Most wonders belong in their own time and place - even now, when concerts are broadcast live from the best music halls in the world, and museum exhibits can be viewed in 3D without leaving the comfort of one's own home. Somehow, seeing a picture of, say, <a href="/blog/niagara-falls">Niagara Falls</a> is not the same as experiencing the Falls while standing right in front of them. Maybe it's the aura of the place...&nbsp;As for time, even the most famous Wonders - six out of the Original Seven - are long gone. True, there is an exception - as they say, "Everything bows before Time but even Time itself bows before the Pyramids! - but it's the one and only exception. Everything else does indeed do Time's bidding and crumbles into disappearance with its passage.Finally, there are wonders that disappear without crumbling - and, in a way, those are the most amazing of all of them. Who would stop today even for a moment before making a phone call, turning on a TV, placing milk in the fridge or boarding a plane to travel half across the globe in several hours? Yet, if we do pause to think about it for a fleeting moment, we'll immediately realize that historically insignificant 100-150 years ago all of the above either didn't exist or was every bit a wonder, if not a miracle. While individual bygones had inevitably decayed, the collective technological concepts bringing those early objects about have stayed and developed. Modern technologies' products are slimmer, lighter, much easier to handle and more aesthetically pleasing - and yet, they aren't wonders anymore. Not in our collective mind. However, if we ever try to see by-now-oh-so-familiar-things with fresh eyes, the goldmine of wonders will become practically inexhaustible...

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Seeing with Fresh Eyes

When it comes to the "monarch - subjects relationships", there has historically been a lot of variety, depending on the part of the world. Asian rulers are often deified (for instance, Japanese Emperors are believed to be direct descendants of the Supreme Goddess Amaterasu, while criticism against the king in Thailand is considered sacrilege and punished by law). Eastern European monarchs were sometimes seen as God-given parental figures whose right and duty was to take care of and, mostly, punish their usually unruly and sinning "children"(Russian kings/queens would be traditionally addressed as, what can be roughly translated as, "Little Father"/"Little Mother"). Western European royals are rather perceived as legal entities that must fulfill their contractual obligations to keep enjoying a considerable number of rights and perks (this interpretation of monarchy might have been introduced as early as 1215 when King John of England was essentially forced to sign a Charter of Liberties known as Magna Carta).Danish warm and friendly attention to and curiosity about their monarchs has made sure that none of the above would apply! The best way to describe a unique relationship between Danish kings and their subjects might be to compare the former to...their namesakes on the chess board! In chess the king is the most important but also the weakest (at least, for most part of the game) piece of the whole set. In Denmark the monarch is the mirror of the country's international image and the primary symbol of its unity - and yet, his power is symbolic, as well, because key decisions affecting the country's daily life are made by the Parliament. Besides, as most public figures, the royals have very little privacy. It's therefore not surprising that they are sympathized with, and sometimes even spoiled. For instance, several lovely rotunda pavilions were built for the royal family right on the waterfront (and not far from the Mermaid) - so that Queen Margrethe II and her kin could rest comfortably after yachting for a few hours. Even the police would occasionally turn a blind eye to royal misdemeanors - just like it did when Crown Prince Frederick decided to swish through Copenhagen at 300 km/hour. Usually, the rules are observed much more strictly: when the visiting Swedish king followed suit, he was fined an equivalent of 750 $ - even though his speed merely reached 200 km/hour...

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Monarchs

High places have always drawn attention and piqued curiosity. Personalities like <a href="/blog/christiania">Christian IV</a> and <a href="/blog/christian-x">Christian X</a> ensured that in Denmark those attention and curiosity would remain warm and friendly. In other countries, including England, the relationship between the Crown and its subjects has over centuries been more complex (and often - rather formal). One might say the English and Danish monarchies have different auras - and that difference is easiest to feel on a huge square in front of Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen - the home of the Danish royal family - where a ceremony known as "the changing of the guards" takes place on any given day at noon sharp. All you need is a couple of Englishmen waiting for the ceremony next to you and recalling details of a similar event held at Buckingham Palace in London.The London show is a magnificent pageant featuring 300 mounted guards and the Royal Regiment wearing traditional red uniforms and bearskins, and marching to military-band timpani. No wonder that the pageant attracts quite a few locals, let alone multitudes of tourists. Danish guards also have bearskins - completely unique pitch-black ones custom-ordered in Canada where the population of bears in question is so limited that hunting them is strictly state-licensed. Actually, the bearskins is the one and only feature the two ceremonies have in common. Crashing waves and screaming seagulls replace the timpani; a couple of policewomen, politely reminding the spectators not to block the guards' path, come instead of the horse guard. Quite likely, those policewomen are the only Danes on the square otherwise attended by a handful - a far cry from those multitudes in London - tourists. As for the most lasting (and even somewhat troubling) impression produced by the ceremony, it's a weird discrepancy between the guards' baby faces and their gigantic size. All my attempts to solve that riddle remained unsuccessful...

