Walking In Wicklow

Maybe it's because I just watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love, or because I was on day 12 of being completely alone, or because I hit this place on the sunniest 5 days Ireland has ever had...but the Wicklow Mountains were really something special.

It started out a little rough when I had to hike about 2 miles in from the closest bus stop to get to my hostel. With all my stuff.  Uphill both ways.  In the snow.  Only kidding, but it felt like it.  Why didn't I pack lighter?!  Why did I hoard food at my last stop so I had an extra bag?!  And why didn't I choose the option to call a taxi?!  This was one of the few times in the past couple months where I wish I would have been with someone else for the sheer entertainment.  I was a sight to see.  I'm sure all the people whizzing by in their Audis and Land Rovers got a good chuckle out of me struggling down this long long driveway.  It was straight out of a movie.  Even the sheep and horses on the side of the road were chuckling.  But luckily, after about 45 minutes of walking I made it into the hostel and enjoyed incredible views of the mountains and amazing weather the whole time.

Now when I say mountains - they aren't like Colorado mountains, they are more like rolling hills. But they are still spectacular nonetheless. I really had zero expectations coming to this place as it had not been in my original plans and I had done no research.  My Airbnb host, as well as a fellow workawayer, had said it would be a good place to visit (and the hostel here had availability).  It was actually quite freeing not to plan anything and just figure it out when I got there (difficult for this type A planner).  Much to my delight, the area was stunning.  Bright greens, all a different shade, like a patchwork quilt stretched as far as the eye could see.  And the gorse shrub was in full bloom, producing tons and tons of bright yellow patches throughout the hills.  Not only was my comedic hike and bag situation straight out of a movie, but so was the landscape.  And my hostel was right in the middle of it.  The hostel, a converted 18th century farmhouse, overlooked the beautiful and serene Glencree Valley.

My first afternoon at the hostel I hiked a portion of the Wicklow Way trail (an 81 mile trail that stretches through these mountains north to south) to get a view of the Powerscourt Waterfall.  It was downright hot this day.  The hike provided a breathtaking view of the valley and waterfall, with the park below filled with hundreds of pale bodies soaking up the sun.

I read a little about the Powerscourt Gardens nearby and found online that they were actually ranked the 3rd best garden in the world - so, I thought I had better check them out.  The next morning I walked into town and headed to the gardens.  What a beautiful property.  Sitting on over 1,000 acres, Powerscourt has two golf courses, 47 acres of gardens and Ireland's highest waterfall.  Walking up to the gardens you first walk past the Hotel and Spa (a little out of my price range) and then next to the golf courses.  The Powerscourt House looked like a castle.  I was surprised to learn that it had actually been built in 1996 after the original house had burned to the ground in the 1970s and then had sat untouched for over 20 years.  I would have never guessed the property was that new, as the architecture and features were created to look as its original which was built in 1741.  Inside there were shops and restaurants with Irish inspired art and design.  I spent just as much time looking around inside as I did looking at the gardens outside!  The gardens themselves were stunning with influences, plants, sculptures, flowers, and trees from all over the world.  I couldn't believe when they said that only six gardeners full time take care of the property.  It seems like so much work!  I can't keep a succulent alive, let alone an entire and complex garden.

I ended up hiking the next day along the Wicklow Way again, and made it to what they call Guinness Lake.  Another property owned by the Guinness family (I'm starting to think they own most of Ireland....), it was an estate that backed up to a dark lake.  Apparently, they thought the color of the lake was similar to a Guinness, so they imported a light colored sand for the beach from Egypt - making it truly look like a pint of Guinness.

My last full day in paradise I decided to head to the coast, and walk the Bray to Greystones walk that goes along the coast line and cliffs.  The walk was nice and flat (thank goodness!) and I got to the cute town of Greystones.  A woman I had met in the hostel the night before suggested I go to the Happy Pear for lunch, and I'm so glad she did.  That was maybe the highlight of the whole day!  This organic cafe had the most amazing food selection and such good quality food.  After eating I headed back along the coast to soak in more of the coastline and the sun.

After a great five day stay, the hostel owner knew me by name and I got a hug goodbye from the bus driver who helped me navigate my way (and my bags) back to Dublin.  I mean seriously, these people are so friendly!

Highlights:

1. The weather!  Not a drop of rain and zero wind - I am thanking my lucky stars as I write this and it's raining outside. And will be for the next week.
2. Hiking and being in nature! What a great five days.  I ended up walking 40+ miles during my time here. No wonder my dogs are barking.
3. Powerscourt Gardens and House - if you have the chance to go here, definitely do it!
4. Bray to Greystones walk - a beautiful hike along the coastline - and the Happy Pear for lunch!

