Day 5: Gothenburg, Sweden

October 13, 2018 by

Gothenburg September 27, 2018, 5:30 p.m.

Our first port of call was Gothenburg, Sweden.

It was a cotton candy kind of morning as we pulled into Gothenburg. Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden and is the gateway to the North Sea and the Atlantic. We pulled into the harbor around 7 AM and got the okay to disembark at 8 AM. We had two tours scheduled for today–the included panoramic tour in the morning and an afternoon tour to Gothenburg’s Southern Archipelago. We were on the morning tour bus by 9 AM.

We drove through the city and crossed the 3,060-foot-long Älvsborg Bridge with its stunning views of Gothenburg.

First stop: Masthugget Church:

Masthugget Church was built in 1914 and is positioned on a high hill overlooking the city and near the Göta River. It’s a lovely church, filled with artwork and a great energy, but our tour guide told us it’s not unusual to have only 20 to 30 people at a Sunday service. Religion appears not to be a huge priority here nor does it appear to be used as a psychological group control tool. There is a government tax required of all church members, and perhaps that is one reason attendance is low? Also, the Swedes do not need to rely on the beneficence of the church for social and basic needs–Sweden takes care of their citizens–and perhaps this is also related?

View of Gothenburg © 2018 Bo Mackison

Early realization: It’s next to impossible to get any sort of decent photograph when you’re shooting from a dirt-smudged, reflective-windowed tour bus. That will just have to be okay. And I’ll keep trying anyway.

The included tour was a great overview and the guide was knowledgeable. But after the tour, Bob and I both wished we would have chosen to stay in town to explore on our own. Instead, we returned to the ship to meet our previously scheduled afternoon tour to the Archipelago. Something to keep in mind–we simply can’t see and do everything, thus the need to make more considered choices in the future. Since this was the first time in Sweden, I wish I’d planned to stay IN the city–maybe check out the art museum or the Botanic Gardens. This is a good thing to remember for next time…

Back to the ship for lunch (and to rest my unhappy feet) and it was a joy to sit in Pool Grill and indulge in such healthy and tasty fare

This afternoon we boarded a ferry in Saltholmen and crossed the Sound to Styrsö. Styrsö is one of the many small islands in Gothenburg’s Southern Archipelago and one of the six largest residential islands in the Archipelago. These islands are unique in that there are no cars on the islands. That does not mean there are no crazy drivers–but instead of driving cars, they are behind the wheel of golf carts (or maneuvering wheelbarrows or riding bicycles.)

A brisk walk on island roads, past quaint gingerbread-trimmed houses, red cottages, and all white summer homes perched on rocky terraces. Often we could spot flowerpots of blossoms in rows of windows.

We always enjoy visiting the various historic churches and the Styrsö Kyrka was no exception. This picturesque, white-walled, red-roofed church was built in 1752.

Styrsö Kyrka ©2018 Bo Mackison

The church yard encircles the structure itself, with family sections well maintained with shrubs and flower plantings. The church bell, which is inscribed with the phrase Soli Deo Gloria, was cast in Gothenburg in 1712. The bell has tolled every Sunday since the church was consecrated.

Archipelago Ship in the Church © 2018 Bo Mackison

The ship model is an “ordinary archipelago boat” and was donated by an islander who once captained a similar ship.

Walking the island was pleasant. We saw schoolchildren on their way home from school and a few couples traveling in their golf carts on our four mile jaunt, but none of the crowds that are typical of the high tourist summer season.

After lunch at an Island restaurant, we returned to the mainland on the ferry, then took the bus back to the ship. A full day in Gothenburg. The Ship just set sail for Oslo at 6 PM and it’s almost time to get ready for dinner.

Sailing east out of the harbor at sunset, the city of Gothenburg shimmered a golden orange. Such beauty.

We sailed past the Southern Islands and saw Styrsö from a different angle.

And then there was this view of the Baltic just after sunset:

Last thoughts: we indulged in charcuterie and a fruit and cheese tray from room service around midnight. Feeling decadent.

Tomorrow we’ll be in Oslo.

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Day 4: Copenhagen and Setting Sail

October 10, 2018 by

Copenhagen Thursday, September 27, 2018, 10:20 p.m.

Good Morning, First sunrise on the Viking Sky © 2018 Bo Mackison

This was Day 2 of our Viking Cruiseline’s Scandinavia and the Kiel Canal cruise, but it’s Day 4 for us because we added the two-day Copenhagen extension. It was a good choice for us, especially with my travel anxiety. We arrived on Monday, then had two days to get settled and alleviate some of the jet lag symptoms, with plenty of time to make sure our luggage arrived when we did and explore art museums on our own. Yesterday we boarded the ship  and today we spent much of the day seeing just a bit more of Copenhagen. Then we set sail at 6 p.m. with cheers and champagne.

