Tuesday. 16th September.
From Melanie’s apartment we took a cab to Golders Green and then a bus to Stansted airport for our early afternoon flight to Copenhagen. It was an uneventful journey and after a ride on the Metro (completely automated and no driver or guard) from the airport to near the centre of the city we took a cab out to a warm welcome from Maureen and husband BB at his apartment in a block of units occupied by retired ship’s captains. BB’s apartment has only one bedroom and we were settled into a guests bedroom on the ground floor where a 75th birthday party in the community room was just completing.
Maureen had only arrived from Australia about 4 hours before us and with BB had been downstairs enjoying the birthday celebrations. BB then welcomed us all in the ‘traditional’ Danish way with the opening of a bottle of champagne and cookies filled with almond icing. We had a ‘noisy’ time as we all tried to catch up with each other. We had not seen BB since late 1999 and Maureen only once since then. Regrettably BB is ill with cancer and while this was diagnosed about 6 years ago he has had chemo and radio therapy and is fighting on.
Wednesday. 17th September.
After our breakfast in the communal kitchen downstairs we had a ‘medicinal’ Gammel Danske with BB before we left by local bus for the centre of Copenhagen city. After a coffee at the Information office we walked about the city, visiting the Jewish museum and other sites. We then saw people going in and out of a building, followed suit and found ourselves in an Expo for share investors being held in the unique old Stock Exchange building. We did not invest but did enjoy the chocolates being handed out to people at each of the exhibitions!
Later we took a canal tour around many of the old areas of Copenhagen, enjoying the sites of old vessels tied up at the sides of the canals and the variety of buildings behind., Many were old warehouses turned into either upmarket hotels or residential apartments.
Grey clouds threatened rain later in the day as we headed for our bus to take us back to see BB and Maureen. More chatter before we took our tired bodies off to bed.
Thursday. 18th September.
Maureen had informed us that their lap top was not working at all and we also could not get our laptop online. This was a challenge for Chris and with some help from Maureen as to what cable was attached to what, Chris managed to get their lap top cleared of some old files, working again and with contact to the internet. It was good to have a quiet day with no sightseeing. This time allowed Warwick to hear BB recount his shipping experiences from the early 1950’s when he was a seaman on freighters, then on to Navigation school and getting his Masters ticket and finally the many sail training ships he had captained over the later years. BB has been awarded honours by the Danish Queen and has a remarkable record on both Danish and Norwegian ‘tall ships’.
BB is very skilled with ropes and decorative knots as can be expected from someone who has spent his life on sailing ships training young sailors. He now spends quite a bit of his day making ‘rope’ things and before we left presented us with a rope decorated bottle opener and small shot glasses (one for Melanie) with a Turk’s head rope design about the base.
Friday. 19th September.
We took the opportunity in the morning to again see the sights of Copenhagen and after a coffee at Nye Haven a traditional meeting place for locals and tourists we walked through the gardens and part of the city we did not see on Wednesday. Then after a lunch with BB and Maureen we said our farewell to BB and headed for the bus and Metro for the airport. Maureen came along with us for the ride and to farewell us at the airport. We had a leisurely coffee with Maureen and headed for the departure gate with only a few minutes to spare. BUT unknown to us our gate was at the last possible part of the terminal (seemed like a kilometre) and we found ourselves rushing along to reach the gate in time. We arrived as the last of the passengers were boarding…..again!!
We arrived in Amsterdam to be met by Melanie who had come over from London to spend our last weekend in Europe with us. We took the train to Central station and then a tram to our Tulip Inn hotel. It was very good and Melanie enjoyed her room with the king-size bed.
