mermaid
I have no idea why anyone would go out of their way to see the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen.
Objectively, the statue is fine. But it’s small and rather underwhelming. Additionally, it’s plopped on the edge of the harbor in a rather odd and out-of-the-way spot. So the overall effect is that it’s rather lost in its space.
On the other hand, the Little Mermaid is sited near where cruise ships disgorge hundreds of tourists every day, so perhaps that explains its location.
At the very least, why not put the statue further out in the water so that people can’t climb all over it? Yes, that is exactly what happens. Because of course, you should climb all over the public sculpture in order to get your perfect photo.
We didn’t plan to see the statue when we were in Copenhagen several years ago. We enjoy art but we had heard the statue was underwhelming and the crowds could be overwhelming, so we decided to avoid the area.
As it happened, we accidentally walked by the statue while en route to another place. The crowds were just as bad as we’d heard and the statue definitely not worth the hype.
This brings up the issue of tourist attractions and the crowds surrounding them. There are two schools of thought: Those people who embrace any and all tourist attractions and those who scorn the first group. I have a relative who will make an exhaustive list of any and all tourist sites in a given destination and will then methodically visit them all in order to check them off. I have also met people who refuse to do anything mainstream or touristy.
I am of the opinion that everyone should travel in the way that best suits their personality. You do you, as long as you don’t break any laws or annoy everyone in your immediate vicinity.
Look, there’s a reason why certain places are popular and heavily visited. Sure, the crowds around the Mona Lisa suck, and the experience of visiting the painting is less than pleasant, but the fact is that it was painted by a master and if you are into Leonardo’s art, then this painting should be on your list of art to see.
[True story: My family was in Paris in 2011 and went to the Louvre per the request of my then 10-year-old who really wanted to see Leonardo’s most famous work. So we went. And while I was caught in the crowd around the painting, I turned in such a way that I tore the meniscus in my knee and had to have surgery several months later to repair it. Good times.]
My personal preference for how I travel is mixed — I have no problem visiting a tourist attraction if I think I will enjoy it but I also don’t have a problem skipping a site if it won’t be worth the hassle and/or I don’t think I will find it interesting. I will go blocks out of my way to avoid Times Square in New York, but I have also gone way off the beaten path to see something unusual or quirky. An example of this is A Sound Garden in Seattle. Way out of the way, but definitely worth the effort.
[Side note: Atlas Obscura is a terrific website for finding quirky and unusual places to visit. I always consult it before traveling.]
There are various reasons to travel — one is to go somewhere and just relax and chill out. And another is to see and do new things. As I said before, everyone should vacation in the way that works best for them. And in spite of my comments earlier about the Little Mermaid, I do believe that anyone who wants to see the statue should just go do it.
Just please don’t climb on it.