Cycling Copenhagen to Berlin: Exploring Copenhagen

All have slept reasonably well and we meet for breakfast at 8:30. Our hotel has a delicious selection on the breakfast buffet including a few things we haven't tried. Of course, there is the ubiquitous pickled herring one sees in the Sacandinavian countries. Dave loves it! Frank and Jeannie stop by to say hello. They are doing a Mike's Bike tour of the city.

We decide to do the Hop On Hop Off bus and boat tour. We want to take it easy today and this is a good way to get an overview of the city. Weather is gorgeous today though cool. In fact, it feels really cool for those of us coming from the heat of Livermore. I have layers of clothes on to keep warm. The bus stops at the iconic Little Mermaid statue in the harbor. She has quite a history for such an unassuming little statue. Crowds line the shore to take her picture. We have lunch at a little cafe near the boat stop. I have the typical open-face sandwich with shrimp, hard boiled egg and mayonnaise on rye bread which I enjoy. The boat tour is relaxing and gives us nice views from the water. We end the day with dinner near our hotel at a restaurant called Zafran. It's a Persian restaurant, quiet inside and we all enjoy our meals immensely.

Copenhagen has bicycles EVERYWHERE and I do mean everywhere! On major shopping streets, a large area in the middle of the street is designated for bike parking. At railroad and bus stations bicycle parking is multiple layers high. They are a major means of transportation. Not surprising given the 180% import tax on cars! The city bike share fleet is made up of white e-bikes. This is the first time we have seen that. Bike paths are another lane of traffic with their own lights. Most people are not wearing helmets. Streets are congested not with cars but with bikes. One has to be sure to stay out of the bike lanes! It is difficult for pedestrians to know where to cross safely. You have to watch in all directions. Denmark is very environmentally conscious and "green." They plan to reduce their carbon footprint to zero by 2023. The water here is crystal clear and very pure.

Dave and I have always loved Danish design and I love the architecture of the buildings. That King Christian was decadent and lavish in his spending but left a legacy of beautiful buildings. We were here 15 years ago and just recently replaced the stainless steel flatware we bought then. The beautiful blue glass bowl on our coffee table is one of my favorite decorative pieces we have in our home.

We come back to our rooms to watch the Olympics albeit with commentary in a language totally unintelligible to us. It has been an enjoyable first day.