Rome - part 1
All roads lead to Rome! Last stop on our trip was in this beautiful city. If it weren't for all the tourists you would have the feeling of being in another time while you are here. Since we could walk to all sights from our hotel there was a lot of sightseeing on foot. Tiring, but so worth it - there is something beautiful to see in every corner.
Since we catched an earlier train from Ancona we could start our sightseeing the same day as we arrived. Pantheon was the first major landmark we saw. I have heard a lot about this building during lectures in architectural history...
One of Europe's largest domes with an opening that is 8.3 m in diameter. Yep, I'm a bit mindfucked by my education.
You should apparently come here when it rains because it rains straight through the opening in the dome. Unfortunately this was not something we experienced, but it sounds cool. A mega large indoor shower.
Our second day began with a visit to the Vatican and the Vatican Museum. To avoid standing in line, I had purchased skip-the-line tickets online to the museums. I can really recommend it, the queues were crazy long.
Here we walked around for a few hours, until it became too much of everything. Tip number two: If you ever make this visit in the summer, come here as early as possible. Later it's too much people and too hot.
Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling. You should recognize the painting at the top of the image.
From the Sistine Chapel we went on to St. Peter's Basilica. I don't know if we were allowed to take that way, but we hustled a bit and went with a guide group, jumped over a rope and voilà - we ended up at the front of the long queue that goes up to the church's dome. I am grateful that my boyfriend is good at hustling since I'm too kind for that (read: too much of a coward). We are a perfect combination when travelling.
After a lot of stairs (we were too cheap to pay for the lift), we ended up on the inside of the dome where you could see down into the huge church. We thought this was it, until we realized that we are supposed to continue up to the very top.
Going up there, there was no lift to choose and the stairs were narrow and claustrophobic, and began tilting the farther up you came. I can understand if people get a little panic here, there is no going back.
The view was worth all the stairs, though! I had to struggle a bit for this picture, everybody wants to stand here for a photo. If I'm good at anything, it's to fight for my photo and push aside all other people, haha. A true blogger.
Then we went down into St. Peter's again, the Pope's crib. It is really huge, and very beautiful.
Tip No. 3: Don't forget the water bottle! More experienced tourists (who had been in Rome for more than one day) all walked around with bottles that you can fill up everywhere in the city. After all stairs we mostly felt like lying on the floor.
Since we catched an earlier train from Ancona we could start our sightseeing the same day as we arrived. Pantheon was the first major landmark we saw. I have heard a lot about this building during lectures in architectural history...
One of Europe's largest domes with an opening that is 8.3 m in diameter. Yep, I'm a bit mindfucked by my education.
You should apparently come here when it rains because it rains straight through the opening in the dome. Unfortunately this was not something we experienced, but it sounds cool. A mega large indoor shower.
Our second day began with a visit to the Vatican and the Vatican Museum. To avoid standing in line, I had purchased skip-the-line tickets online to the museums. I can really recommend it, the queues were crazy long.
Here we walked around for a few hours, until it became too much of everything. Tip number two: If you ever make this visit in the summer, come here as early as possible. Later it's too much people and too hot.
Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling. You should recognize the painting at the top of the image.
From the Sistine Chapel we went on to St. Peter's Basilica. I don't know if we were allowed to take that way, but we hustled a bit and went with a guide group, jumped over a rope and voilà - we ended up at the front of the long queue that goes up to the church's dome. I am grateful that my boyfriend is good at hustling since I'm too kind for that (read: too much of a coward). We are a perfect combination when travelling.
After a lot of stairs (we were too cheap to pay for the lift), we ended up on the inside of the dome where you could see down into the huge church. We thought this was it, until we realized that we are supposed to continue up to the very top.
Going up there, there was no lift to choose and the stairs were narrow and claustrophobic, and began tilting the farther up you came. I can understand if people get a little panic here, there is no going back.
