horses, cows, soccer and The North Sea

I remember seeing an elephant at a zoo when I was very young. I'm not sure how old, but I might have been about 2. In my memory, the elephant is about 40 feet tall. I remember realizing, at some point, that elephants are not actually that tall. So I wonder, how is Django seeing things? Things that to us are just everyday, taken-for-granted things.

Like horses. Or cows. And what if they are seeing them close up and 'in person' for the first time?

Well Django got to see horses and cows this week and was extremely thrilled, especially with the cows (perhaps because he makes a very good 'moo' sound, though his horse 'neigh' is getting quite good actually).

He's also been practicing his soccer skills. I never would expect that a boy of his age could kick a ball so well. But then again, I never spent any time with little kids until now, so what do I know? I'm still going to be impressed whether I 'should' be or not :-)

Maybe he'll be a soccer player like his dad (and then become a musician...?)

On Saturday the 27th Lissy, Knud Erik, Django and I went for a drive about 20 miles west to The North Sea. As I said, Denmark is quite flat and where there aren't towns, there is mostly farmland and some forest. It's quite pretty, but I don't find it to be a very interesting landscape (maybe I'm spoiled on the western United States). As we drove towards the sea though, a magic seemed to creep into the landscape. The villages became smaller and a little more old fashioned, the land began to rise and fall in gentle hills. There is also something inherently special about the sea. Invigorating and powerful, ever changing, unattached to the human mark made on the land.

There are a couple little shelters for people to sleep in built very close to the beach. They have these all over the country and anyone can use them. What a fantastic thing!

In various places along the beach you can also see bunkers that the Germans built when they occupied Denmark during WWII. The Germans invaded in April of 1940 and knowing they did not stand a chance against the German army, the Danish government capitulated within two hours. People woke up the next day and didn't even know their country was occupied.

next time, food and art...

peace,

Janna

West to Holstebro

Monday afternoon, the 21st, we took our far-too-copious luggage (I tried, I really did, to be conservative, but I was packing for two after all. I have vowed that I will wear every piece of clothing that I brought with me at some point on this trip...except for Django's of course) loaded it on a train, said goodbye to Simon's father who would soon be heading back to Greenland, and made the four hour journey to Holstebro in western Jutland. This was Django's first real train ride. Holstebro is where Simon grew up when he wasn't in Greenland, and where his mother, Lissy lives.

We had a visit from Simon's grandparents who live an hour north on an island called Mørs, where there are lots of farms. In fact much of Denmark is farms, and the terrain is mostly quite flat. His grandparents don't speak English, nor does Lissy's partner Knud Erik, so conversation travels only along certain paths. But we all speak 'Cute Baby' and so we meet there. Django took an immediate and strong liking to Knud Erik and will ask to sit on his lap after dinner. It's very sweet.

Django didn't quite know what to make of Simon's grandmother, but I think it's because she smells of perfume and pipe smoke (yes, she smokes a pipe). Very sweet lady. Simon's grandfather is a quiet, thoughtful man who works with his hands a lot, gardening and woodworking. They visited on Tuesday with Simon's uncle Kurt, who is an archaeologist. Everyone fell in love with Django, but you already knew that was coming...

Simon, Django and I took a lovely walk down to the lake that is near Lissy's and Knud Erik's house. Very green and beautiful. Such green makes my eyes and my soul feel satiated and happy.

Thursday came and Simon had to leave for Copenhagen, where he played a concert later that evening. Friday he flew to Manchester to begin his tour, then on to Aberdeen, Scotland on Saturday where he now has a few days off to see the country. Just a little envious (the Scotland part)

I've been taking it easy, enjoying staying in one place and being a bit quiet. I brought some projects with me that I hope to work on a bit while I'm here: jewelry making, painting my baby Taylor guitar, writing in my journal and baby book. But, I've been unable to put down Harry Potter (#6). Only a few pages left, then I'm adrift without the seventh and last book. Not sure if I can find it in English here. Maybe that's good, and I'll get something else done.

I've been enjoying more wonderful hospitality and delicious food thanks to Simon's mom.

The weather has been mostly gray and rainy which I guess is pretty standard for this part of Denmark, but I really don't mind it so much. It feels introspective and cosy, or hyggelig (say hoo-glee with a light g) as they say in Denmark.

Tune in soon and you'll hear about the North Sea...

Copenhagen and friends

So Wednesday evening arrived and Django and I luckily woke up in time to catch a bus to the airport, or Lufthavn, to meet Simon. He had just flown in from Los Angeles after playing a show opening for The 88, a really incredible LA band. We took a bus back to the house where I had been, collected our collective luggage, and took a taxi to the apartment of some good friends of Simon's.

