Embarcadero to Balboa
My boyfriend and I decided to explore Downtown properly when the others started their studies. We had mostly been there nighttime and on the beaches at daytime. Now we could explore it at our own pace, which was a bit more difficult when we were five. I didn't know as much about San Diego as previous cities during our USA trip, but there is a lot to see and do in San Diego too!
First we crossed Coronado bridge to Coronado to check out the view. Half the island is filled with luxurious houses, while the rest is still a military base. I understand that San Diego has been historically important and still is for the United States Navy, but come on, such a central location, surrounded by water that can be seen from all sides? *hurts my architectural eye*. Anyway, it was cloudy so we turned back to Downtown pretty quickly.
The best part of the whole visit was the flight simulator! You sit two and two, one being the pilot and other trying to shoot down the other planes on the screen. We were being thrown around in all directions because my boyfriend is such a sucky pilot (sorry babe). It really felt like we fell. I thought I would feel ill but I cried with laughter when we hung upside down, while my boyfriend came out all green in the face, haha.
Up on the huge deck, there were a lot of combat airplanes and helicopters, and some of them you got to fly. Just kidding. You got to sit.
Afterwards we went to a mall in the middle of Downtown that looked like a fun house with all the walkways and stairs in pastel colors. Nordstrom and Macy's lies in each end. In other words, you can spend quite a lot of time here. We stayed for a few hours and ate at...
... Panda Express! Open restaurants in Sweden, NOW! Their orange chicken must be among the most delicious I've tasted of "asian food". My life will not be complete until McDonald's cookies and Panda Express come to Sweden.
We stayed in the shopping center a little longer than planned and arrived quite late to Balboa Park which was a shame as it's a huge beautiful park right in town, with a lot we didn't have enough time to see. We really wanted to visit San Diego Zoo, which is also located there, before it closed. Foolishly we didn't realize it would be dark before closing, but we made a visit anyways with a guided tour and we saw all sorts of animals. Elephants, giraffes, polar bears, koalas, pandas - you name it. And many animals were more active during the evening (as consolation). The few pictures I took was poor, however.
We ended the visit with a cable car ride over the zoo. I believe we were among the last to leave the park.
Point Loma
Point Loma is a peninsula that separates San Diego from the Pacific Ocean and a historically important place. They say it was here where the first Europeans in the area arrived. There's a monument, a visitor center, a famous lighthouse and whale lookout (they are unfortunately most likely to see in January and February). However, we were most impressed by the environment and the view - ocean as far as the eye can see. A little further north are the Sunset Cliffs where a lot of young people gathered to jump from the cliffs. We couldn't help but join the crowd.
Midnight Talk
Enough with pictures from Barcelona. There will be more, however, of USA. It's quite grateful to have a stash of pictures, you always have something to blog about, even in times like these. Soon it's deadline for our first project this year. It's barely two weeks left and I can therefore say goodbye to any spare time. This urbanism project is different from previous projects, it is very much society planning and much less designing. This week has been so tiring, and more to come. But even during bad days, while sitting on the subway after a long day, dragging that heavy bag with you computer and lunch boxes and cursing the fact that you have not slept enough, you still feel satisfaction. For the simple reason that you do something you love.
I know I have blog readers who are still in high school and some may have anxiety over not knowing what to do after. I also had anxiety before graduation, even though I had a clear alternative. I think I even had a personal crisis. But I'm telling you, when you find your thing, be it directly or after a few years, or even after changing jobs and education a few times, you will feel such a peace of mind and stability in life. You have then chosen a path and you just follow it and enjoy everything it gives you (= a lot). Moreover, everything feels more meaningful. You do not have to write essays on colonialism in India or study for exams in chemistry, with zero interest and motivation.