The view was worth all the stairs, though! I had to struggle a bit for this picture, everybody wants to stand here for a photo. If I'm good at anything, it's to fight for my photo and push aside all other people, haha. A true blogger.
Then we went down into St. Peter's again, the Pope's crib. It is really huge, and very beautiful.
Tip No. 3: Don't forget the water bottle! More experienced tourists (who had been in Rome for more than one day) all walked around with bottles that you can fill up everywhere in the city. After all stairs we mostly felt like lying on the floor.
This icecream shop near our hotel quickly became a favorite. Those mini icecreams were as delicious as they look!
Falköping & Gothenburg
Last week I went to Falköping to be with my lovely friend Jasmina for a few days, of which a couple of them were spent in Gothenburg with some more friends. We have had a really great time and did a bit of everything, from driving go-carts, playing miniature golf and partying to hanging around sheeps on Ålleberg, watching the sunset. It was wonderful to see eachother again and just get to talk about anything and everything. And now, unfortunately, we return to our long distance relationship and to missing each other again...
Living young and wild and free
I'm spending my time by just being. There are no musts and I do whatever comes to mind for the moment. The period after I got home I was ecstatic to meet with all my best friends. Coffees, dinners, barbecues, parties - the more in a day the better. Now it has switched to a slower tempo, and I continue to enjoy my free time. My boyfriend recently took his drivers license and we take every opportunity to just drive around. Tomorrow I'm taking a trip to the other side of Sweden to hang out with a very missed friend. However, when I get home it will be a little more activity here!
Split
We spent our last day in Croatia in Split. In the evening we would take the boat to Italy. It's been a long time since the last time I was in Split, I forgot how beautiful the city is! It was also the first cloudy and rainy day, which we didn't mind very much since we spent the day walking around in the old part of town.
While waiting for the boat, we sat in this cafe/restaurant/club in the port and enjoyed some delicious cake.
Then it was time to board the boat with a bunch of Italians.
To the right you see our door... First impressions were not the best. Our cabin was at the bottom, underneath two car decks, and to get to it we had to go through a maze of cabin aisles that made Viking Line and Tallink seem like luxury boats in comparison. We also got lost in the maze at one point and took an elevator that got stuck(!) between two decks. I began to hyperventilate before we managed to open the door and jump down to the floor. But the best thing was when my boyfriend, before we went to sleep, said "Remember that accident in Italy not long ago, when the boat tipped over and the captain fled?"
... Otherwise, it was okay!
As I fought for this picture! I just clicked and clicked until I captured the lightning. It was not the ultimate weather for a boat trip, but we were glad to leave the storm behind us. Talk about leaving in the right time.
We explored the boat a little and spent the rest of the evening in the casino before we went to sleep. Lucky that we slept through almost the whole trip, in the morning we noticed how much the boat rocked. My first thought when I woke up was that we were seriously about to tip over.
We were so lucky that the boat arrived a half hour earlier to Ancona, the train to Rome was leaving 8.25 and the next wouldn't leave until two o'clock (I checked all the details online before, so worth it). We fought to be among the first to get off the boat and threw ourselves into the first taxi and yelled "TO THE TRAIN STATION". After much running we made it to the train at the last second. It felt like being in Amazing Race, especially after our high five, haha. We basically got an extra day in Rome because of that!
Croatia
Croatia 2012. We spent ten wonderful days in Croatia, again in Tucepi where my family also was. I'm lucky to have a boyfriend who loves to hang out with my family, because having them close is real vacation for me. For once we were in Croatia more than in Bosnia, but in that heat there is nothing better than the sea!
The first night was Ribarska noc (how to translate it? Fishermen night? Fishing night?) and it was full of people in the harbor where you could listen to live music and buy grilled fish and other things for a cheap price.
When they started singing Zdravko Colics songs, I and his biggest fan, my mother, joined the crowd in front of the stage. You know that moment when you realize how much you are like your parent? It happens to me a little to often.
