Gratitude for my first few days in Copenhagen

 Day 3 (Dec 4)

Before I start forgetting all the things I am doing, thought it best to quickly pen down my experiences so far.

Before travel: 

I knew very little about the city (or the country, for that matter) before... I think I used to be quite confused between Denmark and Holland- Danish and Dutch are a bit similar-sounding. Then, when I realised they were different, also realised that everything I know about this region is either based on stories about Holland, Sweden, or Iceland (the last, thanks to a brilliant romance novel called Beautiful Wreck by Larissa Brown). What are Danes known for? Not like the enthu-pataki Dutch, Danes are not particularly known for humanitarian efforts, science, emigration (though, did I maybe confuse Danish researchers at Pitt for Dutch? No... I feel fairly certain those guys were Dutch) or cricket. What do Danes do? 

I asked my uncle, who had worked at Danida, the Danish embassy in India. He had been their lead strategist and researcher in something related to water and agriculture. He didn't have much to say about them, other than the fact that they were rather quiet (work-wise) compared to the Dutch or the Swedes. I asked my cousin Audi, who has traveled extensively in Europe, and no, he hadn't made a stop in Denmark ever. While chatting with Rk, we recalled Hans Christian Andersen (Danish! Not Dutch!) and I recalled a story about a kid who sticks a finger in a dyke to stop the water from a sea to enter a village (but this was based out of a village in Holland, not Denmark... jeez...also untrue) . 

RK found a book called "Copenhagen Tales" to gift me, which had some interesting stories, mostly about winter and problems with immigrants, which are both depressing topics. 

A few days before leaving for Cph, I was second guessing the whole trip. There were so many seminars, conferences and other interesting events happening in Bangalore during that time! Then in a fit of wisdom, birthed from too much work, and incessant work at that, realised this trip would be a godsend to me to recuperate from overwork. I thought I would check out the Uni of Cph's library and spend some time reading, walking, cycling and just relaxing. This was enormously cheering and so when I boarded the plane in Bangalore, I was quite happy again.

Durga and Ani asked me what I would get them. I offered them cheese, which is a Danish speciality from what I can tell online. Durga didn't seem too excited though. Ah well.

Day 1:

Landed in Cph on the evening of the 1st. I had packed rather well- had pushed all the thick winter clothes into a small backpack which had been checked in, so I wasn't lugging around unnecessary weight everywhere. So as soon as I landed, checked up how to get to the hotel (I dislike taxis and was hoping for public transport, which I got!), got my baggage, wore all my winter things and boarded the metro, whose ticket I bought from an online app- no money changing, thank God. Reached my little capsule hotel in good time. My hosts in Denmark, at the Uni of Cph, will take care of my hotel when the workshop starts next week, but this week is on me, and I think I hit the jackpot with CityHub, a capsule hotel which provides more privacy than a hostel/ dorm, but manages to be congenial and provides more opportunities for interactions than regular hotels. Plus, capsule hotels! Who wouldn't want to try out something like that!

Entrance to my capsule

My capsule is very cute. I was quite concerned about noise- what if my speaking on the phone would disturb the ppl above me, what if they (a fairly young couple I had glimpsed while getting into mine) decided to have sex, what if I farted, and so on and so forth... My mind was buzzing with questions related to noise. In most of the hotels in India that I have stayed in, walls and doors are thin and people are noisy.

But it was silent as a tomb... I was the noisiest, despite my efforts to be absolutely silent, with my steel dabba (in true Indian maami style, I had packed some laddus and mixture in case I got peckish) dropping on the floor and making that tan-tan-tan-tatatan- sound of all steel dabbas hitting the ground. Made me wonder- are people in Europe extremely quiet? Or was it just Denmark - like Japan, do they also have a culture of exceeding reservation and silence? Or was it some kind of engineering marvel- this place had young people, for crying out loud! Young people everywhere make noise!

[found out later- it is an engineering marvel: they have noise and vibration canceling materials making up the hubs]

Day 2:

Woke up at 5:30am local time and checked out the bathrooms- ultra clean. Tiny, but really well-designed. Didn't hit my elbows or shoulders against the walls at any point of time, as I thought I might while looking at it from outside. Also, they provide moisturising lotion right next to the soap. A relief, because this place is dry!

I peeked at the communal kitchen- has a sandwich grill, microwaves, fridges for people to keep their food inside boxes labeled with their names and room numbers, and a load of knives, and cardboard cutlery. One lesson from my Frankfurt trip last year: supermarkets have great food, so instead of rushing to a restaurant first thing in the morning, one should just plan things out a bit and save a load on food. 

I had been desperate to get some birdwatching and nature-time in Bangalore during the last month, to absolutely no avail. So the first thing I did was to find out the address of the nearest park (1.2km) away and headed there with my binos. I ended up there a bit too early- got there by 7, whereas sunrise wasn't until 8. But, on my way, had the rather awe-inspiring sight of dozens and dozens of people cycling to work- young people, old people, people with large things to carry in prams or little trucks in front of their bikes, parents with older kids, younger kids, babies, you name it. And a rather impressive number of runners. I don't think I have ever seen that many cyclists on a road as part of daily life, not just because of a special event like a cycle-marathon or something.

