15 May 2016

Tulip Birthdays

This blog is dedicated to those of you who have a birthday in the month of May: Tami H., James M., Russel P., Patrick O. and Jean-Claude (and anyone else whose birthday I may have missed as well as for those of you who enjoy tulips).

I try to get to Tivoli every year to enjoy the beautiful tulips.  It doesn't always happen. And this year we had a very warm late April/early May.  I knew this year that the Tulips would be over and that I had missed it but I decided to go to Tivoli anyway this past Friday on my day off. 

I was lucky because the Tulips, though they were fully sprung, were still hanging in there, screaming with bright colors and yelling: take my picture! take my picture!  and so I did and I have decided to share these especially for my friends who have a birthday this month.






























Here now are 2 video's.  The first video is from the outside of a ride which takes you through several stories of Hans Christian Andersen.  You are to sit in a flying suitcase which is also one of HC Andersen's stories.  It's for both children and adults young at heart.  It is very cute and all the figures are made of wood - not plastic.

The next video was shot sideways - sorry - but no matter because it is of a roller coaster that has the usual flips and spins so it's all good.

Jens and I are wish you a very happy birthday and a wonderful springtime as well.

Some quick tips about Tivoli Gardens:
-Opened in August 1843 - 173 years ago.
-Second oldest amusement park in the world (the oldest amusement park in the world is Bakken, 433 years old and about a half hour drive north of Copenhagen)
-When Tivoli opened, you had to exit the city through the west gate to get to the gardens.
-It hasn't moved, but now it is in the center of town.
-There are a number of outdoor stages for music, dance and acts as well as 2 indoor stages.
-There are about 25 rides and about 30 restaurants.
-It has one of the world's oldest and still operating roller coaster.
-During WWII the damn Nazi's destroyed much of the gardens.
-The talented and artistic Queen of Denmark has created a number of costumes and stage scenes for the pantomime theater where the classical Italian "commedia dell'arte" tradition is preserved.
-Tivoli is all about the music and not so much about the rides (although over the later years some hairy and scary rides have been installed). Friday is all about rock and big names have played here like Roxett, Smashing Pumpkins, Sting, The Beach Boys, Pet Shop Boys, Kanye West, Raveonettes, Lady GaGa and many others.  As well as well as big names that do not fall into the rock category - Think Liza Minnelli and Tony Bennet for example. 
-There is the yearly jazz festival and a whole schlou of musical entertainment to be heard for a very reasonable entrance price of just $14/100dk.
-Before Disneyland opened in California, Walt Disney had been to Tivoli several times in the early 50's  taking notes for his amusement park.




1 comment:

  1. Thank you for the Birthday wishes and sharing your trip to the park, the tulips and peacocks! You know I'm a die-hard Six Flags fan & season pass holder...so Tivoli Gardens and Bakken...or Dyrehavsbakken...will be on my Denmark Bucket list if/when I ever get there!

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