August 9 - 16, 2018 Disney Northern European Cruise (Completed)

[Hubie]

I came across this picture opportunity while we were still heading towards the Orthodox church. You can see just how short people were back in Medieval times.


Finally here's a picture showing part of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. It was constructed during the era of Czarist Russia. And it was built on the hill, next to the Toompea Castle, so that the Orthodox cross would shine far towards land and sea, symbolizing the success of the Orthodox Church. We didn't go inside it this year, and note: They don't allow pictures to be taken inside of it, but it's very beautiful inside.


This is Kiek in de Kok Tower. Say it real fast! (LOL). Anyway, Kiek in the Kok translates to "Peek in the Kitchen" in the German language. Apparently, the tower's guards could see in people's surrounding kitchens below the tower. The old artillery tower now serves as a museum, and a photo gallery.


The pictures below are from back up in Toompea -- up near the castle and associated embassy buildings. Others are down along and behind the wall outside the town leading back towards Fat Margaret Tower.

 

[Hubie]

following along! Some day I would love to take this cruise

I love Colorado! My brother-in-law lives in Fort Collins and I've been to RMNP many, many times to hike and climb. Hope you make it to this cruise, it's fabulous, that's why we took it twice.

 

[Hubie]

We eventually went back inside the wall, and we discovered this lovely, little church.






We eventually decided to take another crack at the coffee shop. We walked back to it, but it was so stifling hot inside and still busy enough. We both used the restrooms downstairs, and it was like an oven down there. Hot air from the entire building, probably including the bakery, was being circulated down there through a large, blower system. We left the shop after trying to look at the Marzipan for sale, but that part of the shop was still filled with shoulder to shoulder tourists.

We walked back past a couple of stores selling tourist souvenirs to a little Café selling handmade chocolates. It was quite comfortable temperature-wise inside. We decided to stay there and have coffee and some chocolates. I got a regular coffee, but DW had a latte.


When we left there we spotted people we recognized from the Magic making Marzipan next door. They were on one of the excursions DCL offered.


After taking their picture we walked back towards the Town Hall Square and the two woman below graciously allowed me to take their picture with their colorful drinks.


We strolled through the square and looked over the merchandize at the market. DW was interested in the knitted hats but didn't make a purchase. I was looking for a T-shirt, but decided to wait until we got back to the shops at the Port.

 

[Hubie]

We ran into this guy and when he was done with us he wanted to be paid. I gave him a couple of Euros and he said, "That's less than what I usually get." I gave him another Euro and he was then happy.


We continued to explore, which we love to do on our own and not be on a DCL walking excursion with a large group following someone with a Mickey-Head sign mounted on top of a pole. All of the cities this cruise stops at are really safe as long as you keep your passport and wallet in a very secure place. I wear an Eddie Bauer shirt with a hidden zip pocket behind the left, button-down, chest pocket. You also don't want to look too distracted, or be too distracted when walking around, or stand around with a crowd watching street performers, which is a favorite activity and place for pickpockets to practice their skill.

This is a restaurant, but it didn't seem very busy.


This looks like an interesting place to eat, especially for a romantic-evening dinner. The other picture shows the local fashion (dress in a window).






She wouldn't give me a smile. Probably would have though if we had hired her.

 

[Hubie]

This looks like an embassy building. I looked up the flag that is flying, and it's the flag of Lithuania.


This is a photo of a photo mounted on a wall outside the Tallinn Port shops.


This map of "Old Town" was also located on the wall outside the Port shops. I got a nice map to take home with us from a couple of guys that were handing them out.


And, here of course we're back at the Port ready to board the Magic. And back on board we just happened to catch Minnie in her Estonian dress up on Deck 4, MID.


We had dinner at Animator's Palate and DW and I both had this drink, which I think was called a Mango Margarita.


Here's our towel animal for this evening.


Later I took these two pictures of the sunset from our veranda. That's a Norwegian ship following us.

 

[Hubie]

Sunday (August 12, 2018) -- St. Petersburg, Russia, Majestic Spilled Blood Cathedral and Boat Ride.

