Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen

Yay, sunshine with just a few cotton wool clouds greeted us this morning.
Outside the IceBar (located in the same building as the Hostel), we catch the Hop On Hop Off bus again.  As we move through the stops, we wonder at the laid back attitudes of the staff - anyone would think that they are Aussies, and yet none we have encountered are!

We are headed into the Christianshavn area on a series of artificial islands within the harbour.  First founded in the 17th Century when King Christian IV extended the fortifications of the City, and at the time was an upper society residential area.  Description
Inderhavnsbroen - an opening bridge across the inner harbour.

In the 1970s a commune society set up in an area of the Christianshavn area that became known as Freetown in abandoned military buildings.  Later, many of these residents self-built their own homes, paying no regard to rules or regulations.  Following many attempts to make the residents conform to the laws of Denmark, finally in 2017 the 1,000 or so residents made their first payment to the state and so began the process of the area coming under the Copenhagen Council rule and home ownership status as opposed to squatter status.

But the area we have come to see is the magnificent Church of Our Saviour with its amazing helix spire that comprises 400 steps to the top.  Needless to say, we did not climb it!  This Church is definitely one of the more ornate and adorned churches we have seen here in Denmark.  The organ pipes dated 1698 and set in elaborate carved timber work borne on the backs of two plaster elephants. While the altar is stunning, and the carved pew heads amazing in their work - appreciated all the more because of my opportunity to watch the carving process of the Peace Pole being developed for the Rotary Club of Maryborough-Sunrise back home, it is the baptismal font that is the pick of the ornate statuary.  It is balanced at the other end by the austerity of the poor chests in the foyer.  The locks on these, as with the many other examples we have seen would seriously challenge any pick-pocket - old or recent!


From here, we walked back onto the City proper across 

Description

Inderhavnsbroen - the opening bridge that crosses the inner harbour, passing by the Børsen, the 17th-century Copenhagen  stock exchange, complete with its twisted spire of crocodiles or dragons - no-one really knows the inspiration.  The commentary on the bus yesterday wondered at how many crocodiles the locals of the 17th century would have seen.  We wonder how many dragons

they might have been witness to!!

We are looking for the Hop On Hop Off boat, only to discover that the ticket we have been given does not cover the boat - even though we specifically asked for it. Too bad.  So we decide to head for the Citadel and the Little Mermaid rather that waste any more time.

We alight the bus for the citadel in front of an amazing fountain, and the only Anglican Church in Denmark - much later, being constructed in the 1870s.  The fountain is the subject of a plethora of tour visitors making it very hard to get a good photo.  One of the standout features of Copenhagen as a city are the number of statues that are to be found at every turn.  This area is no different with artistic and commemorative statues almost every time you turn your head.  The Gefion Fountain features large-scale oxen being driven by the legendary Norse goddess, Gefjun. It is located in Langelinie Park next to Kastellet and is the largest monument in Copenhagen and used as a wishing well.  According to an ancient legend, Gefion was the goddess who ploughed the island of Zealand out of Sweden. The Swedish king Gylfe offered the goddess Gefion as much land as she was capable of ploughing within one day and one night.

Looking across the moat to the citadel, you can clearly trace the outline of the five pointed star.  Michael and I first saw an example of this type of fort in Blaye in south-western France.  Today, they are mowing the grass sides - with a domestic mower attached by a rope to a tractor riding along the top of the mound.  It looks so comical, and yet is so practical.

 The Citadel, or 

Description

Kastellet, is one of the best preserved fortresses in northern Europe, and like much of the existing city, dates back to the early 17th century.  This is still a working facility with mess houses and the normal workings of a military establishment.  It should have been easy to walk through the fort through to visit the Little Mermaid on the other side, but the City, among all the other places, is

undertaking works here - this time to protect the fort from flooding!  So back outside we trudge to wait for the next bus to take us around closer to this iconic symbol of Copenhagen.

The Little Mermaid sits on her rock pensively looking at you, pining for the loves she never.  Not often spoken of alternative mermaid - the Genetically Modified Mermaid - is found off a new Square at Langelinie.  She represents a tortured soul, albeit with feet,but still without a love.

