MY TOP 5 TRAVEL PICKS

Finding nice souvenirs can sometimes end up in a huge hassle. How on earth is it possible that each and every store offers the exact same type of cheaply produced plastic crap, t-shirts, key chains (...you name it) ??? Lately, I've been on the mission to find some authentic pieces which I really love. So today's post will be a tribute to my favourite 5 travel picks.

No. 1: My new llama obsession

The first thing I absolutely adore is my little llama called Fred. I got him at a sort of craftmen's market in Santiago de Chile and fell immediately in love with him. His body is made out of genuine alpaca fur, which is so soft (It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!!!!!) Since my return, he has been happily living in my bed or couch and enlightens the room with his cute little face. Sometimes I even catch myself patting him while watching TV. Weird, isn't it?

No. 2: I told you I'm obsessed 

Well, don't laugh but my second pick also relates to the llama/ alpaca theme. During my stay in Chile I found this small woolen key chain. It's so creative and just screams "South America" which is why I had to get it. However, instead of delighting my keys with his presence I decided to turn him into a decorative item on my windowsill. I simply filled a small red bowl with colourful stones which I had collected at the beach in Chile and put my little friend on top. So now I'm the proud owner of a mini version of the Andes Mountains.   

No. 3: Shoes on the table

I'm a massive fan of the Netherlands and really wanted a beautiful souvenir for my collection. And what does represent Holland better than the typical wooden shoes?! So during a trip to Amsterdam I went on a hunt for traditional clogs and voilà found these little guys. First, I was planning to paint them blue with some flower patterns. But somehow I find the plain version a lot more chic now. If you can't tell from the pictures, I'm currently using them as containers for paperclips and occasionally for my laptop mouse. Hence, not only cute, but also practical..

No. 4: Watching the sunset

This year I finally had the chance to travel to Brazil. Even though I wasn't looking for a specific type of souvenir I hit the jackpot with this colourful wall decoration. We went on a guided tour to the Rocinha favela in Rio where I found this hand made piece of art on a small street market. Actually it's a recycled disc ("Somos América" from Tim Maia; you see, even double authentic ;-) ) and a metal lug from a can. I simply love the idea!

No. 5: Hanging out

Last but not least I'd like to mention another practical item which decorates my work station. I got this hanger at the Kek Loksi Temple in Penang, Malaysia as it displays some of the major attractions of the island. Back home, I added some bits and pieces with pins in order to give it a more interesting look. In my view, it's a perfect spot for storing postcards, letters or stationary and makes just a playful appearance in the office.

I hope I could give you some inspiration on how to integrate some of your souvenirs in your home. Feel free to leave a comment. I'd like to hear about your favourite travel picks :)

Change of scenery- Escaping to Barcelona

Barcelona is by far my favourite city in the world. For some reason, I love the mixture that Catalonia's capital has to offer: City life with all its benefits, the Mediterranean atmosphere, the beach and the beautiful Montjuic which sticks out of the scenery. So when I recently completed my bachelor thesis I had this urging feeling of getting out and just enjoying myself. But instead of joining other recent graduates in their search for alcohol and parties I decided to pay Barcelona a short visit. After we had survived the Ryanair flight to Gerona, we took a bus to the Northern Station of Barcelona. When we arrived we had a little moment of confusion as there were no indications of the subway at all. Nonetheless, we managed to get on the tube and made our way to the hotel.The next morning, I ehhhhhhh hit the snooze button for a couple of times and we left the hotel to hit the city. Luckily, the weather turned out to be much better than back home and I finally had the chance to parade some of my new summer dresses (wohooo). First, we walked towards the Ramblas area, clearly enjoying the gentle morning breeze. Since we were staying in Eixample, we quickly reached Las Ramblas, the strolling promenade of Barcelona, and just joined in with the flow of tourists. This gave me the chance to buy some overpriced postcards and take a look at souvenirs. By the way, even though Las Ramblas is probably one of the more touristy areas of the city I figured that the prices at some hidden souvenir shops are a lot higher. So don't be fooled, compare prices before you make any purchase decisions and most importantly try to negotiate with the seller!  From here, we took a trip to the so-called Barri Gòtic.This district is just perfect for explorers as you literally get lost in the maze of alleys. 

Next stop: Mercat de Sant Josep.

The entrance to the market is near the Ramblas promenade and unmissable. You just need to walk straight and keep a lookout for a sort of archway indicating the entrance area. Usually there are a lot of people, especially tourists, so just follow the crowd ;). At the market, you cannot only buy exotic fruits, like Pitaya or Mangosteen (yuuuummiii) but try all sorts of Spanish specialities. Another plus is definitely the amazing offer of juices. In my opinion, there is nothing better than a cool smoothie in the summer time! 

 
Afterwards, we made our way to the Port Vell in order to have a glimpse at the water and the shimmering yachts. It's not only a perfect place to have a little rest but it also offers plenty of entertainment.The cinema, the shopping mall, the aquarium as well as some museums are located around Barcelona's port.

 

The next day, we decided to have some beach time in Barceloneta. Don't you also think that the building in the back has some tiny resemblance with that luxury hotel in Dubai??

Another spectacle we didn't want to miss were the Magic Fountains of Montjuic.The dancing water has become a true tourist attraction and lures hundreds of people to the  Palau Nacional at late hour. I personally love this kind of shows as it gives you that tingling sensation... Anyway, after an hour of "Oh's" and "Ah's" I finally finally got my paella. :)

Now you're probably wondering why I didn't upload any photos of the beloved Sagrada Familia or the Parc Güell. Well, you're right. But the truth is I didn't pass by Gaudi's masterpieces this time. The purpose of the whole trip was to escape from my thesis writing routine and scent some Barcelona air. So overall, the trip was a total success. Barcelona is always worth a visit, even for only two days....

Reminiscing....

Today I took a little trip down memory lane. And by that, I don't mean going through my old baby photos where I usually start questioning my Mom's taste in kids fashion. (Seriously Mom?!!) In fact, I rediscovered lots and lots of photos of journeys, day trips, back packing tours or summer holidays of the past couple of years. Even though these small or big adventures were fugacious, each of them has undoubtedly contributed to my personality and influenced my perception of the world. In order to keep these memories alive and share some of my experiences, I decided to create my very first blog. Enjoy :)

Probably my favourite shot....