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05

Dec

Creative Thinking in Copenhagen

by Joyce McGreevy on December 5, 2016

A cyclist crosses a bridge between islands in Copenhagen, an example of the Danish design that makes this city a Capital of Creative Thinking. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Thomas Høyrup Christensen)

Cycle from one island to another in Denmark’s capital city.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Thomas Høyrup Christensen

The Danish Design of Everyday Life

On a map, Denmark’s 400+ islands resemble a dropped plate. It’s a fitting symbol, considering how Danish design breaks the mold. To the east spanning several islands is Copenhagen—arguably, the Capital of Creative Thinking.

“Danish design” connotes minimalist beauty—Arne Jacobsen’s famous “Egg” chair, Poul Henningsen’s pendant lamps, and other streamlined functional objects.

It doesn’t take a tour of Designmuseum Danmark to recognize that Copenhageners appreciate sophisticated simplicity.

Examples of minimalist furniture and lighting, that reflects the creative thinking of Danish design. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Morten Bjarnhof)

Danish design is known the world over.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Morten Bjarnhof

But Danish design also encompasses creative ideas for everything from transportation to work-life balance, making Copenhagen one of the most livable cities in the world.

City of Cyclists

One of the first things you see are thousands of people crisscrossing the city on bikes. (Don’t mistake a bike lane for a sidewalk though, or it’ll be the last thing you see.) Last year Copenhagen cycled past Amsterdam to claim the title of world’s most bike-friendly city.

Cyclists and pedestrians cross a car-free bridge in Copenhagen, where creative thinking and Danish design influence the daily commute. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Thomas Rousing)

There are five times more bikes than cars in Copenhagen.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Thomas Rousing

More than 60% of Copenhageners use bikes to commute to work, cart around groceries, and attend social gatherings. Politicians cycle to parliament at Christiansborg Castle (a.k.a. “Borgen”). The Crown Prince and Princess shuttle the kids to school in a cargo bike.

The Cykelslangen or "Bicycle Snake" in Copenhagen, is a cycle superhighway that reflects Danish design and creative thinking. (Image © Ursula Bach)

The Cykelslangen or “Bicycle Snake,” offers a shortcut, great views, and optimal traction.
© Ursula Bach

It helps that Denmark is flat as thin-sliced rye, its highest point 560 feet above sea level. Another advantage: a network of 28 bike-only highways. By improving health and reducing vehicle-related costs, the Cycle Superhighway could cut annual public expenditure by 40.3 million euros ($42M).

Libraries for Time Travelers

Danish design integrates past and present. Take Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Library, for example. From the half-hidden garden at Slotsholmen, it’s a red-brick National Romantic style building (1906), a sanctuary of silent hallways, long desks, and rare books, some over 900 years old.

The Royal Library Garden view of the 1906 Royal Library in Copenhagen reflects the Danish design and creative thinking of "Romantic Nationalist" architecture. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Martin Heiberg)

Hidden from the main streets behind Copenhagen’s Parliament is the Royal Library Garden.
©  Copenhagen Media Center/ Martin Heiberg

Then a wooden walkway leads you into the ultramodern wing, a soaring, glass atrium framed by wave-like balconies. Ribbons of sunlight direct your attention to steeply ramped escalators below.

You are standing in the heart of the “Black Diamond.”

An interior view of the Black Diamond, an ultramodern extension of the Danish Royal Library in Copenhagen, showcases Danish design and creative thinking. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Nicolai Perjesi)

Book it to Copenhagen to check out this library.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Nicolai Perjesi

A breathtaking trapezoidal structure of black granite and glass, the Black Diamond extends the old library to the waterfront. It also features a 600-seat concert hall, restaurants, and a bookshop.

The Black Diamond in Copenhagen reflects both sunlight and the creative thinking of Danish design. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Ty Stange)

Take a beach chair, book, beer or coffee, and relax like a local beside the library.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Ty Stange

But that’s not the end of the time travel. Because in Denmark, citizens can use RFID-enabled cards to visit nearly 200 libraries even when staff are not on duty.

Balancing Budgets and Diets

Copenhagen can be expensive. But it’s bemusing when tourists name-drop Copenhagen’s five-star hotels—and then complain about the cost of a beer.

