Lately: The Tallest Man On Earth (just magical live. I definitely came away with a bad case of 'swollen heart'. Thank you Earth Station!), Lemon and Coconut Brownies, Katie Paterson's direct line to Vatnajökull (listen here), Ray Harris' AEAF exhibition, roses. I bought some for myself this afternoon, because you know what? I deserve them.

I have plenty more of my own photos to come. Thank you for your kind words so far.

Things I remembered: where tiny button for the doors on the S-Tog was, to put the barrier after my groceries at the checkout, to take a ticket, everything. I was so scared of feeling like a stranger. In actual fact, I've never felt more at home.

Be still, my heart.

'You went to Bang og Jensen, right?'

Yes. The most certain, happiest, satisfied 'yes' in the world.

In Copenhagen I caught the end of 'Metropolis - festival for art and performance in urban space' - hello, festival made just for me! I saw the intriguing No Known Cause, which was a brilliant night, even if I was by myself. 

I'm not sure if I was more excited by the set up of the show (we were led through a series of rooms, always returning to an ever-expanding corridor), the performance itself (a dynamic and engaging story of a man who loses his mind after a car accident), or the location (in a warehouse at the old Carlsberg brewery site).

(If you look very carefully, you might spot me in these photos.)

I've decided that being able to find the heartbeats of a city in record time is my special talent. Five minutes after getting off the plane I became aware the Antony and the Johnsons were playing at the Koncerthuset with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra that weekend. Antony and the Orchestra put on a stunning, moving performance in perhaps the most beautiful, cavernous venue I've ever been in. (Keep in mind I had just been to Perth, where I had said the same thing about their new state theatre a week earlier!) I also fell a bit in love with the conductor, who is not only a frequent collaborator with Antony but also with Sufjan Stevens. Whatta guy!

Photos from Koncerthuset's Facebook.

 

I have no idea where to begin with this. I've been all over the place since returning - in mind and body (Hello, Newcastle! Hello, awful virus!) - and I wonder if this blog is perhaps not the best place for all the thoughts that are in my head. I would like to get them all out though. So perhaps I will write elsewhere.

Copenhagen turned on its very best grey weather the day I arrived. It was perfect. Breaking through the clouds over the Øresund and seeing the bridge, the wind farms and the familiar flatness of the land was such a heart-poundy, hand-shaky moment. I know how silly this sounds and how much I had built this up for myself - to constantly yearn for a place that that I cloud with nostalgia, to make it seem like such a monumental thing when really it's just 20-or-so hours away by plane... and yet, it IS still so far away. So out of reach.

But as soon as I was on the Metro heading into the city, I knew I was home. Everything came back, and it was like I had never left.