Market and Mermaid...

We ride into the Copenhagen city island over a bridge busy with cycling commuters and the cycling school run. There is even a cycle taxi. An enormous stone paved square with two glass boxes is the posh covered food market. On northwards we passed the C19th rows of identical ochre painted houses used for navy's personnel. Next are old fortifications, then a tourist coach parked up shows us the location of the Mermaid statue.


She is a rather beautiful life size bronze on a large boulder just offshore, near a park. There was a short queue of tourists taking it in turn to jump across and have their photo taken with this famous maiden.
Two big cruise ships can be seen anchored across the bay. Finishing our circular cycle we go past the palace quadrangle where blue and grey soldiers wearing bearskin hats are waiting to change the guard. A very ancient policeman is stopping the few tourists from getting too close. Finally we pass the vast Tivoli gardens with the big amusement rides towering above the trees. At railway stations there are acres of bikes, and when we stop for coffee it is difficult to find a spot to lean our bikes as every spare bike stand and lamppost is already occupied with a pile of others.
Miles to date 1330

Location:Copenhagen