tourist

Stavanger

It´s nice to leave home along with one´s comfort zone once in a while. It´s so refreshing to get some new impulses from the change of architecture, dialect, food and weather! And I don´t know about you, but I love sleeping in hotels! And Nordic Choice was really nice, it really felt like something else! Concrete, modern art, brand new. Had it not been for the haunting mirrors that added 10 kg to my normal weight, I wouldn´t have anything to complain about. 😉

I enjoyed 7 degrees outside and with the sun peeping out today it felt like spring! Stavanger is a small and intimate town, so you get to really feel the holiday mood.

I went to Stavanger to interpret in court and instead of rushing to and from the airport, I decided I should book a hotel room and travel a day in advance. So I had time for dinner with a friend yesterday and lots of time to do whatever I pleased today. Except for the hour at the court house. It was the best idea I´ve had in months!;-) Not only did I get to relax a bit, but I also found time to do some work at a brochure translation. I ate lots and took many scenic pictures, unfortunately I didn´t think of bringing our camera with me, since this was like a “business” trip- haha!

I also did some shopping, shops still had sales miraculously enough! The bargains were peach leather trousers from Alexander Wang at 7% of their original price, as well as Tommy Hilfiger deux-pieces (jacket and skirt) at 50%. Yey, me!;-)

I should do this more often. You don´t need a whole weekend to visit another place, sometimes a day away is enough.

xxx, Alina

 

Tallinn in Christmas clothes

We started this tradition last year, we got away from the city for a weekend to get some Christmas spirit. Our destination was Røros, a fairy tale-like small town in Middle Norway, 5 hours away by train, but miles and miles away from the city stress and everyday routine. To make it a tradition, we had to do the same this year, so we chose Tallinn, Estonia. And my God were we lucky to visit such a pretty town in winter! We were totally swept away by the colorful houses, the  Christmas market in the middle  of the old town, the churches and thick city walls and, last but not least- the cold! I´ve never been so cold in my life as I was for those three days, and I live in Norway! Good thing there´s such thing as mulled wine, caramelized almonds, elk soup à la middle ages (meaning without a spoon), sauerkraut, sausages and pork steak! In addition to that, we had a sauna and a jacuzzi at the hotel, as well as the possibility to book various treatments- I chose a facial, a massage, manicure and pedicure! 😉 There are a couple of stores with nice Estonian design, arts and crafts and delicatessen, so gifts were not difficult to find, either. And even though either of us is particularly fond of winter, we both love Christmas! So it was delightful to just walk around, check out the antique shops, pop in for a cocoa, update our instagram, walk a little more, take some pictures, have some lunch, take a nap, take a sauna, dinner, drinks and then more sleep. It´s so rejuvenating, we´ve already chosen next year´s destination-Viena! I hope you enjoy this ride with us!

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A lovely Parisian corner

My husband is back from Paris and he was so inspired I felt it was a good choice to stay at home and let him experience the big city on his own. He was lucky to stay in a lovely apartment in Bastille and the owners made him feel so welcome he felt at home at once. I fell in love with  the apartment the moment I saw the first picture! For those of you planning a trip to Paris anytime soon, check out Tanguy´s place on airbnb.com. The owners are New Yorker Tanguy and Parisian Lou and they´ll greet you as if you were their own friend. Their home is warm and cosy and mirrors their extensive travels, a successful mixture of American humor and French refinement. Take a look and see what you think! We´re planning a trip there in spring and guess where we´ll stay?!;-)

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