We got, our same as usual, room service. The St. Petersburg boat excursion wasn't until 1:30 PM, which gave us time to have a relaxed breakfast a little later up in Cabanas. We rarely eat lunch while on a cruise, but we usually do get the hand-scooped ice cream at Cabanas when we do.

After breakfast we went back to the Cove to have coffee and the free biscotti that comes with it. You can see that we are quite the creatures of habit.

Around 10:30 we checked out the Senses Spa and Salon. DW received a gift certificate for $50 off to use in the spa from DCL the day before for her upcoming August birthday. (Again, kudos to DCL!). We were quite surprised, and at first we thought that our daughter had made arrangements for it. After consulting with the woman manning the desk in the spa, DW decided to make an appointment for a "hot stone" massage. The only time slot open was for 4:30 PM the day we would be in Stockholm, but that wasn't going to be a problem for us. As usual we didn't plan to take an excursion. While at the spa, I tried out the "Good-Feet" inserts for my shoes. I was convinced that they would help with the lower back pain I started to have since 2010 and bought them.

We got ready for our excursion around 12:30 and met with our group and one other group on Deck 3, FWD, in Fathoms. We were directed to a very nice bus once we passed through customs, which went quicker this year compared to our experience last year. After everybody in our group was seated and counted by our tour guide (a very likeable, young Russian woman named Alexandra), she introduced our bus driver and then herself.


She handed out ear buds and the small receiver you plug them into before we proceeded from the port into the central city. After about 15 minutes of traveling through rougher parts of the city we drove past and then parked just down the street from the huge and stunning St. Isaacs Cathedral.


We left the bus from there, and after crossing a very busy intersection by the church we turned down a one-way street. We had to walk single-file on the very narrow sidewalk adjacent to the wall that runs along and above the largest armlet of the Neva River, called the Bolshaya Neva. The sidewalk was completely covered by water a few inches deep in places forcing us at times to step out into the street. You had to move fast and be very careful to not be clipped by the passing traffic.

Eventually we reached an opening in the wall where our tour boat was tied up at the bottom of several concrete steps that descended down from the opening to the water. Several folding chairs were set up in rows on the boat's rear deck. The boats are so stable you can stand up to take pictures to avoid the possibility of catching a few heads or hats in your photos. Instead of sitting down I just leaned against the stern while shooting pictures.

The boat's forward deck is covered with a permanent, almost flat, v-shaped roof. An opening, with about four or five steps, allows access down to its sheltered area. Large windows on both sides allow for viewing the sights, and comfortable wooden chairs are provided around sturdy wooden tables. Bottled water and small cans of Classic Coke -- commemorating the 2018 World Cup were provided free on top of one of the tables. I kept one of the cokes as a souvenir, but realized later I had no way of taking it home full of the charged soda. I had planned to drink the coke and try to get the empty can home in-tact, but I forgot and left it in our stateroom's refrigerator.


The sheltered area of the boat also has a small but nice, clean and modern restroom. The driver was behind a closed door. Mini-cameras let the crew see anyone standing in the rear of the boat.

It was clouded over and threatening to rain any minute but almost everybody wanted to sit out in the open as we proceeded down the river. Both DW and I had our light-weight (Gore-Tex) raincoats in a day pack.




Some of the bridges we went under are even lower than those in Copenhagen, and the boat driver's assistant had to come back to tell people more than once to get down when we approached a couple of the really low bridges.




I think this very-long building was built to house the Czars Royal Guard.

 

[Hubie]

The rain held off while we traveled down the Bolshaya Neva and for most of the tour when we joined the very wide Neva River adjacent to the location of the Hermitage. The picture below shows only a small part of the Hermitage building, which we toured last year along with Catherine's Palace.


This ship is actually just a restaurant. Note the rocket-like building in the background. It was still being constructed last year and is just an office building for an oil and gas company. Do you think they're making any money?






It eventually began to sprinkle and then it started to pour. Everybody dove for the protected area all at once. Still standing in the very stern of boat I was the last one to make it down the steps. The shower was fairly brief and a couple others and I returned topside to continue taking pictures.

The first boat below, believe or not, is just another restaurant. The second one is famous. Alexandra told us it's now a shrine since it's the actual boat where the revolution was plotted against the Czarist Regime.