As expected, most trees do not have leaves, but I had forgotten about the stark beauty of a bare tree trunk with its twiggy limbs. 

I think this might be Gingko

People at the entrance of the park were making an ice-skating rink ready.  And once I entered, lots and lots of people with babies or dogs, runners, lots of elderly people briskly walking and hailing each other. Quite a nice feeling. People aren't immediately friendly, unlike Americans, who go around greeting everyone. But perfectly willing to engage in conversation. Not seeing too many non-Caucasians. 

Readying an iceskating rink 

Birds seen (which I could identify... some which I haven't yet been able to)

1. Great tit

2. Jackdaws

3. Magpies

4. Mallards

5. Treecreeper

6. Gulls

7. Feral doves

8. Raven

Treecreeper

Came back to the hub feeling like I should plan for breakfast, but not willing to eat yet. Decided to go shopping and found a supermarket about a km away. Long story short, check out my breakfast:

Granola with yoghurt and fresh fruits

Grilled rye bread with havarti cheese

Amazing or what? I spent the same amount for at least 5 breakfasts as I would have in one sitting had I gone out!

Apparently Mondays are holidays for most public attractions in Cph. So, I went out to explore the city. Am amazed at how historical this place is.

Amalienborg, the seat of the Danish royal family

 

Marmokirken church in the distance

People like to sit outside and hang out and eat and drink- despite the cold!

 

Came across a number of Christmas markets- open air marts outside at street corners by vendors selling home-made or small scale industry products. Lovely, but rather on the expensive side. Might get some unusual gifting ideas though, so will check out later.

Day 3: Inspired by the number of people running on the streets, I did too! Covered over 4km in about 33m. Felt incredibly proud of myself. Wanted to try out the sauna at the Hub right after, but alas, couldn't figure it out. 

Have found 2 special places to meditate and relax in the afternoons- yesterday, I accidentally found the Marmokirken Church: it looked big and imposing and warm. 

A quiet place where one could just sit down and stare into space. I did so, had a lovely little nap- one of those refreshing ones where your brain goes blank but you aren't really asleep. 

Another place I found today was at the Botanical Gardens, under a giant tree, right after a massive sequoia.

The Botanical Gardens are not a great place for birds, but have been designed such that you can go on unexpected stairs, steps and mossy pathways and find yourself a nice bench and stare at trees and plants.

At the end of one such slope, I found a bench facing this utter beauty of a tree trunk:

The tree itself is massive, goes up many feet above. By resting my neck on the back of the bench, I could see all the way up. I stayed like that for many minutes, staring at the sheer magnificence of this creature. And entered that close-but-not-really-napping headspace. And felt deep peace. A niggling headache that had been troubling me since the previous night disappeared and I just sat. 

I have to say, my opinion of Cph is rapidly improving and I am beginning to appreciate its tranquility. 

Today is day 4. I've not really gone out yet. Woke up for an early morning meeting with folks in India and have been at the laptop since then. I think that's ok though... will figure out what I feel like doing in a bit.

Unrealistic covers

 My laptop refuses to reconnect to the internet in case I spend too long with it inactive (like when I am typing). So I listen to music on Youtube on a side tab so that the net is forced to be active. Thus in the past month I have listened to a lot of instrumental music because it can run along in the background without being too distracting. 

One of the best instrumental things for working are the songs from Bridgerton- familiar pop music converted to very recognizable instrumental versions of themselves. But I laugh at the covers of these videos... take this example:

Half naked lady in the snow. On one hand, very romance novel inspired- half naked ladies who are swooning, running, posing, dreamily staring into space in the middle of a snow-ridden landscape, while a manor/castle/cosy cottage/ranch/ even a spaceship (!) are just visible in the background are innumerable. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the above lady has a full set of flesh-colored thermals on the other side of the shimmery night gown. 

Japanese Death Poems

 I have decreed today to be a day of relaxation. Which means, I will only do the things that give me joy and peace. These past few weeks have been a bit sparse in such moments- too much time spent on things that I need to be doing, instead of wanting to do.

Japanese Death Poems is making me think of how death has been approached by different cultures since time immemorial. There was some science documentary on TV some months ago talking about the earliest evidences in human history when death became something to be commemorated-  a little handmade toy next to the grave of a child found in a cave, the site many thousands of years old, even before Homo sapiens became the predominant sub-species on earth.

I don't know much about Indian thinking of death, other than the well-known lines from the Gita speaking about the unchanging, divine soul changing bodies like it changes clothes. Of course, since reincarnation is something most of us believe in (what a reassuring thought to know that one has multiple chances at getting life right! Though of course, what is right or what is wrong?), death implicitly becomes a part of this cyclical nature of existence.

In the Japanese Death Poems book, I am learning about the Japanese (and a bit of Chinese, since there was such a lot of influence of the culture of latter on the former) thinking on life and death. Poems, apparently, are a very common feature of Japanese life, with everybody regardless of social or economic or even educational class expressing themselves in poetry featuring their every day lives, their love for nature, loyalty to emperor etc for thousands of years. Hard to imagine the manga-consuming stereotypes of Japanese shows as poets, no? But as per this book, they are! 

