travel

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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Then we take Berlin

I´m just back from a trip to Berlin and boy  was it  invigorating! I love that city, there´s no doubt in my mind that it has everything you could ever want from a metropole, except for the sea, perhaps. I´d settle for that anytime!

I was in Berlin for a conference; in a way it was the excuse I needed to allow myself 4 days off.  The conference about community interpreting was intense and inspiring, although I found out mostly what I already knew, that the world is compromising more and more for the sake of saving a penny and that availability precedes quality.

However, that didn´t stop me from having a good time. We did some shopping, we dined French, Asian and Italian. We walked till our feet hurt, stopped for a beer and then walked some more. I´m not very much into German cuisine, except for the curry wurste and the pretzel, which I had my share of this time, too.

On Sunday we went to the Mauerpark for the flea market, but since it was Memorial Day there was no market.  What else to do than eat some organic pizza and have more coffee? We then walked all the way to Mitte through Prenzlauer Berg with its colorful  buildings, shops and falafel stores. Berlin was chilly and grey and yet not distressing at all. They´d just started Christmas decorating and somehow I felt I was a couple of weeks early.

Yesterday we wrapped up by cake and coffee at KADEWE, the amazing shopping center of West Berlin, where you find whatever you could ever dream of from exclusive handcrafted bags to chocolate truffles and eclairs. We had amazing eclairs and bought some small gifts and magazines, I am now the proud owner of the latest CEREAL edition! Later on we visited the Bauhaus Museum and found yet some more inspiration in the clean lines and visionary buildings. I am currently on my couch in my pjs and life has never been as sweet.

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Long time, no London

I was reading something today and realized how much I miss London. I need to make time for a short trip to the city that has it all. I need to be walking alongside millions of people, indulge in a cake by Covent Garden, shop at Notting Hill, go Asian at Wagamama and raid a couple of flea markets for jewelry and antiques. I´ve been to London four times, but I feel you need to go there twice a year in order to keep up with the city. I love its people, its coolness, its contrasts. I´d appreciate any suggestions for my coming trip. 2014 is the YEAR for trips, babies and a driving licence! Here I come!

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Sardinia, mi amore

Last year´s holiday went to Sardinia and Corsica. We tok a cheap flight to Olbia, a quiet little Sardinian town where you can rest for a day or two, eat a lot of gambas and then follow your course. It´s pretty enough and the beach is just outside town, but the real Sardinia is in the countryside or in Alghero or Cagliari. We stayed 4 days in Alghero and it was great. Having rented a lovely apartment through airbnb, we tok the bus to different beaches outside town and couldn´t wait to get hungry because the food was so lovely and fresh! We even managed to get some shopping done- I found an amazing Liu Jo leather jacket on sales!

After 4 days in Catalan Alghero, about which they say it´ s more similar to a Spanish town than an Italian, we tok the train to Cagliari. I won´t say it was easy. There was a lot of waiting and I was starting to think I´d been mad to come up with such a route, but it was so much fun when we arrived at last. Again we rented through airbnb, this time an ensuite room at the lovely librarian Louisa. She had a killer balcony and prepared some drinks to enjoy in the evening. Her English was very good, so was her companion´s, so we had chatty jolly evenings on the terrace overlooking the town. Cagliari is such a beautiful city! Between the old town with the castle and the fortifications, the restaurants, the pine-fringed boulevards or the ragged old town, the Italian charm was everywhere. For the beach you could take a bus just a quarter of an hour away or a day trip two hours away in a little corner of paradise.

On our way to Corsica we stopped for 4 more days in Santa Teresa di Gallura, all the way north, an hour from Corsica by ferry. A lovely little mountainous resort, the village had stunning views and amazing rocky bays. My husband liked it best of all Sardinia. There was no hassle and no shopping, the only thing to focus on was the swimming and the food. Try the asti spaghetti, the female lobster, the real deal was beyond our pockets!;-) Enjoy!

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Gozo, Malta

I always chose my destinations based on pictures.  I like the pictures, I find out more about the country. And although Lonely Planet is my favorite guide,  they really underestimate the power of pictures. As you know, a picture says more than 1000 words… So this is how we decided we should go to Gozo 6 years ago. I had read about it in a magazine, it was near enough, meaning we wouldn´t have to travel for more than two weeks, it was wild, pretty and a little exclusive. No giant hotels, no neon lights avenues.

If you´ve ever dreamed of going to Malta, try Gozo instead! It has everything Malta can offer you and on top of it peace and quiet. We´ve been to Gozo twice, both times in Qala, a cute village with 5-6 restaurants, 5 minutes by car from Hondoq Bay, this lovely gulf you see just below. The main reason we came back to Qala was the hostess, a lovely English lady in her 40s who runs Lellux B&B and does everything to make you feel at home. Everything else is just a bonus: the water, the snorkeling, the friends we got, the amazing food.

