Our bus into Copenhagen includes a stop along the harbor to see the world-famous statue of the Little Mermaid (a fairytale creation of Hans Christian Andersen). We then pass by the Royal Theater, Amalienborg Palace and Town Hall Square, before stopping at Tivoli Gardens, Denmark's oldest theme park, which opened its gates in 1843. After trying several rather adventurous rides (including the world's highest swing carousel called Starflyer), we enjoy pairing refreshing Gelato cones with a leisurely stroll through the beautiful gardens.
From Tivoli, we continue on foot to Gammel Strand, were we cruise by canal boat through picturesque Christianshavn, passing local landmarks. The canal boat drops us at the pier well before our ship is to set sail. Bruce and Jan use this time to visit Rosenborg Castle, where the Crown Jewels and other impressive collections are housed.
Bob, Christine, Gary and Rhonda hail a taxi to the Church of Our Lady to view the original 11-foot marble statue of Jesus Christ created in 1839 by Sculptor Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844). This representation of the resurrected Christ, commonly referred to as Thorvaldsen's Christus, is considered by many to be the most perfect statue of Christ in the world. A 3.4 m replica is on display at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. There are also replicas in LDS Visitor Centers throughout the world. The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland also houses a full-size replica of this statue within its iconic dome.
