We frequently travel with Vermont Bicycle Tours (VBT) and this year they offered a new bike trip to Scandinavia. This included Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. So we decided to give it a try. You can elect to take a “pre-trip” and/or a “post-trip” with the biking trip and we opted for both. The pre- trip included a couple of extra days in Copenhagen.

We arrived in Copenhagen yesterday morning, jet-lagged after traipsing through four airports and wanting to sleep a bit, but our room was not available yet. I managed, however to trip over a door threshold in the hotel and fall flat on a marble floor. Both elbows and especially knees, bruised and sore. The hip, thank goodness, okay. So I got to spend some time in the lobby with ice packs. Great start for a walking and bicycle trip!

After I recover, we meet up with friends Jerry and Marylou, Tom and Cindy, and Debbie, who are also on this trip and wander around in the abundant sunlight. In fact, I’m not sure it every truly got totally dark here.

We walk to dinner and notice the avid bicyclists of Copenhagen. We are told that 70% of the people here bicycle to work. And they are strong and fast riders.

Many people have two bikes, one that can be left at the metro station and another one at the end of the line.

We have a wonderful dinner at the Madklubben restaurant with several rhubarb items on the menu including a drink called the Rhubarbbombe. The World Cup was just getting underway but our waiter didn’t think the Danish team was very good – his exact word was “shitty” – although they did end up winning their first game.

The next day, one of our two full days in Copenhagen, our small group heads out on one of Rick Steves’ walking tours. First stop is the statue of Hans Christian Anderson.

Then we go to Copenhagen’s famous walking street, Støget, which is the longest pedestrian street in Europe.

Along the way I ,of course, check out the patisserie.

Ross looks into the LEGO shop. The wall behind him is all legos too.

Next stop is the Royal Copenhagen store.

Then we reach one of Copenhagen’s many canals in the Nyhavn area.

Nyhavn means “new harbor” and the 17th and 18th century buildings along here are very colorful. This is also a congregation area for tourists.

Lunch is along the canal.

After lunch, the guys had to check out a beer place on the Rick Steves’ tour known for its cheap price.

Next was a boat tour from Nyhavn that went past Amalienborg Palace, the winter home of the Danish royal family.

And we ferried past the Copenhagen Opera House.

We also got to see the Little Mermaid. A symbol of Copenhagen, she has been here a hundred years.

After the boat tour there is a need for ice cream. Here is one of many shops with giant stacks of homemade waffle cones.

After a full day we walk across the street from the hotel for dinner at a tapas restaurant.