From Friday to Friday, 33a: Copenhagen Edition

The plan was: Sara leaves on Sunday to be back in time for her Monday class, and I join her there on Monday evening, after flying in and taking the train from Denmark to Sweden.

What happened instead was:

My flight left right on time, after a bit of coffee in the airport.

Sara booked a flight out for late that night and spent the day on a video-call with her class while I, upon arriving in Copenhagen, took a taxi over to a hotel in the harbor, where--Merry Christmas and unexpected stop in Denmark to me--

I booked a room.

The view out my window was this,

while the view out the front was this.

And the whole reason I booked the hotel in the harbor was because,

 just a walk around the block away,

 was this Christmas Market,

Christmas Markets being a thing in Copenhagen.

But first, 

needing some nourishment,

I stopped for pulled duck (yum).

And then, 

I wandered.

I found more Christmas Markets,

warm glogg 

(spiced wine & liquor, with raisins and almonds in the bottom)

and lights.

I walked until what felt like late, except that it gets dark around 3:30 in Copenhagen...

and so 7:00 found me in the lounge downstairs of my sweet hotel, with the company of some bailey's to warm me up.

The next day, Sara was flying in mid-morning, but then she would spend the day at the airport on video call again with her class, so I had a day to play.

I took advantage of the hotel breakfast, 

including my first ever slice of persimmon (yum),

and then I went,

exploring.

There were more Christmas markets to stumble upon,

tiny shops tucked into the basements of buildings

along quaint side streets,

more Christmas markets to stumble upon,

and a lunchtime bratwurst stop under this

heated awning.

(Let's pause for a moment to talk about bratwurst being an apparent staple of European Christmas markets: They cook them on giant circular disks hanging from the ceiling and over a fire of coals, and they are delicious.)

Next, I headed to the palace.

This is the third "palace" and the fifth structure to be built on this site.

(The first was called Absalon's Castle, built to protect the coast in the 1100s, and the second was Copenhagen Castle, built in the 1400s after the first was destroyed as a result of war. The ruins of these castles are under the current palace, but the current palace is the third palace built here, the first two having gone up in flame.)

I wandered through the Queen's Library,

and the rooms in the "Reception Rooms" wing of the palace,

still in use today. 

(The other wing houses the Parliament and other governmental things.)

I learned all about the Royal Family

and took in all the beautiful details of the place.

Next, I wandered into the kitchen,

which just about made me lose my mind with envy.

(Moment of silence,

 please.)

Though no longer in use, 

I could just imagine it humming away with boiling pots and busy preparations.

Then, I took a walk 

across the courtyard

and around the riding grounds

to the Royal Stables.

I made friends with this beauty (who perhaps earlier I had seen being exercised in those riding grounds just outside),

before getting on my way.

I took in a bit more of this beautiful city,

returning to where I'd started for just a bit.

And then, I took a taxi over to the airport, where I reclaimed Sara

and we got on our way 

(finally, and together!) 

to her sweet little home in Sweden...