September 2023 – Svetlana's Photography

Looking for Connections

Copenhagen was lovely and even though most of Europe was sweating, here the temperatures were mild, with bursts of occasional rain and clouds that came and went so quickly that I was never sure if we should be ready for summer or late fall. “We” consisted of me, my daughter, and two no-longer-small grandchildren. At the age of 15 and 18, all they wanted to see was the Tuileries Gardens. Still, we dragged them to see the usual — the Little Mermaid, the canals, the churches, and museums. It was all fun but rather crowded. The rest of my small group was used to the crowds — living in London gave them a lot of practice. For me, though, it was too much, especially for photography. I craved clean lines, calm surroundings, and time to concentrate. Alas, we kept moving with, or against, other tourists, and no matter how much I tried, I failed. I did not complain, though. I cherished time spent with my family, especially the grandkids. I enjoyed watching them, talking to them, and seeing their cocoons opening and revealing the people they were becoming.

Predictably, the day ended in the Tuileries, where I snapped several photos with my phone – my camera was useless there — and we returned to our hotel. Everybody got out their phones and I got on my laptop – only to acknowledge my utter failure. Then I called my husband and went to bed.

Our breakfast was arranged for 9 am, but I kept waking up thinking about our plans for the next day. Just before 5, I quietly got up, took my camera, and went outside. It was still dusk and the cloudy sky held no promise of a nice day. Still, I headed for the canals. The streets were empty of tourists and the only people I saw were bicyclists going to work. My walk was not long, but by the time I turned to Nahaven, the rising sun began peeking through the clouds gracing the town with its golden presence. The water was calm and the docked boats reflected in it so clearly that I could hardly see where the boats ended and their reflections began. It was just perfect, and I pulled out my camera.

When I came back to the hotel, my granddaughter asked me, “Where were you?”

“I was looking for calmness,” I said to her. And to myself, I added, “And also the connections — with this town, with nature, with everything that is calm and peaceful in the world and, ultimately, with the people I love.”