And death was something to be looked at in the eye- in fact, the norm is for the Japanese, at the time of their death, to write their final thoughts as a "death poem". In this book, the author has collected the death poems of everyday Japanese, monks, samurai warriors and others from over a thousand years and translated them. How amazing and surprising is that! 

Read this one by a Zen monk using the metaphor of archery to describe his impending death:

Inhale, exhale

Forward, back

Living, dying:

Arrows, let flown each to each

Meet midway and slice

The void in aimless flight-

Thus I return to the source.

- Gesshu Soko (died 1696)

Here is a poem by someone who was famously arrogant:

Till now I thought

that death befell

the untalented alone.

If those with talent, too, 

must die

surely they make 

a better manure?

- Kyoriku (1656-1715) 

There are poems mocking death poems, especially of those who wrote the poems and then instead of dying, recovered:

After recovery, he polishes
the style of his death poem

The mouth that has uttered
a death poem
now devours porridge

There is something very novel and attractive in the idea of penning something about death before one dies. I don't think I have ever heard the like in any other culture. My mom wouldn't have had the chance, but I wonder what might my grandmother or father or uncles have said before they passed away? 

A deep breath

 The first day in nearly 4 months where I have some time to breathe and feel like the interminable to-do list can keep for tomorrow.

Went to Blossoms and got myself a book "Japanese Death Poems"... sounds morbid, but so far, very peaceful and peace-giving.

For the first time in 10 years I recently felt the desire to leave India for nicer climes- somewhere I don't have to worry about cockroaches, bed bugs, mosquitoes or lice (the newest entrant on my hit list of bugs). Our house has recently been overrun with all these and I feel like just when I have gotten the better of one of them, the next one comes in. Doesn't seem to matter how much I clean the kitchen every day and spray all sorts of herbal and non-herbal things everywhere. The lice, of course, are a curse of Indian schools everywhere- every house with a school-going daughter probably has to contend with these pests. The cockroaches are apparently due to the connection with the sewage- they crawl up and enter the house and then, of course, you are done for.

I must not waste this precious time on such inane matters. It is time to eat and then relax with my book of poetry. Felt the need to write something in this blog after a long time though... 

The Best Romance Novel I Have Ever Read. Hands Down

 Is not even a novel.

It's a fanfic that is perfect- takes off from the original, makes you understand the original so much better and creates a totally believable, swoony, yearny alternate story.

I present to you "Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love"

It's free. I wish I were reading it for the first time again.

Why can't every book be so good?

Attempts at getting inner angst out.

Compassion is like

Charity-begins at home

In and to oneself.

But none mention that

Compassion to oneself is 

The hardest of all

Insecurity

Is an ever renewing,

Never-dying weed

Insecurity

Engulfs kindness and spits up

Pure self-vitriol 

Let go, let go, of

The urge to cut myself with

Knife-like, blade sharp words

Let go, let go, of

The need to defend, or 

Attempt to "Improve"

My inner core's steel

My outer self forgets and

Yearns for better frills 

A better me is

Just me, as I am now.

Accept, embrace me. 

Be still, my mind and

Allow the kindness to flow through

To heal and strengthen.

The Bird Crescendo

 At special times, usually in the early mornings, bird and bird sounds will suddenly come together in a rousing crescendo. Usually they aggregate around one tree or a clump of trees and chirp/screech/chirp all at the same time. If you happen to be around that area, you will suddenly see many species of birds zooming all around you, you will be in the center of that avian vortex. Your breath will catch and you will stand utterly still. It lasts for a few minutes, then one flock after an another suddenly fly away en masse to another tree. And it all disappears as quickly as it started. But you, in the middle of that maelstrom, can only blink and wonder what happened. And you feel blessed to have been part of that event, whatever it was. 

I have experienced this only twice in my life and the first time was through a glass pane. The window of my hotel room in Gangtok overlooked a giant tree and at 7am in the morning, a few thousand warblers of all kinds descended on that tree. This was in February, the tree was leafless but the birds on it made it seem alive and I could hear their sounds through the glass. I was a few feet away, but felt overwhelmed by it all- the colors, the movement, the sounds, the sameness and yet the vast differences. I desperately wanted to get my binoculars and at the same time, didn't want to move in case I missed something. So I stood transfixed and still. 

The second time was on the balcony of Vidya Bhavan Rural Inst a few weeks ago in Udaipur. I had finished a short run, washed my clothes and had climbed up the building to dry them under a gulmohar tree. And all of a sudden was surrounded by parakeets, doves, hornbills, sunbirds and ioras. It was a stunning sight- the clear cloudless blue of the sky, the bright green leaves and even brighter orange flowers of the gulmohar, the parakeet greens, the hornbill greys and the small metallic punctuation marks of the sunbirds and the eye catching yellows of the ioras. 

For me, birdwatching is like meditation. And the experience of the crescendo is as euphoric as any meditative trance.