Copenhagen, Denmark

Wonderful Copenhagen, Denmark

This was our third visit to Copenhagen, and so Lisa and I decided to focus our efforts on seeing the surrounding countryside rather that re-visit the city again.

On our first day we drove north from the city to visit the lovely Frederiksborg Castle. First built in 1588, it later burned, but has been rebuilt and is now the Museum of National History. By the time we had finished trekking through the entire castle, Lisa and I had both given out, and opted to return to the ship so that we could live to fight another day.

The following day, somewhat refreshed, we drove east of the city of Copenhagen traversing a magnificent tunnel-bridge complex of around 30 miles, which took us first under and then over the waterway and into the charming town of Malmo, Sweden.

From there we went to the nearby town of Lund to see the Lund Cathedral, which was started in 1148.

We then traveled north across the Swedish countryside to Bosjokloster Castle, which today is privately owned and is a guest house. After a few quick pictures, we sprinted further north to the town of Helsingborg where we intended to visit the gardens at Sofiero Palace. They have been voted the Best Gardens in Europe for 2010. Sadly when we arrived, so too did the rain. We actually made it to the gate with our pre-paid tickets in hand, but when the thunder started and the rain came in sheets, we gave up on that project.

We had now traveled very far North in Sweden. In order to return to Denmark, we went back to the town of Helsingborg from which runs a ferry shuttle over to Denmark. This ferry operation is really quite something. At all times there is both a ferry unloading and another loading. They run a continuous shuttle across the channel. The crossing was only 20 minutes and soon we were on the motorway cruising along at over 100mph on our way back to the ship in Copenhagen.

Today we are at sea cruising north along the coast of Norway. I have rushed these last blogs because the ship announced this morning that as of tomorrow, we most likely will not have internet for most of our cruise. I had intended all along to get caught up during our days at sea, but now that seems like a bad idea. I am going to try very hard to complete the photographs today and get them onto our web site, so you might check by tomorrow and see if I was successful. Pictures for Berlin and Kiel/Hamburg are now posted.

I hope everyone is doing well – we will catch you on the other side of the internet blackout.

Jim