Denmark Culture

Nate made it back from China safe and sound... and with a bit more stuff... Guess the markets are quite an experience over there.  He had an interesting time in the culture over there.  Guess in Beijing (where he was), there is so much pollution that the whole city has a permanent fog like haze, and he said it smells like "cow manure and sweat" (doesn't sound all that appealing to me)... And pedestrians get hit by cars every day, and people get out of the cars and yell at the pedestrians for being in the way!  That is quite different.  They said that you watch the Chinese and when they make a break for it across the street they followed suit assuming that was the safest time to risk it  ;-)
I really want to go back to walk on the Great Wall, but can't say that spending more time then maybe one day in the city is really on my list of things to do in life.

I decided to continue our culture adventure over the weekend too. Just in Aarhus :-D
We lucked out with an absolutely beautiful day Saturday!!!  (I think it has been raining or snow/raining every day since)  We started out by walking over to the Church of Our Lady (the Church of Saint Nicolai), we were the only ones in there, it was really quite surreal.  This is the kind of spirituality I can get behind.  Just being in the old churches is so mesmerizing. 

 Down into the crypt under the church...

They say it is the oldest stone church in Scandinavia, and it is still used for mass once a week.  Can see that being a fun service to attend (even if I will not understand a word that they say...).

Of course our tour would not be complete without a visit to the popular Aarhus Cathedral which is located at the eastern end of the walking streets and is a popular destination for tourists.  Was fun to see how much bigger and more elaborate this church was from the first.  I am never sure just how old things are but it still is fun to look at.  Over the years the cathedral has been built up and out, and now is the tallest church in Denmark.

 I would love to hear that organ played!!!!

I think this is where the sermons would be held from?  All the pews were facing this spot...

No idea what this is, but it was in the grownd and it drew my attention for a few minutes... I think that is the darkness in me calling  ;-)

 The statue at the bottom is actually quite large in person, amazing how a photo next to the building can make it seem so small  :-)

Don't think we finished there!  After that we went to Aros, which is the big museum in Aarhus.  The building its self was pretty cool.  I was mesmerized by the winding staircase...

 And the view of the city was lovely too!  Especially on such a nice day!

We wandered around the museum for a couple hours looking at all the exhibits.  There is some pretty strange artwork out there and not good strange like Dad's art... this was just bizarre.  Or kind of sick and twisted... was interesting for sure though.  Was a good day  :-)

Still had the night though!  So off to the international film festival we went (no not the international contemporary dance thing I went to earlier, I was over that already..).  We went to a independent film called "The Miscreants of Taliwood" by George Gittoes (Australian)
Was an interesting/disturbing film.  A documentary about this Australian who went to Pakistan to shoot a low budget (it takes only about 4000 to make the whole film there) action film. Films simply for entertainment purposes are for sure in conflict in Pakistan so there is are kind of issues with the Taliban along the way.  As this is a documentary there is some pretty disturbing stuff that you see/learn along the way about things that are going on (some things that deep down you may know but that we choose to not really know/think about as it hurts to even imagine horrible things like that happening).  So can't say I ended our day on a high note, but "cultured" us for sure....

Sunday it was miserable and rainy and we pretty much did nothing... which was also lovely... ahhhhh my bath..  seriously is my haven, and my escape... reading in a wonderful bubble bath is a little slice of heaven.......