But first we explored more of Copenhagen with a Viking Walking Tour, then we went off on our own and did our own thing.

From the Viking Ocean Cruise website, this is their information about the included shore tour. (Every port has an included shore excursion at no extra cost, usually an introductory bus and/or walking tour. Optional, more in-depth and special interest tours are always available for a fee.) We’ve choesn to do a mix of both — the included tours plus a few special interest tours, especially when the special interest is related to an art museum or gallery tour.

Landmarks and History of Denmark’s Capital City — Included Tour

Explore the landmarks of Copenhagen and learn about the city’s history during a walking excursion. With a local guide, you will stop to see The Little Mermaid statue sitting serenely in the harbor at Langelinie and visit the courtyard at Amalienborg. Continue to Copenhagen’s largest monument, the Gefion Fountain, then Amalienborg Palace, the winter residence of the Queen of Denmark. Here, admire the royal rococo buildings and square, plus the stunning Marble Church, New Opera House and flourishing Amaliehaven (Amalie Garden) with its centerpiece fountain. Pass Frederiks Hospital—the country’s first hospital and now home to the Danish Museum of Art & Design—on your way to the Kastellet (The Citadel). A formidable fortress built in the shape of a five-pointed star, it is one of the best-preserved strongholds in Europe and has been protecting Copenhagen’s harbor since the early 17th century.

And now the breakdown of our walking tour:

We were a group of about thirty with one guide. We were unable to see the Mermaid State as originally planned because the ship had been unable to dock near the city center at Langeline due to strong winds. Instead, we took a bus into the center of the city and began at the site of the Kastellet, or the Citadel.

“Pass Frederiks Hospital—the country’s first hospital and now home to the Danish Museum of Art & Design” means walk past. We paused for a few minutes to allow time for photos of the front of the Marble Church. But we had more than adequate time to spend in the courtyard at Amalienborg Palace, and our guide timed it perfectly so we had front-row-standing to see the post replacement at the Prince’s Palace.

Though the tour guide was informative, we chose to leave the tour at this point. The tour was continuing on to see the Mermaid and the Gefion Fountain before returning to the ship, so we took this opportunity to return to the Marble Church.

The Marble Church with its copper green dome is quite impressive. Its t official name is Frederik’s Church, and King Frederik V laid the foundation stone in 1749, but it was not completed until 1894.

LEGO Chocolates are Tempting © 2018 Bo Mackison

Then we walked towards the City Center, but had to stop and admire some special chocolates! LEGOs!

Finally, last stop, we walked the canal of Nyhavn — there was only a peek of sunshine, but it was still worth seeing such an iconic sight.

Iconic Copenhagen’s Nyhavn or New Harbor © 2018 Bo Mackison

Nyhavn (which means New Harbor in Danish) is a waterfront and canal dating from the 17th century. It is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. Historical wooden ships line the sides of the canal.

The northern side of Nyhavn is lined by brightly colored buildings built of wood, bricks, and plaster. The oldest house, at No. 9, dates from 1681.

Viking Sky ©2018 Bo Mackison

We returned to the ship and readied to set sail on the first water leg of our journey–Gothenburg Sweden.

The weather changes fast — we had blue skies for awile which gave way to clouds and a brisk wind.

We had reservations in one of the specialty restaurants tonight. It’s called the Chef’s Table and offered a five-course menu with an Asian theme. Bob had the wine pairings, one of the few occasions when an extra charge is added. ($25) He enjoyed the pairings.

The menu sounded a bit intimidating, with a few items I was unfamiliar with, but everything though often unusual was exceptional in taste.

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Day 3: More Copenhagen: Exploring on Foot

October 10, 2018 by

Copenhagen Wednesday September 26, 2018 9:35 PM

The shuttle bus dropped us across the street from Magison du Nord, a multi-story used-to-be-fancy hotel, now a fancy department store. We made the mistake of walking through the first floor, only to discover a huge sale was taking place, and the masses were buying everything. Of course, there was nothing we either one, wanted, or two, could happily afford, so we made a quick exit out the back door and began to amble along the cobblestone streets. Immediately we got turned around and lost.

But such pretty sights we saw. A fountain with birds. Little courtyards in yellow. Fancy decorated sidewalks.

