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:

village mama said...

Love the commercial light on the City shot!

Denis said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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.

Colville-Andersen said...

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.