Back home with a few final Copenhagen highlights!

The first unexpected Copenhagen highlight was seeing the Danish National Symphony Orchestra at another amazing venue, DK Koncerthuset. When our tour leader was comparing this Hall favourably with the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg, I was on-line seeing if there was a performance for the post tour return.

Two well know pieces were on the program last Thursday - found Romanian cellist Andrei Ionija performed Dvorak's Cello Concerto followed by Maurice Ravel's orchestration of Modest Mussoegsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

The first photo shows the best searing available...A reserve in "the Gods"! Here's the thing about these new halls, it's all in the design and acoustics. The sears were well worth the pricing. The hall is part of a much larger complex opening ten years ago. The wood panelling is a feature and ensures the clarity and warmth of sound. Plenty of escalators and lifts to move you around the complex and there's a subway station to wish you the five kilometres back to central Copenhagen.

Next is the Design Museum Denmark located in a beautiful old building close to the palace precinct.

The impact of Danish design on furniture, particularly the chair, is very much the focus of the permanent exhibition.  Here you're walking through the origins of the much loved Parker and Chiswell brands and the more recent "knock-off" Matt Blatt.

There's also the more contemporary on display....don't know about this prototype chair and the Danish design clothing was certainly interesting!

The inclusion of a small collection of Lalique glass was the first time I'd made the connection with Iittala.  I so regret "decluttering" those beautiful Ultima Thule glasses and candlesticks I received for my 21st!

The third highlight was visiting the Statens Museum for Kunst, the National Gallery of Denmark SMK.  Opened in 1896, it's surrounded by the beautiful parklands of The King's Garden, The Botanical Gardens and Østre Anlæg.  A century later, a modern wing was added at the rear with a high glass ceilinged "Sculpture Street" merging the two buildings. 

The lobby was upgraded about 10 years ago with the addition of a giant chandelier,  a lift (behind the yellow wall) and spiral staircase.  

Moving between the buildings via "Sculpture Street",  I walked across one of the two glass floored suspension walkways on the first floor but returned to the stability of the ground floor for the return.

The central area on the ground floor of the new extension is a glass wall open area with views to the parkland beyond.  Similar views are offered from many areas on the upper floors of the new extension which houses the 20th and 21st century collections of mainly Danish art.

A big surprise was the beautifully curated collection of French Art from the first three decades of the 20th century bequeathed to the gallery by a private collector.   Here are a few favourites....

Leaving the gallery, you look across the water feature with its chairs to the towers of Rosenborg Castle - almost last highlight of Copenhagen.  I understand, in the warmer weather, patron take a seat in the water feature.

Rosenborg is another Renaissance castle from the 17th century.  The basement is the real drawcard in the castle as it accommodates The Treasury including the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia.  Other attractive baubles and trinkets caught my eye!

The castle contained the usual assortment of chandeliers and decorative ceilings.  The "throne room" with its Delft tiling was unexpected.  A castle with self-directed viewing was very pleasant....

The final highlight for this trip was dinner at Tivoli Gardens on the final evening...just because you have to visit once when you're in Copenhagen.  I'm still amazed that most visitors (including me) pay the entrance fee, about $30, to wander around, find somewhere to eat and never take a ride!

Here's one of the newer rides, The Star Flyer, built by an Australian company and offering "panoramic views of Copenhagen".... not for me at any price!

But this may be a Tivoli drawcard for some....  In one of the many gift/souvenir shops, you can buy as many pegs of the same colour as you like!  I'm a person who always uses the same coloured pegs on each article I'm hanging but will vary the colour of pegs between articles.  There are others who long to have a line filled with the same coloured pegs. While there are many options to achieve this, a trip to Tivoli can be added to the list!

Finally, a rhododendron display at Tivoli....the flower of my 2019 tour of rivers, canals and fjords!  Thanks for joining me on my travels and your good wishes and comments.  It's been a trip with so many highlights!   I'm glad that my return saw rain in Sydney....