8 December 2008

Down to Earth

Soft Traffic
View from a bike lane. Headphones, sealskin jacket and a woolen hat passing by.

Autograph & Unimpressed Cyclist
This photo, to me, is quite Danish. On my way home last Saturday I rode past the venue for the European Film Awards - the European Oscars. Inside there are loads of stars. Despite this fact, there were only maybe 10-15 curious people hanging out, waiting for a glimpse or autographs or photos, plus some photographers.

The red carpet rolls out but it ends at the bike lane. Nothing stops the bikes, not even glamour or celebrity. While I was taking some photographs an elderly gentleman came out and a man rushed to hail down a private car for him, which rolled up in a jiffy. The driver hopped out and hurried around to open the door for him. Only to ask him to wait a moment as a bicycle rode past. He looked confused that he, a man of distinction and status, was asked to wait for a bicycle. I loved that moment.

In the photo above a rather well-known film director signs an autograph for a young boy as a cyclist rolls past, completely unimpressed. All very down to earth.

Christiania Bike Night
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a Christiania bike rolls past a symphony of commercial light on the City Hall Square.

4 comments:

  1. Love the commercial light on the City shot!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Mikael, for a nice story about simplicity of life. Especially, I liked the words about a Status Man being hold by a bicycle, about people not noticing celebrities and doing their daily duties . .
    It`s good to know that there are places on Earth where bikes driving all the year round... where life is lived on bikes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. On a few occasions I have received such VIP treatment; and I always found it rather insulting:

    What? Are you insinuating that I'm so full of myself that I'd just door a cyclist? Maybe you think I'm an invalid, or just plain too stupid to work a door handle?

    You're a driver, go work the driver stuff. I'm a passenger, I'll work the passenger stuff, I can handle it, thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. the point was that many guests were from abroad and were not used to the bikes.

    the man in question didn't expect a bike so the kind driver actually did him a favour. and the cyclist.

    ReplyDelete