STOCKHOLM IS ALREADY BLOOMING

I was thinking in when I said I can't wait to see this city blooming in spring three months ago, and I perfectly remember the feeling I had then: walking around all the white gardens and getting used to see ice everywhere, but enjoying all this nature anyway, and wondering how this was going to look like once the cold was gone.

These last weeks the city has been waking up little by little, I can notice how the forest I see from my window is getting greener everyday, and I can also know which flowers are the newest ones. We can have picnic outside, and waking up at 7 a.m just to see Kungsträdgården uncrowded is totally worth it. I also said the city must be breathtaking, and now I know that there's no other way to describe it.

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Recuerdo cuando dije que no podía esperar a ver esta ciudad florecer en primavera hace tres meses, y lo que sentía en ese momento: caminando alrededor de los jardines blancos y acostumbrándome a ver hielo por todas partes, pero disfrutando de toda esta naturaleza de todas formas, sin dejar de preguntarme cómo iba a ser esta ciudad una vez que el frío se hubiese marchado.

Estas últimas semanas Estocolmo ha empezado a despertar poco a poco, noto cómo el bosque que veo desde mi ventana se hace cada día más verde y empieza a llenarse de flores. Podemos hacer picnics al aire libre, y despertar a las 7 a.m sólo para ver Kungsträdgården sin la multitud que lo caracteriza, realmente vale la pena. Hace tres meses imaginaba que la ciudad debía ser impresionante, y ahora se que no hay otro modo de describirla.

woods - size meets the sound

LETTER FROM GALICIA #2

I was going up the staircase while thinking about her letter. I knew it was about to arrive, so the first thing I did when I opened the door was to look all around the entrance searching for it. And there it was, over the green chair: a narrow envelope with my name on it. I took it, I putted it inside the pocket of my coat and I runned downstairs to take my bike. I rode to the forest, where I found a wooden table, and I decided to sit there while the sun was setting, enjoying all the little pieces from Galicia, happy to see how our project is growing and how that thread of letters is getting us closer and closer.

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Subía las escaleras pensando en su carta. Sabía que estaba a punto de llegar, así que la primera cosa que hice al abrir la puerta fue inspeccionar la entrada en su búsqueda. Y allí estaba, sobre la silla verde de madera: un sobre finito con mi nombre en él. Lo cogí, lo puse en el bolsillo de mi chaqueta y corrí escaleras abajo a coger mi bicicleta. Pedaleé hasta el bosque, donde encontré una mesa de madera, y decidí que era el sitio perfecto para sentarme mientras el sol se ponía, disfrutando de estas pequeñas piezas de Galicia, feliz de ver cómo nuestro proyecto va creciendo y cómo este hilo de cartas nos acerca la una a la otra cada vez más.

This is a project that I'm doing together with Mònica Bedmar. 

You can also see the Letter from Galicia #1 & the Letters from Sweden #1 and #2.

cello song - nick drake

TEA & CAKE AT KATLEEN'S PLACE IN BERLIN

During that weekend in Germany, I had the pleasure of meeting Katleen and have fika at her apartment in Berlin. She lives in a really nice flat at Kreuzberg, with red wooden floors, high ceilings and big windows. We walked around the friday flea-market next to the river and afterwards she invited us to have tea and home made cake at her place. I absolutely loved her apartment, and she is such a positive and inspiring person... cannot wait to meet her again to celebrate Midsommar in Sweden.

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Durante aquel fin de semana en Alemania, tuve el placer de conocer a Katleen y merendar en su apartamento de Berlin: un piso en Kreuzberg, con suelos rojos de madera, techos altos y grandes ventanales. Caminamos por el mercadillo de los viernes, junto al rio, y después nos invitó a tomar té y comer tarta casera. Me enamoré de su apartamento, y ella me pareció una persona tremendamente positiva e inspiradora... no puedo esperar a verla de nuevo en Suecia, y celebrar Midsommar juntas.

this time tomorrow - the kinks

HONOLULU CAFÉ AT MICHELBERGER HOTEL, BERLIN

A couple of weeks ago I went to an inspirational trip to Berlin with my colleagues. I fell in love with the city (cannot believe I was about to move there!), I think is truly genuine and inspiring. It was a great weekend: nice weather, good food and excellent company. While walking around the East Side Gallery with Sara, we found this very nice café that my friend Marta recommended me some months ago. Loved the coincidence, so we stayed for a coffee... planning to be back soon to that creative city that left us, somehow, a feeling of freedom.

