The word you are looking for is...

SURREAL.... weird, warped, odd, definitely: strange.

Monday morning, 8.30. Still half unconscious as I had slept straight through the alarm clock.
Easy, slowly, no rush in biking to work on a dreary day like this, yet wearing my sunglasses to shield my eyes from so much evil light that tried to pierce my eyes and pull me back to the world of the living (it has been a long weekend, let's keep it at that...).

As I approached the crossing of Vester Farimags gade and Gammel Kongevej, at Vesterport Station I notice a Japanese tourist, about 50 years old and his (I think) daughter of about half that age. It reminded me of the song 'The Tourist' of Radiohead. About the total sense of not being able to stop and actually be part of the surroundings.

As I braked for the traffic light, I noticed them pointing at me. For whatever reason. Considering I had woken up 30 min before and had a quick shower, I doubt there was much interest of anyone at that moment in me, but ok...

Then... Dad took his camera and got it ready. I thought nothing of it. But as I crossed the street (as the light went green - sometimes I do that) I noticed them following me with their gaze and camera.

That's where I started to feel... "uuhuuuuhh... is this really happening, or am I still sleeping...?"

I had to stop on the other side of the street again, since I had to turn left. So I looked back and saw them still staring at me! Again with the camera waiting. I noticed they were waiting for the red light to turn green to (apparently) see me bike away again.

As I did, while keeping an eye on busses, other bikes, crazy rental car drivers and that mornings' visitors to the 7-11 on the corner there, I saw them - being true Japanese - taking pictures as I pulled up and biked away with the other morning bikers going to work...

WTF!!!

Now, please tell me... what is so interesting about a guy, half sleeping on his bike, listening to some music, DARK sunglasses on and wearing a Levi's summer jacket he already had when he was 17?
Was it the whole picture? The scruffy looking, still hungover from the weekend with Alvaro visiting, not-had-time-to-shave image of me?

Or am I going to be famous now in the Japanese weblog world? "Man on shitty yellow racing bike" Like the Green Helmet Guy or something?

I want royalties!!!! :)

Surreal... Truly surreal..

Well, as I finish writing this, my first playing of the new Maná album 'Amar Es Combatir' is done, leaving me vaguely unsatisfied. First impression: Good album, but lacking the playfulness, the variety and intensity of 'Revolucion de Amor'... Well... let's give it some more listening time. I'll get into it!

Now I am off to have a last lunch for this time with Alvarito, as he's leaving DK again after another long weekend back. It was great to see him again, but unfortunately we realised once again that even though we can outparty any of those cocky 20 year olds, the day(s) after are just not so easy anymore. Oooof... It was a looooong day at work yesterday!

La proxima vez nos vemos en España!!

"The 7 Year Itch"

This last Saturday was a special day for me.

That day, for the first time 7 years I woke up in my bed in Denmark. I had definitively moved away from Holland. A new life had started.

That I woke up with a terrible hangover wasn't something I had planned and considering my last thoughts before passing out were "I hope this won't become a regular thing" not something I was planning to do often... How wrong I was, hhahahah!

That Friday I moved my last things into my room in Emdrupborgkollegiet, as my father and I had driven the day before for the 2nd time from Holland to Denmark to bring all my crap.

That Friday, that weekend, I met some people that opened my eyes to a completely new world. To several new worlds actually. And I will never forget them for that great experience.

In the kitchen I bumped into to MBA students from Ottawa, Canada, Jill and Trish, who incidentally a few hours later would be part and witness to my first car accident ever (and so far last one too).
Trish is married now to Darryl (the same guy from back then) with a little girl, Jill I unfortunately lost contact with.
We were invited that evening to a dinner 'upstairs with the Danes' and we had our (first for some) taste of akvavit and other 'Danish delicacies' that can get you drunk (hence the hangover next day).

Just about the first days I can tell many stories, of sitting that first day on the floor in the hallway, talking with Germán, a guy from Pamplona and Esther, from Lucena. They were the first with whom I really felt 'in a different world'. With such difference in character to anyone I had known until then and such different ways. Since those days, smelling garlic being fried will always make me think of Spaniards cooking.

