Copenhagen

Vibrant. That is the best word I can think of to describe Copenhagen, encompassing both the people and the place as I saw it during a visit earlier this year.

We were lucky to visit during a spell of unusually warm early summer weather, when locals and visitors alike were taking full advantage of long, sunny days to stroll in the gardens,

cycle along the ubiquitous and busy bike paths and bike lanes,

and even to swim in the one many areas roped off as pools. I was awakened in the early hours one morning by laughing and splashing just outside our waterfront hotel room. (Without air conditioning, it was necessary to keep the windows open at night). Rather than being annoyed at the disruption, I took vicarious pleasure in the evident delight of two people reveling in the simple joy of summer.

We didn't swim ourselves, but we did stroll through the Botanical Gardens,

and wandered around Kongen's Have, or King's Garden. Both are lovely places to take in at your leisure.

While in the Kongen's Have, I visited the Rosenborg Castle. Dating from the early 1600s and built in the Flemish Renaissance style,

it now houses the Royal Collections, which include centuries of Danish artifacts and decorative arts, as well as the crown jewels. Here is King Christian IV's crown.

With such beautiful weather, we spent as much time outdoors as possible, wandering around the city, which is compact enough that you can reach most places on foot. Stepping out of our hotel we walked along the waterfront past the old sailing vessels and the very modern and eye-catching opera house,

through the pentagonal 17th century Kastellet, apparently one of the best preserved fortresses in northern Europe.  Though it still has some military uses, it is now mostly used as a public park. 

We walked all the way to the piers where cruise ships dock from where we could see out to the Oresund, the straight between Denmark and Sweden.

On the way back we stopped at the Amalienborg, current home of the Danish royal family, and happened to catch the changing of the guard . Unlike at Buckingham Palace in London, only a handful of other people were there to watch along with us, and no fence separates viewers from the action.

It was fun just to walk the city streets too, scented with stunning roses that seemed to grow everywhere.

Along the way we discovered these orangy yellow row houses with green window frames and red shutters. It turns out they are the Nyborder Old Naval Barracks and were built for the Royal Danish Navy in 1641.

Obviously they have been updated, as they continue to be occupied today.

Another popular place we happened upon while out walking was the Church of Our Saviour, famous for the outdoor staircase on the upper part of its round spire.

Naturally we climbed to the top. The staircase gets progressively narrower as you ascend, until you can't go any farther.

We were rewarded with magnificent views in every direction.

One of the most popular tourist destinations is Nyhavn, or New Harbor, (though the "New" part is relative since it was originally redeveloped in the 17th century). This stretch of colorful old buildings along a canal attracts throngs of visitors to its restaurants and bars which spill out onto the pavement. It is also the starting point for boat tours of the city,

and a spot for hundreds of "love locks."

While on this trip my only needlework was hand-piecing nine patch blocks for a quilt top. I realized that the vibrant reds of this top reminded me of Copenhagen rooftops, the yellows of the old barracks,  and the blues (though you can't really see them in these photos) of the water, so I have decided to call this now completed double nine patch top "Sunny Days in Copenhagen."

Now I just need to decide how to quilt it.