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Hace un par de semanas tuve la oportunidad de ir a un "inspirational trip" a Berlin con mis compañeros de trabajo. Me enamoré de la ciudad (no me puedo creer que estuviese a punto de mudarme allí!) creo que es genuina e inspiradora. Fue un fin de semana precioso: buen tiempo, buena comida y mejor compañía. Mientras paseaba cerca de la East Side Gallery con Sara, encontramos este bonito café que, curiosamente, mi amiga Marta me recomendó hace algunos meses. Me encantó la coincidencia así que tomamos un café allí, planeando volver a una ciudad que, de algún modo, nos dejó una grata sensación de libertad.

walk on the wild side - lou reed

ROSENDALS TRÄDGÅRD PÅ DJURGÅRDEN

Last weekend I discovered this place while I was walking around Djurgården with my friend Kevin, and it has become my favourite place in Stockholm (and maybe on earth): several greenhouses in the middle of an island where you can buy plants, flowers, seeds... or have fika in a small café surrounded by sown fields. It was so crowded of people soaking up the sun, it looks like everyone is excited because of the arrival of the spring: flowers are –literally– everywhere and ice-creams are half price... so I am quite excited too!

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El fin de semana pasado descubrí este sitio mientras paseaba por Djurgården con mi amigo Kevin, y se ha convertido en mi sitio favorito de Estocolmo (y quizá de la tierra): varios invernaderos en el medio de una isla, donde puedes comprar plantas, flores, semillas... o merendar en un pequeño café rodeado de campos sembrados. Estaba lleno de gente aprovechando el sol. Parece que todo el mundo está nervioso por la llegada de la primavera: todo está –literalmente– lleno de flores, y los helados están a mitad de precio... así que estoy bastante nerviosa yo también!

these days - nico

THAT SUNSET IN STOCKHOLM IS ALREADY GONE

I read these lines during this last week and thought I had to share'em, since I cannot agree more:

"Whatever you are experiencing right now, good or bad, painful or pleasurable, will pass. I liked the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because it suggested (at least to me) that we are always running from the moment. Rather than enjoy what is –whatever it may be– we are doing our best to escape to the future or to the past. When you realize that this (whatever this moment is for you) will pass, it may help you appreciate it: If you like the moment, dwell on it because it will soon be gone. If you don't like this moment, relax, as it will soon be gone."

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Durante la semana pasada leí estas líneas y pensé en compartirlas, ya que no puedo estar más de acuerdo:
"Sea lo que sea lo que estés viviendo en este momento, bueno o malo, doloroso o placentero, pasará. Me gustó la película Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind porque me sugirió que estamos siempre huyendo del momento. En lugar de disfrutarlo –sea lo que sea– nos esforzamos en escapar hacia el futuro o hacia el pasado. Cuando te das cuenta de que el momento pasará, es más fácil apreciarlo: si te gusta este momento, aprovéchalo porque pronto habrá pasado. Si no te gusta este momento, relájate, porque pronto habrá pasado."

sunday morning - the velvet underground

FIRST DAY OF A BRAND NEW MONTH

I like the feeling of starting a new month, even though that means that easter holidays are over. April has started, and with it day-light will last until eight p.m and last ice traces are melting so the neighbour-deers will finally lie in the green grass. It's been almost three weeks of sun in a row, so you can really feel that spring is here, hopefully, to stay. Another thing that starts tomorrow is my Swedish course... låt oss gå!

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Me gusta la sensación de empezar un nuevo mes, aunque eso signifique que las vacaciones de pascua han terminado. Abril ha empezado, y con él la luz del sol durará hasta las ocho y los últimos restos de hielo empiezan a derretirse así que los ciervos-vecinos podrán, finalmente, descansar en la hierba verde. Hemos tenido casi tres semanas de sol seguidas, así que realmente puedo sentir que la primavera ha llegado, con suerte, para quedarse. Otra cosa que empieza mañana son mis clases de sueco...låt oss gå!

someday - the growlers

SECOND PÅSK HOLIDAYS IN SWEDEN

Today I realized that it's being the second easter holidays I spend in Sweden. Two years ago I had a wonderful easter weekend in a beautiful house in Halmstad, and today I have had a really nice påsk-lunch at my friend Madsine's place: boiled egs, potatoes, salmon, sill, knäckebröd and goodies! The perfect way of starting these free days that I'm planning to spend discovering new places, enjoying the sun in the islands, and trying to find a nice bicycle to finally be able to go to a lake that seems to be close to my place. Glad påsk to you all!