I have to say that the inner city of the Czars is the most gorgeous city I've ever been in. Venice is a close second. We haven't been to Florence or Rome. Yet!

 

[Hubie]

DW and I were also very impressed with Alexandra. She spoke perfect English, knew every building we passed while on the boat and each building's history. She joked with us and was even very emotional at times -- especially when she talked about the mistaken perception people usually have that all Russians are unemotional. She said, "We're not all like Putin!"

One funky looking site. I remember Alexandra said this building used to be an asylum.

And this place was just down the canal/street.






We ended the boat tour near the Church on the Spilled Blood, where we had to ascend concrete steps up to an opening in the wall built above the canal. And, once again we had to side-step into the adjacent street, because of ponding water on the sidewalk.

Before we debarked from the boat to walk to the church Alexandra warned us to absolutely protect our passports. She pointed out that the area around the church and inside it is always extremely-crowded and notorious for pickpockets. Twice she told us that our current President closed the American Embassy in St. Petersburg, and if we were to lose our passport we'd then become citizens of the city. She also said that jobs to support yourself in the city of seven million are very hard to come by. That was sort of scary. But besides wearing one of my three Eddie Bauer shirts that have the hidden zipper pocket behind the left button-down, breast pocket I also had my raincoat on and had that zipped up. DW took similar precautions and kept her arms crossed across her chest over her raincoat.

The awesome church is gorgeous and covered with Mosaic's inside and out. It definitely is the most beautiful church both DW and I have had the privilege to visit. The highest dome was being renovated. That wasn't taking place last year when I shot a picture of the church from afar, while we were about to visit the Hermitage.

The inside of the church just takes your breath away.




This is a ceiling shot.

 

[Hubie]

The two costumed characters in the picture below were offering to have your picture taken with them for money of course.


This a picture of Santa's carved from wood and then painted.


From the church just like on our excursion last year we went to a souvenir shop. The Santa's above were pricy as expected but I was tempted to buy one. DW said we have enough stuff sitting around the house. We purchased a nice Christmas ornament instead. We were offered free berry-favored Vodka in small plastic cups that we both thought was quite good. The clerk who was following me around ever since I showed an interest in the Santa's said that, "The free vodka is of course the cheap stuff and not very good." He then convinced me to buy a 1/2 liter bottle of Beluga Hunting Vodka. According to the label on the ornate bottle it's of the finest quality and a berry-favored, Noble bitter recipe. The clerk said that it's the Vodka Russian's buy to serve to guests. We probably won't open it until New Year's Eve.

 

[Hubie]

These two posters were displayed on a large wall at the back of a parking lot where we went to re-board our bus to ride back to the customs building at the port and to the Magic.



After making a quick walk-through the souvenir shop located inside part of the customs building we presented our documents to the immigration officials. Back on the Magic, DCL crew confiscated my Vodka and gave me a receipt to pick it on the morning we were to arrive back in Copenhagen.

We went to our stateroom to drop off the daypack with our raincoats. Many of the St. Petersburg excursions went to later in the afternoon and/or included a relatively large Russian lunch, so most people decide not to go to their assigned main-dining room for dinner. Knowing that DCL instead opens up the Cabanas Buffet later in the afternoon and that it remains open until 10 or 11:00 PM, we proceeded up to Deck 9 to the buffet for our dinner. The buffet featured fish and I had salmon, cod and haddock. The salmon was very good, the haddock was really good and the cod was sort of soggy. I went back for seconds and got more of the haddock. I also had potatoes and some Mac & Cheese. For dessert, I splurged and had two scoops of Pecan ice cream covered with caramel syrup with a dish of Crème Brule.


DW and I then took a walk outside around Deck 4 where I took a closer picture of the oil and gas office building, and pictures of a couple other cruise ships docked in the harbor, and one of the sea.

When we went inside we walked down to Deck 3, MID into the atrium and I shot a picture of Captain Mickey outside Lumiere's.​

From the atrium we continued to walk off dinner by just going around the ship. When we finally walked down the hallway leading to our stateroom we passed by one of the Stateroom Hosts, named Garfield. He was very personable and always wore a huge smile on his face. He had just completed making an alligator towel animal for one of the inside staterooms and insisted on showing it to us. I thought it was neat and took a picture of it.