You should go in late August, otherwise the weather is unbearably hot. Besides, August is time for fiestas – traditional village celebrations- and the Gozo Wine Festival. It´s so authentic and so vibrant that you´ll never settle for Costa del Sol again. Let the pictures speak for themselves!

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Berlin

This year we haven´t travelled as much as we use to, but there´s one short trip I won´t deny myself: a conference in Berlin- “Mapping the Field of Community Interpreting”. It´s in November and the city might not show itself from its best angle, but nothing will ever stop me from loving Berlin. You´ll probably think it´s a cliché, but that city is alive! We´ve been there twice already, once for Easter in April 2010 and the second time in September 2011 and both times we fell in love with Berlin. I have to admit I had my doubts. I´m all about old and sumptuous and I knew much of old Berlin had been bombed during the war. But boy was I wrong to be doubting! The city is a gem! Incredibly big and lots of fun. There are Sunday markets to be visited,  long walks along the river where it´s mandatory to stop for a beer in one of the lounge chairs with a pretty view, as you´ll see me doing below. Vietnamese and Korean dinner is a must and so is the Jewish Museum. Start your day in Hackescher markt with some shopping, head to Prezlauer Berg to see and be seen by the cool, have a bite at a falafel joint, find the river and take a stroll along its banks where you can admire the Government building and all the modern museums´ architecture. For dinner, try Monsieur Vuong in Hackescher markt, the food is fabulous and the prices are wallet-friendly. We´re restless people, so museums are not always the recipe for a fun day. However we try to go to at least one museum per holiday and make it worthwhile. If I had to settle for one experience from Berlin, I´d choose the Jewish museum. It was really something. The light, the solemnity, the architecture, the exhibits. I cried for three hours non-stop and had to take a break for lunch to pull myself together. It´s our history though, we don´t have to embrace it, but we should at least know about it. I hope you enjoy my gallery and book your tickets now. I hear Berlin is magnificent for Christmas, too!

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Bucharest

Following up on my nostalgia and my missing the mother country, I decided I should write about Bucharest and share some hidden treasures with you. I´ve only lived there briefly, from 1999-2000, as a language student at the State University. That didn´t stop me from falling in love with the city, its dusty charm and its veiled grandeur. On the contrary, it might be the very reason I never get enough of Bucharest- I wasn´t given the chance to grow tired of it. Many people I know say that I would feel different if I actually lived there- between late working hours, the ruthless bureaucracy and the everyday struggle many Romanians experience, there wouldn´t be much enthusiasm left. This might very well be the case, but I choose to believe that you have to make time for a relationship, the way you do with your loved ones. Take your time and discover the city, go for a stroll in the newly renovated old town, have a coffee on a lovely terrace in the shade, grab a beer at a beer garden or mingle with the young and the restless by Herastrau Park, the choice is yours. And it´s not only about money, don´t give me that, I don´t buy it! As a student I had no money and still I loved the city. Fill a thermos with cocoa and get out in the open air if the money doesn´t stretch. Go to a gallery, it´s free of charge! Don´t just indulge in your feeling sorry for yourself!

Old Bucharest
Old Bucharest

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My Oslo

It´s Sunday and I need a rest. We´re eating out with some friends later, but for now it´s just coffee, newspapers, good music and cuddling on the couch with Sam and Beo. It´s a sunny day and Oslo is at its best. It´s a really nice city to live in, especially in the summer. If you haven´t visited yet, you should put it on your list. I´ll make you an overview of the best places I know.

Restaurants

Olympen

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Galiana Days

For the eleven days we stayed in Palma, Galiana Days was our home. And home is the right word because we really felt at home. Creative environment, lovely hosts, just a block away from quaint Santa Catalina, the apartment was a joy and a retreat from the unbearable heat of Mallorca.

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Missing everyday life

We´re on holiday in Mallorca and it´s great! You have the weather, the beach, cava, the seafood, the shopping.  But the thing with holidays is that they always make you think more about your everyday life. And somehow you miss it more than you´re supposed to. You start thinking that you should be more creative while cooking, enjoy a good breakfast more often, find the time for a hobby, this sort of things. You hear about people going on a surfing holiday, others on a cycling holiday while you, you´re just happy to be away from daily routine. That´s until it sneaks up on you and you start missing the cat, the dog, your toiletries, your plants, everything. And then it´s good there´s only three days left before going home.

Little Sam
Little Sam

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