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Hoy me he dado cuenta de que estas son las segundas vacaciones de pascua que paso en Suecia. Hace dos años pasé un fin de semana increíble en una bonita casa en Halmstad, y hoy he podido celebrar pascua al estilo sueco en el apartamento de mi amiga Madsine: huevos hervidos con caviar, patatas, salmón, sill, knäckebröd y dulces! La mejor manera para empezar estos días libres que planeo pasar descubriendo nuevos rincones de la ciudad, disfrutando del sol en el archipiélago e intentando encontrar una bicicleta para por fin poder ir a un lago que parece estar cerca de casa. Feliz pascua a todos!

look at what the light did now - little wings

HOW WE USED TO WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

My apartment is surrounded by forests. Saturday morning I went for a walk around the neighbourhood (this made me remember so bad how my neighbour and I used to spend the weekends discovering the surroundings of our place in Gothenburg) and suddenly I found myself quite lost in the middle of the forest, with my pockets full of tiny pine cones and the sun hitting my face. I felt like going back home, buying some tulips and kanelbullar and spend the rest of the morning drinking coffee on my desk. It was a nice morning, tulips are my favourite flower.


wide lovely eyes - nick cave & the bad seeds

LETTER FROM GALICIA #1

Friday night. I arrive home from a busy day at work and I find an envelope on the floor. My name is written on it and I can recognize that handwritting... it's Mònica's: our project has started. And this morning I coudn't avoid to wake up early, when the sun started to rise behind the snowy trees, prepare some coffee and, while listening to this song, open it slowly... discovering all those small pieces from Galicia. And this is what our project, Letters, is about: to send pieces of the cities we are living in to each other, sharing details and the beauty of a moment of our lives when everything seems to fit perfectly. Being together because, despite the 3000km between us, this morning I have felt Mònica very close to me. Now it's my turn.

from me - caroline smith & the goodnight sleeps

A WALK DURING THE LUNCH BREAK

Since I leave the studio in the afternoon, when it's already dark, I almost don't have time to discover the city and take pictures as much as I would like to. However, yesterday Sara asked me if I wanted to join her on a walk during our lunch break. As I've been saying, feels great to know that there are a lot of things to discover, but it's even better to find that just two streets away from your workplace there's an island full of gardens and buildings from the 19th and 18th century. I'm totally amazed by the architecture in Stockholm, I can't wait to see this city blooming in spring... must be breathtaking.

Today I realized that it's been a month since I moved here. A lot of things have happened since then... but it's kind of scary how time flies. I just hope that everything keeps going this way.

i am a rock - simon & garfunkel

A NEW EXPERIENCE

Every weekend starts with the same feeling: the feeling of knowing that everything that is going to happen will be new. To end up in a terrible concert, to have a pancake night with friends at home, to turn around the corner and discover a new square, a new street, a new building, a new café, to have a coffee with someone that you just met but that you know, somehow, that is going to be part of a lot of new moments and discoverings in this special moment of your life... if everything stays the way it is: every weekend is a new experience.

french navy - camera obscura

SIMPLE & IMPORTANT

Since I'm living in Stockholm some people has messaged me asking how I have done to fullfill my dream of living and working in Sweden, so I've decided to publish here my thoughts. It's easy. It's simple. It's important: 

Don't listen to those who tell you that you can't do it. Don't listen to those who tell you that what you want it's impossible. Don't listen to those who tell you that you must be different in one way or another. Don't listen to those who tell you that they would never do what you do. Don't listen to those who tell you that you are not good enough. Don't listen to those who push you to stop doing what you love to do. Don't try to success in order to demonstrate something to other people. Don't forget that no one in your life is more important than yourself. Don't be afraid. Don't care about what people think about you. Strengthen your self confidence. Be patient, never forget that magic only happens outside your comfort zone... and fight for what you believe in.

montana - youth lagoon

SUNDAY AROUND THE WOODS

We saw them from my window. The sun was shinning and they were running around the woods, leaving their trace in the snow. I wanted to photograph them so badly so, before leaving to the flea market, Isaac helped me startling them in order to push them to my way. It took us a while, but we finally did it! It's beautiful to see those creatures running in the middle of nature close to you.
By the way, this last week snow began to dissapear but, after this sunny (& cold) weekend, this afternoon, while I was on my way back home, it has started to snow once more... and that makes me even happier.

ahoraphobia - deerhunter

SATURDAY AROUND THE CITY

I love the feeling of having a whole city to discover, so I'm taking it easy during the week. However, this weekend I've started walking around Stockholm next to my first visitor, Isaac, who came from Hungary. It's great to have someone visiting you when you're living abroad, but it's even better if that someone is really good at cooking and cooks delicious meals for you everyday! A nice and funny weekend, that has had its own soundtrack.

cryin' smoke - ganglians

I'VE FOUND MY PLACE

Finally, after all these months... It seems like I found my place! And it couldn't be better. It's my first morning here and I already saw three deers in the little forest behind my room's window. Ah... I love Sweden, after two years, I'm glad to be back to this country. 

bird stealing bread - iron and wine