Earlier we’d found directions to the National Gallery of Denmark and Google maps kept telling us we were only a mile away. 15 minutes. Ha ha. We would walk four blocks and the Google would claim the same thing — one mile and 15 minutes. By the time we got un-turned around and heading in the correct direction, we spent nearly an hour getting to the front door. It didn’t help we kept losing the cell signal and losing our directions! Reminder to self: I need to download maps!

It started raining–again. I’m glad I had my hat and gloves as the evening air got chilly fast. Still, we had a great time, even lost and cold and wet, strolling (more like blustering) through King’s Garden and gawking at the Rosenborg Castle. And my feet hurt, yes, I now have three blisters. I should’ve worn my colder season shoes more in the weeks before leaving, espaecially after a summer of sandals, but I was so intent on preparing emotionally for this journey, I didn’t quite get around to preparing physically. It’s a good thing there is so much new and unusual to see. It helps me stay focused on what’s important. (hint: not my feet or the weather)

So much new and interesting to see. Once we finally got cell service which let us consult Google Maps again, we found our way through a magical place — King’s Garden — with castles and tree-lined walks and an assortment of statues and fountains and other pretty things.

And yes, we finally found our way to the Art Museum and what a worthwhile conclusion to our weary trek.

SMK (Statens Museum for Kunst) is the National Gallery of Denmark. It is the largest art museum in Denmark and home to the nation’s most extensive and important collection of art, covering 700 years.

The showcase exhibit was Take My Breathe Away by Danh Vo. From the SMK website:

“Migration, cultural history and identity are key themes addressed in SMK’s new special exhibition Danh Vo: Take My Breath Away. Danish-Vietnamese Danh Vo ranks among Denmark’s pre-eminent internationally acclaimed living artists – as reflected in this exhibition, which comes to SMK directly from the Guggenheim in New York.”

Stunning work by Vo. Letters from Kissinger era, cultural artifacts, Viet Nam war ephemera — all combined to speak loudly of home and loss and migration as expressed through an artist’s lens.

The architecture of the gallery was exquisite. I particularly liked how the old was joined to the new; second-floor walkways cantilevered above the first-floor sculpture garden.

The original wing included Danish and Nordic art:

The new wing was filled with modern and contemporary offerings:

I loved the exhibit titled 80 Collages for Field Book by Per Kirkeby:

Kirkeby was originally trained as a geologist, so was well familiar with the concept of a field book.  His many subjects included architecture, trees, art techniques, and maps. From 2009- 2012

Walking back to the shuttle bus stop, we once again passed through Kings Garden and stopped to admire the Rosenborg Castle and its surrounding gardens from afar. There was even a moat.

And then back on the shuttle bus and on to the Viking Sky and a late dinner. Almost too exhausted to enjoy the food. Almost, not quite.

Map added for clarification: the lower red dot is where the shuttle bus dropped us off. The yellow line is what we walked on our way to the upper red dot — which is the location of the SMK or National Gallery of Denmark. The little red dot in the lower middle is where we had a welcome warming cappuccino on our way back to the bus.

Filed Under: Art Museums, Photography, Travel Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Day 3: Aboard the Viking Sky

October 10, 2018 by

Copenhagen, aboard the Viking Sky. Wednesday, September 26, 2018, 2:50 PM

Map

Viking Cruise: Scandinavia and the Kiel Canal September 26 – October 6, 2018

Here’s the overview from Day 1 from the Viking website:

Today was the day we’ve been waiting for. Today was the day that we finally boarded the Viking Sky, the ship which will set sail tomorrow for our cruise, Scandinavia and the Kiel Canal. It’s a cloudy day and I think the ship would look a bit brighter in sunlight, but we’re glad to be aboard.

What we’ve seen thus far, she’s a pretty impressive ship.

First Look at the Viking Sky ©2018 Bo Mackison

We arrived at 11 AM on the Viking shuttle bus from our hotel, the Radisson Blu Copenhagen, a straight to the cruise terminal. An uneventful trip from hotel to ship, for which we were grateful. That meant we had all our luggage and all of our necessary documents when we arrived at the terminal and it was an easy go through security.

Security took about 10 minutes; the groups from the hotel were staggered so there was little wait time. We confirmed our identity with our passports and a credit card. Then we got our ID key cards and walked up the gangplank for the first time.

We arrived before noon and our stateroom was not expected to be ready until 1 PM, but lunch was ready in the World Café. And so we ate — happily. Beer and wine are offered with all meals on Viking cruises, so Bob had his first of glass of wine with our first meal.

