We planned a full day today, so we were off to central Copenhagen again for a trip to the famous Tivoli Gardens.

Of course, first, there was the ever-present challenge of finding parking. Jason spotted an underground parkade, so we chose it. We drove through a garage door while a second one blocked us from going further. It was like we were inside a glass cube. He suddenly realized we were in some kind of automated parking room. “What have we done?” he laughed as he followed the instructions. “Exit your vehicle and take everything you need.” Ok. “Follow the arrow to the screen.” Gotcha. As soon as we got there, the garage door closed, cutting off our access to the car. The touch screen asked, “Did you take everything you need from the car?” Yes. “Are you SURE? No children or pets left behind?” Yes. “Ok, really, we’re not joking here. Are you absolutely certain, ’cause there’s no turning back now!” YES! I may be paraphrasing a bit, but it REALLY wanted us to be sure about this choice. After the final “YES,” the door closed, and we watched as our car was carried down several floors and disappeared below. It was a little eerie to watch and yet, somehow, exciting. Oh, and in all the excitement, Jason forgot his extra battery for his camera. Oops! I guess it should have asked one more time.

Our visit to the Tivoli Gardens was a lesson in managing expectations. We had envisioned a serene garden, but what we found was more of an amusement park. The reality was a bustling, noisy place dotted with eateries and souvenir shops. It was a stark contrast to the image we had in our minds, but it was an experience in its own right.

We walked through the entire park, taking photos, but decided this wasn’t our ‘scene’ and figured we wouldn’t stay long. On our way toward the exit, I spotted a sign announcing that the Tivoli Orchestra was practicing inside the Tivoli Concert Hall, and everyone was welcome to watch. We decided to check it out and were allowed entry and given instructions to stay quiet while they rehearsed. We sat in the massive theatre to watch the orchestra play a wide array of the classics. It was a much-needed 1/2 hour break from our hectic schedule. I particularly enjoyed watching the young conductor leading the musicians with his flamboyant conducting style. He jumped, twisted, and swung his arms, guiding the orchestra through every beat of music.

Jason noticed one of the musicians at the back of the stage, his trombone on a stand in front of him, just playing/texting on his phone. We kept our eyes on him, and partway into the song, suddenly, he put his phone away, picked up the trombone, played his part, then set it down again, and back on his phone he went. It was entertaining.

A break in the music was our cue to leave. Once outside, we were greeted by a sudden change in the weather. Dark clouds had rolled in, and raindrops started to fall, accompanied by a cool breeze. We hurriedly sought shelter in a nearby coffee shop. I ordered a latte and a cookie, and the bill was $16—the most expensive coffee break ever! 

Once the rain settled, we headed towards the harbour. Jason decided to check out The Museum of Illusions while I strolled along the streets, people-watched and enjoyed some shopping. There were still crowds of people enjoying the afternoon sun. It was a pleasant walk, with many boats sailing lazily down the canal, which were fun to watch. One, in particular, carried a picnic table in the centre with six people sitting around it, enjoying drinks and snacks.

The car was a short walk away, and I hoped it would return to us when we called it in that strange, modern parking lot! Jason followed the instructions again, and with a bit of relief, we heard some clanking of metal far below us. A door opened, and we saw our car slide into the elevator and then rise back up to us. Jason got it all on video. It’s silly to think that a parking garage was one of the day’s highlights.

We hadn’t yet seen the famous Little Mermaid perched on a large stone in the Copenhagen harbour, so, being the good tourists we were, we headed that way. Based on the 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, she sits there as she has since 1913, a symbol of the city’s rich cultural heritage. Hundreds of people disembarked their bus tours to run and snap a picture before returning to their bus and moving on. It made me think of how lucky we are that we had our own vehicle and could come and go as we wished and see many wonderful and unexpected things that bus tours don’t offer.

Jason did a fabulous job of navigating the narrow, twisting roads and crowded traffic, not to mention the many one-way streets (I think he’s only gone down two the wrong way so far this whole trip!).