Years go by so quickly, yet there are so many things that fit in only one. Lots of great moments and memories, exciting adventures, but sometimes life also tend to mix the pack with hardships. In the end of the day we come out stronger and more motivated then before, ready to face the new year and all it has in store for us. Travel-wise the 2014 will be a very special year as we're about to start our 5-month trip to Southeast Asia this January. Needless to say, we're pretty stoked about it and looking forward to all new experiences we're going to make...
I didn't exactly grow up celebrating Halloween, neither one of us did, but I find it actually pretty soothing considering the dark season we're facing this time of year. So, before all the Christmas frenzy kicks in, it's nice to have some zest in our lives. What could be better than couple of days filled with spooky costumes, pumpkin carving and watching scary movies we've all seen before...
For us, pumpkin carving has somewhat become a tradition already, so I was thrilled to find one in our supermarket while grocery shopping! We adopted our Jack right away (for as much as 3.90€) and took him to his new home. I didn't want to put the knife on him right away, so we waited till last night to give him a face- well, he's still no Martha Stewart creation, but he will do. After all the carving my hand was so sore that I didn't much care how many teeth he'll get...which is the reason he's got none.
If you're into simple Jack-o'-lantern, all you need is a proper knife, a spoon and the right state of mind. Oh, and to make things easier- a pumpkin.
A couple of weeks back we had a fun and rare occasion to get a good taste on very fast and furious vehicles. My brother who's pretty obsessed with cars in general got this little birthday gift from his girlfriend to try out three different sports cars on a racetrack outside of Paris. So, on this fine Saturday morning we all squeezed into our tiny Fiat500 rental and headed about 40 kilometers south of Paris to the circuit of Montlhéry to make his long-term dream come true! What we didn't expect was a little introduction spin on a Maserati that we all could join, and we totally went for it thinking we would just get a nice ride in a really nice car. I mean, how often do you get offered a ride in a luxury sports car? It wasn't until the driver accelerated to 250km/h within a few seconds that we started to regret the offer...;) Later when the ride was over he told us he used to pilot for Williams F1 back in the day - like he couldn't share that piece of information before he went all lunatic on the track? Oh well, in the end we enjoyed it a bit...
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| My light-filled Jack was evil last year... |
It's that time of the year that evenings are are getting darker by a day and soon we are adjusting our clocks backward an hour, which means even shorter days. Good news is that we can start putting up candles to brighten up the dark and if you're into Halloween, well, it's almost time to start the hunt for that perfect pumpkin! But living in France comes with few challenges when it comes to finding it because Halloween isn't much of a big deal here. Last year I was determined to overcome the challenge and I was dedicated to find my Jack-o'-lantern- and find I did! After going through some gardening markets and all kinds of florist shops where they display pumpkins but don't actually always sell them, I stumbled upon my pumpkin over at this fruit & vegetable store (which kinda makes sense now) on Rue Mouffetard. For like 5€! This year I'll head over to the same place and have my fingers crossed...
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending yet another French wedding- this time the wedding bells were ringing for one of the many cousins of Denis. So many months, weeks, days and hours of planning, preparation and also probably a decent amount of stress had gone into this wedding that I think it’s safe to say that everyone was just so happy to finally sit back and enjoy the big day. Here come the highlights of the wedding:
Morning Preparations
Just like in many southern families, the grandparents’ house in this one is the most central meeting point. Thus, we were expecting the bride to arrive here around noon to get dressed and photographed before heading out to the civil ceremony. We were lucky enough to get to sleep pretty long, and just after waking up we headed to the cute Provencal Saturday morning market to pick up some fresh croissants for our breakfast. As we sipped our morning coffee, everyone around us had started to get ready for the wedding; hairstylist occupied the kitchen, the salon was all beautifully set for the bride and the rest of the family kept popping in and out of the house finalizing all the details. In between all the hassle, it was a beautiful day (although tiny bit windy) and we all chilled on the sunny terrace while the bride was getting ready in the next room…;)
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| Bridal dressing room |
Finally the spring is spoiling us with more and more beautiful days and warm temperatures! It’s the best time to pack your picnic bags and head out to wherever it’s green and blossoming. Yesterday we went out to a hilly forest for an active and sporty day out, doing both biking and running- it felt so good to be out in the nature! Today we continued the active weekend by exercising first and then ending it with a lunch out in the park nearby our home. And for once, we managed to take the camera with us, too (and good that we did because the blossoms are on their way out already!). Here are a few photos of that much-needed sun on (my) white skin!
Sushi. Pastries. Roses. Envelope. The perfect birthday dinner. Oh and Champagne!
The aspect of meeting people and making new friendships on the road is probably one of the most rewarding one. Living exciting moments together, sharing past stories and planning on future rendezvous with people from all over the world is not only fun but also what makes it all worth while. One of our favourite saying states that "travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer"- and looking back at all the moments with each and every one of these guys definitely made our trips- and lives richer. Thanks guys!
Tina & Bastian (Netherlands)
Met in Southeast Asia...
Met in Southeast Asia...
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| Initially met in Northern Thailand and later in Malacca, Malaysia. |
‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow’ is pretty much all we're wishing for throughout December before departing the flight up to Finland. Most of the time it works.
It may seem like the darkest time of the year in the north with days being short and light scarce, but what’s lacked in daylight is certainly made up for in atmosphere. Everyone’s putting up lights on their windows and gardens, and not to mention the power of positive thinking- getting a white Christmas. Suddenly the darkest time of the year is transformed into the most beautiful time of the year with frosty nature, stars shining in the cold night sky and festive holiday decorations embellishing houses inside out. It’s no wonder I can’t truly get in touch with my inner holiday spirits until I’ve come home. But it’s not all about the holidays, coming home means also getting to enjoy the real winter and all the activities it brings along. That’s something we both miss a lot living in a big city!
Other than that Christmas is all about enjoying the moment, being close to family, eating well and, of course, taking as many rounds in sauna as possible. There’s not much more that can bring you to the total state of relaxation, is there?
We had the pleasure of getting our South-African friends Donna & Craig to pay us a visit around the Tour de France arrival weekend, and what a wonderful few days we ended up having; walking around the city’s many different districts and sights, chilling in parks, having picnics by the Seine and also riding a fair share of metro. As it was their first ever visit to Paris, we had to squeeze in all the necessary things including the most famous sights and things to eat & drink…
Winter's always been a big part of me and growing up in a northern country does not only teach you to handle the cold but also to love what it has to offer. So it probably doesn't come as a big surprise that some of my favorite hobbies and activities require snow & ice! Every winter for a short period of time I consider us unfortunate not to be able to go ski after work or take a walk in a snowy nature, but then the spring kicks in early and we're all happy again ;). Good thing is that the winter is only few hours train or plane away and this time I took the February just for that- my favorite wintry things to do.
It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Strolling around city's Christmas markets sipping Glühwein, enjoying the night with some classic seasonal films, watching the first snow to fall, decorating the tree with carols playing in the background, spending quality time with your family and friends, putting up lights all over the place, or just smelling the food from the kitchen...
