9 May 2022.
Today we each had one very specific objective, one of which (Susie's) required a rather early rise and a quick coffee before heading out. Susie had scheduled a Danish pastry class with Fred Terrible (a very cool name), a French-born pastry chef who has lived and worked in Denmark for many years.
The two of us took the metro line M3 to the Frederiksberg allé stop west of our apartment and I walked her to school from the metro.
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| Susie waiting for class |
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| classroom |
You can find out about Susie's experience on her blog,
Baking with the French Tarte.
After saying goodbye I walked on to the next M3 stop north and rode to my particular goal this morning: Assistens Cemetery. For the next two-and-a-half hours I strolled through the beautiful grounds, part of which have been repurposed as urban spaces with art installations. I was joined this gorgeous sunny day by mothers pushing strollers, runners, cyclists, and many others out for a walk or perhaps looking for a particular grave. There were also a number of folks just sitting on the grass taking in the sun.
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| "Megaron/A Field" 2004 by architectural firm SLA and sculptor Morten Straede |
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| each of these trees have a small sign near its base possibly in memory of (and a name) |
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| there was no signage on this piece |
In addition to enjoying the day wandering the grounds I also photo-documented as many representational busts and portrait medallions as I could find (quite a few). Along the way I also located several very notable graves:
About 11:30 I left the cemetery retracing my steps to the metro and since I had still had an hour before picking up Susie I headed for home. Once back at the apartment I worked on downloading photos before walking back to the metro to get the Tarte.
By the time I arrived at Fred's kitchen the group was just finishing up and boy was I in luck! After Susie and I returned to the apartment to drop off her box of pastries so much hard work could not pass unnoticed. And so I got right to the one with the almond filling and pastry cream.
After a Danish lunch the two of us were back on the metro again. This time we were going back north but to a slightly different side of the city. We got off near the Kastellet ("The Citadel"), an old five-star fort with two rings of moats still filled with water but all the walls are now green and perfect for strolling with trails meandering all over. In the interior there is still an active military installation although the wandering tourist is free to stroll through. . .
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| on our way into the Kastellet we passed the soldiers' memorial |
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| one entrance to the Kastellet |
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| inside the Kastellet |
Exiting the
Kastellet it was a very short walk down to the waterfront and the statue of the Little Mermaid. We both pondered long and hard as to why this particular statue and its attending story have become so fixed in the imagination of so many from all over the world. But since we couldn't answer the question we moved on. (If you feel the need to know more then by all means
go here.)
Not far from the Little Mermaid we passed the statue to
Princess Marie d'Orleans who was at least as fascinating as that little swimmer, with the added attraction of being a real person.
Around the corner from Marie is a statue commemorating King Frederik IX; he was born in 1899 and reigned from 1947-1972. On her ascension to the throne in 1972 his daughter Margrethe II was the first female monarch to rule Denmark since Margrethe I (1375-1412). She is still queen today.
Frederik IX is the only member of the royal family not buried inside the Roskilde Cathedral. I'll talk about that tomorrow after our visit to Roskilde.
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| Frederik in his admiral's uniform staring out to the water |
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| a look back at the Kastellet |
A few steps beyond the king's statue and we descended the stairs flanking the incredible Gefion Fountain. If you want to know about the fountain and the story on which it is based or if you just want to know how Sweden got a lake and Denmark more land
go here.
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| 1908 Gefion fountain |
A few minutes past the fountain and a short walk along the edge of Churchill Park we arrived at the The Museum of Danish Resistance. This was certainly one of our more unique museum experiences. Entering at ground level you descend to the lower level and follow a circular path inside the building laid out chronologically. The exhibits are interactive, filled with genuine items such as clothes someone wore when shot, an individual's pistol, etc. With the free audio guide this is a truly immersive experience. Very sobering and well-worth the time.
Leaving the museum we continued our walk along the edge of the
Kastellet back to our metro stop. It was a short few stops before we arrived at the central train station and across the street to Tivoli Gardens.
We entered the gardens from the train station side and entered a maze of buildings, rides, food venues and other things that weren't exactly clear to us. All-in-all a carnival-like atmosphere. In fact, there was little signage to assist the stranger find their way to any particular attraction.
Is Tivoli worth the time (or money)? For us, no, not really. But for families with kids of all ages it's probably just the thing and if you're in to amusement parks, rides, and music hall shows, then this place is for you.
Since our apartment was only a few blocks away we walked home. I fixed a simple dinner of blanched broccoli and boiled tiny yellow potatoes with butter.
Tomorrow, our last day in Copenhagen its off to Roskilde west of the city to see the cathedral and the viking ship museum, all before our city pass runs out!
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