Wonderful, wonderful.....

I met June at Heathrow. She was waiting for me to come through security. All was fine at the airport and our flight was uneventful - at times lovely views. We arrived at the airport and splurged on a cab to the hotel. We are very well located - in walking distance to Tivoli and other attractions. In fact, when we came back to our room at 10:00, June pointed out a lovely ride you could see from the window. The seat of the ride slowly raised to the top of a structure which looks somewhat like a candle, but is several stories high. Then the seat (and all on it) is dropped to the ground and we can hear the screams (if they aren't masked by the buses and motorcycles). Sometimes the quarter hour peal of bells adds to the soundscape. But being near Tivoli has other benefits. Firesworks! I heard them and we moved closer to the window to watch - 3 rockets and then over - our front row seats no longer a bonus.

When we first came to the hotel, the room had been baking all afternoon - quite a sensation after travelling. However, the hot sun was perfect for drying the bit of handwash I did upon arrival.

Copenhagen was unusually hot (around 30C). We walked over to the tourist office to get information and then went to a nearby Internet Cafe to inform our families of our safe arrival. This Internet cafe is also a serious gaming place. We were two misplaced females over a certain age in a room full of testosterone pumped males under 30 playing video games.. Smokers welcome. But we fulfilled our missions.

Our next destination - a canal boat tour. We wandered through the streets to the nearest stop on the route. Out on the water was much cooler than in the sun on a plaza. We enjoyed the cool breeze and the leisurely pace of the tour. We saw so many things - churches, the new opera house, the parliament buildings, the Roayl barge, the Little Mermaid (who is indeed, quite little), many sailboats of all qualities and sizes, an area with houseboats, colourfully painted buildings - some to be visited more closely tomorrow. After a delightful tour we found a cafe with outdoor tables (blankets available) and ordered what we thought would be a modest salad with smoked salmon. What arrived was a large plate with nice greens, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts and the best smoked salmon I have ever eaten - all bathed in a delicate but piquante mustard dressing. Ahhhh.... sitting in a cafe on a quitet street, by the canal, taking time.