Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy 2016!

The Wind Is Roaring...

December winds are roaring, melancholic Christmas tunes are sounding. The words written by Aleksandr Blok over a hundred years ago still manage to stir, to move, to touch. Ante Lucem.

Right now.

Two pens and a notebook. One cup of strong coffee. I collect notebooks and journals, especially from my travels. This one is from Istanbul. (my boyfriend collects magnets). Life would be very boring without paper and pens. Last weekend we were in Slovakia and I spent a good two hours on searching for a suitable diary. At the end I had to buy two of them because I couldn't choose which one was nicer☺

How I Love Stockholm In The Morning

Fog, mist, drowsy cafés. The crispy air of autumn and lazy sunrays trying to make it through the clouds.
The sharp feeling of nothingness when memories of a time long gone hit through to the surface at the moment when the hand touches the wooden door.
Yesterday I finally held a sword in that very same hand. Not a real one, yet a sword. It made me feel graceful, powerful. One day I will be dancing with a sword in my hand.

Riga.

The Latvian capital is the perfect destination for a weekend, or even for a day. Lots of monuments, old buildings and great food. What struck me the most was the silence, the calmness.

I would recommend Riga to anyone who seeks history, cozy moments and a treat for oneself or someone special.
 
Riga is an old Hansaic town by the Baltic sea. The architecture witnesses of thriving times. For those interested in recent history , I strongly recommend the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia - here one learns more about the turbulent 20th century in a country so often not mentioned abroad. 

This was not my first time in Riga. Around 1992 a friend of my mother's took me there. I probably owe that lady a lot for introducing me to the wonders of travelling. My memories of that first trip are vague. It took place right after Latvian independence, so my child eyes mostly paid attention to the lack of food in the shops. The Freedom Monument stands as talk today as she did in the 90s. As for my mother's friend - she passed away some years ago and I never had the chance to thank her for widening my world. 

Beginning of Autumn

Hello August! A time of year that makes me somewhat melancholic. Autumn is always a new beginning, more so than the new year, but at the moment nothing new and exciting is happening. Must come up with a project of some kind...

Here the summer has been awful. I kid you not, there have been about three days of sunshine. While the rest of Europe has been suffering from an intolerable heatwave, we have been listening to the smattering of raindrops.

Yesterday was one of those sunny days. It is amazing what some sun does to you.

Places: Gothenburg

Did I ever tell tou about the trip to fabulous Gothenburg? The weekend before last we packed our bags for a visit to Sweden's second city, Gothenburg on the west coast. The city was a surprise, not at all as compact as I thought it'd be. It is a great place for hanging out with friends, enjoying an ice - cream in the park. For the first time I tried Persian food (have no idea how I've managed not trying Persian food) and it was delicious. So, the trip was great and I'd love to go again - especially to visit the penguins ☺

In Your Face

 Now that I know how this works, I'll never leave you alone. In the world of selfie-perfection - and perfection in general - it feels good to remind oneself about the imperfections that are sometimes hidden, sometimes not. The size of the imperfection is not what matters, what matters is how it makes you feel. 

Chasing Sunsets

The long and dreary boat journey home. Drunk people debating politics and tax money. German tourists drinking beer in a slightly more civilised a fashion. And the sunsets. The sunsets make the trip worthwhile. 

Spectacular Stories

How is this ever going to make a spectacular story? So many tales have been told about anxious teen years and unhappy memories. Word after word on a sheet of paper that is no longer real paper from trees but an electronic device that tracks every step of every minute that makes up this fabulous life.

I have seen faces today. Faces of people who spent years and years in a sun-soaked classroom with me. I cannot recall their names, I hope they do not recognise my face. Privacy, anonymity,  I  cherish thee.

And there is a notebook. Made from real trees and there is a picture of an Istanbul tram on it. And ink of different colours fill its pages. But those pages do not tell the story they are supposed to tell - the story of this spectacular life.

Speaking of spectacular, have you noticed that the title of a book is the main reason you pick it from the shelf? Travesuras de la nina mala. Finnish translations are the best - somehow Master and Margarita became When the Devil Arrived In Moscow. How could one not feel tempted to read a book with that title?

