travel

Lisette reporting from Barcelona

This report is written by Lisette van de Graaf from cute suite and all images are by Lisette.

To be invited by Irene to share some of 'my' Barcelona on Bloesem is a tremendous honor and definitely a challenge for a someone who has only just started blogging. Thanks ever so much, Irene! For seven years now, I have been living in Barcelona, and to this day, this wonderful city continues to amaze and surprise me.

I am inspired by its beauty and the many artful and architectural details that surround me everywhere, and delighted to discover new things in places I have passed lots of times before... I thought I'd take you on a bit of a wander around the area where I live, and show you the various places I like to hang out, shop, eat, or just people watch.

Let's start at Olivia Cafe (on the corner of Carrer Notariat and Carrer Pintor Fortuny), where I usually have my mid-morning coffee and sometimes one of their delicious rolls or home-made cakes or muffins.

Sometimes, I'll change my routine and treat myself to a scone at Buenas Migas, and sit on their terrace, on the lovely Plaça del Bonsuccès, to watch 'the world' go by.

Other great places to do that, while having a drink or enjoying a snack or meal, are any of the café terraces on Plaça Vicenç Martorell,

Irene reporting from Pulau Ubin in Singapore

Another Birthday in the family this week... Happy Birthday Love of my Life! It was a wonderful day today and I hope you enjoyed it too? We went to a small island here in Singapore, calles Pulau Ubin. Yes for you who didn't know Singapore has a couple of islands and some of them are absolutely worth visiting.

Pulau Ubin is known for it's bicycle tracks, so DUtch as we are we had to go and see for ourselves. We start by driving to Changi Village, but taking a taxi is a very simple alternative. At Changi Village you will find that brings you to the island, only 5 minutes away but a nice little adventure, especially for young kids :) see the image of the ferry here below. 

Pulau Ubin is an island North East of Singapore where often said as the last “kampong” (village) in Singapore. When you arrive at the Island you are warmly welcomed by lot's of Chinese decoration and a world of bikes... bikes, bikes and more bikes... al for rent... that's what we did too of course :)

Everything at the island is simple and easy, you just follow the path... what I liked during the day, was being outdoors in the jungly forest and of course all the details in the small village. Lot's of chinese temples and offerings. For lunch we went to one of the fish/crab restaurants and after spending around 4 hours at Pulau Ubin we decided to go back home. Of course there is much more to explore on the island but the heath and two very young boys were ready to go back home.

There is an intriguing story about a 'German Girl Shrine' at Pulau Ubin that I first heard about via this wonderful blog by jeffrey and flora,  two Americans living in Singapore. Some people really worship this ghost from the past.. today we did see the sign of a small road leading up the holy place, but we are saving this little adventure for our next trip to Pulau Ubin. If you are already curious than click here and read Flora her wonderful story about the German Girl and her Shrine.

 

All images were taken by me, Irene, you can use them for your blog but please give credits via this link. 

Ana reporting from Fortaleza, Brazil

This report is written by Ana Degenaar from Live & Enliven.

Fortaleza, Brazil is a medley of culture and beauty, from natural resources, man-made creations and a variety of people living together and keeping their traditions vibrantly alive. This relatively small space in the world is a dream. It is located in the North East of Brazil, just 3 degrees South of the Equator. We see the sun 350 days a year and during the hottest days of Summer there’s a characteristic breeze that unmistakably lets you know you’re in Fortaleza. 

My family and I have been living in Brazil for the past 3 years and it has changed our lives. There are many things told about Brazil, some true, some not so true, but there's one I fully agree with and it is that Brazil is paradise. Yes it is! Whether you are here with the sole expectation of travel or you are planning to settle down, Brazil will offer you the best and more often than not, it will change you.

Before I came to live in beautiful Brazil I had only spent holidays at the beach and there was that sense of detachment in me that knew it would be lovely to stay yet I had a home to go back to. After living here for 3 years the though alone of leaving for a short break makes my heart ache, there's an incredible sense of freedom that comes from looking at the sea everyday and even when you don't you know it's there. This is the same view Brazilians have - to them the sea plays such a key part of their lives and that's the reason why they fully embrace it and transform places like this into home to welcome those who have yet to understand their love  for the sea.

   

Marjon reporting from Stockholm

**Report by Marjon Hoogervorst

This year my friend Maaike and I choose to go to Stockholm… This was our destiny, because when we were in Copenhagen, I wanted to buy a book from that city. But when we pointed some nice things to do in the book later in the restaurant, I realised I had bought a City guide from another city: Stockholm (stupid!)…. So you understand: we had to go there now!!! So we did and please find here some tips my favorite shops!

And there we were in february 2010…. Brrr… It was minus 15 degrees, so it was too cold to take my camera out my bag most of the time…

The places we liked the most were Gamla Stan and the Sofo Area. Both areas have really nice little shops you must see!

Gamla Stan is the old town where the history from Stockholm starts... here you have lots of nice restaurants and cafe's to eat and to have lunch...

By Gooey Brand I bought a T-shirt for my son, which Milan shows here in a very special pose ;). These t-shirts are from 100% organic cotton and all designed and hand printed by Petra Busch. 

SOFO (in the Södermalm area) is the area with a lot of small shops from designers and passionated people who sells their beloved goods. 

For nice baby clothes, toys and special things for children, you have to go to Uni. The shop owner and designer is Erica Laurell, I love here style.  

At the Åsögatan most shops carry fashion with really beautiful collections!!! I like the Shoerepairshop the most… but as usual: this is also the most expensive shop…other ones i liked were matilda wendelboe and geronimo things. 

In one of these shops I bought a sheer cotton silk blouse with a cute ruffle on the back and rollup sleeves from loloandlulu.

Manos is a really nice shop from ceramist Karin Eriksson. Behind the shop is her atelier where she creates!  We bought here some special presents and souvenirs! 

In 6/5/4 you can buy some nice clothes, accessories and drink a cup of thea/coffee/smoothie at the bar.

I looooooooove chocolat, that’s why I wanted to drink a cup of hot chocolat in this shop: choklad fabriken. This was our last visit in the Sofo area, we went back to the central area: Norrmalm

In Norrmalm you have David and Martin. They are jewellerydesigners with a specific style born out their interests in art, movies, fashion and nature… In the future they’ll open a shop in Antwerp (Belgium)!!! 

As always in every blog and book they wrote it… you have to go to designhouse Stockholm! . This was our last shop we visited before we had to go and get the plane back to Amsterdam!

These are our shopping results we spread out on the bed in our hotel room! We stayed in the Hotel birger Yarl. On the left you see my buys were I wrote about (the tshirt from Gooey Brand, the red/white tshirt from Marimekko, the shoes I bought by Nilson, the happy socks by 6/5/4, the rabbits, the stone and the candle by Manos, special Stockholmtea at the Tea Center (Hornsgatan), eyeshadow…………… :)

..Photographer Marjon Hoogervorst

 

Maps and Places from Copenhagen by Missemai prints

 

Thank you Mia-Lousie for creating these handy and fun maps for us. Great to print and bring when we visit Copenhagen. {ps. would you like to see how Mia-Louise  lives?... click here...}