Lessons Learned:

1. A kilometer is a .62 of a mile.  An important conversion to know.
2. Even though they are speaking English sometimes I can't understand a word these people are saying.
3. I have definitely started talking to myself.  A lot.
4. I can get sunburned even in Ireland.  It happened twice this week.
5. There are a lot of gingers here.  And I learned that it is ultimately due to the lack of sunlight and it has something to do with how their bodies process vitamin D! Whoa!

Looking forward to more Irish adventures with my friend Amanda, who arrives Sunday! Thanks for reading!

Part of the Wicklow Way.  

The town of Bray from the Cliff Walk.  

The beautiful yellows and greens.  

Little Raheny Village

Arriving in Dublin I decided to stay at an Airbnb for a couple of days before heading on to my next destination.  Margaret and her home, in Raheny Village, were the perfect place for me!  She was a wonderful host - and after talking to her for about 10 minutes she had already invited me to her granddaughters birthday party over the weekend!  She really epitomized everything I had heard, and pictured, of Irish people.  Funny, jovial, chatty, full of stories and so kind.  I really enjoyed staying with her.  And not only was she a great host, her place was in a great location.  Raheny Village is a suburb of Dublin, about 30 minutes northeast from the city center.  It was small with only a grocery store, a few shops, public library, two churches, and a great little coffee shop (which became a second home).  It was also right across the street from St Anne's Park which was a spectacular and huge city park.  The park land (500 acres) originally belonged to the Guinness family who lived in a mansion on the property (which was lost in a fire in the 60s).  The grounds were very well kept and so green!  One day all I did was wander around the park.  There were countless soccer fields, trails, gardens, trees, and every single person had a dog.  And off leash!  I couldn't believe how well trained all the dogs were.

In addition to wandering around Raheny village and doing a walking tour in Dublin city, Margaret suggested a day trip to Howth.  Howth is a small fishing village just outside of Dublin about 30 minutes by train.  It is a quaint fishing village with shops, restaurants, and of course there's a castle (and people live there!).  I started out doing the Cliff Walk, about a two and a half hour loop that takes you up to the highest point of Howth and then up and around through golf courses and then back through the town.  I lucked out with absolutely perfect weather - not a cloud in the sky.  From there, I wandered around town, checked out the castle, people watched, and got fish and chips at Beshoff's, a famous restaurant.

Overall it was a great introduction to Dublin and fun to see a different area of it - I'm excited to come back to really check out the city with Amanda in just a couple weeks!

Highlights:

1. Staying with Margaret!  She was the epitome of Irish hospitality.
2. My trip to Howth - such a great little village and I really lucked out with the weather.
3. The free walking tour I did in Dublin was run by Sandeman's and it was very good.  Our guide gave us a ton of information on Irish history and the city of Dublin.
4. I was in bed at 9pm each night...just call me Granny.
5. St Anne's Park - this park was just stunning!

Lessons Learned:

1. Staying in an Airbnb or Bed and Breakfast allows you to really understand the culture.  While hostels are great, you really meet mostly other travelers (which is cool in another sort of way).  By staying with Margaret it gave me a glimpse into daily life - and she gave me some great tips and places to go I wouldn't have otherwise known about.  By the end of my stay I felt like we were old friends and she even drove me to catch my bus on my last day with her.
2. Ireland can be sunny!  At least some of the time.
3. The Irish breakfast has a lot of carbs and a lot of protein, but no fruit!
4. I really appreciated being a little outside the city, but with the ability (via public bus) to get downtown.  It was a perfect combo.

St Anne's Park.  

View from Howth Cliff Walk.  

Howth Castle. 

A Magical Place Called Lindehagen

After a wonderful stay in Sweden, I headed over to Nesodden, Norway to help at an historic garden.  I had a quick stop in Oslo, the capital of Norway.  A city of about 600,000, it felt quite a bit smaller than Stockholm and was easily navigated on foot.  I didn't have time to go into any of the museums, however saw the famous City Hall building, visited the Royal Palace (a public park circles it and you can walk right next to the building, quite rare for Europe!), visited the famous Frogner Sculpture Park, and then headed on the ferry to Nesodden.

Nesodden is considered a suburb of Oslo, located on a peninsula about a 20 minute ferry ride across from the city.  So after a ferry and a bus ride, I arrived at my destination, called Lindehagen.  The house and garden sit up on a hill a little tucked away from the main road where through the trees, rolling hills, and other houses you can get a glimpse of the water.  The property is quite large, taking up about a whole block of space in the neighborhood.