Somehow, I didn't tell Esther until New Years Eve last year the story of how I experienced just the fact of walking with her to the supermarket that Saturday. Every guy in the cars at the traffic light were watching her with the usual male delight, a darkhaired young woman with 'passion' pouring out from everywhere, angry or annoyed with something. I was laughing inside, but also in awe. No Danish or Dutch woman would ever be like that.
Guess my weakness for Spanish women started there... ;)

Germán and later Roberto too would introduce me to real Spanish language music (not counting 70s sleazy crooner Julio Iglesias). The first songs I heard were Maná's 'Vivir Sin Aire' and Carlos Vives' 'El Amor de Mi Tierra'.
One could think of worse songs to start off with... right?

Those first days... Luc, Bernie, Eva, German, Esther, Khoi, Trish, Jill, Roberto and Jelle... and so many others.
Discussing world events until 4 am (something I have rarely seen anyone do anymore in all those years I was there) or just trying to get to know each other, by telling stories of ones own countries. Learning differences in so many things and see the similarities in so many others.

My first few days were in a daze and a headache. The headache came (mostly) from suddenly having to speak English all day, with is very tiring, if you are not used to it.

A new land, a new place, a new world opened up and I can't be more happy for the opportunities it gave me over the following 7 years!

So, there it is... 7 years now ago already, and still in contact with only some, although with most I have happy memories in my heart.
I am starting to forget names and faces, but I am sure that if we bump into each other somewhere in the world, the years will disappear quickly again.

To all of you, wherever you are: thanks!!
I sincerely hope you are well, wherever you are, with whatever you are doing, and whoever you are with!

I could keep writing and writing... well, to everyone: from Copenhagen with love and the 7 year itch! If all goes well I will be out of Denmark sooner, rather than later. New pastures, new lands are calling me! And I think everyone knows where that will be ;)

(no pictures in this post, those were still the pre-digital camera days... ;) )

A funny sunny Sunday

After doing my usual weekend Dutch language IT support, I sped off and met up with Wouter, another Dutch here, who had some friends visiting. It was a fantastic day, not too hot, and everyone on the streets. Obviously scantily clad... *deep sigh*

We went to Islands Brygge, an area on the 'other side', 20 years ago the dump of Copenhagen, but now turned into a nice area, well-connected with the metro and in summer the harbour basin swimmingpool. Basically a recreational area at the harbour, in the middle of the city.
Quite nice!

We got a few beers and walked down. There, by total coincidence and as a proof of the city is small in many ways, we ran into Michele and Carlotta (Michele is your 'typical' crazy Italian... he was a show on his own at the World Cup final). Michele lying spreadeagled on a huge inflatable matress and Carlotta on a little towel next to it... We definitely asked some dry questions there, especially since they are getting married on 7-7-2007 :)

So, a perfect Sunday afternoon, with the usual stupidity's, like Wouter and Michel on the inflatable matress:


Fortunately normal pictures were possible as well...


After having bumped into more people I know (it's reaaaaaallly a small world) and too many beers (drinking on a Sunday sunny afternoon is dangerous...), partly thanks to the adding to our stock by dear Michele, we went to the (for me) best pizzeria in Copenhagen (for earlier episodes of going there see Jochem's Flickr pages...).

Got our VERY italian pizza's, with of course Michele being the last to choose, because he had to talk to everyone working there...


Sitting in the sunset at the lakes in Copenhagen is definitely not the worst thing to do, on the contrary!!

(Søpavillonen)

So, home at 9 pm... with too much beer and pizza in my belly... Fine enough, as I drank litres and litres of water when I got home. But usually, when drunk, you go to sleep a lot later than that. Not now... so... I woke up at 4 am with that familiar buzzing in my head and obivously unable to sleep anymore.

Fortunately only the sleepiness and drowsiness was left when I had to head of to work, to our new office, which by a stroke of coincidence is on the other side of the water from the above mentioned Islands Brygge.

The company has a very casual atmosphere, so no one has to walk around in suits and that crap fortunately. Being summer, everyone was in shorts and a t-shirt or a summerdress.
For us 'young people who haven't forgotten that' normal, but when we had to get out of the building at the firealarm you should have seen the faces of those already outside.
Since we just moved in, our fire alarm wasn't working (yet), so nobody was in a panic anyway for the reason in was Monday morning and we were all sleepy.
And then the faces of those outside, hilarious... The rest of the building is occupied by insurance companies and others related to that. So when we came outside in our tshirts, we were 'greeted' by a sea of the typical sad all bought in same store blue shirt office workers. Their faces were priceless!

