In September I spent a wonderful weekend away to visit friends at their home in Stockholm. My experience of Sweden so far has been only Stockholm and what a beautiful city this is! I felt so welcomed into a new culture and even under the September clouds it was so nice to walk around outside and explore the architecture, streets and overall mood of a new city.

For the last few weeks I had really been trying not to be too much of a tourist for the worry of feeling isolated or turning everything into a “temporary” experience. It was so nice to simply arrive in a new place for a finite time and just explore however the days suited me to do so before meeting friends in the evening.

It was a wonderful few days to spend away and back into my exploring / nomadic frame of mind. I feel so much more free now that I am returning to my home in Copenhagen after travelling somewhere else. This sense of calm is transitioning from my way of thinking and into the work I am producing in a really positive way. Moments like this really make me realise how important it is to always find a sense of freedom in some way during our daily lives… for it is in our daily lives that the most extraordinary things can happen if we allow them to.

Despite the rain, there was so much to see and do in this wonderful city and culturally there is such a difference between all of the Scandinavian cities. Having spent only about 6 weeks in Copenhagen, it was really lovely to step away for a weekend and gain a perspective on one of the other major cities, its people, culture and rhythm of life. Everything is a little different in some way while also maintaining this general essence of Scandinavia. It is unlike any of the cultures I have yet to explore and one that I feel very at home in.

To see Stockholm under the light of mid-autumn was really special. The city felt cosy from the cooler days / evenings and welcoming from the recent months of warmth and movement. These few days were a really nice introduction to a new city and culture. When the rain became too much – we went inside to have fika (the ritual of sharing cake) and share wonderful ideas, perspective, and conversation.

Stockholm; September 2017