tivoli gardens

Dear Sheddists,

on first arrival in Copenhagen we walk in blistering sun round three sides of the square that houses Tivoli Garden in search of our hotel. Not exactly the best of introductions to one of the city's most famous attractions.

Tivoli Gardens has been here since 1843, the second oldest operational amusement park in the world. From the outside it looks slightly tacky, hemmed in on every side by the encroaching city-scape.

So after a busy day exploring some of the rich history of Copenhagen we have no great expectations of our early evening visit.  It therefore comes as some surprise how much we enjoy it.

We enter the Gardens and pass by the fairground-carney distorting mirrors just as Sarah MacDougall takes the stage at the newly opened Orangerie. She boasts an impressive if unlikely pedigree as a Swedish Canadian singer/songwriter based in the Yukon, Oregon.

Tonight Sarah's backed by the Sentimentals, a band of equally unlikely pioneers of Danish folk music.  They play a blinder to the great delight of the assembled crowd.

We walk the grounds, litter-free and immaculately maintained, as we listen to hormonally-charged screams from teenagers strapped firmly to the overhead rides that thunder past at regular intervals.  A strangely cathartic end to a lovely day in Denmark.

Best regards,

electrofried(mr)

 

the waters of copenhagen

rosenburg slot

Dear Sheddists,

just across the way from the Rundtaaren are the inviting gardens of the Rosenburg Slot, a palace built as a summer retreat for Christian IV.

The palace itself is a dizzying mixture of roccoco and gilt, mirrors and strange headed statues of long-faced royals. There's a distinctly surreal aspect to it all, a memento mori of death-masked by-gones.

The adjoining Treasury houses a display of crown jewels guarded by young troops from the Danish army.  The display is small but fascinating and commands respect - rather like Denmark itself

Best regards,

electrofried(mr)