We continued the fish theme by fishing ourselves. I love it, even if it's only small fish. It is relaxing and you get a tan without even thinking about it, and not to forget the little rush of joy when you get a bite.
Note the fish at the front... He died fighting! Haha, excuse my sense of humor.
Some nights we went to Makarska to party. I've always been a bit anti-Makarska, but I must say I had some really great nights! In the end it's always about the company you're with.
As usual, we had a day of bigger waves that we played in as little children. As usual, I thought I would die a few times. At one point I had to choose if I should save my life or save my bikini trousers that came off. I exposed my butt to the whole beach.
Our cute gazda offered grilled fish one night, which must have been the most delicious I've ever eaten. As much as I love meat in Bosnia, I love fish in Croatia. Now I regret that I didn't eat more of it.
On our last night it was Heineken Night in Michigen. My brother and boyfriend wanted to go there only to get the t-shirts they didn't get last year. However, you have to drink several beers first, and they got no help from me who hates beer, so, cred to them.
We got quite hyped, however, and decided to spontaneously go to Makarska one last time, although we had not packed and was leaving the next day. But it was worth it.
Oh, I feel so much love when I see this picture. The world's best family that just had to take a lame family photo outside the bus before me and Jasmin went off to our next destination.
Stockholm Pride
I absolutely love the last picture of my mom! So much that I just had to post it on the blog. Had she been able to jump on one of the trucks to party a little, she would have, no doubt. When I saw these pictures that my dad took, I regret that I missed the festival, it is so festive and fun to watch!
Good food is for sharing
Me and my boyfriend have a new hobby: Barbecuing. We have always been experts at eating, but lately we've also had some very successful BBQs. Together with Natalie and Jp we always end up in a food coma afterwards.
Me, a.k.a. the grill master! Kidding. My boyfriend is the real grill master, I'm the meat poker. I poke it a little and go.
From one double date to another and from one dish to another. Maybe not the best planning for my poor stomach that was near breaking point, but we had a very nice dinner with Mia and Marcus, with very interesting topics of conversation. From the autopsy of the dead bodies to Japanese super toilets, haha. Nice!
The evening ended with a really fun night out with old friends from the hood. A very good day.
Sarajevo
Sarajevo 2012. A week in Sarajevo this year was too little time, but on the other hand, we really enjoyed every moment to the fullest. We defied the heat and went out every day and every night. I didn't get many hours of sleep during the week, but many wonderful moments.
I ate like never before. It was almost like we were trying to compensate for the fact that we would only be there for a week and ate even more than usual. I'm telling you people, here you can die in a food coma. Cheap and delicious.
I've never had a boring night in Sloga. Our first night out was awesome, just as all other nights.
A visit to the restaurant Park Princeva is a must every year, the view of Sarajevo is absolutely wonderful.
So is a visit to small bars like Pirat. Crowded, sweaty, loud and awesome! But those words describe almost all places in Bosnia. The best thing would be if they put in spray showers everywhere, you get all wet anyway.
When it was too hot to walk around town we hung out in Ernas lovely garden where we had to spray us down with a water from the hose every five minutes in order to survive the heat.
We played a drinking game with the hardest rules we could come up with and showed no mercy. Note how the kings gathered at Erna, which means she had to drink glass after glass, haha.
While the guys went to a concert, we girls had a girls night out in Sloga. As if they knew about it, at one point they started playing real girl power songs like "I will survive" followed by some Severina. Perfect.
And this is how the days looked for the most part... Coffee or a drink in Vatra, hookah in Dibek, food, food and more food in Bascarsija. The usual, in other words. Everything that I'm now going to miss for a whole year.
We saw more tourists in Sarajevo than ever before. Here is a large group from some Asian country. Of course, with lots of colorful umbrellas as protection from the sun. A funny sight.
One of the few times we ate "non-Bosnian" food was in Vapiano, which just like McDonalds tastes exactly the same everywhere. The only difference is the price.
