Scary Camera

OK.... a camera can not be scary, but the new functions in a smart phone can - makes me think of 1984 by Ray Bradbury ".....Big Brother is watching......." - what might had been science fiction when he wrote it...... well with all the electronic gadgets we are equipped with these days.

I was walking to a meeting the other day, where I just wanted to capture a few details on the way with my smartphone's camera:

It was when I browsed through the photos when I got home that I got really surprised.

The bridge is Marmorbroen (Marble Bridge) in Copenhagen and it crosses Frederiksholms Kanal.

I shot all 3 photos standing in the same spot and just slightly moving the camera - the caption on the two first photos says Marble Bridge on my smartphone, but when the camera was pointing a little bit more downwards but still the edges of Marble Bridge visible, the phone changed the caption of photo number 3 to Frederiksholms Kanal instead of Marble Bridge.

Really surprised about the accuracy of the captions to where I photo was taken, or what the motif is.

Sporvejen (the Tram)

How well do you know your own city? I mean really KNOW. I have been passing and spending time on a square in Copenhagen for the past 23 years, and yet there is a place, that I have never seen despite it has been in the same spot for more than 40 years. Sporvejen (the tram) - they have out doors serving in the summer period otherwise it is a small, nostalgic place in the wintertime.

The interior is the actual interior of a former Copenhagen tram (they were discontinued in 1972) and windows are replaced with nostalgic pictures of trams around in the city of Copenhagen) - the tables have 2-4 seats and the food served are burgers and omelettes. The atmosphere resembles an American Diner.

 

A friend introduced me to this place and it is not the last time, that I have eaten there. Their burgers are yummy, and a bit larger in size than the ones served at Shake Shack in the US but still a size you can actually finish and leaves you full in a good way. The waiters have a smile and pays good attention to their eating guests and you can sense that they like working there. Prices - eating out in Denmark is expensive, but it is very reasonable at Sporvejen.

The Passsage

I love this sight - you can't see it in the photo, but on the left side, you have a very busy street in Copenhagen, and yet you never seem to notice the noisy traffic when walking here. 

Once in a while I go here when I have to go to meetings - there is a pedestrian sidewalk on the opposite side of the road, but it is just not the same. The walls are actually one side of Nationalmuseet (National Museum of Denmark) which might explain why we have a gem like this in the middle of our city.

Posterland

Thursday was election day for the Danish Parliament. Since the election was announced it had ben nothing but election-election-election "interrupted" by the coverage of the marriage of a Swedish prince and a former reality TV star. The tone of the election coverage was nasty, it became more attacks of candidates personalities and latests TV appearance than discussing the politics they represent.

Denmark became an instant posterland as soon as they announced the election with posters from 10 political parties and their many candidates - some posters tried not to be the usual profile picture poster.

Alternativet (the Alternative) - left side party - had green posters, as they are very keen on the environment (both nature and people) - but in my eyes a little off, as I think the green color makes the person look a little bit sick.

Then there's Søren Pind from Venstre (The Left) - some outsiders might get confused when the read the party's name as it is actually a right side party - who is always trying to stand out, so he looked like a head of state arriving to a new country or city greeting people with a wave. The drawn ink heart and name Conchita on Samira's poster is a reference to the European Song Contest winner of 2014....

I spent 4 hours as the local voting place counting votes - there were 9000+ of them - which was a lot of fun but you also had numbers and voting lists on your brain afterwards. Usually the counters is a selection of members of the various political parties, but there are no longer enough of them willing to volunteer time to help at a election. Red Cross had therefore urged the volunteers to give some hours to democracy and assist at the election - I signed up after seeing that request from the Red Cross.

Right wing won and now there is an ongoing negotiation on how the minister posts are going to be distributed.

Trainingship Denmark

Had the chance to go on board the beautiful Trainingship Denmark last Friday at Copenhagen Harbour, where a reception was held. 