A gargoyle of a crab in Copenhagen shows how humor and creative thinking influence Danish design. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Only a gargoyle could be crabby in Copenhagen.
© Joyce McGreevy

As Copenhageners know, it’s all about balance. My budget apartment in the fashionable Frederiksberg neighborhood offered a wealth of extras, including a high-tech laundry and a charming balcony garden that writers usually only have in movies. With nearby parks and public transportation, it’s hard to go wrong.

Smørrbrød, or Danish open sandwiches, at Torvehallerne Market, Copenhagen, shows that creative thinking in Danish design extends to Nordic cuisine. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

“S’more smørrbrød, please!” Torvehallerne Market makes fine dining affordable.
© Joyce McGreevy

So spending a few kroner more for smørrebrød, the traditional Danish open sandwich, won’t break the bank. Besides, that higher tab ensures workers a living wage. As for beer, do as locals do: buy a cold one at a convenience store, sit beside the canal (yes, it’s legal), and enjoy the view. It’s free.

A view of Trangraven, Copenhagen shows how Danish design and creative thinking work in tandem with nature. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

You are never more than a few steps from a beautiful view in Copenhagen.
© Joyce McGreevy

Cashless in Copenhagen

(Danish designed paper currency and coins may be phased out by 2025, as creative thinking influences monetary policy.

Most Danes pay by mobile phone, not kroner.

Speaking of balancing budgets, Denmark is getting rid of money.

Danes use cash for less than 6% of all payments.

Now the city that accepts mobile payments for even the smallest purchases is set to become the first world capital of cashless society.

Critics raise concerns about fraud and institutional control. Supporters say phasing out currency and coins will reduce tax fraud, disrupt black markets, and save millions in minting costs.

It’s Easier Being Green

Copenhagen is on track to become carbon-neutral by 2025. More than 40% of Denmark’s electricity is powered by renewable energy sources. Plans to switch bus lines to biogas or electricity will reduce carbon emissions another 20%.

Windmills on Copenhagen's urban horizon exemplify how creative thinking and Danish design affect energy policy. (Image © Kontraframe)

By 2020, 50% of Copenhagen’s energy will come from wind power.
© Kontraframe

Denmark discourages gasoline consumption with a whopping 180% tax on new cars, but waives this for electric vehicles. Drivers of EVs also enjoy free city parking. Hear that, U.S. cities?

Organic produce at Torvehallerne Market, Copenhagen suggests the creative thinking and Danish design of Nordic cuisine. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Named European Green Capital in 2014, Copenhagen leads the world in
organic food consumption.
© Joyce McGreevy

Danish Designed Attitudes

What about Denmark’s reputation as the happiest place on earth?

“I think you mean Disneyland,” says local guide Rekke, citing the place inspired by Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens.

The carousel at Tivoli, the amusement park in Copenhagen, is an icon of Danish design and creative thinking. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Anders Bøgild)

Tivoli, the 170-year-old amusement park in Copenhagen.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Anders Bøgild

She jokes that Hans Christian Anderson, Danish fairytale author and erstwhile Copenhagen resident, invented the genre known as “Nordic Noir.”  As evidence, Rekke cites the grim ending of the original “Little Mermaid.”

The final resting place of Hans Christian Andersen is a reminder of this author's creative thinking and the uniquely Danish design of his fairytales. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Andersen’s ultimate fairytale ending? Digteren is Danish for “Poet.”
© Joyce McGreevy

But ask Rekke, “How happy are you?” and she says, “Very. Nine out of ten.” This turns out to be a typical response in Copenhagen.

Making a Living, Having a Life

One reason is work-life balance. By four o’clock, Copenhagen is abuzz with families heading home for the evening. Overtime is discouraged, yet productivity is high.

Hence the Danish word arbejdsglæde, or “happiness at work.”

Office culture is rarely hierarchical and workers speak their minds. (Just don’t boast, even at job interviews; it’s not the Danish way.)

Outdoor diners at Papirøen, or Paper Island, a former storage facility, enjoy the benefits of Copenhagen's creative thinking toward Danish design. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Once a storage facility, Papirøen (“Paper Island”), is the place for global street food.
© Joyce McGreevy

Similarly, Danish government works by way of consensus. No single party holds the majority.

In 2010 Copenhagen’s parliament inspired an idealistic TV series, Borgen, a sleeper hit worldwide. NPR called it “Denmark’s West Wing, but even better.”

Mutual trust is a fundamental Danish value. According to one EU index, voter turnout in Denmark tops 85% and 96% of Danes know someone they could rely on in time of need.