"We will take it easy tonight," we said and ordered one liter each. We love the colorful straws, that's why.
We went on Hari Mata Hari's concert in Dom mladih one night, which was kind of a fail, one can say. It was half empty and it went on only for one hour or two. But it was ok, it was Sunday anyway and we got to sing a little.
Dear BBI shopping center that provides us with air conditioning when we are about to die of heat stroke - and wifi. Speaking of which, I must point out that you can find free wifi almost everywhere. Watch and learn rest of Europe, damn moneysuckers.
For those of you who have not been in Sarajevo, it is one of the few cities where you can find Catholic and Orthodox churches, mosques and synagogues in the same place. Describes Bosnia & Herzegovina as it should have looked like...
For those of you who have not been in Sarajevo, it is one of the few cities where you can find Catholic and Orthodox churches, mosques and synagogues in the same place. Describes Bosnia & Herzegovina as it should have looked like...
And that was it from Sarajevo this year, before we went on to Croatia. I put all images in one post instead of splitting it up, I hope that your computers didn't crash and that you managed to look through it all!
Back in Stockholm
I'm back after a crazy good vacation! I can't tell whether it was best in Bosnia, Croatia or Italy - which is exactly the way I want it to be! I couldn't have asked for anything better, everything went perfectly well, unlike last year's vacation and its misfortunes. No diseases, no bad weather, only maximum pleasure with wonderful people that I already miss. Although the vacation was shorter than usual, barely a month, the weeks seemed much longer since I have done and experienced so much. And yet it was over in a second.
Over is actually the wrong word, my holiday continues in Sweden for another month. The joy of coming home to my room, my bed, my Swedish milk and all other home stuff may be short, but I can be happy for one more free month, which I will spend with all my friends here at home. I love this part of the summer too.
And as usual, you can expect a lot of pictures to be uploaded!
And as usual, you can expect a lot of pictures to be uploaded!
More from Sarajevo
More pictures from my last days in Sarajevo, even though you will see all these pictures again in a better and bigger size from my regular camera. The week in Sarajevo was wonderful but oh so short. Time flies when you have fun. However, my vacation continues in Croatia where I'm right now, enjoying the sun, the sea and some more fun!
Enjoying Sarajevo
Sarajevo so far. The first days of my vacation has been absolutely wonderful!! It's a special feeling of happiness when you come back to everything you've missed for a year. However, I am very tired after having been out every day and night since we got here, and the heat doesn't make things easier. But I won't complain, life is really good right now!
Summer Holidays
First stop: Sarajevo. Then we'll continue on to Croatia and after that, Italy. Rome, more exactly. I have been missing, waiting and longing for this day. I'll be gone whole July, enjoying the good life. I hope you have a wonderful summer!
Instagram - June 2
The Instagram pics in the second half of June continued in the same style, with pictures of myself and a lot of sweets.
Found a pleasant surprise in the freezer one day and my bikini diet went to hell before it even started. Me and mom ate even more ice cream at lunch breaks. I also went on a couples date at the movies and saw Snow White and the huntsman, a very good movie!
Midsummer weekend was spent at Jasmins in Uppsala with BBQ x 2, of which one was with Natalie and her boyfriend, and the fantastic bucket grill. I also watched a lot of soccer this month.
Found a chubby baby at the office, I just wanted to eat him up! But unfortunately I had to restrain myself. I ate some cinnamon buns for the European Championship finals and went on sunny walks with my boyfriend.
Midsummer weekend was spent at Jasmins in Uppsala with BBQ x 2, of which one was with Natalie and her boyfriend, and the fantastic bucket grill. I also watched a lot of soccer this month.
Found a chubby baby at the office, I just wanted to eat him up! But unfortunately I had to restrain myself. I ate some cinnamon buns for the European Championship finals and went on sunny walks with my boyfriend.
I went to the gym once this month (WOHO!) and bought some new bikinis. Ready for summer vacation 2012.