One can only begin to daydream and let the imagination work........ :o)

No Hungry Kid

When in New York last month, I encountered Shake Shack. Had seen good reviews of the chain but was still a little curious about them living up to big expectations based on other people's reviews. It was good!! :o)

There burgers are not king size - just a regular size that a European like me can actually eat up (the normal American portions are way too big for me), tasty, no fancy ingredients and served with yummy fries on the side - and affordable on almost any budget.

Almost any budget?

There are hungry kids even in America, and Shake Shack had their 4th annual shake sale, where you could support NoHungryKid with 2$ - you received a voucher in return so you could get a free shake at your next visit at Shake Shack (an offer I will not be using :o) ) - I had to support. Have never gone to bed hungry and out of a travel budget 2$ was affordable, kind of a way giving back to a country that has given me many good memories. Maybe I could have given more, but prefer to spread out support/donations to several cause showing that I care.

Ellen Degeneres: Seriously...I'm Kidding

We have seen her funny wits on TV - but can she write a book? Will it merely be good entertainment for a few hours with some good laughs? Or will she surprise you with something you start thinking about after having read it?

You are entertained with some good laughs – loud ones that will make the other train passengers wonder what it is that you are currently reading. A lot of people dislike Ellen Degeneres as being “to much”, I read out loud one passage from the book for one of my friends:

When I was growing up, you couldn’t take your phone anywhere because it was tethered to the wall in the kitchen. If you were on the phone, you were only on the phone because there was nothing else you could do except maybe flip through an old cookbook or riffle through a junk drawer full of pennies. You couldn’t even bend down to tie you shoe or you’d get choked by six inch of phone cord.

My friend was surprised and then she started laughing. She has browsed through the book and like the pages where Ellen are being SERIOUS. 

For a couple of years I have been a bit fed up with mobile phones – yes I actually have two: my work one and my private one – but since they become smart phones they really changed our way to interact with others. Bought my first mobile 18 years ago, and it was top modern as it was one of the first models you could text another mobile phone.

People share way too much information when talking on the mobile. For about a year, a lady was on the same bus as me on the way to my job, and I know EVERYTHING about her dysfunctional family. Brother having spent time in jail, sister always begging for money as money is spend on alcohol and not on rent. Seriously 20 minutes every day you were a fly on the wall in her life.

Now I miss the time where you were not available 24/7 or could check latest news on the phone – you need time to relax and just be you – and if you are having a coffee with a friend: try putting your phone away for just 5 minutes: it won’t kill you.

Ellen is using her funny personality to make us relax while reading and in between, she touches briefly what seems to be old virtues from a decade ago and is actually common behavior as it ought to be. Be on time if you are meeting/visiting friends. Do not just re-gift presents, but consider whom you are about to give a present (let it reflect their personality or wishes). Think about the environment – consider those small initiatives you can implement in your daily life.

A light read that will trigger your laughing muscles but also make to think a little about how we ought to behave towards ourselves, others and the environment.

May 2015 in Books

Traveling to the US requires some space in my suitcase when going home again - limited by what I could carry around in the city in a plastic bag, I "only" bought 5 books - 3 of them was on a wishlist that I had scribbled down. 

Usually traveling also means reading at least 2 books, but during the two flights only a total of 15 pages, and 35 pages the morning just before check-out - so unlike me not to read more, but hey there is a first for everything.

I thought it was less, but this month's book pile amounts to 7 books - yay!

Man kan ikke se det på dem by Annette Brogaard

(Translated Title: You can't tell by looking at them)*

Denmark

The Postman Always Purls Twice y Anne Canadeo

USA

A Finely Knit Murder by Sally Goldenbaum

USA

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommends by Katarina Bivald

(Original title: Läsarna i Broken Wheel rekommenderar)

Sweden.

Library Book

Kvinden de meldte savnet by Sara Blædel

(Translated Title: The Woman They Reported Missing)*

Denmark

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholasby Jemes Patterson

USA

Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen Degeneres

USA

*Translated title: the book has not been published in English version, so title is not an official title of the book.