I took a short stroll through Assistens cemetery this evening. I was struck by how different it was from the oldest grave yard in Denver, Fairmount Cemetery. Both are historic, but Fairmount is about 100yrs newer. Assistens has trees everywhere and is more like a garden with occasional monument and sculptures in remembrance of the dead buried there.

Fairmount has neatly arranged rows of graves and even the most opulent of this fit into the designated grid, and few trees, but plenty of roses. I would hardly call it garden-like.

My walk was very brief as I already planned on visiting this weekend. I simply stopped by because it happened to be on the route of my bike ride home this evening.

One thing I noticed today as we were biking around looking at buildings and sites in Copenhagen was the use of color. Bright Colors, varied colors, a whole rainbow of colors used on buildings and structures. I am so jealous of this. It seems in the US we like our buildings gray, or beige, or some variation of brown. I hate that. I like bright colors, I wish we used them more in our buildings, public spaces and even web sites.

In the past I’ve been told that when I use bright colors, it makes people think of children’s things. Well you know what?

Fuck kids.

I’m taking color back for adults. 

I’m really enjoying the slower, lazier pace of sundays here in Copenhagen. People seem more relaxed, families are out together, and generally everyone seems to be in a good mood. Of course it helps that my day started with good food and mimosas, so make of that what you will.

I’m not used to being a foreigner. I like to understand things. By that I mean, I like to know backgrounds, stories, attitudes and environmental factors that shape a place and it’s  people.

I like to take time to mull things over and process my feelings and thoughts and impressions. Basically I really like to think things over research places so that I feel like I know them enough to not be a total outsider.

In Copenhagen, I’m definitely a foreigner, and outsider.

Today walking around Copenhagen on my own, I saw all the sights, smelled the smells, experienced the colors and watched the people. But I didn’t understand a thing most people on the street were saying. I couldn’t read most of the signs and people who approached me on the street might as well have been speaking gibberish.

It’s different, I’m not used to feeling like this, but somehow, I was still able to navigate my way home on my own and buy a few supplies.

Maybe as we spend more time here, I’ll come to understand this place better, but for now I’m just trying to come to terms with feeling like a foreigner for the first time in ages.