Today was very much a day of new things. A breakfast of overnight oats, a pilgrimage of sorts, a marching military band, a mermaid, an open sandwich and a glass of glogg.
After filling ourselves with quite wonderful oats first thing we wrapped up against the cold and set out on foot across the city. After threading our way through myriad streets we arrived at the old city harbour - lined with colourful buildings, boats, market stalls, bars and restaurants.
After breaking the bank on two pairs of hand knitted Scandinavian socks (and memories of Forrest Gump’s advice about them), we continued onwards through the city and unwittingly encountered several hundred people congregating in the King’s Square. After a quick google search we heard pipes and drums in the distance, and became accidental front row witnesses to the changing of the guard at the royal palaces.
After admiring the best and brightest of the Danish army marching band, and experiencing the worst of pushy, rude tourists, we escaped first to the Marble Church (where we were once again reminded on the thoughtlessness of SO many tourists) before heading out of the city to the waterfront,and perhaps the most famous tiny lump of bronze in the whole of Denmark - if not Europe.
While walking past tour buses delivering countless travellers on their own pilgrimages, suddenly there she was - the bronze statue of Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaid - perched on a rock, looking out over the harbour.
I hadn’t expected it to be so affecting - but it was. There was a strange quiet in the crowd too. A silence as they took turns to approach close and take photographs. A reverence of sorts. I’ve never seen anything like it for a fictional character. It made me realise that an idea - or an ideal - is far more important than any person or thing.
She seemed so sad - and no wonder. I read the story to our children when they were young, and regretted it. There are so few positives to take from it. I guess we have all loved and lost at some point in our lives though - perhaps that’s what connects her to us all.
Afterwards we picked our way back towards the old harbour, found a cosy restaurant, and set down next to their heaters with hot soup, open sandwiches, and glasses of glogg - the famous Scandinavian spiced wine that has fortified sailors for hundreds of year. It was as wonderful as we ever imagined. I imagine being cold, tired and hungry helped.
We spent the remainder of the day window shopping our way through the most commercial part of the city - surrounded by waves of tourists on foot, commuters on bicycle, and endless buses while gazing at the millions of twinkling lights throughout the thoroughfares. We knew we were in trouble when tourist tat shops began to look appealing, so retreated to a cafe near Tivoli gardens before returning to our hotel.
It’s been a good day. A tiring day, but a good day. And an unexpectedly thoughtful day. I might have to go and look up Mr Andersen’s books later.