 

[Hubie]

Monday (August 13, 2018) -- Helsinki, Finland

We forgot to get room service for this morning but we wanted to sleep in anyway since all ashore for Helsinki wasn't until 11:15. We then went up to the Cabanas Buffet for a full breakfast around 9:30.


Both DW and I ordered two eggs (over-medium) at the end of the buffet. Then we found our favorite table near the Deck 9, AFT, next to the windows and placed our order stand on it. DW sat down and I went to fetch us glasses of ice water. I was surprised how fast our order came, and our eggs were done perfectly. We both also got a bowl of oatmeal with walnuts. I put a little brown sugar in mine. I prefer berries, nuts, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and cinnamon in my steel-cut oats at home. It's my standard breakfast unless we go out to eat or DW decides to make blueberry pancakes on Sunday mornings. When she does we put strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, Wisconsin maple syrup and whipped-cream on top of them.

Back at our stateroom I took one picture from our veranda as the Magic approached the Helsinki Port.


We then went ashore right at 11:15. Our plan for the day was to first walk to City Hall and purchase tickets to ride Tram Number 2, which stops right outside of the building. The Tram used to follow a Figure 8 of tracks through the center of the city and return back to City Hall. One of its stops was near the "Church in the Rock," which we had missed visiting last year.

When DW and I went in City Hall, I asked a woman at the tourist desk where we were to buy our tickets for Tram Number 2. I also told her we wanted to go to the Church in the Rock and then return to the City Hall/South Harbor area. She pointed out that we would have to use kiosks across the street to get any tram tickets, and that we would have to have Euro coins. I only had bills that I got on the Magic (40 Euros/$50.10 or 1.27 dollars/Euro), which isn't a bad exchange. The ship will also buy back any bills you don't use. Then she said that Tram Number 2 no longer operates on the Figure 8 route. But she got out a transportation map and explained to me how we could take Tram Number 2 part of the way, but then we would have to get off and transfer to another tram that would go within several blocks of the church. Then we would have to repeat the transfer process to get back to the South Harbor/Market area across from City Hall.

We decided to skip the church and re-visit Senate Square, the North Harbor and the Russian Orthodox Church before tracking down a coffee shop recommended by Rick Steve's in his apparently, outdated guide book on cruising in Northern Europe. Then our plan was to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the Stockmann's Department Store, which is the biggest one in all of Scandinavia.

The inside of the White Lutheran Church (Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square) is so plain compared to the Orthodox churches, but there was a small welcoming choir there last year.






North Harbor


Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral




The manholes in Scandinavia are so decorative compared to ours at home.


DW walking towards Market Square and the South Harbor where's there's a traditional, open-air market selling local food, souvenirs and crafts. Sightseeing cruises also depart from the water front.

 

[Hubie]

This guy's trying to figure out how he got inside the netting protecting the open-air market and how to get back out after he steals a snack.


Local food being served at the market.




We eventually located the coffee shop Rick Steve's also had recommended in his book. We passed on it as it didn't impress us. Instead we walked down the street looking for an alternative and I took a few pictures of window displays of glass birds.








Finally we came upon a more interesting coffee shop named, "Roberts" but, instead of having coffee, we decided to get Gelato there. We each had two favors in a dish and it was really good.


After leaving Roberts we decided to just head back towards where the Disney shuttle bus dropped us off, because the bus stop is close to where Stockmann's is located.

 

[Hubie]

Once we reached Stockmann's we had coffee at the Espresso House located inside the Department store. Than we purchased pastries downstairs in the grocery store's bakery to take back aboard the Magic. The picture below shows the original Stockmann's building, which has since been expanded to encompass an entire city block.





This two-story bookstore is located in another Stockmann's building across the street from the Department store. The bookstore has its own coffee shop on its second floor, but downstairs around the corner and through a doorway there is also a Starbuck's.


We slowly made our way back to the bus shuttle stop and I took this picture of how the cobblestone roads are repaired out of the bus window on our way to the Magic.


The atrium was decorated for Frozen festivities to be held in the evening.


