søndag, december 02, 2007

Might not make any sense if you've never heard a Dane talk about Denmark


At a crossing of paths, during a walk in Dyrehaven:

Thor: So, which way should we go...this way is to Bakken, and this way is to the great plain.

Me: I'll go for the great plain. And when you say 'great plain', what exactly do you mean by this?

Thor: I mean it's big, hence the name 'great plain'.

Kim: Yes, but is it really great in a universal way, or only in the same Danish way that makes Himmelbjerget into an actual mountain.

Thor: Well, you know the Serengeti? Well, it's...

Me: ...totally different from this place?

Thor: ...well, apart from the lions? It's basically the same thing.

Kim: O.K., so you're saying it's great in the sense that, Everest, yeah, it's tall all right, but nothing that could remotely compare to Rundetårn, right?

Thor: (wiping fake tears from his eyes) I'm so proud. You're finally becoming integrated.

*Photo: a view of the great plain. There are animals in the far distance (my camera was not quite up to capturing them), but they appear to be deer, not lions. NB: To a Dane, all objects of size in the world are inevitably compared to either Himmelbjerget, Rundetårn, or more likely, both.*

5 kommentarer:

Shannon akaMonty sagde ...

That conversation made me giggle out loud. :) I'm so glad Michele sent me today--I'm a first time visitor here!

Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go poking around. :D

Unknown sagde ...

Is it comparable to the Big Church???

jdbauer sagde ...

I'm getting inspired to write a coffee table book. The 7 Wonders of Denmark! A highly designed 7 page book that is actually a functioning coffee table with a built in ash tray and attached barka lounger with a tiery origamic lamp which doesn't give off more light than a Doctor's pen light.

Danish design.

Smiler sagde ...

It's funny because I don't know anything about Denmark or Danes, but I think we all have some version of that. Montreal is named after "Mount-Royal" which, honestly is more of a big molehill than an actual mountain, though don't go telling that to a Montrealer, they're so proud of their mountain! Having seen a few real mountains in my life, that makes me laugh.

kimananda sagde ...

AKA_Monty, thanks! It's always nice to hear that I've inspired a giggle. :-)

Annemarie, we both know that not even Rundetårn is comparable to the Big Church. The Big Church is truly unique! ;-)

Jonathan, I'd probably buy that book. Do you think you could get a mock-up of it together by Saturday?

Smiler, I hadn't heard that about Montreal, but it doesn't surprise me somehow. I suspect it's that way all over the world. Well, except for the San Francisco Bay Area, where things really are bigger and better and totally unique. ;-)