I just want to say that everything will be all right, life get better and better and suddenly you laugh and shake your head at how dramatic you were once upon a time. If you have anxiety, think about the real reason, what 's the worst that can happen and is it really that bad that it is worth to feel bad about? I know you already know that, I also knew, but sometimes a reminder is needed. / Amateur Psychologist
Random from Barcelona
Barcelona in B&W
Barceloneta Beach
One of the most wonderful moments in Barcelona was at the beach, even though it's November, even though it's too cold for swimming and sunbathing. That maybe made the whole experience even better, an empty beach is always much more peaceful and beautiful. We sat there for a long while, just enjoying the moment. We haven't felt where that special scent of the sea that we are used to from summers in Croatia in a long time, it just wasn't the same thing in the U.S. The water here was even warmer than the Pacific in August. It hurt a bit when I realized how much I've missed exactly this, exactly this scent, this sound and this color of the sea. I need my annual dose of this.
Gaudi's Barcelona
The architect Antoni Gaudi is almost a saint in Barcelona, you will notice it whether you are interested in architecture or not. He has left traces all over the place. He is the one behind Sagrada Familia, Parc Guëll and the mosaic pattern that can be found on all sorts of gadgets in the souvenir shops. Whether you think his work is beautiful or not - he's a freakin' genius.
Casa Batlló is one of his most famous buildings. Although I have seen it, and Casa Mila, on pictures many times, I thought they were cooler in real life. All his works have so much detail that is best experienced IRL. He certainly had no lack of imagination.
We also visited Casa Mila, or La Pedrera, which is not far away. You could go up on the roof (which looked like some sort of park with sculptures), visit the exhibition in the attic and go into a museum apartment.
Next day we went to Parc Güell, the park with probably the most beautiful view of Barcelona. And the park with the crazy houses, the mosaic lizard, lot of stairs and even more organic shapes. I understand why it's on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage, I have never seen anything like it. I love the mosaic.
Barcelona Oberta al Mar
I have fallen in love with a city, again. Our stay in Barcelona was wonderful, except that three days is not enough and it was heartbreaking to leave. Maybe it's good to feel that you haven't done it all, then you have more reason to go back! In addition to everything beautiful the city has to offer, the weather was also healing for the soul. To be able to take off your jacket in the sun, take a walk in the evening without freezing and feel that special scent of the Mediterranean Sea, in the middle of November, felt absolutely amazing. It was almost hard to believe that this is only 3,5 hours flight from Stockholm.
We stayed at a hotel at La Rambla, the wide street that runs through the old city of Barcelona and which probably is the most populated. Our hotel was near the end of the street, towards the sea, so we spent the first day by walking through the surrounding areas, including the Gothic Quarter and the harbor.
The port area is relatively new and was built when the city was renovated for the Olympic Games in 1992. It's clear that they wanted to open up the city to the sea by putting out walking paths, public places and attractions on the harbor, such as a large shopping mall, IMAX cinema and an aquarium.
We made a visit to the aquarium, the largest one in Europe. There was really all sorts of large and small fish, and a 80 meter long water tunnel which was really cool, especially when you were surrounded by sharks. A good option for those cowards who are afraid of diving. For me, in other words.
Hotel W is located at the end of Barceloneta's beach. Of course, we just had to try out the bar at the top (the one that is lit red), which later becomes a nightclub. Unfortunately we had no energy for partying, but the panoramic view of Barcelona is fantastic.
Santa Monica Beach
Luckily the day wasn't ruined since Santa Monica had a lot of fun activities to offer, including a visit to the famous pier with the amusement park that you have seen so many times on tv. We tried a few rides and arcade games to warm up for upcoming theme park visits.
Few beaches are as fun to hang out at as Santa Monica Beach, even when it's not sunny. I have never been at a beach with so much activity. There was a part where people were only doing acrobatics and some form of yoga, where they balanced on each other in lots of cool poses. There were also a lot of frames with rings, ropes, swings, balance ropes, etc. We felt like kids in a large outdoor gymnasium. Besides that, a lot of people are also skating and biking on the incredible long and wide beach. People were so relaxed and it really came off on os. If I would visit L.A. again, I would definitely like to live in Santa Monica or Venice.