Lindehagen is a property that was built in 1912 by a Norwegian man that was in the construction business.  He traveled to America in his twenties and became a very successful builder there.  When he came back to Norway, now quite wealthy, he built a property for both his brother and himself in Nesodden.  On one of these properties he built a baroque style garden.  Baroque gardens were a function of high society Europe and built to show off ones power and affluence.  They became popular during the 16th century during the reign of Louis XIV of France who created one of the most well known baroque gardens - Versailles.  They are very formal gardens, all based on symmetry, lines and patterns.  This style garden is quite rare for Norway, as the royals here are quite new and don't have the same affluence and history that other European royals do.  The house itself also incorporates baroque elements, with a grand, specifically constructed staircase which makes the house appear bigger from the garden and road.  Because of his builder connection, parts of the house were even constructed with American stones!

My host, Camilla, met me on my first day at the house and after a tour of the place I had completely fallen in love.  Not only does the house have some amazing history and architectural features, she is also an amazing decorator.  I really felt like I had taken a step back in time with each space she showed me.  I could totally picture Great Gatsby style parties happening here back in the day.  The garden is magical - she has a gazebo, play house, fountains, statues, countless flowers, shrubs and bushes, apple, cherry, lemon and lime trees.  She is turning a shed right outside the house into a small cafe that will be utilized in the summer. And to top it all off, she has two peacocks that roam the property which makes it feel even more like a fairy tale.

Camilla bought the property 5 years ago after it had pretty much sat unmaintained since the 1940s.  The house was falling apart and the garden was completely overgrown.  She said she couldn't even walk from one end to the other.  Over 100 people came to look at the house when it was put on the market, and she was the only one that put in an offer.  No one else was willing to put in all the work to restore it!  Well it definitely fell into the right hands.  Camilla's goal is to restore the property and the garden to its previous glory, keeping the tradition of its history alive.  She maintains the entire property herself and hosts weddings, parties and different events that are open to the public.  All of the yard work and most of the projects on the property she has completed herself - and she doesn't drive a car.  So many of her projects are reusing materials that are already at her disposal and naturally occurring.  One of my projects was to help her cut down, peel, and stain elm tree branches that she is going to create a fence out of.  She has a tireless work ethic and has an exceptional vision for the property.  Her passion for the garden and research on the history of it was so inspiring.  She was such an amazing host - kind, caring, and thoughtful.  After our first dinner I felt like I had known her for years!  I had such a wonderful time staying with her and her two boys.  And I think I have her convinced to list a couple of her spaces on Airbnb - so hopefully you can stay at her amazing place one day too!

Nesodden is a small town, but it feels quite busy.  Walking down the road one way you reach a school and walking the other way a grocery store.  Although there are quite a few cars passing by, there is still a sense of rural life.  Walking to the store the other day I was passed by a man wearing roller skis and a little while later a horse.  Across from the grocery store is the Nesodden Kyrke (church), build in 1175.  I mean, how is that even possible?!

The landscape here is more rugged than in Sweden - and while it looks like rolling hills of green trees, up close there are many rocks covered with moss and other greenery.  From Nesodden you can see the busy city of Oslo with it's few high rise buildings.  The beaches in Nesodden are mostly rock and appear to be used a lot for fishing.  Walking in the neighborhood I passed many beautiful houses perched on mossy rocks with spectacular views of the water.  I could definitely get used to having that view!

I felt like I had truly stumbled upon a special place in this little town in Norway.  From the historical house, to the beautiful garden, to my wonderful host Camilla - I think it will definitely be a place I come back to.

Highlights:

1. Meeting Camilla and her two boys!  They were a wonderful family and so welcoming.
2. Not only was Camilla's property beautiful on the outside, her house on the inside was amazing as well!  I gained a lot of inspiration from her space.  It was full of natural light and amazing design features.
3. Walking through the neighborhood and checking out all of the houses and views.
4. Being able to help (in a small way) to make the garden come alive.

Lessons Learned:

1. Norwegians are tough.  It was pretty cold here but no one seemed to notice. We also had a day of sun, snow, 2 hail storms and rain. Crazy weather!
2. They don't sell cold medicine in Norway.  It doesn't exist.
3. Norwegians are so nice!  I asked countless people for directions (I think I asked four different people how to get on the ferry and to make sure I got on the right boat) - everyone was willing to help!
4. Swedish and Norweigan languages are similar, and here most everyone I met spoke English. 

Thanks for following along!  

The house.  

The coziest gazebo!  

Neighborhood houses. 

The water.  

Sweet Söderbärke Life

You know that feeling when you are out alone in a forest?  And it's so quiet you wonder if anything else in the world even exists? (Or you hope that nothing else - like bears - exist).  That is a daily occurrence here in Söderbärke.

Living out in the country - and I mean really out in the country - is a new experience for me.  The hotel and restaurant I am staying and working at is in a tiny village called Tolsvbo, which is located about two and a half hours northwest of Stockholm.  The nearest town is Söderbärke, which has a pizza place, bus station, train station, grocery store, hair dresser (a necessity) and a whopping 900 people.  Every morning I go for a walk around the hotel and it's neighboring area around all those Falun red houses.  Every house has a Swedish flag out front.  There is a Slakteri (slaughter house) right up the road and a Keramic (ceramic shop) a little further down.  The school bus is a sprinter van with a "caution children" sign on the back.  There are actually more houses around than I thought there would be, however many of them are summer houses where people have not yet arrived for the season.  Most walks I take I don't see anyone else.