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Changing of the Guard

When George Mallory was asked, why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, he simply replied "Because it's there!' and these three words became one of the most famous catchphrases in the whole Western culture. By analogy, one might say that Nature's creations are wonders "because they ARE". Ageless caves, ever-erupting volcanoes and geysers seemingly reaching the star-studded sky - there is a sense of the ultimate about any and all of that, a vague image of perfection, something unrivaled, unparalleled. The situation is quite different when it comes to man-made objects: an equestrian statue is just a work of art, and a palace or, say, a tower are just buildings - unless they happen to be architectural masterpieces. What turns "just a statue/building" into a wonder is a story behind it - and the story behind such buildings in Copenhagen as the Observatory (aka the Round Tower), the Stock Exchange, and a number of churches and castles is essentially the same - the man on the picture.Many rulers had nicknames. Some were known as "Greats", others as "Conquerors" - and the "greatness" of the former almost inevitably implied the achievement associated with the latter. To the best of my knowledge, untainted by Google, there was only one ruler - David who reigned in the 11th century Caucasian Kingdom of Georgia - who remained in history as "The Builder". Christian IV of Denmark would have every reason and right to share that, much rarer title. Just like Alexander the Great, he had quite a few cities named after him. Unlike the Emperor of Macedonia, Christian didn't conquer those cities - instead he built them! To be precise, he "built them", as opposed to "had them built", because not only the King commissioned the construction and paid for it but he also literally participated in the process. Quite often that monarch would come to the building sites to supervise the process (which he knew inside out) and actually lend a hand in accomplishing physical tasks. One of the cities founded by that longest-reigning monarch in the history of Scandinavia, is known today as "Oslo", but for 300 or so years it bore the name of "Christiania"...

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Christiania

It's hardly surprising that the legend, discussing the <a href="/blog/merchants-harbor">origins of Copenhagen</a>, features a goddess and a king. The very meaning of the word "legendary" ("remarkable enough to be famous" - as well as "described in, or based on legends) implies that legends focus on prominent beings rather than common ones. Gods. Heroes (semi-gods or mortal beings with supernatural powers). True leaders.&nbsp;Not every nominal leader (as in "Head of State", "Chief of Staff" and such) is a Leader. Christian X of Denmark, who reigned for 20 years in the first half of the 20th century, was. The latter part of his reign was marred by World War II, and of all Scandinavian countries, Denmark was, in a way, hit the hardest by it. While Sweden turned itself into the key source of strategic raw materials for the German war machine, thus managing to maintain its formal neutrality, and Norway's landscape provided ample opportunities for a guerilla war, Danish flats were perfect for deploying German tanks. Openly resisting the invasion under those circumstances would have been tantamount to bringing doom to the whole nation, and it was not before German armies got stuck in Eastern European swamps that Danish Resistance started to shape up. The initial defiance was moral rather than expressed in military actions - and its precarious nature called for a brave leader of unquestionable moral authority. The king answered the call. He never stopped rubbing it in the face of German occupational forces in one way or another. One such slap in the face was "forgetting" to send birthday greetings to Adolf Hitler. Even more embarrassing for the Germans was his habit of parading the capital on his horse day in, day out - and never taking any guards with him. "But Your Majesty should be protected when exposed to common people" - the Commander, personally responsible for the king's well-being, tried in vain. "My people are those who protect me!" - that answer alone would be enough to earn Christian X his place in history. Full of dignity and grace, the king's equestrian statue in Copenhagen makes that place come alive.

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Christian X

Earlier I mentioned Man's unique ability to create new concepts by rendering existing things a new meaning. Now I should trace this ability to its origin - the human mind that is so wonderful that it can reimagine reality itself. Impressive as they are, many wonders of the material worlds are, in a way, byproducts of that primary wonder of Imagination. Legends and fairy-tales are just several examples of tools necessary to create those byproducts.Even though the English park named after Sir Winston Churchill is within short walking distance of the Little Mermaid, one would think that the spirit of the famous politician and sybarite, combined with personal charisma associated with his name, should define the ambience of the place. The very first artwork – a statuary - one stumbles upon in the park seems to confirm that impression.The statuary features a strong, muscular woman vigorously lashing four lathery oxen – and the whole group exudes power, energy and purpose. The title of the statuary, Gefion Fountain, alludes to the story behind the mise-en-scene. The story has it that King Gylfi of Sweden wanted to stay in Goddess Gefion’s good books without having to show too much generosity – so, he offered the goddess some land as a gift. To be precise, as much land as she and her family would be able to plow in one night. Gefion was quick to agree and happy to oblige – so, she turned her four sons into oxen and urged them on. In the next eight hours or so the family herd plowed quite a chunk of land, carved it out and threw into the sea. That’s how the island of Zealand/ Sea Land was created. Quite naturally, the island needed a harbor to maintain its connection with the mainland. Once built, the harbor began to serve various purposes, including commerce – and, eventually, it became known as the Kaupmannhoevn/ “Merchants’ Harbor”. Over centuries the name gradually transformed into Kobenhavn, otherwise known as “Copenhagen”…