The day is getting blustery now and darker clouds are moving in.  We decided to ride the bus around to Nyhavn and have some early dinner before returning to the Hostel.

In the dying light of the afternoon, this colourful canal community is stunning.  A 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district, it is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants.  Hans Christian Anderson lived in this district at the time that he wrote most of his fairy tales.

Not having had any lunch, we stopped at No.19 Nyhavn at the Skagen Restaurant where we feasted on seafood tapas (Donna) and Fish Soup (Maria) followed by Surf and Turf (Donna) and Rib Fillet (Maria).  It is raining as we eat and the wind has really come up, so we take advantage of the blankets the restaurant offers.

From here it is a 5 block walk back to the normality of the hostel.

Tomorrow we begin our journey for home, flying first to Amsterdam from Copenhagen.  It would have been nice to go by train, but it is an overnight trip and the train gets in a little to close to our departure for our Sydney bound flight.

One more night - this time back in Amsterdam.

Beautiful places and memorial events

It dawns the perfect day for sightseeing. Cool (real cold) and crisp with that beautiful autumn sunlight that so seems to complement absolutely everything you look at. We join the other guests for breakfast where Francine is in control of everything and looking like she has just stepped out of a morning tea - complete with beautiful heeled shoes and a lovely set of pearls. Nothing flusters her and she exudes serenity. Nice. As was breakfast. Good selection of breads and pastries, cold meats and cheese, fresh eggs for boiling just to your liking.

On checking out, they tell us we can leave the car there all day if we want to, but given that we want to start with Beguinage and the Minnewater area that is also known as 'the Lake of Love', we take the car to get over to there. Brugge was cursed after a massacre to keep the 'long necks' (swans) for all time and this area is where they are found. It is a very romantic area of Brugge - greenery, water and houses combine, pretty in a way that has inspired painters of times immortal.

Beguinages had their origins as places founded something aside from a convent where women lived, not taking vows, but following religious percepts and earning a living in Bruges with looms. When the last of the Benguines died a community of Benedictine nuns was established here. The homes of these people exist in the open community as a place of peace and tranquility and despite the large numbers of visitors wandering, there is little noise to disturb the calm. After strolling through this beautiful place, and stopping to visit the church that is dedicated to St Elizabeth of Hungary, we head back into the city centre to expand on out quick visit late yesterday.

Bruges is known as the 'Venice of the North' because of its canal system. And along with the canals come boat cruises that burn up and down the waterways (not like the sedate gondolas) and waterside dining spots. And with canals you get...? Bridges of course and this is where the name Bruges is founded.

Frances eventually finds us a parking spot near the Church of Our Lady. We are amazed at the number of people that are here in Bruges today. Being a Sunday it is also surprising to see almost all the shops open for trade. We have just come from Germany where nothing except some of the petrol stations are open on Sundays. And yes, every second shop is a chocolate shop - truly. I spy a hat shop and being Michael's birthday, we go in to find something special. And we do. His own Deer Stalker hat! (think Sherlock Holmes and you can picture it!) Looks pretty good in it too - don't you think!!!

So, a beaming husband in his new hat by my side, we head for the Church of Our Lady. Now, Bruges has a huge number of churches - seven are know to be monumental and often are on visitor itineraries. The Church of Our Lady is known for two things:
Firstly it is home to the Madonna with Child carved in Carrera marble by a young Michelangelo and secondly as a repository for many other works of art throughout the church and in its museum. But this church is really so much more - it is a church of people (their words) and there are many opportunities for you to participate in the life of this community - least of all, the invitation to write prayers and thanks on sheets of paper and post them into a keeper which is opened each week and read out at the end of Mass.

The church itself is quite austere although the altars are baroque. The tall windows in the body of the church are not lead-lighted and so light floods the building. A community member welcomes you at the door, music fills the space with the echoes soaring to the roof. At the end of the first aisle sitting within a marble altar is the beautiful work by a young Michelangelo 'Madonna and Child'.