The best part of this country living?  The hotel is right across from a large lake.  I've never seen a lake "de-frost" before, but let me tell you it is a lot more exciting than throwing something in the microwave.  When I first got here, my hosts told me the water was frozen about a foot deep.  Every morning I check to see what areas of the lake have succumb to spring.  When there is a warmer day here, the lake does something spectacular.  Although it is still frozen underneath, the warmer temperatures create puddles on top of the ice that give it an unbelievable glassy effect, causing everything to be reflected.  Driving into town the other day it looked like the sky had flipped upside down.  And then, one day, all of a sudden it was all water!  The sunsets and sunrises here are unbelievable, with new colors and shapes hanging over the lake every day.  I've taken hundreds of pictures because each time I see the lake it is more breathtaking than the last.  Not only are we in a land of many lakes, we are also surrounded by never-ending forest.  Birch and spruce trees are at every turn and from any direction of the hotel you can get lost (literally) among them.  Walking through the forest here is like walking on a soft squishy carpet.  There is spongy bright green moss covering most of the ground which only adds to the beautiful landscape.

Daily life out here is quiet, but busy.  There is always something to do.  My hosts, Fridus and Roswitha, are extremely kind and welcoming people.  Roswitha (with an art teacher background) and Fridus (with a handyman/facility maintenance background) make a great team for this line of work.  They are both from Holland and bought this property about eleven years ago.  There are eight different buildings - most of which were built around 1826 - and they also own a bit of land. They are extremely hard working people.  They run a twenty room hotel, full service restaurant (including all cooking), upkeep of all the 150+ year old buildings, cleaning of all the rooms, gardening, mowing, yard work, ordering food and supplies, care of a dog, 3 cats and 6 chickens, website upkeep, answering phone calls and making reservations.  Only the two of them.  They make and create everything themselves.  From curtains to napkins to shelving units to tables to lighting fixtures to dog houses - nearly everything here they have created, crafted, and built themselves.  They started hosting workawayers about a year ago as it allows them to create a more successful business model.  In my time here I have sewn curtains, cleaned hotel rooms, helped in the restaurant, painted fences and shelves, decorated hotel rooms and the restaurant, worked on art projects, reupholstered chairs, greeted guests in the restaurant on the weekends, helped in the garden, planted flowers, and I've even made Swedish meatballs!  Fridus and Roswitha do a great job of allowing workawayers to choose tasks based on their interests and strengths.  And they are very patient and will teach valuable skills for each worker to take with them (I mean, the poor woman had to re-teach me how to sew! Yes, there was a lot of seam ripping my mistakes and starting over).  There have been other workawayers here as well - we've had a few German girls, a Dutch guy and a girl from the Czech Republic.  Each person comes and goes at different times so it is fun to meet people from all over the world.  The German girls were surprised to see me and learn that I was American because 'I wasn't fat and I wasn't wearing a lot of makeup.'  Oh good old American stereotypes.  Glad I didn't fit that bill.

Roswitha and Fridus speak Dutch, Swedish, German, French and English. Wow. It took me about a whole month but I finally got down a few Swedish words here and there.  Hello is Hej (pronounced Hey) - so luckily that one isn't too hard.  But it is weird feeling so informal.  And a lot of the time they will say "Hey hey" which causes me to giggle.  I feel like I'm in high school greeting my girlfriends "Hey girl heeeey."  Roswitha recently got a dog, Olvar, who is Finnish.  We take him for walks and are trying to help her train him.  I've gotten the hang of "ney" which is no.  And that's about it.

Our busiest weekend was Easter weekend, where we served over 300 Swedish families Easter brunch to include; 6 different kinds of fish, 4 kinds of sausages, 2 kinds of meatballs, a lot of hardboiled eggs and many desserts.  I helped to stock the food on the buffet and clear plates - and I definitely have a better appreciation for the restaurant industry now! It was hard work!  The highlight of this weekend was meeting - and seeing - Swedish families celebrating one of their main holidays in a traditional way (they also celebrate mid-Summer in June and Christmas in similar ways).  There was also an art show going on in the town and part of the exhibit was at the hotel, so we were able to see that as well.

All in all, this was a once in a lifetime experience with truly amazing people and I am so thankful I was able to spend a whole month at this wonderful place!