The environs Stork Fountain, Copenhagen showcases the creative thinking of Danish design. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Ty Stange)

Newly graduated midwives dance at Stork Fountain. In Denmark, taxes are high,
and benefits cover college tuition, medical care, and more.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Ty Stange

Remember That Dropped Plate?

Trust may explain why one quirky custom remains popular in Copenhagen. Every New Year, Danes toss old dishes at the doors of friends. The higher the pile of broken plates, the more you’re loved.

An assortment of Nordic cuisine on Royal Copenhagen plates at Restaurant Kronberg, Copenhagen exemplifies the creative thinking of Danish design. (Image © Copenhagen Media Center and Ty Stange)

The Nordic diet emphasizes sustainably produced, fresh local foods.
© Copenhagen Media Center/ Chris Tonnesen at Restaurant Kronberg

Oh, I see: From broken plates to bicycle highways, open libraries to cashless culture, work-life balance to falling carbon levels, Copenhagen may well be the Capital of Creative Thinking. Danish design encompasses everything from environmental stewardship to freedom of expression.

Now, how does creative thinking influence your way of life?

 

Enroll in a free University of Copenhagen class on the Nordic diet here. 

Tour the world’s most bike-friendly city here and here. 

Borgen is now available on U.S. video sites.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Clever Ideas/Crossing Cultures/Denmark

22

Nov

The Pull of Pushkar

by Meredith Mullins on November 22, 2016

Camel cart at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures in the desert. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The Pushkar Camel Fair
© Meredith Mullins

Travel Adventures in Rajasthan

The naïve traveler might say that if you’ve seen one camel fair, you’ve seen them all.

Not true.

Those looking for real travel adventures know that there is no such thing as too many camel fairs, especially when it comes to one of the largest camel fairs in the world. The Pushkar ka Mela is different.

Livestock food sellers at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

A bounty of color 
© Meredith Mullins

The annual Pushkar festival in Rajasthan, India, is the ultimate blend of camels, dust, color, cattle, horses, music, smoke and spice, camel bling, acrobats, more dust, snake charmers, dancers, temple bells, more camels, carnival rides, competitions, and endless market stalls.

The mela has the added layer, however, of also being a sacred pilgrimage site.

Camp at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The dusty camps of the camel traders
© Meredith Mullins

Entering an Ancient and Timeless Land

Tales of Pushkar are legendary. The name alone has the magic of another era—the land of the ancient Silk Road, when the wandering trade routes brought multiple civilizations together.

For me, making the journey to Pushkar for last week’s mela transported heart and mind quickly into another world—primitive and exotic.

More than 50,000 camels arrive in this small town each autumn for trade and show, timed with the October/November full moon.

Camel trader with camels at sunset in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Pushkar camels strutting their stuff at sunset
© Meredith Mullins

More than 300,000 visitors—villagers, desert dwellers, westerners, pilgrims, and sadhus (Hindu ascetics)—come to Pushkar for the festival. They walk for days from remote corners of the desert, ride their animals, or squeeze themselves into overcrowded vehicles to reach their destination.

Truck full of travelers to Pushkar in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The more the merrier . . . on to Pushkar.
© Meredith Mullins

The flow of people into town is almost as interesting as the festival itself. You can feel the excitement building as these disparate currents converge.

The Sacred Lake

The lake at the center of the city was said to have been formed in the 4th century B.C. (or even earlier) in this barren region when a lotus flower petal fell from the hand of Lord Brahma, the god of creation.

Pushkar lake in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The sacred Pushkar lake, surrounded by temples and pilgrims paying homage to this holy site.
© Meredith Mullins

This legendary event makes the lake not only a miracle in religious lore but also a sacred destination for devout Hindus. They come to pray at any of the 500 temples (including one of the few temples in India dedicated solely to Brahma). And they come to purify themselves in the sacred waters.

According to Hindu tradition, bathing in the holy lake during the full moon (called the Kartik Poornima) washes away all sins. And for the men who can’t make it, if their wife bathes, the purification extends to them as well.

Weaving Faith and Trade Together

For nearly two weeks, faith and trading come together in one lively festival. The fair begins with the livestock trading. The tents and evening fires of the traders reach into the edges of the desert.

At night, you hear the murmur of the camps and the low moans of the camels as the dust of the day settles and the cold air moves in from the Aravalli hills.

