In the land of Hans Christian Andersen

The iconic sculpture, The Little Mermaid. Since it is a popular Copenhagen tourist attraction, it's difficult to photograph her with all the people around and climbing onto the rocks [at low tide]…

I didn't have many good photos from which to choose today because I couldn't shoot many frames all morning. This trip is an organized trip: Road Scholar's “The Beat of the Nordic Heart: Vibrant Copenhagen and Stockholm.” (Road Scholar is the new name of what used to be “Elderhostel.”) It's a trip similar to our trip last year to Vancouver & Victoria, BC. I suppose due to the "Scholar" part of the name, there are always "learning" or educational components to the trip. Yesterday we had a half-morning lecture on the history of Denmark and this morning we visited a day-care center and then had a less-formal presentation from our group leader, a native Dane, and a new-Dane from Texas (married a Dane!). Together they talked about Denmark's welfare system. It was very interesting!

From Visit Copenhagen, http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/the-little-mermaid-gdk586951 » “At Langelinje Pier you will find one of Copenhagen's most famous tourist attractions: The sculpture of The Little Mermaid. 23 August 2013 she turned 100 years old.

“Unveiled on 23 August 1913, The Little Mermaid was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen.

“The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up everything to be united with a young, handsome prince on land.

“Carl Jacobsen fell in love with the character after watching a ballet performance based on the fairy tale at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen.

“The brewer was so captivated by both the fairy tale and the ballet that he commissioned the sculptor Edvard Eriksen to create a sculpture of the mermaid.

“The sculpture was inspired by ballerina Ellen Price, who in 1909 danced the lead role in the ballet The Little Mermaid at the Royal Theatre.

“However, Ellen Price would not model in the nude for sculptor Edvard Eriksen. Thus Eriksen’s wife, Eline Eriksen, posed for the sculpture of The Little Mermaid.

“The little mermaid has several times been the victim of vandalism. Twice she has lost her head, once the arm was sawn off, and several times she has had paint poured on her.

“But every time she is rescued and restored, so she can stay in her place by the water and bid travellers welcome to Copenhagen harbour.”

1 year ago (“New life in the midst of loss…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-10-21
2 years ago (“Last butterfly of the year?”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-10-21
3 years ago (“Vanessa to the rescue (again)!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-10-21
4 years ago (“A different kind of ‘sunset’”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-10-21

[ IMG_6242e15cwS12x9UB+20tm :: f/5.6 :: 1/1,000" :: ISO-400 :: 40mm ]

[Danette Thompson]

You did a good job.

[Jane Anderson]

I'm loving seeing Copenhagen. When my daughter was in college, she had an assignment to explore her cultural roots through mythology. She chose to study Hans Christian Anderson. Though she believed her Danish roots to be tenuous, she found that many of the values taught in his works were in line with the values she learned growing up, so it turned out to be surprisingly meaningful to her. Because of this, I'm going to tag her: @laurielizard

[Laurie]

Very interesting!

[MaryBeth Dailey]

Perfect!

[Rick Schies]

Interesting facts