We found Minnie almost all by herself on Deck 4, MID.


More carpets shots that on located on different decks outside of the elevators and at the top of the stairways.


That evening for dessert Tana insisted that we have the chocolate lava cake, but DW and I both wanted the Crème Brule. This is what we got. Yes, Tana is right, the chocolate lava cake is to die for.


After dinner we went to see the movie, "Black Panther," which was showing in the Buena Vista Theater on Deck 5 AFT. What a great movie! Next up, Stockholm, Sweden.

 

[Hubie]

Here's our Towel Animal and a small bird Tana had made out of a napkin.



Tuesday (August 14, 2018) -- Stockholm, Sweden

All Ashore for Stockholm was at 9:00 AM. We had room service at 7:30. I had two of the small boxes of Raisin Bran, instead of my regular two English muffins. DW had her usual fruit bowl, and we shared one of the rich pastries we had bought at Stockmann's in Helsinki.


It was a little cool out compared to the last week. I finished the coffee from the room service thermos and took several pictures as we cruised through the archipelago into Stockholm.

 

[Hubie]

We had signed up for the "adult-only" Vasa Museum Excursion. But before leaving home, DCL notified us that it was canceled. Instead of signing up for a different excursion we decided to save some money and just enjoy the bustling street life in the city, and have some coffee somewhere. Last year we spent almost the entire time we had in Stockholm touring "Gamla Stan," the old medieval town that emerged in the 13th century, the free medieval museum and the Royal Palace. This year after being dropped off by the DCL shuttle bus near the Opera House again, we headed north until we found Sveavagen Avenue.


We then continued on it for about a mile all the way to the Hard Rock Restaurant, which is located by the university. We wanted to check out its t-shirts, but it didn't open until 11:00. We then stopped at another Espresso Café. I had a smoothie and DW had a Frappino. When we returned to Hard Rock, I found a t-shirt I kind of liked but it cost more than I wanted to spend on it.




From there we just wandered around experiencing the city's vibe. We wound through a nice park on a path by a little stream, but the benches we came across were occupied by homeless people. We decided that before we got to far into the wooded area we should take a short cut down a hill back to where we felt more comfortable on the main street.

This is the sign for a barber shop.




Another neat manhole.


I was asked here by a young woman who I was going to vote for. A political rally by the banners behind the bikes was being held for the upcoming mayoral election.


Lots of buildings were connected by sky bridges.

 

[Hubie]

This is the Church of Saint Claire and it's located just off of Klarabergsgastan.






Back near the arches leading to Gamla Stan. The second picture is of the German church in the Old Town.




This next two pictures were taken through the shuttle bus window as we headed back to the Magic.




When we arrived back at the ship we went back to our stateroom to change into shorts and then we went to the Cabanas Buffet to have some lunch. Only having some cereal that morning for breakfast I was pretty hungry. I had Mac & Cheese again, some steamed broccoli, two types of pork, a piece of fish and a piece of chicken. I think I also had some ice cream but didn't take a picture of it.


After lunch DW had to get ready for her scheduled "hot stone" massage up on Deck 9, FWD, in the spa. I decided to take my book and go to Coves and get a good coffee I never got in the city.

That evening was semi-formal night and we were scheduled to have dinner on Deck 4, AFT, in Animator's Palate. It was also the night we were given a sheet of paper with an outlined area where you're supposed to draw a character. Then your servers collect the drawings and they become part of the animated show on the screens on the walls of the restaurant.

 

[Hubie]

My character is the second red one. I'm not sure what DW drew for a character.




Carpet in the hallway and our towel animal.






Wednesday (August 15, 2018) -- Day at Sea

Today we slept in and had room service delivered at 8:30 AM. I had a couple of muffins. DW only wanted a croissant and we shared the delicious, caramel treat from Stockmann's.



We went up to the Cabanas Buffet later and both of us ordered eggs over medium. We also had some roasted potatoes and bacon with them when they arrived. Once again we headed up to Coves for coffee after breakfast.

We met our tablemates for lunch at Lumiere's because they were going to have dinner at Palo's that night. We really had a good time with them and plan to keep in touch. They were doing a BTB on the next cruise to Norway and Iceland. We hope they had decent weather since the forecast for Norway the following week after our cruise called for lots and lots of rain.

