Evening Strolls in Denmark

As my time draws to an end here in Copenhagen (I leave May 18th for the States), and the weather here has gotten nice and spring-like, I have taken to going outside and just sitting, reading, watching, strolling. This picture above is Kongens Nytorv (Kings Square, funny since its actually a circle), where I live. Isn't it lovely?? This is the heart of Copenhagen. I've taken to sitting here in the evenings with a book, just soaking it all up - to be in the moment - really when will I ever get such a chance again in Copenhagen, to call Kongens Nytorv my home and this my front yard?? It doesn't get dark here until 9:30, so after reading my book or just people-watching, I'll stroll along the main canal, walking, meditating and enjoying - before heading home to say my Magrib (evening) prayers.

On a completely different note, I passed my Danish language level one exam - yay!

In preparation of the exam I began reading the free newspapers they hand out in the Metro. In the paper I picked up yesterday, this ad was inside. It is for some radical racist party here in Denmark (because all countries have these loons), opposing Muslim women judges who wear head scarves in the court. They say that because these women wear head scarves they are certainly going to start implementing sharia law in Denmark. It is a bit ludicrious, but there you have it.

What makes me scared is the tag line at the bottom of the ad, it says "Gi us Danmark tilbage," which essentially means "give us Denmark back." To which I ask...back from whom? Muslims in Denmark are for the most part Danish citizens, so who do you mean when you say "us" - white Lutheran Danes only? Does that mean that despite having Danish citizenship, speaking the language, serving the military, a Muslim cannot be a Dane? It is the same radical ideology the Nazi's had, that no matter that the Jews spoke German, had German citizenship, were fifth or sixth generations German, served the military, they were not German. Could it not be possible that Denmark, like the rest of the world is diversifying, so this idea of "giving back," really just means "we don't want anything to change, we liked it the way it was," in which case, I worry...because it is radical parties like these ones who when the economy goes south, rise up and attack minorities (in Denmark Muslims are the largest minority). I just pray that what happened in Germany in the 1930's, doesn't happen to Denmark in the future.


Finally, to end on a happy note - take a look at my little plant, its blooming again - see it seems I'm not an all-out plant killer after all! I've already found a loving home here in Copenhagen for said little guy and the other plant I have, who is also alive, just not blooming : ) So my wanted picture can come down off the plant world post office's : )