P.s. I will try the ap and yes, I do speak Finnish☺

Testing!

Hello friends! Sometimes the best ideas are so obvious that it takes a great effort to find them. Like when one realises that is possible to blog via email. At least it was possible a few years ago, hence the test. Can you read me? ☺ The last few days I have been thinking about time, efficiency and a way to find both. There is so much to do, and actually enough time. My problem is that my basal needs, such as eating, always gets in the way of my flow. So annoying.

Now, time to work!

Fancy Foodbox

Toodles! The weekend is once again coming to an end... Where do they go? This morning I had the luxury to curl my toes, stretch my body and remind myself that there was absolutely nothing on my schedule. And it turned out to be a fantastic Sunday, with some shopping, running and eating strawberries. And cooking. 

The camera on this iPad is dreadful. Not too long ago I gave into peer pressure and got myself a smartphone, as well as an account on Instagram. Look for Zsuzsi_A and you will find me there.

Wohoo!

The past few days we have been buying tickets for here and there, but tonight we made the most fantastic plan of them all - Bratislava and Budapest! I am so excited right now! 

Burbujas de verano

Summer bubbles take me back to a time when I was sitting on some stairs, under a birch tree, wondering why my head felt like porridge and if there's nothing more to life than a distantly blurry image of sunshine and sand. So blinded was I then that I failed to register the actual sun, the one peeping through the leaves. Summer is a time of melancholy, a time of endings. It is a time when we race toward Midsummer, only to remind ourselves that now the days are getting shorter and soon our days, our life, will be an endless winter night. My head no longer feels that oatmeal and I see the real sun, nonetheless, sitting on those stairs, under the birch tree, still fills me with sadness.

“…”But on an occasion like this we must wait for sunset. Setting out in the right way is just as important as the opening lines in a book: they determine everything.” He sat in the sand next to Moominmamma. “Look at the boat,” he said. “Look at The Adventure. A boat by night is a wonderful sight. This is the way to start a new life, with a hurricane lamp shining at the top of the mast, and the coastline disappearing behind one as the whole world lies sleeping. Making a journey by night is more wonderful than anything in the world.”

“Yes, you’re right,” replied Moominmamma. “One makes a trip by day, but by night one sets out on a journey.” 

― Tove Jansson, Moominpappa at Sea

Silence.

Balcony Bliss

Is there anything better than growing your own herbs? I would think not. 

Places: Mariefred

Happy Midsummer's Eve!

Happy Midsummer! When you read this, I'm in a cottage. Far away from civilization. No electricity. No running water,

I will be here:

Pollo al horno

Chicken in the oven.
Many slices of zucchini.
Some mushrooms.
A bit of carrot.
An onion or two.
Plenty of feta cheese.

Because I Love The Sky

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray. - Lord Byron -  

Istanbul Summary

According to my travel journal, these were the thoughts and reflections I took with me from Istanbul.

• The Mosques (found in every street corner) are something  of a mystery to me. They are very beautiful, grandiose even. To me they represent a reality that is very alien, and thus fascinating. 
• The stray cats are cute and (and surprisingly well taken care of). They are everywhere!

Happy cats in Istanbul

• The noise and the dirt and the steep hills are in fact a part of the city's charm. It does take some getting used to for someone like me, though. Someone like me = does not like crowds and dislikes talking to strangers. 
• It was surprisingly difficult to find "proper" coffee (now, I am aware that my understanding of proper coffee does not coincide with what most other people consider to be good coffee),
• People were extremely friendly and helpful. One example: we were strolling around a residential area when this old man (over 80 probably) started to give us directions in broken English. He wanted to assure that we were not lost!
• It was very painful to see children begging. I am aware that this is a cruel reality in many places, but as it is something you rarely see in Scandinavia, it really took me by surprise. Now imagine the reality of all those people who need to flee for their lives. And imagine that there are people who are more worried about protecting their language rights than helping people in need*. This sickens me.  
• The beginning of June is the perfect time for a visit to Istanbul. The weather was good and it was not as crowded as it has the potential to be.

The Grand Bazaar - not too crowded


* A while back, a letter was sent out in my former home municipality. The authors call for a referendum to prevent refugees from coming to the Åland Islands. The letter can be found here.