In Copenhagen, if you even set foot in a taxi, be prepared to kiss 20 bucks goodbye-- it's really pricey there. In fact all public transport (which functions brilliantly, you can get anywhere) is quite expensive (a little over 3 dollars just to get on a bus too). Most people in the city don't own a car, and everyone owns a bicycle. In the dead of winter you will see people riding on their bicycle, through snow and ice, sometimes without a hat on. Seriously, I've seen it. We are such wimps in the USofA, driving 8 blocks in good weather (I'm not the only one am I?). Most people with babies have the 'old fashioned' baby carriages, or prams as well, which they take on buses and trains regularly.

So we ended up staying for several days at the home of Kristin and Juan Luis, and were the recipients of very warm hospitality-- this means a lot when you plunk yourself and all your luggage in someone's living room.

We had a party with Simon's family, enjoyed coffee on the roof after breakfast, some traditional spanish food, and lovely company. Thanks!

We got out the next day and went into the center of Copenhagen to meet Simon's brother and father for lunch. It's good I've been to Copenhagen a few times before, because this was only one of two journeys into the city center during the week I was there. We had a string of absolutely beautiful days, and unseasonably warm weather.

We visited Christiania on another day which is the 'free town' part of Denmark. It was an old military base that was abandoned and people began squatting some years ago. People built their own unique little houses, there are little food shops, lots of art, and marijuana was freely bought and sold. In the last few years the relatively right wing government has been trying to destroy Christiania, which is a real shame. It has not only been a place of free expression, but also one of the biggest tourist attractions next to Tivoli Garden and the Little Mermaid statue. So, in recent years the marijuana and hash disappeared from 'pusher street' (I'm not a pot person, but I am all for legalizing it). So when we walked through the other day and all the weed and hash was out for sale it seemed to be quite a good sign that the government was letting up on their suppression tactics (which always backfire-- when will They ever learn?). Perhaps this is the case, or it might be that the police are busy with more violent gang activity that has cropped up recently and involves some of the immigrant population, much of which comes from the Middle East. Such a shame that some people give a whole culture a bad name.

We spent much of the rest of our week visiting with Simon's family: his father Karl, brother Jonas, sister Dorthe and their respective significant others. Everyone, of course, fell in love with Django, who is just so dang charming who can blame them?

We also visited with our dear friend Brett (who introduced me and Simon, and is hence indirectly responsible for Django...) his wife Amalie and their brand new baby Liva who is now only two weeks old. So far she has been dubbed 'Buddha baby'. Lucky parents! I hope the sleep continues.

Beginning the way East..

... well, not the far East, but we did cross an ocean at least. O.k., this is not Django gazing contentedly out at the Atlantic ocean, it's just our trip to Seattle on the ferry.
Content. No jet-lag yet, but just wait!

We spent the night at a Howard Johnson's Inn and Suites near Seatac to be ready for our 5:00 am trip to the airport (ugh!). If you brought your own pots and pans, you could live in one of these rooms! For $50, we were impressed that it had a full kitchen. After considering that living option for about 4 1/2 seconds we decided to continue our journey to Europe. In the morning, Django and I took two flights, totaling 12 hours plus a 2 hour layover in glamorous Newark, NJ. (said airport actually had an impressive number of decent eateries). The airline employees took pity on the mom with kid and too-heavy carry on luggage and summoned a shuttle. Yes! We got to ride what seemed like a mile long journey from one gate to the next in style.

I had no idea what to expect of a 1 1/2 year old on such a long flights. Django did really well. Minimal crying, and some (thank the Gods) sleeping. There were many trips up and down the aisle, many games played with plastic cups, lots and lots of nursing, and not a wink of sleep for mama (who'd've guessed).

We arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark on Monday morning. Simon's father, who had flown in from Greenland to visit with us, met us at the airport with his sister. He speaks little English and she speaks none, just Danish and Greenlandic. They helped with the luggage and we got a taxi to a friend's house. After breakfast, Django and I took a 6 1/2 hour nap. Is that still considered a nap? It did coincide with our usual nighttime sleep.

Monday night was rather restless. Django woke up at 2 am and immediately made 'airplane' hand gestures and buzzing noises. Wonder what he was dreaming about?! Well, we got back to sleep at 5, and the next two nights were quite similar (though free of sound embellished gesticulations).

Simon's father, Karl, came to visit Tuesday and got acquainted with his grandson who he was meeting for the first time. Django took very quickly to Ittu (Greenlandic for grandfather -- say eé-too).
He visited again on Wednesday and I thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing afternoon sitting in the back yard on the mossy lawn, basking in the glorious (and a-typical) Danish weather, playing with Django, and doing not much of anything. Something I haven't done for quite some time.

Then we took another nap before going to the airport to meet Simon.