History Repeats Itself : Day 3 in Copenhagen

Copenhagen doesn't learn from its mistakes. We attempted to go to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek first thing this morning, only to find that our guide was an hour off for opening times. So instead we went to the Christiansborg Palace and grounds, where we heard history repeat itself.

The palace itself isn't very old. About one hundred years at this point. However, there has been a palace there since the 1300s, when Abbot Absalon (who our hotel is named after) put up a wall and stuck a building inside. However, his was destroyed after a battle, and the victors put up their own castle. That one was torn down for a bigger, better palace in the 1700s.

But, less than a century after it was built, a fire was discovered from sparks from a stove into dirty pipes. Hours later, the entire palace was in flames.

So they rebuilt, as they should. They took precautions, such as adding more fire stations and adding iron doors. However, about 50 years later (mid to late 1800s), a fire was discovered, and, hours and half a century later, the castle was again burnt to the ground.

So we visited the third and most recent palace, which also houses the Parliament, horse stables, the Royal Reception room, ruins from previous castles, and a church that in 1990, had the roof burnt off from a stray firework.

After, we went to see the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, and got in this time. It had a casting of "The Thinker" by Rodin, the "14-Year-Old Dancer" by Degas, and a bunch of naked and loving couples. There was also a really pretty palm garden in the middle.

We found a great cafe to have a $16 lox sandwich (which is almost cheap) and then had a bit of a nap. (Yay vacation!)

We finished up the night with a stroll on the Stroget, and are actually in before midnight!

As for more about Denmark, there are some things they do well. They are very good at feeding people after a drink or two (mmm, falafel). They are not very good at telling people about crossing the street. You get a green, then after a bit of beeping that I don't understand, you get a red. We've had to scurry across a couple times.

Additionally, today was the Copenhagen Marathon! Last week, the Pittsburgh Marathon was on my graduation day. We read that if they finished in under six hours, they got a medal. We saw a few in the bar we were at tonight.

It's still being a nice, relaxing vacation.