Several times over the last weeks I have been with my fingers on the keyboard, wondering where to start, with the great visit of Alvarito & Co, or just with the completely and total change some sun brings to these parts.
And yet, didn't quite capture my thoughts properly, so I decided against publishing. Still got a whole bunch of unfinished writings around, so... all in time...
As I write this the most well-behaved group of demonstrators ever (we are in Denmark, not France afer all) is passing my window, the only huge noise is not made by chanting or shouting of credos, dogma's or whatever they are demonstrating for/against, but by loudass music. Basically annoying everyone out of their path.
It's hilarious in a way... They are demonstrating against the governments' plans of reforming the welfare state Denmark has created. They are more than welcome to demonstrate, but at least most are clear on the fact something has to change, unless everyone would like even higher taxes :)
It's fun to hear someone complain about 'only' getting 5000 kr per month as a study grant. When I was a student in Holland I got 400 kr... Ehheeeemmm...
Anyway, what the fun part is that this loudass music comes from DJ's mixing hiphop/arrenbie crap together with Asian tunes, cool enough as they are pretty good, but making a racket that is so out of place, that it is laughable.
No, this is not an old guy talking, but when I hear music promoting all kinds of drugs use and getting as many 'bitches' into bed as possible and so loud that the whole building is shaking, I kinda stop taking anyone serious that is walking down there!
It was fun browsing the various newspaper sites this morning...
Frontpage, main article of 'Politiken' (fairly leftwing newspaper) opened with how big a demonstration it was going to be and some backgrounds. Berlingske, a fairly rightleaning newspaper, for example didn't mention a word! Well, and you can imagine what 'Information', a real good oldfashioned socialist leftwing newspaper was doing!
Then, BT, a big slander newspaper, had it tucked away beneath an article on how many have chlamydia in Denmark and way far away from the top anyway. That was meant for some innuendo and gossip about Karen Blixen, the writer. Supposedly she was a racist... *deep sigh*
Just had a look at Jyllands Posten as well (you know, famous for some drawings they published), not a word either!!
Such a small country.. and still the written media show by their negation or actual coverage such narrowminded dividing of thoughts and opinions. Such a pity!! It won't help any cause any better!
In Holland we call it 'hokjesgeest'. Or with the oldfashioned word from the 50s: 'verzuiling'. Can't translate it, as it would require a social overview of Holland in the 50s, but check on Wikipedia :p
It's a pity, as the demonstration in itself is valid enough, but unfortunately, in true Danish fashion, gets watered down to this.
80% of those present (Politiken this morning estimated between 20.000 and 100.000 people, with a whole article on how one counts the amount present at a demonstration) are students, since for some reason, normal workers (members of one of the 164564777564 unions in this country) couldn't get the day off to come. Some regulation again... hahahaha!
On these moments I always have to think of a snippet of text by Bjork, our Icelandic singing bird: "I am trying to organise freedom, how Scandinavian of me..."
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the fact that people have the freedom to demonstrate and that when there is something serious to stand for, please go ahead. Many opinions are important. Fortunately we don't agree on everything, it would get really boring!
My point is just, when you do it, do it well! Maybe not quite like in France, but you get the idea... ;)
Last week for example... there was an actual demonstration AGAINST the abolition of group exams in high school.
Now, let it sink in, try to stop laughing, and read that again:
There was an actual demonstration AGAINST the abolition of group exams in high school.
My first reaction was, after whatever I was drinking shot out through my nose from laughing: you have GOT to f....g kidding me!
Come on, please! Apart from the fact that the group exam is probably the most ridiculous piece of the educational system here (I enjoyed the oral exam hugely though, ending up in good discussions), why on earth would anyone organise a demonstration for keeping it?
Please, find something good to demonstrate for... there are enough important things going on around the world we could show our support to, or show our disgust of.
Then.. My thoughts suddenly slipped back to the Spring of 1998...
I was doing an internship in The Hague and got a phonecall from my mother. My Danish grandfather, who hadn't been well for a while, had just suffered a serious stroke and was hospitalised.
We knew at that moment he would only have a short time to live yet and as I felt and still feel very close to him I wanted to go to Denmark as quickly as I could. (for a long time they called me 'lille morfar', little granddad, as I am in my whole being very much like him)
Fortunately I had some great colleagues and a good boss, so soon I could go... except...
Denmark decided to shut down the entire country... so I had to cancel my flight!
Why?
All public office workers (and related to that) wanted a 6th (!!!!!!) week of holidays, instead of only 5.
Even after all these years, I can get pissed off at that. The whole country was down for 4 weeks, because some people behaving like spoiled brats only wanted more, more, more.
Sometimes I wonder whether people here realise how good they have it here. It's such a fantastically well organised place, a lovely and beautiful capital, great nature areas etc etc etc etc. No one basically has to worry about anything, but for an extra week of holidays...
There are many billions of people who'd love to have such problems! Hahhah!
So... no way to get in (or out) of Denmark. In the meanwhile my granddad was dying in a hospital bed, so you can imagine the great atmosphere at home in Holland (sense the sarcasm dripping...).
Then, the strike was lifted, and withing days I was in Denmark, visiting my granddad with my granny. The last day, he tried to wink at me (he couldn't speak anymore), and there, that moment I knew I would never see him again. I am sure he knew as well.
Even in that moment he tried to smile and comfort me. So much courage! I hope I will have that in that moment!
And yes, it was the last time I saw him.
And somehow his death will always be linked to something so totally and utterly different in my head, just because they happened in the same period of time.
The day after we heard he had died, we were supposed to drive to Denmark during the night. In the evening however was the 1998 World Cup quarter final between the Netherlands and Argentina (the evening of his death Denmark had bowed out in an heroic game to Brazil).
So, that Saturday evening... Dennis Bergkamp made the greatest goal of his career I think. In the last minute against Argentina, bringing Holland to the semi's versus Brazil. Everyone in Holland has heard the screaming of the radiocommentator since. It's as famous (in Holland) as the commentary to Maradona's (2nd) goal against England in 1986.
Imagine the mental and absolute physical exhaustion we felt. It had been rough months for all of us, on top of which my father and I had been screaming our lungs out with the two abovementioned matches.
Add to that that my dad had just started his holidays that day, me finishing my internship just before and you'll have a tired group of people, thrown between deep deep sadness and the utter exhiliration a World Cup brings. It's weird, very weird...
I ended up driving most of the way from Holland to Copenhagen, as I at one point could see my dad getting seriously tired...
Now, in a warped way, in thinking by association, the circle comes round. Tonight is the big final. The last match ever of Dennis the Menace. I have a slight preference to the great football of Barcelona, but if Arsenal wins, let it be a goal of Dennis. To finish a great career on a high!
And then to the World Cup!! For the first time since then Holland is there as well, so automatically my mind goes back... but that is for another time. I am going to get ready and meet some of the boys in the Dubliner, to get some food, some beers, and a good game!
(P.S. A por ellloooooos, ooooeeeeee!! Osasuna made it to the Champions League!!)
