Scandinavia Galore - Autumn 2008

Here's the compilation of my writings on this trip again.

• Sweden : Welcome to Gamla Stan
• Swedem : Stockholm Day-2 : Gamla Stan during day time
• Viking Cruise - Over night to Helsinki from Stockholm
• Finland : Helsinki - The home of Nokia
• Norway : Oslo, next stop - Bergen
• Norway : Arriving Bergen very late
• Norway In A Nutshell - Life Time Experience
• Norway : Sanden Pensjonat, Lærdal
• Norway : Aurland - Snow Road
• Norway : Briksdal Glacier (Briskdalbreen) - en route to Lom
• Norway : Farmstay : Strind Gard, Lom
• Norway : Around Oslo : Museums, Akenhus Fort, Shopping
• To Copenhagen, Denmark via Gotenbörg
• Denmark : Copenhagen, multicultural metropolitan city - Day 1
• Denmark : Copenhagen, multicultural metropolitan city - Day 2
• Denmark : Legoland Billund, Denmark (plus HC Anderson Museum)
  

The pics are all located here at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danachow/sets/72157607645674767/

Legoland Billund, Denmark (plus HC Anderson Museum)

24th September 2008 - Cloudy

After seeing the city two days in a row, it is time for us to see the beautiful countryside of Denmark, laden with gentle rolling hills, dotted with cozy looking wooden house, just like from the fairytale.

We first drove to Odense, where Hans Christian Anderson was born, just to visit a museum of him to pay tribute to the melodramatic pessimistic stories he have written.

Wikipedia:

Hans Christian Andersen Museum - A museum dedicated to the city's most famous son, author and poet Hans Christian Andersen, most famous for his fairy tales and in particular The Ugly Duckling and the Little Mermaid. Part of the museum is located in the house where Andersen was supposedly born (though he would never confirm it). The impressive collection is mainly documents from his life and times, period furniture, and many drawings and paper clippings he is famous for at home.

There wasn't really much there, so we continue further, crossing another main bridge and came to Billund - Where LEGOLAND is at!!

This is much more fun than HC Anderson Museum

Ticket booth

Entrance

Was lucky that by the same we arrived around 4pm, we waited for about an hour, and went into the park for free! No time for rides (not that it is suitable for adults anyways), we just charge inside and snap too much photos!

Our dear friend working quietly at one corner... kih kih kih

Shaking leg at Nyhavn...








Legoland looks even better in Autumn with red and yellow colored trees


Miniature Amalienborg, all made up of Lego blocks

That's the end of our trip to Denmark really... there are just so many things to see and do here, which I am sure if I were to see everything in details that will take at least a month!! For that I can say that I definitely will come back again to see more of Denmark in the future!

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This concludes my 16 days trip to Scandinavia. I am relief to have finally blog this trip here, which actually took me more than a year to do this. I have been very busy the past whole year, and was not really in a mood to do this. But now that I have finished blogging here, I will try to updates on my trip to Dubai and Oman coming Christmas. Do tune in!

Copenhagen, multicultural metropolitan city - Day 2

24th September 2008 - Sunny, again~

So many things to see, so little time. And the uncle and aunties take their own sweet time to head out!

By the time we reach Copenhagen city center again, it was already around 11am...

Since there were so many things to see, we don't even know which one to begin with. We quickly rush to the Rosenborg as our first stop.

Rosenborg Castle and Treasury, Copenhagen Denmark

Rosenborg Castle is not only a beautiful historic renaissance palace, it is also a fascinating museum of cultural history, which houses some of Denmark’s greatest cultural treasures, not least the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia. And exibits about the Danish monarchy through 300 years.

The beautiful garden right next to the palace

No photos within the palace, as bringing camera in must pay extra. Knowingly museums like this always cost a bomb (remember how a can or tuna cost me RM15?). After visiting the place, we decided make ourselves comfortable by starting to dig into the food bag for lunch sandwiches. Hehe... the sun was warm today, what more can we ask for?

Surrounding Rosenborg is a beautiful park.

After that, we started wandering through the Latin Quarters. One of the oldest areas in the city, it is full of 17th-century buildings that were built by the architect king, Christian IV. Although there have been dwellings here since medieval times, most of them were destroyed in the disastrous fire that spread across Copenhagen in 1728 . Today, the Latin Quarter is a lively and bustling student area brimming with shops and cafés.

The Latin Quarter is also home to Copenhagen’s university, where Latin used to be the spoken language.

Past by an ice cream kiosk, bought two with much enthusiasm, only to find it was own by an Italian *roll eyes*

We eventually came back to Strøget again from Latin Quarter.

Then walk out to the main area where the city hall is at

By this time, we wasn't sure what else to do. So we wanted to see few more museums with our Copenhagen 1-day pass before it expires.