DW and I had some ice cream from Eye Scream up on Deck 9, AFT, after lunch. We then did a little more shopping in Mickey's Mainsail and White Caps on Deck 4, FWD. Otherwise we didn't do much but relax, until I looked at the day's Navigator and decided that we should go to the DVC presentation being held on Deck 4, MID, in the D Lounge at 4:15.

DW and I had talked about the benefits of belonging to DVC before with our tablemates, who have been members for many years. And DW has a good friend back home, who has told her how well it has worked for her family. We had also taken the tour of a two-bed villa located on the Boardwalk way back in 1997 with a DVC representative the first time we went to WDW with our DD, DS-in-law and grandkids. Now we wished we had joined back then when points were significantly cheaper. Well, after the presentation we made an appointment for 7:30 to talk to one of the DVC representatives.

Our last dinner was at Rapunzel's and were greeted at the door by this guy.

 

[Hubie]

I had the pasta with scallops for my entrée and it was fantastic. Then both DW and I had the pan fry dessert and Tana brought us an additional chocolate one.


Ignacio, DW, and Tana


Ignacio, Me, and Tana. Geomom is in the background of this picture. It's ironic that we were so close yet didn't recognize each other. I wish I had known because I wanted to meet her since I too am a geologist. I enjoyed her trip reports -- both on her Alaska Cruise and this cruise.


After handing out our extra tip envelopes we left to go up to the DVC desk on Deck 4, MID. We were then led down to Stateroom 2002 and met one of the DVC representatives from the earlier presentation. After he explained the benefits and contract to us in greater detail we purchased points and became new members of DVC.

 

[Hubie]

Thursday (August 16, 2018) -- Back to Copenhagen for Three More Days



We packed our bags yesterday and set them out last night before going to dinner. Having to pack is such a downer. It really casts a pall on the last day at sea.

We both wish that DCL had longer cruises that were more affordable. We still fondly recall the DCL 14-day, WBPC we took in 2015. We always book a Deluxe Stateroom on Deck 6, MID with a Veranda, and for that particular re-position cruise we only paid a little over $5,000. We actually had tried to book the WBPC again last June while on the DCL Northern Europe Cruise. But The 2018 WBPC was already fully-booked at that time. Probably, because DCL added a new stop (Costa Rica). And, now the prices for all the longer cruises are getting so expensive.

Pictures from my veranda as the Magic approaches Copenhagen's Port.






We headed up to the Cabanas Buffet around 8:00 for breakfast instead of meeting, as scheduled in our last dining room, at Rapunzel's at 6:45 for our final breakfast. Then we walked off the Magic with our carry-on luggage as soon as DCL announced our character-colored luggage tags, indicating our bags were available in the Port building. We had Daisy tags and located our bags easily because DW had attached bright-colored material on their handles. We then walked out of the port building to the nearby area across the road that includes toilet facilities and a small welcome center/souvenir store.

We needed to purchase two more 72-hour transportation passes for our three-day stay in Copenhagen. The couple manning the place directed me to two kiosks located behind the building. We purchased our passes with our Visa Card and walked the two blocks with some others from the Magic to the bus stop. This is where we met and talked to a family from the cruise that was also waiting for the next bus. We learned they also were staying at the Crowne Plaza before heading home, and they informed us that they were going to take Bus #25 all the way into the Central Station. Then they planned to transfer to Bus #33, which they said goes all the way out to the bus stop at Fields Mall. But I was concerned with having to maneuver our luggage aboard a possibly very crowded bus at the Central Station. I also figured that using the trains from Osterport Station and from Central Station back to our hotel might be quicker.

