Copenhagen, episode 3. In which we are hit over the head with local character.

Here I am, again, posing happily at one of many eclectically charming fleamarket stops along Copenhagen's Ravnsborggade Sunday street market. I had just finished trying on those skates, hoping they would give me an advantage over other shoppers, but they were metric and my feet are decidedly and conventionally American.

Mari would NEVER have let me buy roller skates.

Can you imagine the kind of trouble I could get into?!

By the way, you're going to see this snappy little marketing "ensemble" for the next few posts because this all did take place on the same Sunday morning. I'm not sure when I became that guy, you know the one, who wears plaid shirts, but I think it works. Plaid is good for traveling, too, because the pattern hides potential stains that are problematic when you are at the beginning of your travel-laundry-Algebra shirt-wearing-cycle and must wear your plaid shirt with funny little stain one more time four days in the future (Tide stain stick is always a must in my overpacked dopp kit).

Before heading back to our morning flea, I wanted to take a moment and recommend the Admiral Hotel.

Mari and I enjoyed some Copenhagen time pre and post cruise at the Admiral and were thrilled with the location and quality of service but were especially excited to be staying in such a historic building.

Originally constructed as a warehouse for grain storage, the 230-year-old beauty is located right on the harbor with awesomely colorful southeastern views towards the marina and opera house and just a one-mile stroll along the bay from the Little Mermaid statue where busloads of luck-seeking tourists await curious contemplation.

Here's a view of the back of the Copenhagen Opera House as seen from the back of the Admiral.

Simply serenely sublime!

admiralhotel.dk/en

The hotel's website features some beautiful photographs as well as a historic rendering of the bay area. You can also read up on some of the building's history including details of the original "characteristic beams" visible throughout public areas and in most of the 366 guest rooms.

Here's a shot of the character that greeted us as we walked into our first (pre-cruise) room. Mari came up with a great idea to tape a large note to the beam to warn us to duck as we moved about the room. Fortunately, we survived the not-so-subtle charming character pre-cruise and the beams in our post-cruise room were thankfully better suited for early morning restroom visits sans contact lenses.

The Admiral reminded us of the 120-year-old Molino Stucky in Venice where we also enjoyed a stay before a Mediterranean cruise five years ago. That building was originally a flour mill then a pasta factory. Instead of characteristic beams, there was a characteristic "tunnel" quality to the rooms with rounded edges where the ceilings met the walls.

Needless to say, we love character.

One of the things I love about being my own travel guru is the ability to search the internet for precise hotel locations and to see what amenities are available within walking distance of hotel environs: shops, restaurants, markets, churches... palaces...

You may laugh, but we were actually on the same block as the Amalienborg Palace complex, home to the Danish royal family. That's two of the Royal Life Guards standing watch towards the left of my photo. The Guards have served the royal family at the palace since 1785.

A changing of the guard ceremony occurs at noon daily, preceded by a procession from nearby Rosenborg Castle. With the king and queen in residence, this march through town turns tourist spectacle with the addition of the King's Guard and a marching band.

We were, unfortunately, the only royalty in town during our stay, so we marched to the beat of our own drum.

Plan your visit and learn more about the palaces housed in the

pedestrian friendly palace square by visiting the well-documented site.

kongernessamling.dk/en/amalienborg

I know I teased you last time with a short market video, but I promise we'll start there next time as I share a few more treats picked up at Ravnsborggade.