Crossing the Atlantic: Part Five

When I was in the Faroes, I heard that the Danish Queen, Margrethe II, was due to have her seventieth birthday soon, but I didn't think much more of it. However, once stranded in Copenhagen, I realised I was going to be around for it and saw that it was a pretty big deal for the Danes.

AC told me that there was going to be a parade through Copenhagen, but after checking the internet we realised we'd missed it. Bummer.

(AC reading from the newspaper) "But John, she is going to wave from the Town Hall just before 2 o'clock".

I stopped and thought about it. I had about fifty minutes and didn't even know how to get to the centre of Copenhagen from the hotel. I was sure I wouldn't make it. But then I hadn't got anything else to do and it could end up being an experience... After umming and ah-ing for a few minutes (whilst losing time), I decided to go for it. Why not?

So I did a quick Google Map check, memorised the route to the station and rushed off. There were reminders about the birthday all over the place. Every bus had two Danish flags flying and most buildings were adorned with the Danish red-and-white (The last part of that sentence is a little more poetic than mitchenstein usually gets. Apart from when I wrote that ode to Aldgate Station):

I got to Copenhagen Town Hall (I made it!) and there were a LOT of people there:

A large screen was relaying the proceedings from inside the hall to those of us waiting on the square. Royalty from Sweden and Norway was there, but a lot of the guests hadn't been able to make it because of some volcano or something ;) So it was good that I had made the effort to go, as I now saw myself as the United Kingdom's official representative.
And then she came out to see me!
This very short video is just to give you an idea of the scenes as she came out. I warn you now, it's loud. You were warned. Just there. And then there again. There.

She wasn't there for long, but it was pretty cool. I'm a bit of a royalist and I've never seen our Queen, so it was kinda cool to see Margrethe on her special day :) But the fun didn't stop there! As soon as she'd left, they unveiled a massive load of huge Danish pastries, enough for about two thousand people, they said (not quite enough). But it was free!

The crowd rushed off to get a piece of the action/cake:
But I was a little too cool for that, so I didn't get a piece. And I went off on my way.

Only joking!