A Scandinavian Odyssey

 7am start for the Finnlines boat to Travemunde. Confusing check in procedure and we don’t embark until 09:45 after all the lorries. We travel under the Bridge and away from the twisted tower of Malmö.  Truckers’  breakfast on board and then we while away the next 9 hours reading, dozing and having an onboard sauna. Another truckers’ evening meal at 6.  We drive to our final campsite just a little way from the port arriving just before reception closes and the sun sets.   

 We set off in good time and make the most of the views from the expensive bridge crossing back to Sweden. It really is spectacular and took over 4 years to build apparently. We’re at our campsite in Malmö by 10.30 but luckily our pitch is available (rather runt-like but who are we to complain?!). After setting up camp we set off on bicycles to the Gamla Stan of Malmö and wander the cobbled streets people watching and look at the architecture. We find a lunch spot at Johan P and enjoy Gravadlax (S) and Fish soup (me) in rather posh surroundings and I’m in my walking gear! On to Ribernborgs Kauldbuhus, an outdoor cold swimming and sauna complex dating from the late 19th century. Segregated except for one mixed sauna we spend 3 luxurious hours in 3 different saunas interspersed with swims on the deep and quite choppy Baltic Sea. Really exhilarating and probably the best yet! Feeling well cleansed we head back to camp for bread and cheese. Ferry to Travemunde tomorrow.

 Clear skies so chilly night. We go to the Black Diamond , national library and go up to the 6th floor for views through the smoky blue black glass to the harbour. Coffee and cinnamon bun on the grout floor. Then we take the harbour bus (boat) northwards up to the Opera house, then Nyhavn and up to its most northerly stop from where we take the driverless metro back to central Copenhagen.  Lunch at the food market ; delicious fish salads and then a final wander round the town before returning for more mundane tasks like clothes washing! Danish rye bread, Norwegian jahlsberg cheese, Italian salami, Swedish blackberries and Finnish salted liquorice for supper. 

 After breakfast we take the S train into the central station and board another train to the Art Gallery Louisiana about 30 minutes up the coast. A short walk and we reach the gates at opening time. An impressive Sculpture Garden including Henry Moore, Roy Lichtenstein and Joan Miró which we wander round with a fine backdrop of the sea and Sweden across the water beyond. Other inside exhibitions are rather more challenging: Dorothy Iannone is a collection of cartoon like erotica and Alex Da Corte a colourful mix of sculptures, installations and videos that were frankly pretty weird! Our favourite was a mirrored light display with infinite reflections.  We while away a couple of hours most enjoyably and then head back to Copenhagen. We go to the Torvehalferne Foodhall where we have a delicious open sandwich (smørrebrod) with shrimps and salmon. Then a coffee at the Coffee Collective and a wander around the stalls of amazing looking cheeses, fish, meat, olive oils and other deli...

 A bright start to the day. Train and metro to the beginning  of the boat trip along the canals and waterways of Copenhagen. Most impressive Opera House with its sleek roof and the library known as the black diamond, its 70 degree tilting front reflecting the rippling water in front of it. The incinerator doubling up as a ski slope in the distance. Only in Copenhagen! A quick coffee before heading up St Saviour’s. First up narrow wooden steps inside the spire and then outside for the last section. Almost as vertiginous as the Tivoli sky rider.  Lunch in the “free town” of Christiania , lots of maruhana openly on sale. We didn’t buy any.  The design museum, some shops then a beer at Mikkeler bar near central station before heading back for a van meal. 

  A very windy night. And raining this morning. The campsite looks very grey and rather miserable. We pack up and head off towards Malmö. The weather improves as we go and after a couple of hours we are driving over the famous bridge to Copenhagen. We are shocked that the toll is £47….. one way!   We find the campsite then make our way into Copenhagen on the S train. 30 minutes. What an amazing city bustling with people and hundreds of bicycles. We go up the Round Tower with 360 views to get our bearings and visit the Cathedral: quite plain inside. Then to Tivoli Gardens, the World’s second oldest amusement park that inspired Walt Disney. We wonder in amazement as the young hurl themselves around on rollercoasters and admire the floral displays and kitsch architecture. Then to the trendy Meatpacking District filled with cafes and bars. We have a beer at Warpig surrounded by grungy youths and select from about 20 different draft home brews. We’ve booked a table at Kodbyens Fisk...