Goddag!
Yep, Explorer Beastie is back today with more snaps from our recent trip to lovely sunny Copenhagen!
For this second post, we thought we’d stray away from the more typical tourist haunts and go hunting for the two places we always seem to end up in whenever we travel – graveyards and botanical gardens. We were pretty excited to discover that Copenhagen had examples of both! Care to join us?
After a hearty breakfast at the Laundromat Café (it’s a laundry, and a café, AND a second-hand bookstore – what more could you need?) we pointed our feet/paws in the direction of Assistens Kierkegård… Turns out it was pretty much just around the corner!
If you’re looking for somewhere ghoulish and spooky, this place isn’t going to be your cup of tea at all. With its wide open spaces and tree-lined walkways, it’s really more like a park than a cemetery – and the locals seem to use it as one. That morning, it was full of people taking the baby out for a stroll, or cutting through on their way to work… All of them enjoying the bright sun and the peace that reigns inside the gates.
Assistens Kierkegård is the last resting place of many famous Danes – in our wanderings, we came across the graves of Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard and Niels Bohr – but one of my favourite spots was the small Russian cemetery, tucked away in a quiet, shaded corner.
I could have stayed here all day… But Explorer Beastie was anxious to get to our next port of call, the Botanisk Have. It was back towards the city centre, and conveniently near the Torvehallerne food hall – that was lunch sorted! Suitably refuelled, it was time for some springtime fun among the crocuses…
Followed by a chance to view the gardens from higher ground…
…And indulge in a little early sunbathing!
Oooh, what’s in here?
The Palm House is the main attraction in the Botanical Gardens… And unlike the one in Dublin, you can climb a winding spiral staircase to the top and look down into the treetops! But WOW, is it hot up there – within seconds, my camera lens had completely steamed up!
Explorer Beastie would NEVER be seen in public without his trademark beanie hat, so he retired to the cooler environs of my bag until we came back down. But once we moved to one of the more temperate houses, he was up to his usual tricks again…
It was nearly impossible to persuade him to hop back into the bag and head for home. So, look out Copenhagen! I have a feeling we’ll be back…
What do you always look out for when you visit a new city? Let us know in the comments!