I got an early start today and decided to take the 90 minute train ride south to Copenhagen to enjoy another gorgeous spring day, this time in Denmark. My main reason for going was the opening yesterday of the Tivoli Gardens Amusement Park.
The Joy of Steroids???
Copenhagen's Colorful
14 Screen Mega-Cinema
COOKIES!!!
Why are all of these Guld Bageren cookies on display in the Rådhuspladsen?
Why the number 70?
It is Danish Queen Margrethe II's
70th Birthday Today!
The Prias Jørgens Garde
They were playing up a storm adding to the day's festivity! After all, the Queen herself was going to parade by here in about 30 minutes.
Mini-Monarchists
By all I could see, Queen Margrethe II is very popular with the Danes.
Danish Secret Service
In very plain clothes, they were running a sweep of the parade route. Security seemed minimal to me given the size of the crowd and the narrow streets.
The Royal Mounted Band
They heralded the Queen's arrival. Those are two BIG drums inside of the red bags on the second horse.
The Danish Royal Guards
The Queen's Royal Coach
Margrethe II
Queen of Denmark and Greenland
She passed about four feet from me!
Next to her is her husband, a former French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezah.
She came to the throne in 1972 thus becoming the first female monarch of Denmark since Queen Margaret I. Queen Margaret I ruled the Scandanavian nations from 1388 to 1412 under the Kalmar Union that united the current countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
The unusual spelling of the current Queen's name is because at the time of her birth in 1940, her father, King Frederik IX, was also the King of Iceland. Her name is the Icelandic spelling of Margaret.
The Royal Rear Guard
Danes enjoying a sunny day
King Christian V at Kongens Nytorv
The Nyhavn Canal
Full of ice six weeks ago, this is now a hub of activity! This yacht is now a restaurant/bar.
I opted to take a Canal and Harbor Cruise
Golden Girl
The blue building on the left was built in 1681
It is the oldest building on the Nyhavn. Back in those days you were taxed based on the frontage footage of your building at street level. Thus everyone erected tall, skinny buildings.
Maersk Shipping Lines Headquarters
This Danish company is the biggest shipping company in the world.
Queen Margrethe II's Royal Yacht
Victory
Not to worry, his left hand is atop the red bucket as he performs a one-handed hand stand.
WHEW!
Nice Eyebrows
A Traditional Danish Waffle with
Chocolate Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce
It IS the Queen's Birthday afterall!
One beer to go please.
One last look at the Nyhavn Canal
Danish apple filled pastry
It IS the Queen's Birthday afterall!
Bishop Absalon, 1128-1201
Copenhagen's founder, Absalon was a bishop, soldier and foreign policy guru who was King Valdemar I's right hand man.
Batter Up!
Snake Bite!
Danish Flags flying in the Queen's honor
Crossed Pistols at #9
It IS Spring you know!
Hans Christian Andersen
gazing at Tivoli Gardens
Bishop Absalon in gold on the Rådhus
On the Rådhuspladsen
Bull Gores Dragon, film at 11:00!
Tivoli Gardens
This clown is the logo for Tivoli Gardens. His name is Pierrot and he dates from the 17th century pantomime shows known as Commedia dell'Arte. Pierrot was a sad clown who pined for the love of the fair Columbine. She invariably spurned the good hearted Pierrot for the less reliable Harlequin. Even 400 years ago, girls liked the bad boys!
A Copenhagen landmark since 1843, this is a small but fun amusement park. It is not Disneyland but it is not trying to be.
That being said, it was a trip to Copenhagen and a visit to Tivoli Gardens that inspired a young Walt Disney to build the first of his Dream Parks back in the 1950's in Anaheim, California.
Tivoli Gardens opened on Thursday after being closed all Winter. Lots of fun can be found here.
Tivoli Garden's Main Entryway
The Chinese Theater
Pierrot Statue
I loved these old Mid-Way games
Bumper Cars, THE BEST!!!
I loved these as a child! I was too young to drive a real car but here I could drive and get to legally ram the hell out of someone!
Life just doesn't get any better than this.
Lanterns Everywhere
Great thrill rides can be found all over the 20 acre park.
Like this Zero Gravity Drop
There are serene parts to
Tivoli Gardens as well
A Bavarian Biergarten
Tivoli Gardens has EVERYTHING!!!
"One half liter of Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier Naturtrüb, please."
It IS the Queen's Birthday afterall!
"One Irish Coffee, please."
The receipt from the Biergartan allowed me to get a 45 Krona Irish Coffee at this nearby Tivoli Garden Bar for only 30 Krona. I ordered one and the barkeep said that she would make it a double for only 15 Krona more. I hesitated but finally said yes . . .
It IS the Queen's Birthday afterall!
More from the Mid-Way.
A happy cat it appears but check those claws.
"Tick Tock Polka"
by Johan Strauss
Entertainment like this pops up all over the Gardens to make people of all ages and musical tatste happy.
After I left, a Danish rock group was scheduled to play on Tivoli's big outdoor stage.
Just like at the corner of
Las Posas and Arneill in Camarillo
The Toblerone Wheel of Fortune
Big Red Shoes in the distance
Pierrot has a devilish side as well it seems
It was just a great day in a wonderful European capital city!
2 comments:
Golden Girl appears to be the ancestor to that American icon, Mudflap Girl.
Actually, in a little known cultural fact, Koreen FitzGerald was the original model for the iconic Mudflap Girl.
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