled for an ice cream cone and a bench, from which I watched her go twice on what has (so far) become her "favorite" ride.
(with her escalator-chewed up shoe...)
And of course, there is another evening of music, giving us time to exhale in our room. A late night again? Yes, it has to be that. I promised her we could go see the Tivoli light show after dark. At 10:30 p.m.
(waiting)
(awed)
(the return)
At least she agreed to skip the fireworks scheduled for 11:30 p.m. This is what happens when darkness comes late!
with so much love...