Highlights:

1. Roswitha, Fridus and the other workawayers - it was so fun to sit around the dinner table each night and hear stories from all these different people and perspectives.  And compare differences in culture and ideas and lifestyles.  We occasionally veered into American politics but I tried to quickly steer us out of that territory.
2. Being out in nature!  It is so beautiful out here and there are so many different trails and areas to explore.  I was here for a month and only scratched the surface.
3. Getting to decorate - we made a trip to the big city to IKEA and were able to fully refinish one of the hotel rooms that had some previous water damage.  So fun to shop and decorate!  Sophie and I (one of the German girls) also were able to decorate the restaurant for spring and Easter which was very fun.
4. Easter weekend - although extremely busy it was really special to see three or sometimes four generations celebrating one of their favorite holidays.
5. The food - Roswitha is an amazing cook!  And the desserts were to die for.

Lessons Learned:

1. Owning a hotel and restaurant is a lot of work. As I said, there was always work to be done and I don't know how the two of them manage it all!
2. No matter what kind of business you are in, a sense of pride in what you produce is so important.  In talking with Roswitha, she said at this point in her life her top priority is creating a comfortable atmosphere for her guests.  As long as she has a place to be creative and do her art, she could live in a shoebox!
3. Swedish people are so kind.  Everyone who visited the restaurant was so nice and didn't mind that I butchered the few Swedish words I learned.
4. It's always interesting to hear international perspectives on Americans.  Although hard to hear a lot of the time, they are usually spot on.
5. Apparently, I could get used to lakeside living.
6. Although I really tried, I never saw a bear. Or a moose.  Or a lynx. (Thank goodness!).

Thanks for reading - now on to Norway!

The hotel and an Easter snow!  

Some of our restaurant decorations.

A lake sunset.  

The endless forest.  

Scandinavian Style

Walking in to our first airbnb in Stockholm I immediately knew I had fallen in love - with Scandinavian design.

The apartment was light, bright and airy.  It was minimalist but cozy.  It had clean lines but was still interesting.  Everything in the space was functional and had a purpose.  The walls were mostly white and the wood furniture was light.  Simplistic perfection.  For a couple with a one year old I could not believe how their place looked!  Did they have a secret dungeon where they kept all their baby's clothes, diapers, toys, and mountains of stuff?  The only sign a child lived in the apartment was a perfectly stylish wooden high chair that sat at the kitchen table.  Seeing this apartment really inspired me to simplify.  And made me realize how calming a minimalistic lifestyle can be.  And I had no idea I had such a great appreciation for Scandinavian design!  I could have spent weeks - months - years in that apartment.  Just a short distance from the IKEA Flagship store, I felt like we were living in a showroom with their best pieces.

Throughout our time in Stockholm, Cara and I visited a number of interior design shops.  It's definitely a good thing I had only my backpack.  And currently don't have a place of my own.  And had no way to get furniture home.  I fell in love with every store we went into.  Many of them had a similar theme to the apartment.  Simple and practical, yet so fashionable!

We were also able to see the evolution of Scandinavian Interior Design at the Nordic Museum.  As I mentioned before, there was an entire floor dedicated to interiors from the past 400 years - I mean how lucky could we be?!  We didn't get to spend a ton of time at this museum during our museum-a-thon time in Stockholm, but I was totally that annoying person taking a picture at every single sign.  As an aspiring Interior Designer it was fascinating to learn - and see - the evolution of their design.  Starting out with just the basics to being influenced by Royal flair to adapting to apartment living to having only practical, useful pieces.  So many different phases!  What we now think of as Scandinavian design made its debut in the 1950s.  In this post World War II era people were looking for pieces that had both quality and beauty.  Swedish birch, elm and oak - along with mahogany and teak - became popular materials in furniture production.  It was also important at this time to make furniture and decor that was affordable for all.  One quote from the exhibit that really stuck with me:

"The main idea was: a beautiful home creates good people - good, happy people create a better society."  I couldn't agree more!

In the countryside where I am staying now, the style and architecture definitely has a different feel from city life in Stockholm.  Out here there is one common theme: red.  Every. Single. House. Is. Red.  It is crazy!  Now this is not for a lack of creativity.  It is Swedish tradition.  This color red, called Falu Red, has been used in Sweden since the 16th century on wooden houses and barns in the countryside.  It was intended to imitate brick buildings and make the poorer farmers and their houses appear wealthier.  The paint (all the same color and type) is made from water, rye flour, linseed oil and materials from copper mines in Falun, Sweden.  Wooden red houses with white trim and blue doors - it is just as you picture the Swedish countryside.

I loved exploring the design themes here in Sweden/Scandinavia and can't wait to see more from other countries in the coming months.

Thanks for reading!

The best Airbnb ever! 

Swedish countryside.  

Scaninavian Style. 

Sparkling Stockholm

After 3 days, 2 boat rides, 4 bus routes, 6 cappuccinos, 8 museums, countless metro rides, loads of pictures and 23 miles of walking we conquered Stockholm.