Last, but not least, I must not forget to mention... Baywatch!
Everybody comes to Hollywood
Los Angeles. Just driving into LA, on Hollywood Boulevard, feels awesome. It's just like in New York, you are amazed by being at a place that you have seen, heard and read about so many times, and suddenly you are there, experiencing it, and it looks as expected but still totally different. Otherwise, Los Angeles is not my favorite city of the ones we have visited. Sure, I haven't given it a fair chance in such a short time, but I missed the freedom of touristing without a car. Distances are huge and trying to get around without a car in LA is like walking in any other city without shoes - you can try but you will pretty soon realize that it is troublesome. However, the city has a lot fun to offer.
The best part of it was that we could experience all the fun with my dear Erna and her friend Alex who came from San Diego the day after our arrival! It had been maybe twelve days since we last saw eachother in Sweden... but still - REUNION!
The first thing we did was of course to check out the Hollywood Walk of Fame with all the stars - the only place where it's better to walk around on foot. We could also walk to this from our hotel since we stayed close. Note to self: Make sure that the names of the stars are visible in the photos next time.
When we felt done, and sweaty (did I mention it's hot?), we went back to get the car. I googled "best spot to see the Hollywood sign" and found a blog that posted the exact address which I then typed in the GPS. The "standard" view points are from very far away and we wanted to get as close as possible to this unapproachable sign.
This is my favorite picture from LA, I laugh out loud every time I see it! We tried to take the best picture ever with the timer but failed hard! Try to make the perfect lift in a few seconds... We realized that he was too heavy for us girls so we tried a different way...
... and it turned out like this, HAHA. I can't. We really suck! And the guy in the background is the icing on the cake! I wanted to continue trying to get the perfect picture but the others looked like they wanted to kill me in that heat, so we gave up. Buh.
We continued to Beverly Hills and Bel Air to spy on celebrities. Rather, celebrity houses. Even more accurately, a glimpse of celebrity house, since they all insist on having gates and walls. As much as you get fascinated by all luxury homes and expensive cars you also get mad. Money really grows on trees here.
We didn't feel like going on a guided tour, instead we bought a map of the area where all the celebs houses are marked and went hunting. Celebrities spotted: 0. I know, it sounds incredibly ridiculous and had someone told me "we went stalking", my reaction would have been "dude... come on?", but you really do get starstruck just by getting a glimpse of this world and actually knowing that here lives celebrity X. Maybe we didn't get to see very much of the houses but we had a lot of fun! The picture is of that little you can see through the gates of Michael Jackson's old place.
We stayed at the Days Inn on Sunset Boulevard that runs parallel to Hollywood Boulevard (I can recommend it if you have a car since there is a garage under the hotel). After a day's sightseeing, we could chill by the pool. It doesn't get more Californian than this.
If you're bored, go get a haircut
Finally! I've been saying that I will cut my hair shorter forever now but I found it difficult to let go of my long hair. Since we came home from the U.S., however, I've felt that it really is about time, I just couldn't stand my hair anymore. I didn't have the energy to curl it or iron it, or wash it more than once a week, I just had it in a ponytail all the time. And now I wonder why I didn't do this earlier, it's such a relief! Such a small thing, but such a great feeling!
Where the sun always shines
After spending the night in San Simeon, we continued to drive south towards Los Angeles. The stunning Highway 1 environment subsided after San Simeon, so we didn't stop as much as before. However, we made a little longer stop in Santa Barbara to eat (one of the tastiest pizzas I have ever eaten), check out the beach and take a walk on the pier. Now it really felt like the California we get to see on tv.
I thought I liked cookies, those ordinary cookies from our local store, until I tasted cookies from the American McDonalds. Three irresistible, soft cookies for $1. Why, WHY, aren't they sold in Sweden!? Maybe it's for my best that they don't have any here since I ate several daily.
And this is how it looked, the closer we got to L.A. Welcome to the city of cars!
