Chocolat

This morning started with a sleep in, courtesy of constant rain.
While the rain has been forecast, our luck to date has brought predominantly clear weather.  Today, our luck ran out.


Yesterday we stopped at the local Netto store - a convenience store across the road from the hostel and bought some staples to see us through breakfast.  The breakfast available here is very basic for the cost.  As we ate today, we are planning the rest of the day.  The weather is bleak and has cooled considerably


There is still a lot to see, so we decide to purchase one of the Hop On Hop Off bus tickets.  There is a stop right outside the hostel, but the street is very congested and is in a state of road-building.
When the bus arrives, there is a large delivery truck blocking the end of the road and it eventually falls to the polis (police) to move it on so that traffic, including our bus, can traverse the street.

Copenhagen is congested with traffic at all times of the day, and when you add the one real constant - bicycles, and the significant road works currently being undertaken, it is slow going through the City.
In the inclement weather, we ride for a full circuit on the bus, getting an idea of what we can still achieve in the time we have.  Normally a 90 minute trip, it takes almost 2 hours to complete.

The tour presents the many faces of Copenhagen - the proud, old history of the Danish kingdom, the strong military life that accompanies this.  The alternate lifestyles and the growing striking architecture of  a modern city.

There are lots of statues celebrating and commemorating important personage and notable events. Then there are the quirky, including, notes Donna, "the only bike that doesn't actually work!"

One full circuit done, we arrive back at the hostel street, this time to find it blocked by an ambulance. Even when one of the paramedics appears after about 8 minutes waiting, he was in no real hurry to make space for the now impatient traffic jam.

We have agreed that we will hop off here and walk back into the City area and go to the Guinness World Record attraction.  I was hoping that we might find reference to Maryborough's 'Most People on a Pub Crawl' record, but no such luck.  In fact, we are decidely underwhelmed by this 'attraction'. It is tired, dusty, very 1970s and with many mistakes in translations etc.

However, once outside and just across the street, our spirits are lifted when we find the Hotel Chocolat and its Café with the motto 'It's all about Cocoa'!  A cold chocolate drink - mine blood orange based and Donna's, mint, and some chocolates soon cheered us up.

Back outside, the drizzle is setting in again and as the early evening light is creeping in, we return to the relative comfort of our room, we set about planning the stops we will make from the Hop On Hop Off bus tomorrow to maximise our time left in Copenhagen.  We plan to visit a different part of the City than where we have concentrated thus far.