Postcard from Copenhagen April 2011

I left London around 4.30pm on a beautiful sunny day and landed an hour and a half later in Copenhagen on a beautiful evening. Having spent half the flight sneezing, the cabin steward took pity on me and gave me lots of champagne – even a few to take with me! By the time I reached the Strand Hotel, the sneezing had stopped! Must have been some sort of hayfever! I spent the evening quietly in my tiny room downing more champagne.

The next morning, after a late breakfast, I went out to walk around Copenhagen on a glorious day before the rest of the Welsh National Opera Group arrived. It was a little chilly to start with but it soon warmed up. I walked all the way to the Little Mermaid, then back to the Amalienborg Palace where I watched the Changing of the Guard – not quite up to British standards! Then I wandered around Nyhavn watching everyone enjoying their drinks and lunches in the outside cafés. After returning to the hotel for a short break, I set off in the other direction to see Slotsholmen and Radhuspladsen. After walking for almost four hours I returned to the hotel to relax on a seat just outside overlooking the Canal for half an hour, and I then set off on another walk to see the Rosenborg Castle but was too late to go inside, so I returned to the hotel. I had been walking for about five hours so time to relax in my room. My friend Sue arrived around 6pm and after a drink we joined the others in the WNO party for dinner down the road.

The following day was not quite so fine but nonetheless quite a good day weather-wise. In the morning we went on a walking tour of Copenhagen with WNO group, visiting different places to where I had been the previous day. After a smorrebrod lunch we then went on a boat trip around the canals for an hour which was most enjoyable. That evening Sue and I went to the Custom House for dinner – my meal not too good, and then we took the Water-taxi across to the Opera House for a rather modern production of Romeo and Juliet. I have to say it was not quite my cup of tea – but was unusual to say the least!

Tuesday morning was very damp and chilly and it got wetter and wetter as the morning progressed! We had a tour of Christiansborg Palace which was absolutely fascinating and then Sue and I toured more of Copenhagen on foot and got pretty wet. We climbed Holy Trinity tower and after another smorrebrod lunch we visited the Crown Jewels in Rosenborg Castle. By then we were well drenched and returned to our hotel to recover before another ‘opera evening’. We dined at a little Italian restaurant en route to the Watertaxi and had a very good meal and not too expensive. Then we caught the water-taxi to the Opera House and saw a very good production of La Boheme. We water-taxied back to Nyhavn and nearly died of the cold, but a quick walk got us back to the Strand Hotel and a nightcap!

The last morning was rather dull and damp. Sue and I wandered over to All Saviours Church but that was closed, so then we walked to St Alban’s Church and had a look around there. After a hot chocolate we took ourselves to the Marble Church which was very impressive inside. Then back to the hotel to pack up and get out of our room. Once organised, we met up with friends, Andy and Jan, for a smorrebrod lunch and at 3.30pm set off for the airport. Arrived home by 8.15pm and it didn’t take long to unpack and collapse into bed! It was a most enjoyable long weekend in spite of the miserable weather of the last two days.