Driving down Highway 1
Our last morning in San Francisco, we went to the airport to pick up our rental car and start driving south along the Californian coast. I understand why Highway 1 is seen as one of the world's most beautiful roads, the environment is absolutely incredible! The road is designed so you can park beside it any time, very apt since you want to stop every ten meters because the view just gets better and better.
At Big Sur we drove in to a forest and suddenly we were in the middle of huge tree trunks in a large camping area. We never explored it properly but we visited a typical american camping house to eat something in their restaurant. You have to take the opportunity to eat when you find food since there is really not much along the road, neither gas stations nor restaurants.
This meant that the sun set 1-2 hours before we arrived, which in turn meant that we had to drive in the dark, where the car lights and reflections along the way is the only thing you see, and we had to drive really slowly. NOT FUN when you know there is a steep slope right next to you and the road only gets curvier and curvier. As if it wasn't enough, the fog came over the land like a tsunami. Do you see that thing that looks like a wave in the picture? It's the freakin' fog! In the end we drove 20km/h in darkness and fog until we arrived at our accommodation in San Simeon. Lesson learned.
Camera and Equipment
Camera: Sony NEX-5 (or Sony NEX-3, we have two at home, but the pictures looks almost the same). It's a compact, mirrorless camera. It is much smaller than the standard SLR cameras, but also has the ability to change lens and flash, and is very easy to handle.
Lens: Sony 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 - It has a zoom function (the more you zoom in a object, the shorter the depth of field). I have taken most of the pictures on the blog recently with this lens, eg all pictures from the USA. It came with the NEX-5 camera. Sony 16mm f/2.8 - This lens came with both the NEX-3 and NEX-5 and is the one I use the least because it is a wide-angle lens with a little of a fisheye effect. The advantages though are that you capture a lot more in a picture and that it's much smaller than the other two. Sony 50mm f/1.8 - Newly purchased from Amazon, about the same size as the first one but has a really shallow depth of field. Very good auto focus and sharpness, perfect for portraits, but less great to shoot landscapes and buildings with. Since it's very zoomed in you have to take a few steps back from the object. Picture examples here and here.
Filter: Hoya 49mm UV (C) Digital HMC - Newly purchased from Amazon. Works best as a lens protection.
Pocket tripod: My "invisible photographer" who fits in all my handbags and is frequently used when travelling. Don't know where it was purchased but it can be screwed on almost any camera that is not too big and is a very good thing to have if you don't want to ask others to take the photo.
Remote control: For Sony's NEX cameras, also new from Amazon. Good addition to the tripod. I've tested it and it works with the NEX-5.
After all the questions about my camera and photography tips, it was about time for a post about my equipment. However, I'm far from an expert on the subject! Since I want to take a photo as quickly as possible, I rarely spend time on changing the settings. I use the auto function a lot and I think it works fine for the most part. Sometimes I set the aperture myself or change scene selection. But I don't want this post to be completely without tips, so I can still tell you that I think a lot more about in what light I take the picture, if it is backlight, direct sunlight, etc. I never use the flash unless it is an absolute must because I think that it's always better with natural light. I only use it if it's completely dark, in a club for example. But I'll rather by some lightning or put the camera on a surface or pocket tripod so the image don't turn out to be shaky in poor lighting.
I edit pictures in Photoshop CS5. For the most part I brighten up the pictures and increase the contrast. For those of you who have Photoshop: I usually go into Adjustments > Curves, and drag the little arrows in different directions. Sometimes I change the hue slightly in Adjustments > Color Balance or Adjustments > Selective Color. Then I reduce the image to the size that it will be published in the blog and sharpen Filter > Sharpen.
