2012 Travelling Alone in Greenland: Little Mermaid in Copenhagen－旅行は私の人生なのだ

I have arranged all the things of my journey just half year before, however I'm still nervous.

It's not guarantted that everything will be fine before I arrive my destination.

Though I was lucky to finish each journey safely until now, I always feel nervous when commensing a new plan just until I'm sure I arrive there for sure.

If there is something that makes me worry a lot, it should be the Air France ticket to Copenhagen.

I didn't collect all the information before I bought the no-refund ticket.

It's siad that the delay of the luggage sometimes takes place in the connection flight of Air France and this company is "famous" on the top list.

Therefore, my luggage was arranged under this consideration.

Even if I become one of the tourists who lost the luggages, my journey will not be delayed.

In summary, the check-in luggage only carry the unimportant stuffs or the must-check-in stuffs, and I put a set of clothes in my hand-on luggage.

It's the only thing I could do and the rest is to pray for a lucky flight.

In the day of my departure, I leave home earlier than expected but the time seems pass very quickly that I'm already on the flight to Hong Kong.

The time for catching the connection flight to France is quite short. Just after I arrived at Hong Kong airport, the staff appears in front of the gate and leads me to the Air France counter so that I could go to the next gate in time.

It's a little tiring to do so for I could not look around in the airport leisurely.

After the 12-hour long flight, I arrive at France CDG airport and I still have to hurry for the next flight to Denmark.

It's very surprising that the CDG airport is so large that I have to walk quickly from ternimal 2E to 2D. It makes me quite tired.

Besides, I have to enter France for it's the first Schengen country I arrived, and pass the security check again.

As to the security check, it's also a little complex. You have to take out your DSLR camera from your bag (it's not necessary in HK or Singapore) and take off your belt and shoes.

At this moment, I really think that I should extend my time in France.

If it's so busy for the tourists to catch the next flight, it's not so strange that the luggage will be delaed. I really worry my luggage a lot.

Though I still go to the gate in time, I don't have any time to get my breakfast or take photos. Even there is a PS3 in the airport, I could not play at all.

Because the plane to Copenhagen is smaller, all the tourists have to be transported by the shuttle bus.

OK, it's very common to get on the shuttle bus when the plane is small. But, I just could not understand why the plane is waiting in front of gate E19!

It makes me a little angry. After all, I hurried from 2E to 2D and now I was sent back to 2E again for getting on the small plane.

Why? Just because I have to enter Franece! Is there any possibilty to make the connection much flexible? I don't think that I'm the only one tourist who have to get the transfer flight fro France to other Schengen country.

Just as I expetced, some toruists really get late for arriving the gate and the plane also depart 30 minutes late than the expetced time.

I suddently realize why the luggage get delayed in CDG airport, because the whole processes are not so efficient.

Another bad thing also happen just as I worried before, my luggage got delayed in France and was not tranferred to the plane I took to Copenhagen when I arrived at Copenhagen airport.

When the luggage serivce broadcasts a messgae to me, I'm very surprised not because my English listening get promoted or my name is special to identify but the bad thing I worried really come true.

It's fine that I've already got preparation and my journey is not affetced by this misfortune, or it would be vert terrible now.

I'm a little proud of myself but I don't feel happy.

After I fill the report and get a toiletry bag and a white T-shirt, I go for taking the metro to the Copenhagen city.

No matter how many days my luggage will be delayed, that is not the thing I could control.

PS. Therefore, if France is your first Shcengen country for the connection flight in EU, it's recommend that the time should be more than two hours.

There are two ways for going to the city. You could take the train or metro. The price is same but the metro is much frequent than the train.

However, the locations of the stations for train and metro are quite different. In the city center, Nørreport is the only station both for train and metro.

(You may see the metro route map below. If the station is marked with the red "S", it means that there is also a train station.)

So, Taking the train or metro depends on where you will stay.

Because my cheeck-in luggage is still in France, I want to try taking the metro today.

I watch the Google map and the distance from the train station "Köbenhavn H" or metro station "Kongens Nytorv st" to my hostel seems to be the same. It's fine to try any one of them.

哥本哈根地鐵圖

The steps for buying the ticket from the ticket machine is easy:

1) Choose 「English」options unless you understand danish.

2) Choose your ticket type:

Choose by your destination station：you just find your destination on the menu, such as 「Köbenhavn H」, and then pay the price displayed. It's very easy if you only know your station's name.