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Merchants’ Harbor

This blog entry simply consists of several pictures and just one simple sentiment:&nbsp;May 2022 turn out to be a WONDERful year full of beauty, joy and happiness.<h2>New Zealand</h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/new_zealand_1_35d151c003.webp" alt="new-zealand-1.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/thumbnail_new_zealand_1_35d151c003.webp 208w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408274/7kwonders/small_new_zealand_1_35d151c003.webp 500w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/new_zealand_2_4e7ddcc4fd.webp" alt="new-zealand-2.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/thumbnail_new_zealand_2_4e7ddcc4fd.webp 208w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408274/7kwonders/small_new_zealand_2_4e7ddcc4fd.webp 500w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/new_zealand_3_13cbf37dd2.webp" alt="new-zealand-3.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/thumbnail_new_zealand_3_13cbf37dd2.webp 208w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/small_new_zealand_3_13cbf37dd2.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"><h2>Norway</h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/norway_1_af8db5ac79.webp" alt="norway-1.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/thumbnail_norway_1_af8db5ac79.webp 222w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/small_norway_1_af8db5ac79.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"><h2>Canada</h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/canada_1_0cfadfd0c4.webp" alt="canada-1.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/thumbnail_canada_1_0cfadfd0c4.webp 207w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/small_canada_1_0cfadfd0c4.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"><h2>Great Britain</h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408271/7kwonders/great_britain_1_583cccb8dc.webp" alt="great-britain-1.webp" srcset="https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408272/7kwonders/thumbnail_great_britain_1_583cccb8dc.webp 105w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/small_great_britain_1_583cccb8dc.webp 337w,https://res.cloudinary.com/dpwp8vga3/image/upload/v1650408273/7kwonders/medium_great_britain_1_583cccb8dc.webp 506w," sizes="100vw">

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Happy New Year!

Christmas is a time for fairy-tales. That's why this Christmas entry will be devoted to the main character of a famous, controversial and somewhat glossed over fairy-tale.&nbsp;Wikipedia readily tells us that a statue of Her was created in 1913 by Edvard Eriksen – and Ellen Price, the ballet-dancer, who was posing for the statue, lived a long a productive life. The statue had been commissioned by a local brewer who fell in love with the original 1837 fairy-tale by one H. C. Andersen. It’s not completely without interest that the brewer’s name was Carl Jacobsen, and the beer he had produced echoed that name… In other words, the creator of Carlsberg beer was instrumental in bringing about the statue of The Little Mermaid…&nbsp;What Wikipedia doesn’t emphasize is the actual work of art – grey slippery boulders touched by weeds, right next to the water, and a tiny figure of a young girl on the top of that wet pyramid. As if embarrassed, the girl is hiding her tail somewhere behind her back, her face is calm and sad at the same time. Indifferent to all the fuss around her, she is looking wistfully and searchingly beyond the sea, wishing and hoping for her Prince to return. Wishing and hoping for 108 years, and counting. A longing that is never to materialize, yet never to give up, is a heart-rending but, strangely, also live-affirming feeling bringing both tears to one’s eyes and a smile to their face. Such is the power of that inner beauty that that slip of a girl, barely seen from passing ships, has turned into the most important symbol of Danish capital, Copenhagen, if not Denmark as a whole…

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Merry Christmas

Even if the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, things like Wellington's "<a href="/blog/seasonal-wonders">living statues</a>" catch the beholder's eye for a reason - and the reason is that they are cute, funny and quite original. However, if you go for a walk in some local woods and stumble upon a cluster of evergreen trees, you might easily pay no attention to them (or, quite literally, not see the trees for the wood). It takes the magic of the Christmas season to turn a routine object into a powerful symbol of goodwill, celebration and intrinsic happiness thus creating what might be called a "wonder of convention".&nbsp;St. Catherine, the Patron Saint of Montreal, might have never met Jesus Christ, but it was obvious that the street bearing her name was quite familiar with the tree named after the "Saviour from Nazareth" and devoted to his birth… It was on a rather nice and not even especially cold evening that I found myself strolling along St. Catherine. The street was full of hurrying people, as it probably always is on any given day, independently of the season. Christmas was still weeks away, and there was no particular reason to expect any of its special features to come to the foreground. I stopped at a rather big intersection as the light was red, and suddenly…there it was: a Christmas tree in its full attire, fresh and festive as if smiling at all those watching it. It seemed that people around me caught the mood and started smiling back, at the tree and at each other. Probably I was getting delirious for an instant…

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