And now, Stockholm might be one of my favorite cities yet.

Initially, one of the most breathtaking aspects about the city is the architecture.  The bright colors, attention to detail, and cobblestone base create a picturesque scene at every turn.  Some buildings in Stockholm date all the way back to the 13th century, and many buildings still standing today were erected by Gustav Vasa (King of Sweden 1523-1560) in the 16th century.  There is a large European influence, especially German, and many of these historic buildings avoided the destruction of war which so many other European cities suffered.

The second unique aspect about this city is its geography.  Stockholm is spread out between fourteen islands where Lake Malaren meets the Baltic Sea.  The Stockholm archipelago consists of over 30,000 islands and the city is considered the Venice of the north.  Approximately one million people live in the city of Stockholm, and one in nine of them own a boat.

We started our three days in Stockholm by buying a metro card and a Stockholm Pass.  The metro system here is straightforward and easy to use.  The Stockholm Pass allowed us entry into museums, access to a hop on hop off bus, a winter boat tour and Palace entry.  A tourists dream!  We stayed at an airbnb hosted by a lovely couple, Anton and Johanna, and their baby boy Harry.  They were not staying in the house with us, but met us as we checked in to show us all the particulars.  Their gorgeous place was located in Aspudden, a suburb of Stockholm located right on a metro stop.  This turned out to be the perfect place for us to stay.  The whole week I felt like we were living in the most beautiful IKEA showroom.  With the help of my friend Rick Steves, I determined before we arrived that there were four or so areas that we should visit: Sodermalm (shopping district), Gamla Stan (old town), Norrmalm (more shopping), Djurgarden (museums and park).  With more time there are certainly other areas to see, but we had to prioritize.

We really lucked out on weather while we were here in the city.  Leading up to the trip it looked like we were going to have rain and/or snow most of the time.  Nothing but blue skies so far.  Cold blue skies, but blue nonetheless.  It has been pretty chilly, around high 30s to high 40s the whole time.  Luckily we've had a lot of indoor activities to do.  Stockholm has over 100 museums - the most in Europe - and boy, do the Swedes know how to do a museum!  I do not consider myself a "museum person", but each one we went to I absolutely loved.  We first visited The Royal Palace property and saw all things glamor.  This consisted of:

1. The Royal Apartments - where dignitaries are housed when they come visit and where the Royal family has offices and official receptions.  To top it off, they had an exhibit of the Royal wedding dresses worn in the last forty years and some of their evening gowns.  Don't mind if I do!
2. The Kronor Museum - a Museum dedicated to the original Tre Kronor Palace which was destroyed in a fire in 1697.
3. The Royal Treasury - where the regalia is kept - crowns, jewels, fancy swords, etc.
4. The Royal Armory Museum - this museum had artifacts from Swedish military as well as the Royal family.  They also had a horse carriage section.  Picture Cinderella in real life!  It was unreal.  I know,  I thought that stuff only existed in Game of Thrones, too.

After seeing all things Royal (and having a great appreciation for the sheer age of everything), we headed for the Museums on Djurgarden.  First, we saw Skansen Museum which is the world's first open air museum, founded in 1891.  Historic houses and farmsteads have been relocated from around Sweden to show the history of the country.  We went into authentic glass blowing, furniture, pottery, mechanic and general stores from the 19th century.  The grounds were huge and we didn't have time to make it over to the zoo and aquarium section.  All the workers were in authentic dress and gave us information regarding their area.

From Skansen, we headed to the Vasa Museum which is a museum based around the world's only rescued 17th century ship and one of Stockholm's most visited museums.  And for good reason. On August 10, 1628 the Vasa warship set sail on her maiden voyage as the most armed warship in the world (64 cannons) and sank in the Stockholm harbor, less than a mile away.  The wreck was salvaged in 1961 after 333 years under the water.  98 percent of the original ship was reconstructed and she stands at 172 feet high and 226 feet long.  The museum was built around the ship and has open levels on each floor so you are able to examine the amazing detail in the wood as you climb higher and higher.  The exhibits throughout the museum range from construction of the ship, why it sank, explains life on board, who died when it sank, and the amazing process of recovering and diving for the ship, preserving the wood and all its many artifacts.

We also visited the Nordic Museum, located in the same area, which had all things Swedish.  The building was beautiful and looked like a castle.  My favorite exhibit was the Homes and Interiors exhibit which went through Swedish homes, styles, and decor over the past 400 years.  The Fotografiska Museum was last, which was the modern photography museum.

In addition to these amazing museums, we also took a boat tour around the islands, went shopping (mainly window shopping) in the city's many fashionable clothing and interior design stores.

It was a whirlwind three days but I can now say I love this city and hope to be able to come back!