Choose by zones：choose the zone and pay the price from 24 DKK (2 Zones) to 108 DKK (9 Zones or All Zones). Sometimes, you've already know the zones between two stations and you don't want to find the destination station from lots of name on the list, therefore, you could get your ticket easily by this way. By the way, the ticket from airport to Köbenhavn H is 3 zones. Besides, it would be cheaper if you buy the ten-trip ticket (Klippekort, 10 klip).

City Pass：24 Hours or 72 Hours City Pass could let you take the train, metro and bus in the zone 1 to zone 4 (shown as the map below). The price for 24 hours City Pass is 75 DKK. It seems expensive but the ticket to Köbenhavn H is already 36 DKK. So, if you take the train or metro twice, city pass is worth.

I'm a little curious about the city pass, therefore, I buy 24 hours city pass this time.

As for the payment, credit card is acceptable but you have to make sure that you know your PIN code.

Copenhagen_Zone

Getting the City Pass, you may find the yellow machine in front of the metro station. It's the ticket clipper for city pass (I'm not sure?) and ten-trip ticket.

Look at my city pass and you could find the 「1」 under the black bold line. The location of the 「1」 was already clipped.

You just insert your ticket with the face upwards into the machine.

The metro comes pretty soon. Looking around the cabin, only a part of seats are fixed and others are not.

This would be flexible according to the number of tourists.

Do not forget to buy the ticket. The staff would check your ticket in the cabin.

Maybe today is sunday or the metro is not so popular (due to the location of the station), free seats are always available.

When I step out Kongens Nytorv metro station, I walk toward DanHostel Copenhagen City according to my printed map.

I have to tell you that the route from the station to the hostel is a little complex and long, and it would be tiring when you bring your big luggage.

(DanHostel is the tall building in the left.)

Because the check-in time is after 2 p.m, I leave my luggage in the luggage room and start my walking in Copenhagen today.

When planning the journey, if the attractions could be reached by walking, I prefer to walk.

Walking is quite convenience for taking photos and save the money.

The targets are not many and my thought is quite simple: walk along the canal toward little mermaid and return by walking other streets.

Therefore, the route should be: 「Black Diamond → Nyhavn → Gefionspringvandet → Kastellet → Little Mermaid」 and 「Amalienborg Palace → Nyhavn → Christiansborg Palace → DanHostel」

Leaving the hostel and walking along the canal, Black Diamond is the first attraction on the way.

Black Diamond is a modern waterfront extesion to the Royal Library's old building and was completed in 19999.

The nickname, Black Diamond, is derived from its black granite appearence.

They provide two private guided tours for the group from Monday to Friday.

As for other tourists, you may consider the public guided tour at 3 p.m every Saturday. Reservation is not required and the price is 40 DKK. However, the tour is only provided in Danish.

If you want to visit the library by yourself, remember not to visit here on Sunday or some specific holidays.

The information could be accessed at http://www.kb.dk/en/kb/aabningstider/index.html

Unfortunately, I'm the tourist who visit Copenhagen on Sunday. So, I only look around the building.

Not far from the Black Diamond, I find sailing ships crossing the lifted bridge.

This reminds me of the Tower bridge in London which is much famous, such as the celebration of the Queen for her 60-year reign.

Though I didn't have a opportunity to watch the lifting of Tower birdge, viewing the similar scene in Copenhagen also makes me enjoyable.

If you notice the roads in Copenhagen, you may find that there is a special lane for bicycles and it's quite common for the Danish to rider the bike.

Yes, Denmark is also a famous bicycle country in the world.

The officers of Taiwan should feel shame. We, Taiwan people, even didn't have such a good bicycle lane yet.

They just could not realize that a good and success policy is always based on a good blueprint.

In Danmark, except for the bicycle lanes, they also provide the rental of free bikes. Besides, there are also the parking places for bikes in the city and you could get on the train or metro with your bike quite easily.

The whole environment in Denmark is so friendly that it's no doubt that most of the Dansih owns and ride the bicycle.

If there is another feature in Denmark, I think it shoule be the facility for kids.

For example, DanHostel provide a kinds' zone which is the first one I found among the countries I've visited.

While I walk along the canal, I also find the jumping nets and other interesting facilities on the streets, and these kids seems enjoy a lot.