Like last year after boarding Bus #25 we got off at the bus stop across from the Osterport Train Station. What I had forgotten from last year was all of the steps you have to climb before you can walk over to the area where you than have to descend several more steps down to the train tracks. DW wasn't happy with my decision -- especially when we also had to lug our bags down the stalled escalator at the Central Station that leads to Track #5. Well, all said and done, I still think it was quicker taking the two trains than riding Bus #25 all the way into the city, and than having to wait/transfer to Bus #33 that would than have to stop at other bus stops and every stop sign on its way to Fields. I guess if I ever have to do it again, I'd stay on Bus #25 from the Port to the Central Station, and then take the train from there to the Crowne Plaza. That eliminates having to ascend and descend all of the steps at the Osterport Station with your luggage. Note: You only have go up about a dozen steps when traveling from the Central Station to the Osterport Station to get up to the bus stop and to get to the Port on your way to the Magic.

We were surprised that we were able to check-in when we finally arrived at the Crowne Plaza. And for the first time, we learned that for just five more Kroners (less than a dollar or 395 DKK, instead of 390 DKK), we could have access to the Club Lounge and the hotel's large breakfast buffet. What a perk! The lounge is located on the second floor above the main restaurant in a glass enclosed room, and you have to use your room key card to enter it. Once inside you have your choice of drinking all the beer, wine, coffee and bottled water you want, and several kinds of snacks are provided during the day. Then in the early evening cheese, fresh-baked bread and other assorted food is available. In the morning you can have a much quieter and relaxing breakfast that includes most everything that's on the buffet down in the main restaurant, including eggs or omelets to order. The furniture is also very comfortable and there is private access to a large outside patio when it's nice enough to sit outside. If one wanted to you would never have to spend any money on eating out during your entire stay at the hotel. Here's a picture of the lounge.


While getting settled in our room on the 21st floor for this stay, I took this picture out of its large picture window of the unbelievable traffic heading into the city on the highway below. I guess even with all of the bikes, busses, and trains, they still have traffic jams in Denmark. Maybe there was an accident further down the road.


Before we left to go back into the city ourselves I had a beer, some chips and a bowl of nuts in the lounge. We then took the Metro to the stop for Christianshavn (Christian Town) and walked to the square adjacent to Our Savior's Church, but we didn't go inside the church.


From the square we walked a couple of blocks back over to the canal that separates Christian Town from the City Center. On our way to the canal we passed by this interesting building consisting of small apartments with tiny verandas.


We followed the canal all the way to Harbor Circle, before eventually crossing the new pedestrian/bicycle bridge over to Nyhavn. I feel the best picture I took this entire trip is of the two young Danish girls enjoying ice cream cones, while watching the boat traffic pass by in the canal.

 

[Hubie]

I believe this boat was probably named after the Peter. Paul and Mary song -- "Puff the Magic Dragon".

​

There is a large area consisting of street food at the end of Harbor Circle where all of the merchants only accept credit cards. I assume it's much more efficient than waiting for tourists to decide what to pay in Kroners -- especially if they want to use any coins, which nobody wants.


The pedestrian/bicycle bridge was fenced off when we were in Copenhagen prior to going on the June 2016, DCL - Norway Cruise.




Looking back at lots of swimmers/sunbathers enjoying themselves on and by the concrete steps along Harbor Circle.


We crossed over to the Nyhavn (New Harbor) area. It was really packed. We continued on to Kings Square where we caught the Metro back to our hotel.




We took a short nap and then decided to go back to the city for dinner. We took the Metro to the Norreport (North Port) Station, and walked two blocks southwest down Voldgade Avenue from the station to the Orsteds Park. We turned northwest there and walked down the street adjacent to the park past a large, open-recreational area.

A couple more blocks further we arrived at this small, neighborhood plaza where the Pizzeria la Fiorita is located.


We have wanted to go to the restaurant for pizza since our first trip to Copenhagen in 2016. It's advertised as serving authentic, Italian pizza. It's also very small and has very-limited inside seating - a few stools placed along a shallow wooden counter and two tables squeezed in a corner. There were two Italian woman taking orders at a cash register window and four Italian men making pizza's. I found the one greasy and battered, English menu in the restaurant and ordered us a red sauce pizza with peppers and pepperoni. DW was able to score an outside table, while I waited inside for our pizza. We both agree the pizza was wonderful with a great medium, but well-browned crust. The best part was being away from the normal tourist spots. Also the pizza was big enough to split between us and it only cost 68 DKK or $11.30. We both agreed that we would definitely come back another night before we left for home.




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