Instagram: lanakarat. During july I will probably be active on Instagram instead of the blog!
Instagram: lanakarat. During july I will probably be active on Instagram instead of the blog!
Karin's Birthday
Last day at work
Good morning! I'm sitting here, drinking the last morning coffee at work, which unfortunately doesn't have quite the same effect as the pictures above illustrate. When I'm done for today my summer vacation finally begins for real!! Today I will also print the tickets and other stuff for our trip, it is really getting close with less than a week left!
The bad quality of the image really bothers me, but I wanted to show you the reason why I can't even go up the stairs. I don't know when I last had such pain in my legs! On Wednesdays, employees have the opportunity to train for free at Balance before lunch (Prince Daniel who started the gym used to hang around on the company's office once upon a time, I've seen him here hehehe) and I decided to go with the rest on the group training session. Oh my God is all I have to say, I don't know if I rather wanted to kill myself or kill the instructor who caught me every time I tried to cheat. My mother summed up everything afterwards: "Now will you blog about your bad conscience for not exercising and how you have to start doing it regularly, and then you won't do a damn thing." So true, mother. So true.
Swedish House Mafia 23/11
Fool me once Ticnet.se but you can't fool me twice!!! Just as angry as I was yesterday because I didn't manage to get hold of tickets, as happy am I today because I SUCCEEDED!!! Because of yesterday's ticket chaos they will organize one more concert the day before, and I was ready with three computers (I even brought my own to work) half past eight this morning. The chaos on the internet was, unfortunately, even bigger today when the ticket page (ticnet.se) totally crashed as soon as the tickets were released. I have sweated, fought and sworn at all errors and I totally raped the "update" button on each computer for one hour until the purchase finally went through and I started jumping around of happiness at the office with everyone laughing at me. I don't know if I'm more happy about going at the concert or because I won the war against the totally useless Ticnet.se. It's going to be legendary!
New Day, New Week
The final week at work started with a really tired Monday. The rain poured down and I looked as awful as I felt. I was so tired that I nearly fell asleep when my supervisor gave me new instructions. That's bad. Mom posted this picture on my Facebook to make fun of me, and I laugh out loud every time I see it since it's crazy how much it looks like me during my finest moments in the morning, hahaha. Besides it being an owl, of course.
Questions
I thought I would do a Q/A post again (it's been a year since last time) since I have nothing better to update on at the moment, but I will probably answer less questions this time. Are you wondering anything about the blog, architectural education, my clothes, photos, travel, the meaning of life or anything else, take the opportunity to ask about it now.
If you have anything to ask about it will be easier for me if you write the comment on the Swedish version of my blog!
Empire State of Mind
Sweater - Mango, Shorts - Gina Tricot, Sneakers - Converse
Tokyo - Sensō-ji
The Buddhist Sensō-ji temple is Tokyo's oldest and most famous temple. It's located in Asakusa, where we lived for most of our stay. Here you should definitely come if you want to see some more of the traditional things.
This huge gate is called "Thunder Gate" and it's the first thing you see comming from the street. It is always very crowded and a lot of tourists here, on weekends there is too much. Of course we went there on a weekend...
Behind the gate this long street continues all the way to the temple, surrounded by lots of souvenir and food stalls. There is even more market and souvenir shops behind these on the picture, it's really huge!
Here you can find all the traditional souvenirs you can imagine, and more. Paper lanterns, fans, kimonos, geisha dolls, samurai swords, paintings, toys, Japanese food and candy... I had a hard time stopping myself since I think everything Japanese is nice, cute, funny or cool.
Here is another mystery, what is the food made of?! I don't know how many times I asked myself that question. These balls, for example, what are they? You can't ask the sellers because their English is just as bad as my Japanese.
I'm still not sure why you pour water over the statue, if it's for wishing for something, or to purify the soul, which I think that I read somewhere, but people surrounded it and so did I.