Happy 18th Birthday Dennis
My brother turns 18! I'm still amazed by how tall he is next to me! My mental image of him is that he's still the family's baby, that little kiddo who always ran after me. And suddenly he is the one who has no time for me, suddenly it's he who yells at me for always forgetting the keys or for being stupid, and he's the one who has to pick me up and give me a ride because he's getting his drivers license before me. What a strange, and wonderful, feeling when your little brother, who you have been taken care of your whole life, suddenly is changing roles with you. I love you the most, my baby brother.
October is a symphony of permanence and change - Bonaro W. Overstreet
What if it could look like this the whole autumn? Yesterday we took a several hour long walk in this wonderful enviroment on the island of Djurgården, where we also tested my new camera lens (which I love!). The day ended with a football night, with success for both Sweden and Bosnia. On Tuesday we'll go on a supporter trip to Lithuania, yey! If Bosnia loses, you will not hear from me for a while...
If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
After the visit to Alcatraz, we spent the last day by just walking around in San Francisco. We saw Lombard Street among else - the world's crookedest street that most of you have probably seen. So beautiful, both the view and the decoration. How often is a street a tourist attraction?
Afterwards we walked around Union Square and went shopping a little. I couldn't understand that we walked down the same street as when we arrived to SF, when it was so gray, cold and depressing. This was a completely different city, a sunny day with a lot of people. And by now I had already fallen in love with it. The next day, however, it was time to leave San Francisco for a new destination.
Break the rules and you go to prison, break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz
Our last day in San Francisco began with a visit to one of the world's most famous, former, prisons - Alcatraz. That is also something I would recommend if you're staying in SF, especially if you're familiar with the movie or stories from Alcatraz. It's a very interesting and terrifying experience at the same time when you imagine what it was like there only 50 years ago.
One of the prisoners said that the worst thing was the view of San Francisco and that it reminded you of what you had lost, every day.
You've all seen the movie "Escape from Alcatraz" with Clint Eastwood, right? It's based on a real escape, and perhaps the only successful. Here you got to see the real fake head in Frank Morris' cell and the holes they crawled through! In the picture below you can also see the passage behind the cells. From there they climbed three floors up to the roof where they built a raft. It's amazing how they managed to do all that.
Since we brought a computer with us to the U.S., we made it a thing to download movies that was set in the city we stayed in, and watch them before bedtime. That evening we downloaded Escape from Alcatraz, of course, and it was a completely different experience to watch it after being there. And after all we have heard and seen, both during the visit and on documentaries, and the fact that their bodies were never found, I am completely convinced that the three escapees survived, despite the icy cold water, and lived the rest of their lifes somewhere in South America.
Golden Gate Bridge
The best experience in San Francisco was to bike along the coast and across the mighty Golden Gate. We rented bikes at Fisherman's Wharf and rode along harbors, parks and beaches until we arrived to the bridge. We got a map with suggested bike routes so it wasn't hard to find, we just went ahead and enjoyed the ride. And stopped all the time to take new photos the closer we got to the bridge.
Once across the bridge, there is a lookout point just to the right where most people stop to take pictures. We were not satisfied with that, though, since we, thanks to my Google-research, knew that we could get up to the Marin Headlands for an even more amazing view. To get up there, however, was not easy. The bike path ended and for some parts of the road we had to go out in the terrifying U.S. traffic, it got really scary a couple of times...
...Not to mention the uphill. I gave up after a few meters, and dragged the bike the rest of the way up while I cried "wait ... wait ..." like a fat kiddo /the girl who made a generous donation to Fitness24 by buying a gym membership but not going to the gym for six months.
That might explains all the summer houses on this side. The hills protect this area from wind and it was probably ten degrees warmer here than in San Francisco. A very nice little place! We biked to the small town center and took the ferry back to San Francisco - really apt since we would never ever have made it the whole way back on bikes.
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
The second day in San Francisco we also visited Fisherman's Wharf and the popular Pier 39. Cute, colorful and touristy! But despite the big croud of tourists it was really delightful to walk among all boats, small shops and restaurants... and arcades a la American style, which I eventually had to drag my boyfriend out from. And not to forget one of the main tourist attractions - the seals!