The museum within the church is an array of jaw-dropping art. However, it is tastefully arranged so as not to diminish the aura of the structure from being a house of worship. To appreciate the collection, one has to be there to experience this wonder. Albeit, the museum is confined within the apse and presbytery of the church. The confessionals are beautifully carved walnut depicting various saints, as is the choir. There are original works of art which adorn the walls, and in particular is Gerard David's triptych 'The Transfigeration of Christ' (ca. 1520). There is so much I can regale, however space is a premium so I suggest you follow this link.

Back outside we join the ever growing number of people who are cruising the streets. Ah yes, Bruges on a Sunday sure is jumping. Down small back streets, up narrow lanes. You turn a corner and there you see yet another Madonna. The patron saint of Bruges is everywhere - including a new take in a window of a pub. Many of the churches are now closed as they have finished with their Sunday services, so we just admire them from the outside. And now it is time to return to the Markt and HOT CHOCOLATE - mmmmm. Yep, it is cool and getting cooler as we walk in the shadows of the buildings. Everyone is well rugged and girls you should see the fancy and sometimes beautiful scarves that people here are wearing. Again, guided by the locals, we find a cafe to sample some traditional Belgian luxuries - hot chocolate and fresh Belgain waffles (with bananas and chocolate). Yu-um. Michael however is hungrier and opts for a snack of spaghetti carbonara.

The Markt square is impressive. At the ground level it is dominated by the monument to Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck who led the revolt in 1302 to rid the city of the French. But it is the imposing Cloth Hall and Belfry that really dominates the square. At 88 meters high, and including a carillion of 47 bells this is one truly beautiful edifice. And like with all the other towering structures that we have seen, Michael soon makes it his business to climb up the 388 steps to get a view of the city from on high. There is a museum within the Tower that has been used like most of these across Europe, to house the important records of the City.

It may have not been the highest tower I have climbed, but it would be one of the most interesting. To scale the interior one has to negotiate three levels of stairs: lower and middle spiral stairs built in masonry, and the belfry is reached by sections of wooden staircases. The centre section of the tower contains a 'vault' which originally was the city's repository for records and funds. The repository contains two original strong boxes, with one ensconced behind an iron latticed 'curtain'. Before arriving at the belfry, one reaches the musical 'tracker bar' (not too dissimilar to a pianiola roll, but much greater in size) providing the notes for the carillon. Finally, the belfry is reached and the views of Brugge (and the bells) are quite spectacular. As I was admiring the view, the carillon began to 'chime' - a deafening sound muted to an enjoyable interlude by inserting one's fingers in the ears!

Then its around to the next square that houses even more impressive buildings - the Town Hall, the Basillica of the Holy Blood, the Court's Office and the Provost's house. All impressive, all ornate and grand and all filled with sightseers! As I said, the place to be on a cool but clear Sunday afternoon is Bruges!

We finally returned to the car and turned for Ypres (Ieper) where as a special treat for Michael on his birthday we are going to the Last Post Service at the Menin Gate tonight. We check in to the Ambrosia Hotel in the drizzle. Owner Vincent makes us very welcome and suggests a restaurant for dinner. I won't name it because for us it certainly did not live up to the recommendation - the food was average and the service deplorable.

Anyway, before we went to dinner we started at the Menin Gate where The Last Post Ceremony has been conducted every night (except for the German occupation between 1940 and 1944 when it was held in Surrey) rain hail or shine as the Belgians honour those who freed them in WWI. There are a large crowd of people present packed within the arches of the gate and spilling out onto the surrounding street. Just before 8 pm the local police arrive to effect the road closure and the buglers of the volunteer Fire Brigade and a piper arrive. At the dot of 8, a hush falls and the mournful sound starts. There is a contingent of Adult Scouters from the UK here, all stand at stiff attention, one with tears coursing down his face, and the British flag rests on the ground. You could have heard a pin drop if it weren't for the 3 bus loads of young English high school students. Honestly, they are too young to fully comprehend or appreciate what they are witness to. Still, after the Last Post, the laying of the wreaths and the Reveille are played, they quickly find somewhere else to be, leaving this special place to those with memories or respects to pay to linger a while . . . And Michael places the last of our Australian flags at the Diggers memorial at gthe eastern flank of the Gate. It is a most modest memorial with a collection of wooden crosses left by silent pilgrims.

