Copenhagen Trip - Day Six

11 pm last night – looking toward downtown under clouds. Copenhagen – the city of steeples.

We decided not to go to Malmo this morning, as we hadn’t really finished our souvenir shopping in Copenhagen. The stores in Sweden weren’t opening until noon, and we would have had to buy both roundtrip tickets to cross the Oresund Bridge, as well as transit passes in Malmo, since the places we were most interested in weren’t easily connected on foot. And we would’ve needed to convert more money, since neither Sweden nor Denmark use the Euro, and neither country wants to use the other’s currency. By the time we got back to Denmark, the stores that were open here today would have closed...

The weather was cloudy and sunny with gusty winds and occasional sudden drenching downpours, or, as it goes, another typical day. Ann remarked we’d be huddling under an awning in Sweden, too, if we’d gone over there.

Instead, we headed back downtown and worked our way from Central Station out through the shopping streets and back.

These polser trailers are EVERYWHERE - you can get your sausage fix at pretty much any public square in the entire country. There's even one set up at baggage claim at the airport...

Wynn found several more elephants to pose with:

Posing with some kind of royal elephant-dragon-griffin critter in front of City Hall.

The Stroget after a nice stiff rainshower. Not nearly as many tourists out on a Sunday morning; it was a good idea to come back here as we could really take the time to look instead of just get pushed along by the crowd.

We went into Tivoli Gardens again (the Copenhagen Card gives free admission, so why not?) and had a very nice Scandinavian lunch. The music stages all over Tivoli were featuring high-school and college bands and singing groups – a very Glee-kind-of-vibe going on, including the songs being performed (“Forget You” – but since this is Denmark, the uncensored version… yes, with little kids walking all over the place… no, nobody got fired or even seemed concerned… the adults and teenagers seemed to be enjoying it…)

After returning to the hotel, I picked up a few last-minute items for dinner and treats to take back to the States, and then we went for a swim in the hotel pool. Ann & Wynn took a nap afterward while I worked through the leftovers in the fridge.

Tonight we’re running one last load of laundry and have the suitcases opened up on the floor, figuring out what gets packed where. We’ll head out bright and early to the train station – leaving the hotel about 7 am; our flight leaves at 10 for Amsterdam, where we have about 2 hours to connect, and then a 9-hour flight back to Minneapolis.

We still have Danish cash to blow at the airport – here’s 91,50 DKK just in coins to burn (that’s almost US$20). They don’t make 5 Kr coins for some reason, just 50 ore, 1 Kr, 2, 10, and 20. At 50 Kr (US$10) they switch over to bills – under that it’s only coins. And they won't convert Danish coins back into US$ at the Travelex at MSP...

Here's one last photo from downtown

This will be the last posting until we get back to the States. Happy Fathers Day, Happy Gotcha Day, and wish us good luck on our travels tomorrow!

First Photos from Canada

Mind you, I shot most of these amidst agonizing pain. The rest, the pain was only mildly dreadful.

Classic mid-50's architecture right outside our window, beautifully contrasting with the Maple Leaf.

Gastown, the founding neighborhood of the city at the bottom of the hill from here. The clock is steam-powered and performs a tune at each hour.

The gate to Chinatown, the neighborhood just south of Gastown and just east of our hotel.

Apparently, there's a terra touristica non-grata in the couple blocks between Gastown and Chinatown - where the druggies and homeless populate. Kinda like Portland, between Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Greyhound station... well, that's the easiest grade back uphill. We went through it without realizing...

After we got back to the hotel, finally got our room, and I'd had a few quality hours with the ice pack, the three of us went downstairs to look around our own block. There's an IGA supermarket on the ground floor, and a number of excellent hole-in-the-wall ethnic restaurants all within a stone's throw. Looks like we're going to have some more good eating!

Our room is equipped with a full kitchen, so we picked up some basics to make our own breakfasts. We love to snoop around grocery stores wherever we go; especially moreso when outside the country.

Hey, isn't that New Brighton's own Old Dutch Potato Chips? Why yes, they're a leading brand in Canada!

You have to appreciate the honesty of a country that tells kids and parents exactly what the deal is with their breakfast cereal. No sugar-coating the truth here; erm, well, yes, precisely. Sugar-coating it is. We Americans can't handle the historical truth of what this cereal came from and what it stood for!

And to those English-only proponents, what are you afraid of? After all, General Petraeus is in charge of the NATO brigade in Afghanistan; shouldn't the Cap'n know how to talk with our allies as well? Frankly, I think it'd be a better cereal-eating experience if it were packaged in French back in the States! C'est crounchifique!

I Like the Air on My Feet

When we got up this morning at 3:45, it was about -5 outside. It was hard to get up and get everybody moving at such an early hour, but we all sensed it would be worth it. You see, we had an early flight to catch - and now we're relaxing in a lovely hotel room on Amelia Island, FL.

Wynn traveled like the trouper she is - flirting with the TSA agents, making sure we got her some juice before we boarded the plane, etc. She knows the drill.

The Island is absolutely beautiful - laid-back, quiet, 65 degrees. Our hotel is about two blocks from the Atlantic, so we checked out the beach this afternoon as soon as we got here. With all our travels, neither Wynn nor I have ever stood on the beach and looked at an ocean before; we usually end up flying over them. It was sweet for us to have our first "ocean moment" together.

