The day I met Serena, we really hit it off. She wanted to visit Christiania and I told her I wouldn’t mind going for the second time. So we took the metro, made a stop at Vor Frelsers Kirke (Our Saviours Church), and headed to the freetown of Copenhagen.
Copenhagen, Denmark
15 Dec 2014
It was 6am when I woke up. The sky was dark but I could hear whispers, someone going up and down the bunk bed ladder, someone walking on tiptoe, a bathroom door being closed, and the tap water running. I knew everyone, except me, was wide awake and getting ready to go somewhere. But there I was, lying still and half awake.
AS the clock strikes 8am, villagers of Kampung Sumangkap in Kudat district never fail to rise to the continuous sound of metal smacking. This noisy small village is about three hours drive from the State capital (Kota Kinabalu). For some, hearing the sound of metal smacking first thing in the morning can be unbearable and a nuisance, but for these “disturbers of peace”, who are gong makers from the Rungus community, they are eking out a living as well as keeping the tradition of gong making alive.
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour, but mood to moment. We live by currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” -Sandy Gingras, How to Live at the Beach
There is this scent, it is familiar, and it reminds me of a place. They said a smell can trigger certain memories. I have to agree. When you travel, your fragrance tags along. I have owned more than 20 perfumes and I have travelled to many places. I know how Jerusalem smells like and Bethlehem too, I also remember the smell of Kazakhstan and the distinctive scent of Yogyakarta. These are lovely fragrances I used when I visited these amazing places. And so far, I am happy with the combo.
a.geraldine 