After a little while we go back into the centre to have dinner and then return to the hotel and a warm and welcoming bed - it is now only 2°C!

Heading west and north to the cold.

The Art Fabrik (factory) & Hotel serves a buffet breakfast that is the most expensive we have encountered for ages. At €12 per person we contemplate whether we should go out for brekky but in the end give in and go down to the cafe area where it is served - down in the funky lift. We need not have worried - the spread is amazing with hot and cold foods - meatballs, a couple of different types of sausages, scrambled, fried and boiled eggs, salad ingredients, cereals, yoghurts and additives such as fruit and nuts, cold meats and cheeses, a variety of rolls and breads and pastries and some of the best fruit juices and coffee that we have had for yonks. We eat our fill knowing that we won't have to worry about lunch today!

Although it has been wet through the night, there is just a spattering of rain as we prepare to leave. We marvel at the growing mounds of leaves that autumn brings and while we will miss it back in the hot Australian summer, I can't help but think how much work it must create for the local councils. At least they would have plenty of mulch materials!

And so we hit the road again. There is a cable car like no other here in Wuppertal - it hangs beneath the track. The hotel reception staff tell us that it is a great way to see the city. When asked the duration of a round trip they reply that it is about an hour. Too long for us today - especially in this weather. We have another longish drive and if it continues to rain, I don't want to hurry. Once we are clear of the city and back on the motorway, my fears are realised when the rain continues on and off.

The weather is cold and quite bleak. The trees look naked without their leaf cover, and yet, grown as they are in long lines or clumps, they appear to be huddled together against the ravages of wind and rain. Today we pass through the Netherlands again - just passing through, clearing the outskirts of Venlo and then Eindhoven and noticing again the gothic architecture that is so abundant throughout this part of Europe.

And still the rain comes, although along with the wet, it is a little warmer thankfully - gee we actually get to 8°C! Yes, I know that its not hot, but believe me the difference between 4°C and 8°C is heaps when it is wet and windy! I was hoping that I could leave all the really warm clothes packed for now, but I should have known better! And as we continue to head north before we head home, odds are that it will get colder yet - bring on the Australian summer - I think. (Probably won't be Saying that once we are back in it in the coming weeks!!)

We only travel across the very south of The Netherlands for a total of about 80 kms before we are in to Belgium. Just before we cross that border, we pull in for fuel. At the bowser alongside us, there is a fellow in a van with Lithuanian registration plates on it. Like many other Eastern European drivers, he is towing an unregistered car. I think that they come to the west, buy the older, cheaper second hand cars and then sell them at a nice little profit back home - lord knows, we have seen enough of them! The state of his bullet-holed van leaves us wondering whether he has pushed his luck just once too often. He had better be careful with this one then!

We push on, needing to travel across most of Belgium. When deciding our route back to London for flights home, I had asked Michael whether he had any preferences. He said that he would like to return to Ypres to hear the The Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ieper, so I have arranged our route to give him this little joy on his birthday!

Other than that, he had no preference and I did. I really want to see Bruges. It has a fascinating history and is often known as the Venice of the North given its canal system. There are very heavy planning requirements for all buildings new and old in the historic old city centre that means it retains to today much of the same architecture and certainly a uniformity of look, as it first did in its glory days that date from the 12th century. So we travel towards Bruges, calling in briefly at the small town of Damme on the way through. This pretty town sits on the bank of the River Reie that has now been canalled. It is known for its well preserved windmill and has a very handsome City Hall as well as numerous bookshops and coffee houses.

Now, as we all know, one of the best things produced in Belgium is CHOCOLATE. And when we first arrive in Bruges, before we go around to our hotel for the night, we drive in to the old city and take a walk around. Every second shop is a chocolate shop! And while prices are competitive, the chain shops are the dearest! We stop. We look. We smell. We sample. And of course, we buy! No wonder there are so many cows in Belgium (but what is it with all the beef cattle?) And another thing that Belgium is famous for is lace and lace products. Those who know me know that I love fine lacework. We walk past a few very commercialised shops that seem to specialise in mass-produced items and its only when I find one of the smaller shops that we venture in. I get a beautiful tray cloth that is hand-worked. The owner spends quite a bit of time chatting to us and explaining the differences in the various lace pieces she has for sale. Gosh, I could go bananas in this shop for sure! (Got to remember, this is just stuff!)