As it was false alarm anyway we could get back quickly, but it was obvious we were the talk of the day. But... damn, I hope I never work for anything that sad. It was 'impossible' to distuingish them! They all looked the same! Same heads, same hair, same dead faces, same shirts, same shoes, same blank stare...Even the women all looked the same, same hair, same clothes, same 'nonchalance' when holding their cigarette...
I mean, if you have to wear nice clothes, shirt and suit etc, fine, no problem. But there is still room for some creativity, right? Instead of all going to the same store and buy the same shit... buy 20, pay 19?

Well, this week isn't over yet. Tonight to see my favorite club, Ajax, yet again play a Danish team and on Friday I have to pick up an Indian Minister of Labor in the airport and show him 'the Champagne Room', thanks to Ravi ;)

Wonder what these days will bring! I'll keep you posted...

Yes or no?

The Rules:
1. You can only say YES or NO!
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone messages you and asks!

- Taken a picture naked? : yes (to explain anyway: if you count that time I was 3 and sitting in a tub with my toys, outside in the garden)
- Made out with a member of the same sex? : no
- Danced in front of your mirror? : no
- Told a lie? : yes
- Gotten in a car with people you just met?: yes
- Been in a fist fight? : no
- Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back? : yes
- Been arrested? : yes
- Left your house without telling your parents? : yes
- Ditched school to do something more fun? : yes
- Slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? : yes
- Seen someone die? : no (close one though...)
- Kissed a picture? : yes
- Slept in until 3? : yes (and damn proud of it!!)
- Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? : yes
- Played dress up? : yes
- Fallen asleep at work/school? : no
- Felt an earthquake? : yes
- Touched a snake? : no
- Ran a red light? : yes
- Had detention? : yes
- Been in a car accident? : yes
- Pole danced? : no
- Been lost? : yes
- Sang karaoke? : yes (ehhhhh... no further comment)
- Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? : yes
- Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? : yes
- Caught a snowflake on your tongue? : yes
- Kissed in the rain? : yes
- Sang in the shower? : yes
- Got your tongue stuck to a pole? : no
- Ever gone to school partially naked? : no
- Sat on a roof top? : yes
- Played chicken? : no
- Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? : no
- Been told you're hot by a complete stranger? : no
- Broken a bone? : yes
- Mooned/flashed someone? : yes
- Forgotten someone's name? : yes
- Slept naked? : yes
- Blacked out from drinking? : no (again, close...)
- Played a prank on someone? : yes
- Felt like killing someone? : yes
- Made a parent cry? : yes
- Cried over someone? : yes
- Had sex more than 5 times in one day? : yes
- Had/Have a dog? : no
- Been in a band? : no
- Drank 25 sodas in a day? : no
- Shot a gun? : no (and never want to)

OK. Questions? :)

(Thanks Amy, for the inspiration)

Lost in translation, part 543568787

Went for dinner yesterday with my 'usual' crowd, with only different nationalities: moi, American, Spanish and German...
(In true 'Dutch fashion' I insulted the German when I was introduced to him at a party around 3 years ago: "So, where in Germany are you from? From Saarland, if you know where that is" "Ahhhh, yes! So you are French actually??" Just took me 1 or 2 minutes... hehehe...)

So, we went to a Chinese restaurant, and as I hadn't had Chinese food for a ages, I really enjoyed it. Food was quite decent actually (although I had my usual itchy nose afterwards, think it's the mononatriumglutamat that is used in that kind of food).

The funniest thing though was the menu card: nicely put in English as well, for the tourists.
I took a photo: it read, amongst others:

"Vegetarian Duck"

Ehhhh, how am I supposed to read that??? That the duck in this dish was vegetarian, as opposite to normal ducks who are, as we all know, dangerous carnivores, hunting in wolf-like packs for their unsuspecting prey???


(Me, giving a 'tribute' to that most annoying Asian habit when a picture is taken...hehe...)