A Panorama View of Stateroom 5020, Viking Sky © 2018 Bo Mackison

I decided I’d better take a few photographs before we unpacked our suitcases and the place started to look lived in. There is plenty enough drawers and closet space, and we easily had everything unpacked in a half hour. All of our suitcases fit under the bed. We sent Bob’s two dress shirts and two of my tops to be pressed. Honey is our room steward, a kind young woman from the Philippines, and she and her partner have promised to take good care of us for the next ten days.

I’ve already discovered that the ship’s Wi-Fi is adequate for the basics, but not much more. So I’ll continue to dictate my daily journal and catch up with the photos once there is Wi-Fi capable of handling photos/story for my blog.

Now we are off to the shuttle bus that will take us back into Copenhagen for some independent exploration!

What a great journey this is going to be!

 

 

 

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Day 1: In Copenhagen

October 9, 2018 by

Copenhagen September 24, 2018 7:50 PM

Clouds Meet Us Over Denmark © 2018 Bo Mackison

We are here. I don’t need to describe the flight other than to say I am so grateful that my fear of flying did not keep me from this trip. We left Chicago at 10 PM and arrived in Copenhagen at 1 PM. There’s a seven-hour time difference.

Baggage Claim. It Says “Copenhagen!” ©2018 Bo Mackison

 

OH, I AM happy to be here. My eyes teared up when I handed my passport to the Border Agent.  She looked at it, then looked up at me, and said: “This is your first stamp.” And I nodded. (I’ve been to other countries—Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean – but never one requiring a passport stamp.)

There are millions of bicycle riders and they have their own bike lanes and their own traffic signals. This requires caution on the part of pedestrians unused to such traffic volumes. Extreme caution required.

This is a City Of Bicycles © 2018 Bo Mackison

It started raining, then it started sleeting. We were only a few blocks from the hotel, so Bob went back to the hotel in search of the umbrella. And I sheltered next to a tall building. Hundreds of bicycles were parked outside. I was still waiting outside the building for Bob and the needed umbrella at 5 o’clock – quitting time. Women and men poured from the entrance, and most of them headed to the rows of bicycles, grabbed one, and peddled off. Fast and ferocious.

“These people are beautiful people,” I thought. I was impressed with their athleticism. Lots of black clothing–black leather pants and black mini skirts and layers of blouses and sweaters and scarves. A bit of gray for contrast, but mostly layers of black. I was impressed–they looked strong and fit. And happy. And courageously crazy for biking in this traffic!

Suddenly I want to take up bicycling and wear all black!

Ordering our First Coffee Was a Challenge! ©2018 Bo Mackison

We didn’t know how to order coffee! It was sleeting and we were walking down the street just getting our bearings and suddenly the sleet changed to hurling ice pellets and we needed shelter – fast. We ducked into a place called ROAST Coffee. There were so many options on the chalkboard, and we got tongue-tied. We were nervous. Yes. Nervous ordering coffee. Finally, we ordered “an Americano.” It seemed safe! (It was also the last Americano we ordered for the duration as we quickly discovered how to speak the coffee language in Scandinavia. Mostly I went for cappuccino. Because, yummy!)

Andersen Bakery — Highly Recommended © 2018 Bo Mackison

More walking. Actually, there was more gaping than walking. The tiny shops, the cobblestone sidewalks, the bicycles. Then it was time to eat. Again. Google maps gave us lots of options, but either we couldn’t find the places or once we looked in the windows we decided it wasn’t quite right. We ended up at Andersen Bakery. Delicious choice!  We had sandwiches, but I can’t tell you what was inside my sandwich. I was too over-the-moon happy with the bread. We also bought 6 filled pastry squares to eat once back to the hotel. Yum. 5 stars!

The evening light was lovely, and so we walked along the harbor and I took a hundred photos of the sky and the harbor and the buildings across the water. I guess the earlier rain was worth it, for the clouds were beautiful.

Copenhagen Harbor, Tour Boat, with Royal Library in the Background © 2018 Bo Mackison

Graffiti along the Copenhagen Harbor © 2018 Bo Mackison

Copenhagen Harbor © 2018 Bo Mackison

My “big” camera jammed in the first half hour of shooting. Maybe it’s a blessing, for it is surely easier to manage an iPhone vs. a camera bag with lenses, etc. Still…not exactly what I had hoped for.

The First Beer – a Belgian Brown ©2018 Bo Mackison

Last we searched for a bar so Bob could sample his first beer on European soil. We found the Café Langebro near the Langebro Bridge and the Copenhagen Harbor. It was a good choice. Mostly locals and a cozy place and dozens of beers from which to choose.

Now to eat the pastries and sleep the sleep of the jet-lagged.

 

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