Its now after 5 pm, dark and getting colder by the minute, so its time to head over to our accommodation for the night - the Golden Tree Hotel. Plenty of time tomorrow to explore Bruges in more detail. We are the last car in to the car park and there is only one spot left that will park in another car. No fear, it belongs to the family running the hotel and they say to park here. When we walk into the room, it is very warm thankfully and it takes most of the evening for us to realise that there is under-floor heating, so I turn the radiators down.

When asked for a recommendation for dinner, Francine at the Golden Tree Hotel warns us against eating near the Markt Square - over-priced and poor quality food she says. She can recommend a local restaurant called Carte Blanche. Michael takes a walk and gets the last table reservation! It's not a large restaurant, but is quite obviously popular with locals as well as visitors and from the greetings between some of the patrons and the owner, it has many regulars.

Owner Kieran and his staff run a tight little ship here and as we are sitting in front of the open kitchen, we get a first hand look at just how productive a very small space can be. The menu is large enough to offer a good range of foods, but small enough for them to manage well. The theme is 'Authentic Flemish specialities with a contemporary twist'. We agonised over having to make choices yet again and finally decided on:
Entrees:
Bloedworst met compote Granny Smith (Blood sausage with Granny Smith compote) Michael
Kaaskroketten (Cheese Croquettes) Maria
Mains:
Rundvlees stoofpot in bruin bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Beef stew in brown ale with hand cut chips and a salad) Michael
Varkensvlees Stew in Cherry Bier met chips handgesneden en een salade (Pork Stew in Cherry Beer with hand cut chips and a salad) Maria
Desserts:
Rijstebrij met bruine suiker (Rice pudding with brown sugar) Michael
Crème brûlée - Maria

The food was fabulous and had us making comparisons with the French food we haved eaten. At the end of our meal we chat some with Kieran and he shows us a photo of his 'very cool dude' new son Maddox at 4 months old with dad's sunglasses on! Very cute!

Water water everywhere! A day of contrasts.

The Wasserstrassenkruez or Water Bridge just outside Madgeburg in Germany sent the email world into hoax spins a few years ago when people queried the legitimacey of the photos that were being circulated. But now, as then, this is very definitely a real resource.

It compares with the Falkirk Wheel that we saw earlier this year in Scotland in terms of ingenuity and actually performs almost the same function - well, they both serve to minimise the number of locks on their water courses and to transport ships and boats far more cost effectively than the alternatives! We had been through here once before in August (on our way to Paris to collect Helen) and although we could see it above us, we were obviously in the wrong spot as we could not find our way through the huge fence. With directions from the staff at the Hotel Sachsen Anault though we find it easily from Barleben near Madgeburg. As we drive towards the River Elbe on the motorway we can see the canal (although it doesn't really look any different to another bridge of sorts) from afar.

We begin our look at this engineering marvel at the lock system that allows boats to enter and leave the canal. As the height of the canal is much higher than the previous waters, a complex system of holding ponds was created so that the water would not need to be taken from a diminshing source. There are three locks side by side and the width of the canal would easily allow two good size boats to slip by side by side very easily.

It is a truly impressive system and I only wish that there was some way that I could get in to one of the towers so that I could get a better photo of one of the paths of water flowing over the top of the other! There are plenty of photos that you can seek out elsewhere and todayis not the best of days with only one barge travelling on the canal while we are there. Not like the plethora of boats that many photos show! In the autumn chill of 6 degrees, this is one lonely place today!

We had read a little about Magdeburg Cathedral while I was researching the Water Bridge and so once we have had our fill there, we head into the centre of the City. As soon as we reach the outskirts we start to see the dichotomy of this city where the new sits proudly alongside the old, without conflict, but more with a 'what the ???' While much of the civic architecture is old, much of the housing is new. Apartments blocks sure, but at least with an effort to make it interesting with blocks of colour and great public art.