We have a full kitchen in our hotel room, so we went to the Publix Market this afternoon to get provisions. We were a bit taken aback by seeing so much shelf-space devoted to insecticides (and that it was in the same aisle as the soft drinks), but with all the swampland to our west, I guess it makes sense.

Wynn slept through dinner. Conveniently, we'd decided to go to Sonic, so she just snoozed away in the back seat while Scott and I had our dinner delivered by a car-hop.

The hotel has a really nice seating area with big comfy patio furniture and a fire pit. There was no fire tonight, but, as hardy Minnesotans, we were still out there - alone. We breathed in the air and relished not having to wince from the cold. Wynn pointed up at the stars and told us how she simply can't help herself and MUST wiggle her toes when she is wearing sandals. It was at this point that Scott and I smiled at how great our life with Wynn is - and she interrupted by explaining, "I like the air on my feet."

There's a big, full moon tonight, so we all strolled down to the beach to listen to the waves and watch the moon's reflection. It was glorious. No one else was at the beach. We had miles of white sand all to ourselves. Just us, the waves, the moon, and the lights of a few ships far off-shore.

Yes, getting up SO early and facing the cold was definitely worth it.

Snacking in the Sunshine at the Atlanta Airport

Our First Ocean Moment

(Wynn is literally dancing with excitement.)

Strolling on the Sand

Hanging out by the Unlit Fire Pit

(with a Gecko)

Tonight's Lead Story

Shopping at Uwajimaya Market

Wynn decided to bring two toy animals along on our trip: a rubber gecko and her Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny, which is, if you couldn't guess, a stuffed rabbit. Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny sleeps in the bed with us, curled up in Wynn's arms.

When we got back from our morning's adventures - riding the light rail to the Uwajimaya Market and Kinokuniya Bookstore in Chinatown and being interviewed for the Channel 7 News about the rain (seriously, we were on tonight's local news) - Wynn was ready to nap, but couldn't find her Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny anywhere. Scott dutifully pitched in, searching every drawer, digging around in the bed, etc. No sign of the rabbit. We figured out that Wynn had left the (white) rabbit in among the (white) sheets on the bed, and housekeeping had already been by, so Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny was most likely on her way to being commercially laundered. Try explaining that to a three year old!

At the Completely Awesome Kinokuniya Bookstore

Wynn was distraught. The pouty lip came out. The eyes welled with tears. She held me and went on and on, "But I need my Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny. She's my cuddle friend. I miss her. She is probably crying because she's lost." No nap was going to happen, so I carried my pouty, barefooted pre-schooler down to the front desk and told them our tale of woe.

About an hour later, there was a knock on our door. There was a member of the hotel staff, holding Cuddle Bunny Snuggle Bunny, a card from the housekeeping staff, and a tin of Starbuck's mints for us. Wynn jumped up and down and cheered with excitement. I'll admit, I even welled up a bit to see her so relieved.

After the crisis was resolved , we walked down to the Seattle Aquarium to see the octopus. Wynn decided it was kinda creepy looking, but she loved the sea otters.

Checking Out the Anemones and Starfish

We stopped off for some salmon chowder and sandwiches at Pike Place Market and then walked back up the hill to our hotel. We've settled in for the evening - doing some laundry, reading books, and resting our legs from all the uphill climbing a visit to Seattle requires.

Here We Are, Seattle!

As we drove to the airport this morning, Wynn called from the back seat, "Here we come, airport! Here we come, airplane!" She's been excited about this trip for several weeks - both the prospect of riding on a plane and getting to visit Seattle (mostly because we told her they have an octopus at the Seattle Aquarium).

She was her usual contented self on the plane ride; though, she did have one of those moments of pre-schooler perfect timing when we hit a really rough patch of turbulence, the captain said that everyone was to stay strapped in - even the flight crew, and she immediately chimed in with, "I need to go potty." I told her that the captain was the boss, so we'd all have to wait until he said we could go. She gave the response she always gives when told she'll have to wait: "But I don't know how." But wait she did. And she used the goofy silver airplane toilet with no complaint when the time came.

It was pouring out and rather windy when we arrived, which felt kinda refreshing after all that dry airplane air. Wynn saw it and started singing "Rain, Rain, Go Away", but we figured, eh, it's Seattle. It's supposed to rain.

The ride in from the airport was very nice. Our driver and fellow passenger were outgoing and friendly, immediately striking up a conversation with us that lasted the whole way to the hotel. They recommended restaurants and sights to see and pointed out interesting stuff along the route as well. (Wow, Boeing HQ is huge!)

Our hotel is lovely. We have a full-sized kitchen, a free breakfast buffet, and a balcony we can hang out on and admire the city. We found a great grocery store - Kress IGA - just six blocks from our hotel. It's in the basement of a historic building, stocks mostly organic produce, and has an amazing deli and salad bar. We stocked up on a few necessities and walked back up the hill to, as Wynn calls it, "our home". (Our initial impression of Seattle-ites as friendly was confirmed as we struck up a conversation with another couple carrying a little girl in a backpack, just like Wynn riding on Baba's back.)

We've had our baths - it's a whirlpool tub, but I don't think Wynn's up to the turbo jets yet - eaten a snack, and lounged on the bed looking at the Seattle skyline out the window. We haven't decided what we're going to do tomorrow, but, so far, we're glad we're here.