Heaven is Right Here

Last night we finally saw the SUN again, after a whole week's absence. I just happened to be in one of the most beautiful and happy spots. I can't help sharing the pictures here as the sky was changing by the minute.

Digging Bornholm

 I've been doing a lot of commuting this summer. Copenhagen-Greenland-Bornholm-Copenhagen-Fyn-Bornholm

Bornholm is thus where I am right now and I am loving it. The island is a gem with some of the most spectacular natural scenery and archaeological treasure. 

 I also love being here because of the work I am doing. It's been a long time since I last did what is my actual vocation - archaeological field work. On a daily basis I drive up to the site located on a very picturesque hill with a view over fields and (behind trees) the sea. I do spend more time looking down on the ground than looking at the view though. On the site we have cremation graves from the Roman Iron Age (1-300AD).  On top of these we have the remains of a house from the late viking/early medieval period (1000-1100). 

Excavating at Klippehøj

The house is fantastic and so are the graves. Our team is also fantastic and consists of a group of students form the University of Copenhagen, one student from Gdansk as well as museum staff and skilled volunteers.   If you read Danish, you can follow our work on the blog I am writing with daily news from the dig. You will find news about our work as well as loads of yummy pictures of the site, the work and the finds.

During weekends we make trips out into the wild - observing archaeological landscapes and remains such the ringfort Rispebjerg and these monoliths in the groves called Gryet and Louisenlund

Orange slug in Gryet

Monolith, Gryet

Obelix was here. Louisenlund.

Monoliths, Louisenlund

Osama bin Laden - why was he killed rather than captured?

While conspiracy theories are flourishing these days, I have only two questions:

HOW was bin Laden able to hide for so long?
and
WHY was he killed rather than captured?

Obviously bin Laden must have been under protection from higher places in Pakistan. The building he was hiding in was not exactly invisible - or looking like a normal residential home - regardless of whether children were payed to play in front of the house or not.  Officials must have closed their eyes and maybe even have participated actively in protecting the hiding place. I wonder if not the military academy only 1 km north of the site played a role in this...
But a greater mystery to me is how (and if!) this hiding place remained unknown to the Americans for several years, even when they almost touched it in 2008?!

None the less, they raided the place and shot him a few days ago, took some samples and dumped his body in the Sea. All within less than 24 hours. And I believe this is actually a true story.
But why kill instead of capture?

Besides the ethical aspects of taking another human being's life, an enemy captured alive must be worth much more than a dead one? Although OBL would probably never answer questions or reveal plans even under torture, would it not be an even stronger manifestation to keep the man imprisoned and alive?

Even though I don't believe in conspiracy theories I am still puzzled and would like to know the answers, but doubt they will ever be given.

Conversations on the Bus

On the bus is a lady in silver sequin scarf and gold painted nails. She is having angry conversations with unknown subjects.
I am having conversations with you. Through a telephone unconnected to reality.

Where are we?

She gets off with an empty twin cart. I am thinking it is fortunate that she is carrying bottles, not children.

"Quote-Unquote"

I love quoting.
My favourites in the world of quotations are 1)the moral-despising, anti-religious, dance and art-loving Friederich Nietzsche and 2)the everlasting Shakespeare as well as the wise 3)Karen Blixen, Simone de Beauvoir and Coco Chanel. I also love the one-liners from materialistically orientated, surgically altered 93 year-old  Zsa-Zsa Gabor - queen of diamond-loving man-slapping exclamations.
Browsing quotation sites randomly today lead me to former President of the USA; Ronald Reagan.

I wonder if he ever spoke in anything BUT one-liners, knowing from his time in showbiz, that this was the direct way to success.
I randomly quote:
"Latinos are Republican. They just don't know it yet" 
How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin"
Eh, ok... 
Being President takes many waking hours but...
"I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon" 
and
"No matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middle of a Cabinet meeting"
All that sleep seems good for the mind, since he demonstrates a profound understanding of peace making:
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means"
but the following leaves me wondering what Reagan's concept of peaceful means is:
"When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat "
"We should declare war on North Vietnam. We could pave the whole country and put parking strips on it, and still be home by Christmas"
Concluding in his own words that
'2Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book" 
I can only say that these quotations seem plenty enough for a book. Only too bad that he's too dead to write it...

What a Girl Wants (greed from a feminine perspective)

In my world, there is no such thing as a Must-Have. There are only I-Needs. For example, I NEED ballet flats. How great it would be to have a pair for every day of the week from the new collection by Lanvin

and as extras a couple of ballerinas from Repetto. Esp. the nude veg. leather and the black ones with sequins.

I also NEED this jacket from acne. It's even on sale!
To go with that I'd have
These delicious silk pants from dosa @ Lubarol. Fairtrade and all (although I think 2100 dkr is not that fair).
In order not be naked under the jacket, I'd have to wear a top. This would be perfect, right?

I don't need a bra, the silk on the body feels too great. But I do need a pair of undies. I'm a devotee of old-ladies Swiss quality brand Calida - their silk and wool blend is marvelous.

I might also want another pair of black baggy silk (are 2 pairs of silk trousers too much?) - these would be good. With this little tiger.

Whether you like it or not, I will from now on be publishing my wishes monthly. Just in case a fairy or something should drop by.

I'm not dead, I feel fine, I feel happyyyyyy

Hey there. It's been a mighty long time since this blog has had any new posts. So just to give a sign of life, here's one.

Many years ago, I used to be addicted to the Monty Python and the Holy Grail pc game. It's a classic - and the "best CD-Rom Game of 932 AD". But it's so old now that it no longer works on present systems (not on mine anyway). That brings me great grief, especially since I have not managed to find even bits of it on-line.

Besides going on a quest for the Holy Grail the game includes classics such as "spank the virgin", "burn the witch" and not least "drop dead" - a version of tetris, where you throw dead bodies into a mass grave.

But as a small comfort, a game called spamalot from the Monty P. lot is available here

Enjoy.