Barcelona

My host family went on vacation for ten days, and so I decided to do the same.  I flew to Barcelona for a long weekend and met up with some friends.  The weather was in the upper teens C, or upper 60's F.  The sun was always shining and it felt so warm compared to the freezing temperatures in Stockholm. It was nice not only being in the sunshine, but getting out of Stockholm to see everything that I was taking for granted. For example, how Swedes speak such great english, how clean the city of Stockholm is, and how nice and genuine Swedes are.

 Parc Guell on a hill, looking over the city.  Gaudi's park.

 Gaudi

 My friends arrived one day later than I in Barcelona, so I had one day to kill before they got there.  These were my three hostel roommates.  We were four girls all traveling alone, so we decided to spend the day together. They were from Spain, Russia and China.

Parc Guell- Gaudi

View of the city from Parc Guell.

 Parc Guell on a different day with my friends.

 Yay Barca! 

 Center of Barcelona

  Market off of La Rambla (a big shopping street)

 Each stand has spices, candy, meat, juice, produce, and fish piled high.

 The beach

Sagrada Familia with Monica, my friend from Seattle.

Gaudi's work is all so beautiful. The church is absolutely breathtaking.  

 Up in the towers of Sagrada Familia.  It was so pretty to be there right when the sun was setting on the beautiful city of Barcelona.

Standing above where the bars and clubs are right on the beach.

The Ice Bar cost 15 Euro (23ish dollars) to get in and that includes a jacket and gloves to use while you're there, and one drink.  Everything in the bar is made of ice, the sculptures, benches, walls, the bar, even the glasses you drink out of.  By the time Monica and I ordered and received our drinks we were freezing our butts off, and wanted to leave.  So we ended up chugging our drinks and getting out of there.  

Our drinks with the glasses actually made out of ice, sitting on the ice bar.

I thought I went to Barcelona to warm up?

 Party scene in Barcelona. (It is worth going to Barcelona just to see the clubs and the nightlife) We probably had a little too much fun that weekend.

 Monica and I

 The girls and a group of Swedish Business men that we met (and that bought us drinks). Wherever I go, I just can't get away from the Swedes.

Monica and I overlooking the beach and watching the sunset.

The lovely ladies I spent a weekend I will never forget with.  I had such an amazing time in Barcelona, but by the time it was time to leave, I felt ready to go back to Stockholm.  And most importantly I felt like I was going home. <3

Walking tour of Stockholm

Last week my friend Zuzanna invited me along with her other friends to do a walking tour of Stockholm.  It was free, so we were under no impressions that it was going to be great.  We figured if it was horrible we could opt out early and go shopping or get fika, but we were pleasantly surprised.  The tour was full of witty comments about how IKEA (one of the most famous Swedish companies) names its couches after cities in Sweden, and their rugs after cities in Denmark, as to make sure the Swedes always stay on top of the Danes.  Of course we learned more practical knowledge about the cities history as well.

Zuzanna, myself and other friends beginning the walking tour of Stockholm on Kungsgatan (Kings Street) Who says we can't act like tourists for one day?

Myself in front of the Royal Palace (although the royal family doesn't live there anymore) and Parliament.

An ice rink downtown Stockholm, can't wait to go  ice skating! 

All of us girls after completing the tour of Stockholm, in front of the Parliament building. We were freezing after an hour and a half of walking around Stockholm and definitely ready for some fika! (4 our of the 6 of us are au pairs in Stockholm) 

Spöken, pumpor, och en häxa.

Nothing brightens a day like getting a package in the mail from your parents.  Halloween is still a fairly new holiday to Swedes, so it is difficult to find anything Halloween related here! Of course this is coming from an American, where we overdo every holiday.  Ella and Gabriel had just as much fun opening this package as I did. Thank you mom and dad! <3 

  Ella and Gabriel's first trip to a pumpkin patch! It was actually Andreas and Johanna's first time as well.  I don't know if I will ever live down my name of the pumpkin expert, just because I knew that they were cinderella pumpkins.

 Ella and Gabriel baking cupcakes to decorate on Halloween. They both love to bake, so it's a good match.

 Days and days of Halloween crafts with friends! Elsa and Alfred (the neighbors) came over on Halloween to join us in making Halloween crafts, decorating cupcakes, and having fika.

There was not a sprinkle left (except on the floor) by the time four children had decorated 24 cupcakes. Also, they don't have candy corn over here!

Carving pumpkins! Ella and Gabriel were the biggest wimps when it came to taking out the pumpkin guts. Every other second was full of, "ew" or "yuck" or "blech", so of course I ended up doing all three. Carving pumpkins is so foreign to them, but so normal for Americans. 

 After a full day of candy, crafts and carving, I was Halloweened out.  Andreas and Johanna never thought that it would happen.

Finished pumpkins! Ella's is on the bottom, and Gabriel's is on the right. They were so happy and so proud of their finished jack-o-lanterns. Johanna told me later that night, that Ella and Gabriel will never forget the crazy American that made them do so many Halloween crafts. I told her, just wait until Christmas.  

Nacka Hike

Betty, Ben, Joey and I hiking around the Nacka Reservation. Just a train ride away from Stockholm, but a great escape from the city.

 I, like all Swedes, am trying to take advantage of the cool and crisp fall weather, before it turns bad for the winter

Fika

On October 25th, Stockholm got its first snow.  It was just a light dusting, barely covering the ground, but it was snow!  I can only imagine how it will get in the winter.  Regardless, the kids and I put on our snow clothes, and still did the walk to school in the negative (celcius) degree weather.  

One thing I haven't mentioned yet is the language barrier between the children and I.  They don't know English (yet) and I don't know Swedish (yet), so everyday is a struggle.  Mostly, we just try to point to objects, and I will say them in engelska (English) and they will say them in Svenska (Swedish).  Gabriel who is 7 is picking up on English very quickly, but unfortunately Swedish is taking me a while, and also English is harder for Ella to learn at age 5.  I downloaded a great app called iTranslate, which is my lifeline in order to figure out anything that is in Swedish.

Mochaccino at Chokladkoppen in Gamla Stan (Old Town)

Another thing about Swedes, is that they love fika! Fika is basically just a coffee and cookie break.  In the US you would ask a friend if they wanted to grab a cup of coffee, and in Sweden you would ask if they wanted to go out for fika.  Of course fika can be as simple as a cup of black coffee or as heavy as my mochaccino above, with a kanelbulle (cinnamon roll). If I come back a few pounds heavier in August, you'll know why.