But our time here is limited as we have to drive to Wuppertal and it will take us over 3 hours. With Kate programmed for the city centre, we manage to find a parking spot (thank you Frances) in the Cathedral Square! It is a truly impressive gothic building whose towers can be seen for miles away. In fact we could see them from the motorway long before we got anywhere near the city. This Cathedral has a very interesting past - read about it here. Today it is quite an austere in first glance, but if you take a seat and quietly look around, special discrete items come to your eye. Like the ornate tomb that lies in Mary Anne's Altar in the Ernst Chapel, like the restored choir seats with their faces and scenes relating to earlier occpiers on their misericords, like the Green man and the Tree of Life - one old, one new, tying the 800 years of history relating to this church together. There is a beautiful Pieta and the tomb of King Otto I. And that is just inside. Outside is another story altogether!

The current Cathedral was built after the first cathedral burned down in the early 13th century. This one is much larger and grander. But unlike other gothic churches, there are no external buttresses supporting the walls of this church. The outside is filled with the most fantastic examples of gargoyles, grotesques and agonys. These characters take the forms of animals and people in the most wonderful poses. And then there are the finials and crenellations and parapets and quoins. Aren't they a wonderful mouthful of words - watch out my Scrabble mates, I might just use them! If you need any explanation look here.

Oh, but Magdeburg is more, so much more. It was the cross-roads of the old Roman northern and southern routes, so there are ruins of former roman settlements including statues found in niches that line the oldest garden in the city. Nearby stands the remnants of the former City walls. In the main square, the Markt, lies the outline of the former cathedral that was only discovered in recent times. At the edge of the square there is brass model of the inner city area showing the old cathedral and the new one with all the related church buildings and the other city churches as well as major civic buildings. I always love these reliefs, they visually set the place up so that you can see the relationship between them all.

Surrounding the other sides of the Markt Square are grand buildings that once formed part of the castle and today forms government offices and museums, and on the fourth side are two modern office buildings of a similar height. They are striking and coloured in shades of blues and purples, yet they blend in beautifully in the autumn air. They aslo provide a link to another striking building.

Here in Magdeburg there is another of the stunning Hundertwasser houses. This one is known as "Die Grüne Zitadelle" or The Green Citadel of Magdeburg, a large, pink building of modern architecture completed in 2005. We had hoped that we might get to see it while we are here and low and behold, there it is, peeking out from behind the earlier grand structures, just off the Markt Square. A composite structure, it houses commercial spaces, offices, a hotel and apartments.

Weaving arcades with undulating floors connect a series of inner courtyards with columned colonnades that look more mexican than anything that you would expect here. We can't resist a visit to the public toilets and are not disappointed there either - although at €1 a visit they certainly are the most expensive! There are some shops that really belong here with truly funky items and I manage to buy a few 'souvenirs' of our visit to take home. This adds to the rather small lot of mementos that we have bought!

Later than we had originally planned, we finally left Magdeburg at 3 pm. The drive over to Wuppertal was in and out of rain again. Germany is determined not to allow us to lift our mood as we leave her for the last time this trip. Wuppertal is definitely a working city and our hotel - the Art Fabrik & Hotel reflects this. Once a factory building, this funky establishment appealed to us as soon as we saw it advertised. A series of artists has been involved in the design and layout and their works are all through the hotel, including the furniture of the restaurant.

Dinner is eaten in the hotel as it is raining yet again.
Entrees:
Minestrone - Michael
Special Fleischbällchen in Tomaten-reich (Special meatballs in rich tomato) Maria
Mains:
Rolled Seezungenfilet gefüllt mit Krabben in Hummer-Soße mit Reis und Gemüse (Rolled fillet of sole stuffed with prawns in a lobster sauce with rice and vegetables) Michael
Scallopine in Weißweinsauce mit der Hand geschnittene Kartoffeln und Gemüse (Scallopine in white wine sauce with hand cut potatoes and vegetables) Maria
Dessert: we both have the Creme Caramel that is served with a vanilla custard and chocolate sauce - very nice.