Copenhagen with kids

Tivoli Gardens

Dear Liza,

After a few days in Copenhagen, you and your folks had to head back to Horsens. But Auntie Katie and the rest of us had one last adventure: Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world.

Opened in 1843, this “pleasure garden” includes gardens, rides, restaurants and musical entertainments, and lots of wonderful things to see. Spring is a bit late coming to Copenhagen, and the windy temperature wasn’t much above freezing, but hyacinths and daffodils are up and blooming.

Early spring flowers are used as decorations all over! This wishing well with a planted roof was adorable and seasonal.

And of course, there are rides. Big scary roller coasters, of course, but they are not our speed. Auntie Katie and the cousins enjoyed the spinny teacup on the Carrousel and some small, cartoony planes.

In parts of the park, you could see how this place inspired Walt Disney as he was developing Disneyland. Rides were fun for both kids and adults, and there were lots of flowers and refreshments. Like Mickey Mouse, this little clown person was placed anywhere a message needed to be conveyed. Here he is saying “We are building something new” to obscure some construction work.

Some things were very different from Disneyland, however. Beer and wine were sold, and some of the humor was a bit racy for American tastes. After all, our Puritan forefathers came to the New World in hopes of running away from such “worldliness”. I liked it!

There are also some rides where human power was involved, including this ‘hoist yourself’ drop-zone contraption. The riders wear gloves to pull themselves up, then get a long, smooth drop back to the bottom. There is also a pedal powered rollercoaster, but we couldn’t get close enough to take a picture.

Interesting bits of Danish history are scattered about. This small fountain dedicated to Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer, tells of his interesting life and scientific discoveries.

It even showed his gold nose! Like many men of his time, Tycho had been injured in a duel, losing the tip of his nose. He had a golden nose made. Cool, huh?

We stopped for snacks and realized we were just too cold to enjoy ourselves, even with layers, gloves, hats and scarves. We texted goodbye to the family and headed for the exit. On the way, we passed this delightful swing ride that I had used as part of my Adventure Grandma story.

Once we left the park and got warm, we walked back to the hotel, fetched our luggage, and began the long haul back to Portland. This misty sunrise over Amsterdam was the last picture I took in Europe.

I know we will come back soon, but I will miss you and your new country until we do.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Orstedsparken, Copenhagen

Dear Liza,

Whenever you and your cousins get together, it is a busy day. Our third day in Copenhagen, some of the grown-ups opted for a tour bus. But not you guys.

So your daddy David and I went along to protect the city. Orstedsparken, or Orsted’s Park, is named after the scientist who discovered uses for electromagnetism. It includes a small lake which is home for dozens of ducks, geese, coots and wood pigeons.

You discovered this willow tree right by the water’s edge. Once it greens up, it is going to be a great hiding spot.

Further along, you and the cousins found this amazingly challenging merry-go-round thing. It took all three of you, plus Auntie Katie, to make it work.

As you can see, Auntie Katie is still very much a kid at heart. I see great Adventure Grandma potential for her….. in about twenty years.

I am so grateful we all got to have this time together.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket

Dear Liza,

You will know from your Danish lessons that this wonderful art museum in Copenhagen is pronounced “Noo Carlsberg Gloop-toe-tek”. It houses the private collections of Carl Jacobsen, who founded the Carlsberg beer company, and his son. They were both lovers of art and used their fortune to collect and house it.

The building itself is amazing, with vast domed spaces alternating with smaller rooms to show off different kinds of art. The solarium is a Victorian-era greenhouse with sculptures mixed in with ferns, which was a miracle on a cold, windy April day.

This was a Girl’s Day at the museum, as Grandpa Nelson, your dad, and Jasper were not interested. And believe me, there is nothing worse than going through a museum with people who don’t want to be there.

We started with ancient art from the ancient Middle East , which was interesting without actually being pretty. (Say what you like, but I can only look at so many Roman heads).

The fun started upstairs, with the Impressionists. You and Auntie Bridgett started talking about the art. “What’s going on in this picture?” She would ask.

You’d tell her what you saw, and from there you two would have a wonderful conversation about the composition, color choices, symbols, and subjects of the works. You talked about gestures and lighting in “Socrates and Aphasia” and story in “In the Beech Wood”.

I was amazed at the good questions you asked and how much you could see in each work. I also loved watching you, Bridgett and Auntie Katie get into your discussions. There was lots of silliness and love mixed in with all that art.

It did this Grandma Judy’s heart good.

Love,

Grandma Judy