Highlights:

1. Vasa Museum - the ship was indescribable! Picture Pirates of the Caribbean times ten.
2. All Things Royal - see list above. I was dreaming of becoming a Princess the whole time.
3. Winter Boat Tour - it was amazing to see the city from the water and learn about the archipelago.  And see the island where Absolut Vodka was born! (No we didn't get to stop for a shot).
4. Gamla Stan - Old Town.  Loved the old world charm of this area.
5. Food - Of course, the pastries here are amazing.  And they have a little Swedish cake called a Tosca that is to die for.  I hope I don't turn into a Tosca in a month.

Lessons Learned:

1. We have no concept of history in the U.S.! Everything here is mind boggling old. 
2. Cara and I look Swedish! Or so said a local. Whew - I thought we stuck out like a sore thumb.
3. Most everyone here speaks English.  Only one day in Aspudden we ordered from a restaurant where the woman did not speak English.  Although we did somehow come to the conclusion that her daughter had the same birth month and year as Cara.  Gotta love hand gestures and pictionary.  Also in all the museums they had both Swedish and English so we were able to read about the exhibits.
4. Don't go shopping here - you'll want to buy everything in sight!
5. I thought the Pacific Northwest was biker friendly until I saw it here - Stockholm takes the cake!  Bikes everywhere, bike lanes are built into their sidewalks and of all the bikes we've seen, very few are locked up!

Stockholm's beautiful buildings.  

The Vasa Ship.  

Charming Gamla Stan.  

Here We Go...

Some of you have asked what the next 5 or so months will hold for me.  So (as of right now) here is my itinerary!

March/April:  I will be heading to Stockholm with my sister, Cara, for a few days and then onto Soderbarke, Sweden (about two and a half hours northwest of Stockholm) for my first Workaway experience.  I’ll be staying with a couple that owns a hotel and restaurant in Soderbarke and will be helping them with a variety of tasks.  I’ll stay with them through the Easter holiday as that is a busy time for them.

April/May:  After my time in Soderbarke, I’ll head over to Nesodden, Norway (a peninsula located across from Oslo) for my second Workaway experience.  I’ll be working for a woman who owns a historic garden where she hosts weddings and parties.  I’ll be helping to get her space ready for her busy summer months!

End of May:  I’ll meet my friend, Amanda (who lives in Colorado), to tour around Ireland and Scotland – we’ll have about a week in each country and have currently starred many pubs and distilleries to visit!

June: My friends Stacia and Janine will be coming over from Colorado and I will meet them in Eastern Europe.  We’ll stay with friends of Stacia’s in Poland and Romania, and will also get to see Hungary and Croatia together.

July:  At the beginning of the month I will try to do another Workaway experience (location TBD at this time) and then at the end of the month I will meet some of my high school friends in Greece!  Looking forward to checking out those beautiful islands.

August:  My Mom will be coming over to meet me in Austria and Switzerland where we’ll do some hiking and obviously do the Sound of Music tour!

I’ll be back stateside August 22nd.  

Thanks to all of you for your support and looking forward to this new adventure!   

The Travel Bug

As I’ve shared my plans for this upcoming year, a lot of family and friends have had questions about how I’ve come up with such an outrageously ridiculous plan.  Just kidding. Kind of.  I have had some people ask me about long-term travel, however – how to plan it, how to afford it, how to live out of a backpack, etc.  So I thought I would share with you some of the tips and tricks I’ve found while researching how to do this:

·      Resources: Read the book “How to Travel the World on $50 a day” by Matt Kepnes.  This book will forever change your perspective on travel.  Matt goes through from A – Z how to save money for travel, what to pack, what kind of backpack to get, travel insurance, how to log airline miles, and how to save money in different countries.  It really is eye opening to the fact that long-term travel is do-able, especially when you are not a kagillionaire.  Another great book I read was “Paris Letters” by Janice MacLeod.  She very eloquently explains her process of downsizing, saving money, traveling, and her lessons learned along the way.  It was quite inspiring!

·      Exchange Programs: In Matt’s book, he talks about several exchange programs.  There are so many of these out there and I had no idea!  You can house sit, pet sit, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), couch surf, and Workaway.  I chose to sign up for Workaway.  This is a website where you pay a small yearly fee and create a profile based on your skills.  I’ve indicated on my profile I am happy to clean, help with childcare, can assist with computer work or website creation.  Then, people from all over the world have a profile as well based on the assistance they need.  Here are some that I’ve come into contact with: family in Italy asking for my assistance in teaching their daughter English, a husky sled dog farm looking for help caring for and training their dogs, working on a vineyard in Tuscany…the possibilities are endless!  It is a review-based site – so the family/individuals are reviewed based on travelers that stay with them and the traveler is reviewed by the host (similar to airbnb).  In exchange for your assistance to the host, they house you and feed you for the duration of your stay.  For the last two weeks I was in New Zealand, I stayed with a family in Auckland and helped them with a variety of tasks around their house.  In Sweden I will stay with a couple that owns a hotel and restaurant, and in Norway I will stay with a woman who owns an historic garden that is used for parties and weddings.  It is a fabulous way to meet local people, learn the local culture and really get to know a different way of life.  An added bonus is that it allows you to save a good amount of money during your experience!  I only spent money on souvenirs during my two weeks stay with the family in Auckland.  And now, I have friends in Auckland! And when they travel to the U.S. they will come stay with me.  The length of stay and amount of work done are worked out between you and the host, and most of the hosts are pretty flexible based on your travel schedule.  It is just as much fun for them and their family to host an international guest as it is for you to be a part of their family!

