Stockholm I love you

It is a true testament to a city that it can be raining and grey for almost the entire time we were there, and for me to still fall completely in love with it.

When we arrived in Stockholm we were greeted by a huge sign welcoming us to "The capital of Scandinavia" and even in the few days we spent there, it absolutely managed to live up to this title.

Although we arrived fairly late in the evening, the never ending summer days of Scandinavia once again played in our favour as we explored the beautiful Old Town (Gamla Stan in Swedish), ice cream in hand, winding our way through narrow streets and admiring the ancient, earthy colored buildings.

The next morning we awoke to a depressing downpour of rain but undeterred we set out to the super cool district of Södermalm, also affectionately known as 'SoFo'. This was a perfect way to spend a rainy day as we darted in and out of endless vintage shops, quirky boutiques and design stores filled with Scandinavian sensibility, and cosy cafes for more delicious pastries.

While Sweden can be an expensive country, I found it considerably cheaper than neighboring Norway, and even managed to find a bargain on a beautiful dress designed and made Stockholm which I will always cherish as my own little piece of Sweden's legendary sense of style.

We ended the day in search of the quintessential Swedish meatballs. Upon the recommendation of new friend Mercury who we met in Denmark, we headed to 'Bakfickan' and were not disappointed. With seats situated around a central bar and walls lined with photos of old school movie stars, it felt so cosy and relaxed that you'd almost never know it shares a kitchen with next door's Michelin star restaurant, 'Operakällaren'. That is until the food came out. After living on a backpacker's budget and way too much pasta, the melt-in-your-mouth meatballs, served with creamy mash potato and the traditional garnish of lingonberry jam, was absolutely one of the best things I have ever eaten.

If you are ever in Stockholm I highly recommend this place. You get a more relaxed, but still amazingly delicious, version of the food at its big brother restaurant in the Opera House bar but at a fraction of the cost.

The next morning saw our culinary successes continue as we decided to stop for breakfast at a little cafe called 'Muffin Bakery' which was appropriately filled with muffins in every flavour combination you could think of. While Sam choose a yummy but healthy option of pear and raspberry, I decided upon the cashiers recommendation of 'chocolate brownie cheesecake'. They came out still warm and with a massive spoon poking out of the top, which was a good thing as once I broke through the crispy top I was left with a heavenly, just cooked, molten batter.

If you've ever had my Nutella brownies imagine adding fresh out of the oven cheese cake to that mix and that's what it was like. Only more amazing.

The rest of the day was spent trying to stay out of the rain and exploring the sights of Stockholm, including its many grand palaces along the rivers edge and the very cool Moderna Museet which was full of interesting and international modern art.

When we ventured back outside we found that the rain was taking a short break so we decided to seize the moment and run up to a bar we'd seen the day before on the edge of SoFo. Although the stairs up to 'Mosebacke' are steep, the climb is definitely worth it for the perfect panorama views it's outdoor terrace delivers of the city below.

As we grabbed a Swedish cider and took a seat, the sun made a miraculous appearance and the surrounding tables were quickly filled with a range of Stockholm locals all enjoying the brief moment of good weather.

All in all Stockholm was an unforgettable stop on our trip through Scandinavia, meeting and exceeding all my expectations from the innovative design scene to its super cool people.

Definitely another place that I will be coming back to, hopefully in the not so distant future!

Highlights of Norway

After a ferry mishap left us slightly off schedule, we found ourselves exploring more of Norway than we had originally planned. For the most part this was an unexpected bonus especially when it came to our pit stop in Norway's self titled number one holiday destination, Kristiansands.

This charming seaside town had an infectiously laid back feel to it. We wandered through markets and ate ice cream in the sun as we joined the locals lying in the park by the waters edge. While Kristiansands wasn't on our original itinerary, it definitely should be for anyone heading to Norway, particularly in the summer as it's easy to see how you could come for a weeks holiday and end up staying forever.

Next on our journey was the harbor town of Bergen. Our train arrived just as the sun rose which was a perfect time to explore the creaky, narrow passageways between the UNESCO protected wooden houses along the wharf, before the hordes of tourists descended on the town.

The fish markets are an absolute must, full of local and unique produce and the occasional souvenir stand. As the day went on I sampled some surprisingly tasty fresh whale (served mostly raw, tuna sashimi style) and a delicious lunch of calamari and chips.

That afternoon we said goodbye to Bergen and its tiny houses nestled in the surrounding wall of mountains and headed to the country's capital, Oslo. Here we met another group of amazing people and spent time at famed sights like the waterfront Opera House and Nobel Prize Center, but to be honest after the stunning natural beauty of the rest of the country, I was left slightly underwhelmed.

While there's certainly stuff to do in Oslo, compared to other Scandinavian capitals like Copenhagen and Stockholm, it struggles to stand out. History buffs and families with young children will love the city's many extensive and interactive museums and Frogner Park is a lovely way to spend an afternoon if you're into statues and/or nudity, but the CBD feeling of the central city and the strict minimum cut off age of 23 for all bars and clubs meant that our weekend in Oslo fell slightly flat.

