Scandinavia - Saturday, September 5, 2015

Up at 6:00, we find the room's coffee supply is inadequate.  We rendezvous in the lobby for the trek a few blocks to the train station.  This morning we are headed to the City of Odense, approximately an hour away from Copenhagen, and the 3rd largest city in Denmark.  It is intermittently drizzling and raining this morning. We stop in the train station to buy coffee, pastries and an extra umbrella as insurance that the purchase will drive away the need for an umbrella.

We board our second class coach and find our assigned seats, settling in for the ride.  European train travel is smooth, on time and clean.  We continue to marvel and complain that, if our own government would concern itself less with immigration issues and develop an infrastructure for mass transit, both in the cities and cross country, it would do much to both increase employment and benefit the environment.

We are venturing to a place that Deb has never visited in her career; therefore we are not sure what to expect, nor are we sure that there will be enough to see and do here to justify the entire day.

Upon arrival and orientation to the streets with the help of maps, we set off for the Hans Christian Andersen museum. I had this blurry image of some old story teller known for the Ugly Duckling tale.  I, for one, was gobsmacked.  Although Lee was very familiar with his work, and Deb has some knowledge, I had no idea how famous he was in his own time, and how many poems, fairy tales, novels and plays the man had written.  We spent over two hours wandering this wonderful museum, learning about the man and the times he lived in.  The museum and exhibits were detailed, and very well curated.  A lot of information that would warrant a second trip in the future.

The weather cleared while we were in the museum, and switched to less intermittent drizzle, and eventually followed by sun shine, although a bit windy at times, and showers would literally blow through, barely lasting long enough to put up our hoods or open our umbrellas.

Leaving the museum, we walked a bit, stopped in a brand new (open 2 weeks) shop and atelier, and then proceeded to "Der Grimms Alling" (the ugly duckling) Restaurant.  We lucked into an afternoon buffet, complete with unlimited wine or beer.  Our waitress again spoke fluent English - she is studying for a degree in business, and has just returned from a month long trip that included Austin TX, Montana and other US destinations.

The food was very good and totally traditional Danish fare, just as they might eat at home.  Pickled herring, quiche, deep fried fish fillets, egg omelette with bacon, salad rolls, etc.  Our first truly native Scandinavian fare.

After lunch, we wandered the town and ended up at the Hans Christian Andersen home, near the city center.  A small, period home that was furnished and laid out as it would have been in the 1820's.  Thereafter, we headed back towards the rail station, with a stop at the H. C. Andersen Haven, a Nordic Green Space.  This wonderful garden with a stream running through was amazing in its floral beauty, more varieties of dahlias in total bloom than we have ever seen.  Deb and Lee have close up photos available for those who may be interested.

Back to the train station for our 5:07 train back to Copenhagen.  There was a slight delay due to bridge construction under way, but we arrived in Copenhagen at 6:35, a great adventure. I would tell more of the trip, but it seemed our car was filled with dozing Americans.  After arriving in the hotel, Deb was suffering from an upset stomach and so the Covert contingent opted to stay in for the night, reading resting and falling asleep by 9:00.