Destination: Copenhagen, Denmark

I’ve just about finished my scrapbook from the Baltic cruise, so it’s on my mind and I’m ready to share.  Here’s what I suggest seeing if you have just 2 days in Copenhagen.

What to Do/See in 2 Days
My husband and I arrived early Wednesday morning and caught up with our friends who’d arrived the night before at the hotel.  We showered in their room (our room wasn’t ready yet) and set out on this plan.  Unfortunately it started raining just before lunch on Thursday, so we gave up on the last few places.  I’d definitely like to go back and check out Copenhagen further.

Frederiksborg Castle. “King Christian IV’s magnificent renaissance castle in Hillerød north of Copenhagen was built in the beginning of the 17th century. In the following centuries the castle provided the setting for important ceremonial events, first and foremost the anointing of absolute monarchs. Today the castle has been transformed into a national historical museum.” (VisitCopenhagen.com)  It is a really gorgeous castle, so definitely go if you like castles and/or photography.  We took the S-train, line E to Hillerod, from Copenhagen (~40 mins) and then a local bus (701, 702, 703, 325), which was included in the Copenhagen Card (~5 mins).  It was super easy, especially since the bus driver spoke English and assured us we were on the right bus and told us when to get off.

Baltic Cruise Preview

Mosey on over to Elizabeth Anne Designs Living for a preview of our recent Baltic cruise.  My friend “Elizabeth” posted a few pics from the trip, one of which is below.  I hope to find some time to post some info for y’all soon.  I learned soooo much in researching and planning this trip, and I’d love to share it so that the time I spent might benefit someone else.

Destination: Split

Split was, like Corfu, a pleasant surprise.  The beach wasn’t too nice, but the city was adorable and amazing. They even have a huge statue of Merlin!

 

Destination: Corfu

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Corfu.  I hadn’t heard of it before we researched the trip, so I had no idea why we were visiting the place.  Turns out that it’s a beautiful Greek island – but very different from, say, Mykonos or Santorini.  Although the towns on Corfu aren’t as charming, the people are nice, there’s plenty to do, the food is good, and the scenery is outstanding. 

Destination: Mykonos

Mykonos was, hands down, my favorite port we visited on our cruise last year.  Thank goodness!  My desire to visit the island, and it’s little sister, Delos, were what prompted the whole cruise in the first place.  See, back in the early 1990s, I was a huge Christopher Pike fan, and the setting of The Immortal really spoke to me.  Since Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the Seas was one of a relatively small number ships stopping in Mykonos, that’s how “we” came to choose that itinerary.  Now on to pictures and potentially useful information!

Destination: Olympia

Like Athens, I think of Olympia as another one of those must-see places in Greece.  I was thrilled that our itinerary included a stop at nearby Katakolon.

Destination: Athens

Athens is the gateway to Greece.  Although it’s not the best of Greece in my opinion, it’s still a must-see.  I agree with Rick Steves – see the main sites here and get out.  We had what amounted to just half a day in Athens on our cruise, so I’ll share with you what I learned from that perspective. 

Earthquake in Italy

The earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy earlier today has killed nearly 100, left thousands homeless, and ruined much of the city’s treasured Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture.  (Sources: CNN,  National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel blog.)  Keep those people in your thoughts and prayers.

Humanitourism – helping cats and dogs in Greece

National Geographic Traveler’s blog just featured a trip I’d love to take: a trip to Greece to help out with their animal welfare crisis.  Apparently the SPCA is more special than I thought – Greece doesn’t have anything like it.  That means that there aren’t as many shelters as there are here, and there isn’t a go-to source for spaying and neutering.  As you’ve seen from my brief visit to a few spots in Greece, there really are cats everywhere, so this is absolutely a real issue.

Destination: Venice

Venice was a dream.  Have you been?  If not, put it on your list and start working towards it.  If so, are you longing to go back?  Although it was rainy and chilly for our visit, I loved it.  It was just beautiful.  The water looked as fake as I expected.