Thanks to the good weather and the nice temperature, I quite enjoy my walking trip and reach the famous area of Copenhagen: Nyhavn.

Nyhavn, is a colorful waterfront and popular entertainment district in Copenhagen since 17th century.

It's said that the oldest house in Nyhavn was built in 1661.

These colorful houese along the canal with many sailboats is already the famous scene appearing in all the photos taken by tourists.

This street is not very long but full of restaurants, kiosks and crowed with tourists.

You could enjoy a lot here with a baverage on the table but be cafeful of the pickpockets.

If the sky is clear, you may see a beautiful scenery at sunset.

Sometimes I also think about the old buildings in Taiwan. Unfortunately, only a few are still preserved and most of the buildings in modern Taiwan are actually the ugly concrete monsters.

In the north of Nyhavn, Copenhagen Sand Sculpture Festival is hold at the man-made beach around Admiral Hotel.

The adult ticket is 50 DKK. It's very similar to the sand sculpture festival hold in Furong, Taiwan every year but I could not tell you the differences because I didn't watch the sand sculptures in Furong before.

This beach is not big in area therefore 30 minutes is enough to look around.

By the way, there is also a kinds' playground here and you may see the opera house opposite the canal.

Reaching the end of the road along the canal, we're near near the entrance of Kastellet, a public park with thes best preserved fortifications in Northern Europe.

The first bulding around here is St. Alban's Anglican Church which is a tradition church and looks nice under the blue sky with some clouds.

For me, it's just fine but not so special. I've already seen many churches.

The Gefion Fountain is close to the church and you should have found it.

This attraction is a magnificent monument of the goddess Gefion charging four oxen in Norse mythology.

It's siad that the island of Zealand on which Copenhagen is located was created by Gefion and Gefion is also associated with virginity.

If you are not very tired while you walk from the hostel to this park, it's recommended to look around this beautiful park and the old buildings.

I would like to do so but it would be better if I have a bike.

P.S The third feature of Denmark should be the bronze statues. It's quite easy to find one on the street.

Continue walking to the north-east, the Little Mermaid is surrounded by lots of tourists.

The Little Mermaid is for sure the most famous attraction in Denmark and was displayed in the World Expo in Shanhai before.

The vendors around here not only sell snacks and coffe, but also sell the related souvenirs.

It's a popular and busy place indeed.

I think the walking along the canal I have today should be nice for the tourists who come to Copenhagen for the first time.

It takes time but you could see many famous attractions on the way.

Of course, riding a bicycle is also a good idea if you think you are not good at walking.

Just as I planned, I walk another street toward Amalienborg.

Im my imagination, the slot or palace should be very spectacular, however, this winter home of the Danish Royal family seems very normal.

It's an octagonal courtyard with a status in the middle surrounded by houses.

I'm a little confused and wonder where the palace is until I see the guards walking around.

According to the information, the guard changing takes place every day around moon.

In my opinion, the bird view of the whole Amalienborg would be better than watching separate houses on the ground.

Because the Amalienborg is so normal, the Frederik's church become an obvious target.

This church with a big dome is quite similar to the St. Paul's Cathedral in London but looks smaller.

The decoration in the interior of the dome is very beautiful.

I take a small rest on the chair and watch the dome.

In order not to break the silence inside the church, I don't take any photo.

Back to Nyhavn again, I walk into the crowded street.

Though the cost in the restaurant may be expensive, the music performance is nice and free.

As for my first day in Copenhagen, I really think that everything is expensive. Even the cola is at least 15 DKK.

Therefore, if it's not necessary, I prefer the sandwich as my meal.

Besides, it seems hard to find a supermarket near the hostel, and that is also a problem that I could not cook by myself.

Well, if the price for a cola is normal in Denmark, the ticket for the sand sculpture festival or the city pass are not expensive at all.

I think I have to get used to the cost in Denamrk.

My final destination today is Christiansborg which is not far from the Black Diamond and Danhostel.

Though the area of Christiansborg looks big on the google map, the main building is actually on the side of the street "Christiansborg Slotsplads".

If you miss this entrance and walk around the outer wall, the rear entrance is also another way to reach Christiansborg.

I'm not sure what is the feature of Christiansborg. Is it possible to visit inside? I don't have any ideal.

Acoording to the information, Christiansborg is not only used by the Royal family, but also the Danish Prime Minister's office and the Danish supreme court.

It should be the unusual feature among the palaces in the world.