Was looking forward to see the famour Ny Carlsberg Glypotek.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek houses over 10,000 works, divided into two principal collections. One is of works from the Mediterranean cradle of Western culture, including classical Egyptian, Roman and Greek antiquities and Romanticist sculptures. The other of Danish and French art from the 19th and 20th centuries, which includes paintings by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cézanne and van Gogh, as well as several bronze sculptures by Degas. The building, completed in 1897, is quite impressive - it is an attraction in its own right, especially the sub-tropical winter garden.

But it was close early! SIGH!!

Then we decided to see the free Nationalmuseet (The National Museum), which was very good actually and close later at 6pm.

This museum that portraits the national history of the country, is regarded as one of the best in Europe. Apart from a huge, well laid out and informative collection of national artifacts, the most impressive being the ones from the Viking age. It also holds a collection of classical and oriental artifacts - including an Egyptian mummy

Good thing is we can actually bring our camera in!

Was very tire with all the walking throughout the whole day. So by the time we reach the Copenhagen central train station to take a train home to Hilleroed, we were reluctant to walk nearer to the other end where to main building is at.

Stock photos from Virtual Tourist

As the train came, we realize we were too far away from where the train stopped. Alas! The train actually left without us. Luckily as I've say, there's a train every 30min, so we just have to wait for the next one with patience. But that just show you how big and busy the train station is!

Copenhagen, multicultural metropolitan city - Day 1

23rd September 2008 - Sunny

As I woke up to a Sunny Morning, I realize it was going to be a great day with loads to see.

We quickly had breakfast, officially check ourselves into this apartment with the front desk. The guy in front was great in helping us to decide on how to get into Copenhagen city center. He told us that we should go to Hilleroed Station where there is a direct train to get into the city center.

From Wikitravel:

Indre By is the downtown area of Copenhagen, bounded by the lakes circling the inner city and the habour, it reflects the entire city’s extent during the reign of King Christian IV, when the town was fortified. As the historical center, it is the home of most of Copenhagens attractions, nightlife options, and hotels.

We were advised not to drive into Copenhagen since like most of the European countries, parking is really a headache in the city center.

Decided to get the car fueled up before heading out.

Was wondering why petrol kiosk would sell carrot in big bags like this. Apparently it was for the horse!

Then drove to Hilleroed, was a headache even to find parking there (coz it was free). We quickly board the train that leaves every 30min.

Not surprise, the train are actually are in great tip top condition, looking so modern and clean. There were automatic doors between compartment, and some compartment require passanger to be quiet and no handphone allowed.

Some people came up to the train with the bicycle, and they were only allowed to stay in front of the entrance, between to compartments.

As we alight from the main train station, we were tad bit lost. Tivoli Park was just right next to the train station, but it was closed during winter times. I figure we didn't loose much, coz it just look so small from outside!

Walked past the Christianborg Palace that was under renovation.

Not sure where to go at first, so decided to go under the Christianborg, apparently the palace was build on top of the old one. Was quite interesting to see the old walls and wooden pipping + sewage left to rot underneath unknown to many.

This Neo-baroque palace, completed in 1928, after 11 years of construction - is unique in the world, housing both the executive power, the legislative power, and the judicial power of Denmark, in a single building. It is the 5th construction at the sight, and the ruins of the original castle dating back to the 12th century - was excavated during the construction of the current palace, is open to the public, along with the halls of the parliament itself.

Since we came by to the dock where the DFSF canal tour was operating, we decided to see the city by boat.

Børsen, the former stock exchange from 1640

Nyhavn, once a poor loaded port, and where Christian Anderson used to do stay while searching for his breakthrough in theater play.

Was this the new convention center, or theater again?

Having enough with the boat tour, we got out and started walking around. We eventually reached Strøget, which claimed to be the biggest outdoor pedestrian shopping area in the world, regardless of whether this is true or not, it is a shoppers paradise, and the historic buildings as far as the eye can see, makes it a welcome alternative to any shopping center.

The Danes love their bicycle, especially that city parking is hard to come by.

We came out from Strøget, and started walking more, passed by the Det Kongelige Teater (The Royal Theatre)

Passed by the Amalienborg

Amalienborg is the the Royal residence, and consists of four identical classical mansions, facing an octagonal courtyard. At the Queens birthday at the 14th of January, and at other highlights in the lives on the royal family, the square is jam packed with people waiving Danish flag, and greeting the Queen.

Real crystal or what?

It is interesting at here, people are welcome to wander around palace ground. Guess that's why the Danes love their "people-friendly" royal family so much.

Behind the Amalienborg is the Marble Church

My mom thought she was in England, can go disturb the guard. SIGH!

And finally, we end the day by saying Hi to the little mermaid, a story by Christian Anderson.