Camel with colorful decorations at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Camel haute couture
© Meredith Mullins

By day, the camels show off their haute camel couture. Woven and beaded saddles and jackets, necklaces that seem to go on forever (well-suited for those long camel necks), and the traditional red nose ball that makes them look even more comical than they already do.

Camel at watering hole at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The traditional red nose ball (kept dry at the ole watering hole)
© Meredith Mullins

These bizarre divas are reminiscent of Star Wars creatures, with a dash of dinosaur and giraffe. As you wander through the maze of humps, you quickly come to realize that these exotic characters are averse to doing anything that isn’t their own idea (or anything that isn’t related to chewing).

As the livestock fair gains momentum, the pilgrims begin to flow into town. Their earthtone clothes, with highlights of orange and yellow bring life to the dusty brown of the fair. And their steady, silent gazes penetrate deeply, linking soul to soul.

Hindu pilgrims at the Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan, India, during the travel adventures of the Pushkar Camel Fair. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Hindu pilgrims walking to the sacred Pushkar Lake for morning prayer and bathing
© Meredith Mullins

The pilgrims gather around the lake every morning to bathe and pray, as the carnival noise rises in the distance. Their joy at being at this sacred site rivals the fairground fun, in a different way.

Camel Races, Turban Tying, and Mustaches (Oh My!)

Amidst the sacred atmosphere, the fairgrounds offer a variety of events—camel races, cricket matches, and the turban tying and mustache competitions.

Four entrants in the Pushkar Camel Fair mustache competition in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Hopeful mustache competition contenders
© Meredith Mullins

It’s hard not to be drawn in by the mustache competition. The staches look elegant and dignified and then the unfurling begins. Guinness World Records, here we come.

Indian man with long mustache at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

A mustache victory
© Meredith Mullins

“Oh, I See” Moments: Too Many To Count

The sensory stimulation of the Pushkar mela is overwhelming . . . not to mention the pressure of trying to decide which camel to take home.

More importantly, the spiritual feeling from the pilgrims seems to bring the world a bit closer together.

Three Hindu pilgrims at Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Pilgrim blessings
© Meredith Mullins

The daytime desert heat and dust is brutal. After a few days, it was time to move on to the more travel adventures.

I was disappointed to miss the pilgrims’ mass bathing, which takes place at the end of the festival during the full moon. I can only imagine the visual and spiritual impact of thousands of pilgrims swimming in the lake, lit only by moonlight.

I was, however, filled with the beauty of the desert—the sounds and smells of an ancient time and the joy of a festival where faith and community prevail.

And I know I will return  . . . because I did not yet select my camel.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Adventure Travel/India

14

Nov

Have You a Party Piece?

by Joyce McGreevy on November 14, 2016

Kiaran O'Donnell and Rick Chelew play guitar at a small gathering, carrying on the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Sharing our gifts turns strangers into friends; Kiaran O’Donnell and Rick Chelew had just met.
© Joyce McGreevy

What an Irish Tradition
Can Teach Us Today

It was known as the party piece, a “bit of an auld song” or spoken word. Would we have called it an Irish tradition? Probably not. As students in Galway, sharing songs, stories, and poems was just something we did on Saturday nights.

But the tradition goes back centuries, notes Irish historian P.W. Joyce. Ancient Irish sagas depict hospitality to travelers as a social virtue, and guests reciprocated with music or spoken word. “Like the Homeric Greeks, the Irish were excessively fond of hearing tales and poetry recited  . . . Every intelligent person was expected to know a reasonable number.”

Thus it continued, into my “ancient” college days. Go on now, give us your party piece, friends would say as we lingered after one-burner suppers served on coffee tables. “Mountains of Mourne” was a favorite.

Musicians at a jam session in pub in Galway, Ireland reflect the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image by Damián Bakarcic)

If you visit Ireland, bring along a song or a story to share.
“Jam Session in Galway Pub, Ireland” by Damián Bakarcic, CC-BY-NC-4.0

A Poem

Reciting a poem went over well, too.  Back then, practically everyone I knew, student or not, had a few verses filed away in the old memory bank. Had I the heavens embroidered cloths . . .

It wasn’t like you hunkered down at a desk to memorize them, mind. You’d simply hear something and if it touched a chord, you’d hold onto it, the way a magpie works shiny foil into its bower.