I definitely enjoyed Norway and would love to come back one day to explore further, but maybe next time with a larger budget and a different itinerary.

Bergen to Oslo train

When we booked tickets for Norway's famous Bergen to Oslo train trip we were told it would be a 'scenic adventure' so I was expecting something pretty beautiful. What I wasn't expecting is that beautiful didn't even begin to cover it.

Breathtaking is truly an understatement as this eight hour ride through the heart of the country's wilderness, from the costal fishing town of Bergen to the bustling capital of Oslo, left me with my face pressed up against the window and my mouth permanently open is awe.

We steamed through endless forests with gushing waterfalls and epic glacier fields covered in snow, passing scenes I thought only existed on postcards.

I loved the red, wooden houses with moss covered roofs, perched on cliff tops, and couldn't wipe the smile off my face as we passed through valleys where only the ripples from a little fleet of ducklings hurrying through crystal clear lake disturbed the mirror perfect reflection of the mountains above.

Half way through the trip we were joined by a cheery, middle age, French tour group, armed with cameras and as much awe and excitement as me, evident through the gasps of "Oh loh lah! La neige! C'est beau!" and "Vite! Dépêche-toi!" as they all hurried to snap the perfect shot of the endless glaciers before our view was once again hidden by the tunnels we took through the mountain base.

I took hundreds of pictures myself which I will post ASAP but here's a little sneak peak till then!

Dancing in the rain in Copenhagen

While Copenhagen was only one of our first stops, it has already cemented it's place as one of my favourites. One of our new Canadian friends from the hostel described it perfectly when he said that the city was the most pleasant place on earth.

From the beautiful pastel coloured buildings and their matching, white, dollhouse shutters, to the unbelievable friendly people who are some of the happiest and most polite I've ever met, you can help but smile as you walk around the streets of this immaculate city.

We were only there for a few days but the weather was perfect and we managed to pack a lot into our stay. The epic climb to the top of Vor Frelsers Kirke steeple was definitely worth the toll it took on our calves the next day, especially when the steps began to spiral around the outside of the tower, giving us a perfect panorama of the city.

We took a beautiful boat tour through the canals and spent afternoons lying by the lake in Christiania, a hippy community and free-for-all village that has been set up in the heart of the city.

But for me one of the best parts of our stay was definitely the friends made along the way. While the hostel was definitely a shock to the system at first with its 66 bed dorms, we soon formed a big international group where strange sayings were swapped and and a ridiculous amount of spaghetti bolognese was cooked.

However it was the last night that will stay with me as truly the highlight of my Copenhagen adventures. The afternoon of our last day saw us sitting outside as a group of Swedish guys played guitar and hilarious cover songs of anything we could think of. We quickly drew a crowd and continued on into the night chatting and dancing until the sun disappeared and was replaced with a sudden downpour of rain. But instead of giving up and heading off to bed I found myself swept up in a crowd of people from all corners of the world as we ran through the city center still dancing and singing at the top of our lungs.

Safe to say that singing the Eurovision winning 'Euphoria' in the torrential rain in Copenhagen square with a bunch of complete strangers is not a memory I'll be forgetting anytime soon.

Brick Lane

With the jet-lag still strong and the overwhelming possibility of an entire new city to explore, Sam and I found ourselves spending our first day in London exploring the East End.

We headed towards Brick Lane and discovered an eccentric mix of people, shops and hidden laneways. The top end of the street reflected the area's strong Bangladeshi culture as we passed hundreds of restaurants each with a banner bigger than the next claiming awards for the best curry in Brick Lane/Britain/The World. If this and the heads popping out of every door promising special deals just for us wasn't enough to entice us inside, the overwhelming smell of spices and fresh garlic naan definitely was.

We wandered a little further and soon found ourselves in the middle of a bizarre culture clash in what can only be described as hipster heaven. The vintage shops that sat on every corner were filled with treasures that I could have blown my entire budget on, 50's floral skirts with layers of tulle, silk scarves from every city in the world and entire rooms filled with a sea of denim jackets.

I have found my new home

Back outside the tiny alleyways began to feel more like art galleries than dead ends with amazing street art and murals plastered across every wall. Everywhere we looked there was something weird and wonderful going on and while I've taken hundred's of photos in this last week, I'm currently traveling without my laptop so the few iphone photos that I have taken/stolen from Sam will have to do till I get back to London.

We ended the afternoon with a stop off in a cool little bar, drinking cider and still trying to comprehend the fact that this was all actually happening! If you're looking for something away from the crowds and a little off the beaten track then Brick Lane is for you. Probably not the most tourist friendly place but definitely one of London's hidden gems.

For a extra little bonus check out Sam's post on incredibly cool vinyl record store 'Rough Trade'!