·      Accommodations:  When not doing a Workaway experience, I’ll try to stay at hostels or in airbnbs.  In Australia and New Zealand we stayed at a lot of YHA Hostels.  They were always very clean, had places to lock up your belongings, and affordable.  We got YHA membership cards prior to going which gives you a 10% discount on all YHA bookings.  These hostels are located all over the world and have a great standard.  The hostels are also able to book you experiences – so we booked our Great Barrier Reef tour and Whitsunday Island tour through the hostels, which usually have the cheapest options for budget travelers.  These hostels are located all over the world and are also listed under the Hostelling International (varies country to country). 

·      Packing: The hardest part!  Again, Nomadic Matt has some great tips on how to pack for long-term travel.  I am taking a large backpack and a day backpack and will try to pack as little as possible!  You just have to come to terms with the fact that: 1) You can always do laundry 2) You’ll be wearing the same thing in most every picture 3) Nobody cares what you are wearing and 4) Sometimes (more often than not) you may or may not smell or be wrinkly.  Packing light will make moving from location to location, hostel to hostel so much easier.  As I’m packing now, I’ll just have to keep reminding myself of this!

Hopefully some of those insights may help you on your journey to travel.  Or maybe those excellent books will inspire you as they inspired me!  If you have any further questions for me, please feel free to reach out: beholdcollectivedesign@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading! 

New Zealand Recap

Must Sees in New Zealand (in no particular order):

1.     Queenstown/Glenorchy - hike to the top of the mountain in Queenstown and drive the hour+ to Glenorchy.  You won't be disappointed.  And don't forget to get a Ferg Burger! 

2.     Milford Sound – it’s worth the trek to get down there, even if its pouring rain. 

3.     Tongariro Crossing – what an awesome hike.  It even makes me want to watch those Lord of the Rings movies, so you know it must have been good.

4.     Wanaka – an amazing little town!  Somewhere I would definitely like to go back and spend more time.

5.     Piha Beach, Auckland - this black sand beach knocked my socks off.  The drive to get out there also isn't too shabby with standard spectacular New Zealand beauty the whole way. 

Lessons Learned:

1.     New Zealand almost doesn’t seem real.  It is like a magical place with just beautiful scenery absolutely everywhere.  Lakes and mountains and beaches and volcanoes – the landscape is breathtaking.

2.     There are earthquakes here.  Big ones.

3.     The food here was so good – everything is fresh and seems like it was picked right out of a garden right before we ate it.

4.     Driving here was not quite as easy.  It is definitely less touristy and the roads are narrower and in parts more desolate.  Planning ahead for gas and stops was important.

5.     Going in November/December it was spring time and we did hit a good bit of rain.  We still had a great time, but got some good use out of our rain coats!

6.     As was the same with Australia, the people here were so great, everyone was willing to help us. 

Australia Recap

Must Sees in Australia (in no particular order):

1.     Great Barrier Reef – just watch out for those jellyfish.

2.     Whitsunday Islands – so worth the semi-scary sailing trip to see some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen.

3.     Melbourne – my favorite city in Australia!

4.     The Opera House – standard tourist answer, but oh so awesome.

5.     Blue Mountains – a great day trip from Sydney, and some spectacular mountain views.

Lessons Learned:

1.     Australia is huge! We only saw a small part of the east coast in our three weeks there.

2.     It is relatively easy to drive in Australia – lots of signs pointing you to stay on the left side of the road, lots of rest stops and gas stations.  They definitely cater towards tourists driving around this part of the country.

3.     Northeast Australia is hot!  We were there in spring time and I was roasting in Cairns.  It was very humid and sticky.  Also, the sun there (and in New Zealand) is way stronger, so I would get sun burnt in 5 minutes as opposed to my usual 20.

4.     I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again.  Lots of crazy poisonous creatures here.  Luckily, we didn’t see any (I don’t think we even saw a spider the whole time) but it kind of stays in the back of your mind.

5.     There really are kangaroos everywhere!

6.     The people here were so kind and friendly, everyone was willing to help us.