Hikers on a scenic road in Ireland become a metaphor for the Irish tradition of sharing stories, songs, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Life’s rockiest road is navigable when we share it in stories, songs, and poems.
© Joyce McGreevy

A Story

Some party pieces were stories. The best were scraps of real experience that had been well embellished. Lace-edged in mystery. Beribboned with bright hyperbole. The beadwork of everyday dialogue polished into priceless gems with every retelling.

Oh, you could cut yourself on that wit, someone would say. It’s the way he tells ’em, someone would chime in.

Three women taking tea and trading stories at Glebe Gardens Café, Co. Cork, reflect the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing stories, songs, and poems. (Image © Rick Chelew)

Sharing anecdotes and laughter at Glebe Gardens Café, Co. Cork.
© Rick Chelew

A Moment

Here’s what a party piece was not about: Narcissism.

Your moment would not go viral. The technology that transformed selves into selfies was still decades away. We didn’t take photos or make recordings.

As student renters, we didn’t even have landline telephones.

Yet we always knew where the gatherings were. The “sociable” network functioned by way of knocks at the door, the tea kettle kept at the ready for impromptu visits and invitations.

A decorative teapot in Galway, Ireland symbolizes the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A few cups of tea can flower into a gathering.
© Joyce McGreevy

A Welcome

Meanwhile, back at the party, a newcomer from the States might hesitate on being asked to sing.

Sure, it doesn’t matter if you’ve a voice like an old crow, someone would tell her. We’ll all join in, another might add encouragingly.

Oh, I see: Sharing a party piece wasn’t about competing to see who was the most talented. It was about willingness to participate, to add some ingredient of your own to the stone soup of the evening.

A "face in the crowd" in Dublin, Ireland and a gift-wrapped building evoke the need for the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Sharing the gift of our experience creates connection.
© Joyce McGreevy

A Joy

So when someone began to sing “My Lagan Love” or “Bye, Bye, Blackbird,” it didn’t matter a whit if there was more rasp than lilt. The melody came through clearly via memories the singer stirred in us.

The greater joy was in being there together, none of us ready yet to call it a night.

A glowing fireplace in Dublin, Ireland sets the scene for the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A cozy fireplace in Dublin sets the scene for music and storytelling.
© Joyce McGreevy

Your Presence Is Requested

Today, even amid the multi-modal distractions that are as ubiquitous in Ireland as everywhere else on the planet, the Irish tradition of the party piece lives on.

A lot of the sharing now finds its way online. But at heart it’s still about presence—passing the tokens of our shared humanity from person to person.

Not fame. Not showing off. Not monetizing an experience. But about giving whatever you’ve got and showing up to honor what others give, too, be it heartfelt or hilarious, wise or whimsical.

A dog eyeing treats in a Dublin parlor evokes the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems, including shaggy dog stories. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A shaggy dog story makes a great party piece.
© Joyce McGreevy

A Wish

So here is my wish for you: One evening may you find yourself in a home where musical instruments are as much a part of the furnishings as crockery and sofa cushions. May there be apple tart and good company.

A homemade apple tart in Galway goes well with the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Our gifts are sweetest when they are shared.
© Joyce McGreevy

At some point, the piano or fiddle will sound, and the concertina and tin whistle will come out of their cases. But nobody’s forming a band, only forging a bond.

The tales begin telling themselves. The poems, memories, and songs emerge, like shy ponies crossing a field.

Two friendly Irish horses symbolize subtle aspects of the Irish tradition of the party piece, sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

They have come gladly out of the willows/To welcome my friend and me…
From James Wright’s poem “A Blessing”
© Joyce McGreevy

Somebody volunteers a song about love, by turns joyful and poignant.  When they falter—whether from forgetting the words, or remembering the past—a neighboring singer takes up the thread.

Kieran O'Donnell and Rick Chelew play guitar together, carrying on the Irish tradition of sharing songs, stories, and poems. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Our individual songs, stories, and poems share a common chord.
© Joyce McGreevy

A Gathering

The song goes around and around, until every voice has been gathered in. There’s room for everyone.

Call it an Irish tradition, though we were never so formal as all that. We were just doing our party pieces. Finding our human commonalities by sharing songs, stories, and poems. What party piece might you share when next you gather with family, friends, and friends-to-be?

Read the cited poems in their entirety here and here. 

Comment on this post below. 

 

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Ireland/Language & Culture

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