Paris and Simrishamn – the only cities where people can live or Dreams really come true!!!

  Max and …

This was my first trip abroad with Max, trip to the real dreamland – Sweden!  

To tell the truth, I wasn’t ready to see and feel what I really had: this country has opened the totally new world for me, at the same time reminding of many places being connected altogether.

That was my first impression about the country and as an example, about Stockholm: it was mainly like the city-mix of Venice, Hamburg, Vienna, Amsterdam: for its location on water, for its harbour, for its shopping area and cleanness, for the number of bikes and people involved in sports…

Boryspil Airport

The first time I have ever been to Boryspil Airport and my first flight from there!

The first “four-flight” trip, the first flight within the country…  

But… Unfortunately I want to share my not the best and most positive impressions with You: it really seems to be very strange in modern society! Nothing for free available during the flight, even the plastic cup of tea or coffee. Fortunately,  exceptions always exist! While flying from Copenhagen to Berlin we were proposed some drinks and snacks without extra pay. And chocolates as gifts for all passengers at the exit! That was a nice go! Especially when there is something to compare! J  

The heart of Stockholm

The above picture is a real photo – not a picture! J

The first experience of living in the very centre of Sweden’s capital – Stockholm – the first city we have visited during our vacation. The beautiful hotel where we ordered the small cozy room without windows… But with mirrors instead! I do not joke – there were two mirrors practically the same size as windows usually are. 

Only one photo was made: and of course it is Selfie! J 

Nobel museum

It seems as something really interesting and unusual for me – to be there! To visit the place where the most outstanding people and their works were awarded. Of course, the ceremony itself took place not in the museum – somewhere not far from it – but the special spirit, very unusual and unexpected atmosphere, its design…  

We have entered the museum, but we had not enough time for it and preferred the Vasa museum instead…  

Marine life

… “Vasa is the example of how ships should not be built” J – words of our Kiev friend with whom we met for a few hours while staying in Stockholm. 

The one-ship museum or the museum of one ship. Yes, I am totally right – the large woody ship  that sank in the beginning of its first trip is the only thing there. Several floors for the better examining of the ship, wax-constructed people from the board, even with explanations of how that was made, the shocking video of separating bones from the bodies of sailors: manually and barehanded… A little terrible thing. But it is worth seeing.

Eclipse and Helix

This is why this article was named as “My dream”: since childhood I have always dreamt about riding on a real and large Roller Coaster. And this was it: the exact way of how I imagined and dreamt about – large Roller Coaster with the train riding (not just seats attached to its top), hinges and helixes… Yes, that was my dream: to feel how it is, to experience that kind of real adrenalin (at the same time being sure that everything is well and at worst I can close my eyes and just wait J). And I felt it – even more: together with my darling sitting on the first row. Max kept silence and I told some separate words from time to time. Without screaming: too high dose of shock! 

The only thing I was thinking about during that “fast trip” (“Helix” reaches the speed of a hundred kilometers per hour) was the following: “Would it be possible to stay hanging in the attraction in case the protection breaks”. That is why I held tight on with both hands the whole way till it stopped. Just to be on the safe side or, to be more exact, to think so! J 

Eclipse was the Stockholm’s amusement Park “Grona Lund” merry-go-round: the truly unique way to see and experience the city -- 121 meters above Stockholm at speeds over 70 km per hour. 

To tell the truth, I was also the whole way full of thoughts about our successful landing, but this time interlocking hands with Max – in case of falling we will be together… J

Baltic sea and singing sand

.. Not as salty as for instance the Black sea is, not so shallow as my friends imagined before I went to Sweden. Only once we were on the beach where people need to walk about 50 meters to gain the depth of more than 1 meter, it was really funny to see their silhouettes far from the coast but with water covering just their ankles! J  

As Max has named it – “the singing sand” – the sand of one of the beaches we have visited: it was even finer than semolina and tinkled beneath our feet!  

No jellyfishes at all, practically no fishes (only once I saw some young fishes near the shore), no places for changing clothes on the beaches – at all! That was really strange, but for the Swedes it is normal to change their clothes “quickly on the beach” or covering themselves with the towel… J 

Of course! Not without dancing photos! J

Stonehenge or Ale’s Stones

Before our trip I did not even know what are they for and where they can be met. I saw them just on pictures or somewhere in books or magazines. But this trip was the so called first-hand information receiving –  we stood near Ale’s Stones!  

Really unusual place: upland, nothing except grass near at hand, 59 large boulders that stand in the form of the ship, rock and the sea underneath, the sea without borders.

And sheeps… As in the Ancient Greece: 

Bridge to Copenhagen

We saw its view only from the airplane when arriving back to Ukraine: it was unreal!  

I will try to describe it: the sea and the bridge over it… In the middle this bridge goes under the water.

The bridge that connects two countries: Sweden and Denmark. The bridge that changes into the tunnel, practically insensibly… 

Just a picture from Internet: for You to imagine how beautiful and tremendous it is… 

“Cutlets with jam”  

Can You imagine that? J 

Usually I prefer to eat jam as something sweet when drinking tea…  And what about You? J 

Meat cutlets with the real red currant jam on them… Yes! The normal thing for Swedes to have for the supper!

Unusual, important and interesting facts about Swedish life:

-          Studies at music schools lasts for 9 years: one twenty-minute lesson a week! 

-          Meanwhile, the average monthly salary of the Swedish music teacher is about 20000 SEK (about 38000 gryvnyas)! 

  

-          The older You are the better You live! (Unfortunately, in our country it is vice versa) 

-          No empty boast, no pomposity – practically all private houses are one-storeyed and have no fence higher than they are: as I have understood the fence of most houses is just something like decoration! Swedish houses look like in the fairy-tail: antique small modest and colorful houses with old-fashioned lamps on the window-sills! Photos from the best city in Sweden – Simrishamn!!!

-          Apropos of this fact – the most expensive restaurant in Copenhagen: photo of the entrance of it! 

-          The air in Sweden is so fresh that wild ducks swim together with tourist ships even in big cities (Stockholm, Copenhagen, Malmo, Gothenburg)! 

-          Speaking about the above-mentioned tourist ships: there is one very low bridge in Gothenburg where all passengers must bend down under their seats while their sea-journey! 

-     Something like “garbage installation” on the street of Gothenburg – the new idea for Pinchuk Art Centre! J

P.S. Dear Natalie and Patrik! Thank You muchly for Your warm welcome! We are waiting for You here in Ukraine!

Thank You, my dear Max! Thank You for all You do for me! I love You…

And of course, thank You, my sweet parents!!! I love You both!