Royal Copenhagen [14]

Our train was "swallowed" by the ferry that took us across the Fehmarn Belt to Denmark
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[14]

Royal Copenhagen

We arrived in Copenhagen (Kobenhavn) yesterday afternoon and set out today to see what we could see. Each time you arrive in a new city (usually a new country, too) you have to figure out how it works. You need the local currency. The 25 EU (European Union) member states or countries have a common currency and that does make traveling a bit easier than it used to be. Denmark, however, is not a member and still uses the krone (DKK). So we had to change some money right away. We had to figure out to get into the city (the hotel I booked is in the warehouse district - something I couldn’t tell from the website) and the make a stab at the local transportation system. No matter how similar one transportation system is to another, there are enough differences to make the whole thing seem like they’ve reinvented the wheel. Cities are divided into zones (what zones are you going to be traveling in?), how many times will you use the system, for how many days? We usually buy a all-encompassing ticket that lasts for the number of days we’ll be there. No doubt we overpay buy doing it this way, but we never have to worry if we have the right ticket or how many zones we’ll pass through on the way to the castle.

Beer kiosk in Copenhagen
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Today, we accomplished these tasks by mid morning and heading (on foot with our new trans passes in our pockets) to the Botanisk Have or the Botanical Gardens. These giant glass greenhouses were built in the Victorian era. Prince Albert built the Crystal Palace in London for a huge worldwide exhibition and no king or queen worth his or her salt (politically correct today) could live without one. Very few survived WWI let along WWII so we were particularly pleased to visit the king’s backyard greenhouse here in Copenhagen.

Palmhouse in Botanisk Have
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Then we went across the street to the Rosenborg Slot or Royal Palace. Royalty hasn’t lived here since the early 18^th century but it’s an amazing museum of how those with the dough in days gone by lived day to day. We even got to see the crown jewels (no moving sidewalk here like in the Tower of London) that are worn by Margrethe II for state occasions. While we were in the underground vault/crypt, we overheard a woman telling her British friend that "it’s been years since Margrethe has worn the emeralds." The emeralds she spoke of were a set of necklace, tiara, earrings, and broaches set with diamonds in white gold. If I were Margrethe, I’d come up with a night on the town or something, wouldn’t you?

Just a few pictures of the gardens
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Tomorrow we go to Roskilde for all you Viking fans. Intrigued? Stay tuned. Love to all.

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