Last updated on 26/08/2025
Oct – Nov 2024
“Travelling -it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller “ – Ibn Batuta
Once upon an October (2024) I experienced unfiltered joy from my journey through a part of Europe. Europe has incredibly rich and diverse cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. A place of countless landmarks from ancient ruins to world famous museums. I admired the various architectural marvels while walking through cobblestone streets and medieval alleys; a journey through time.
My travels began from Netherlands. It’s a country of reclaimed land, the result of a process of careful water management dating back to medieval times. A country famous for its canals, windmills,cheese, art and history.
Fuelling the excitement was the prospect of commencing the journey in a place where I have family.
Their support, love, laughter and significant guidance made me comfortably adopt the PACE in a foreign land. Their warmth, humility and generosity enveloped my days in NL and we spent evenings chatting and interacting candidly making up for the time apart in past years.
My explorations in the Netherlands
Rijksmuseum: 800years of Dutch art and history from the Middle Ages to Mondrian
Van Gogh museum: houses the largest collection of the artist in the world
Zaanse Schans: Dutch countryside with quaint village, homes and windmills
Marken: Clogs factory
Volendam – Fishing village, seafood, cheese and stroopwaffle factory
Rotterdam: Largest port in Europe, rich maritime history (Gateway to Europe)
Onwards to Paris
On my trip from Amsterdam to Paris (city of love) and later Rome (the eternal city) with my husband – we both had “The Great Affair On The Move”
Onwards to Rome
Vatican City Museum – 5 miles of corridors, this vast complex chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years
Onwards to Norway
My trip progressed to a city that combines fjord and forest landscapes with high end architecture and landmarks that bear witness to Norway’s history-the city of Oslo which has it all. Nicknamed as the Tiger City( Tigerstaden). It offers a taste of Scandinavian traditions and modern life.
The Munch Museum – Over 26,000 works of art produced by Edvard Munch, as well as his effects, private library and tools. Located in the Bjorvika, the museum by Oslo’s waterfront ( scenic view) has 13 floors of experiences.
Changing exhibitions of works by other artists are housed here too.
Three versions of The Scream are vaulted and exposed intermittently for preservation:
~ Tempera Oil on Cardboard
~ Crayon on Cardboard
~ Lithograph hand coloured by him)
Bergen
Located in the heart of western Norway is the city of Bergen- a gateway to some of the most famous fjords in the world. I traveled between Oslo and Bergen (both ways) by the Bergensbanen (train), a scenic seven hours journey. It offers views of the fjords, rivers and alpine villages.
Other names – Bryggen/ Tyskebryggen (the German Dock) it has a series of Hanseatic Heritage commercial buildings and is on the UNESCO list for Cultural Heritage Sites since 1979.
Jeg Elsker Deg Bergen (I love Bergen)
Stockholm / Sweden
From Oslo I embarked on a high speed train to take me to Stockholm through the picturesque Scandinavian scenery, alongside excellent onboard features
Sweden is a highly developed country ranked fifth in the Human Development Index. Famous for breathtaking views and severe winters( November it was) beside innovative design and rich history.
I took a full day’s Viking and medieval Swedish history tour from Stockholm. Saw ancient runic stones, long ago Viking parliament and old burial mounds. Also visited ancient religious sites of Old Uppsala discovering Sweden’s pretty countryside and the Charming Sigtuna (old Swedish capital; hugging the shores of Lake Malaren)
St. Mary’s Church (Sigtuna)
Stora Gatan (Main Street)
The Runestones
Sweden hosts world’s largest collection of Viking Age runestones, with nearly 2,000 still in the landscape and approximately 2,881 known in total, concentrated heavily in the province of Uppland.
These memorial stones, erected from the late 900s to early 1100s AD, commemorate deceased individuals, display power, show Christian piety, or mark significant achievements, often featuring intricate red-painted designs with snakes and crosses. Notable examples include the Rök runestone, the longest runic inscription known, and numerous “Varangian Runestones” which document voyages to the East.
Uppsala Cathedral: Dates to the late thirteenth century and at a height of 118.7 meters (389 feet), it is the tallest church in the Nordic counties. Designed in the French Gothic style, it is the final resting place for many Swedish monarch and other notable people.
The following day I took a city tour (guided and group) to acquaint with the city.
A visit to the Stockholm City Hall (an example of National Romantic Style / Art Nouveau / Nordic architectural style—- seen earlier in Bergen Stasjon 1913) was the highlight . It is the seat of the municipality, housing offices, conference rooms as well as Ceremonial Halls.
City Hall Tower – standing on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen Island
The city Hall is It is the venue of the Nobel Prize Banquet; a major tourist attraction ! What a Nobel Goal
Riddarholmen Church – built in late 13th century. Eclectic Gothic and Baroque architecture.
Gladje (pure, unbridled joy) after a coffee break …
With mesmerizing cityscapes all around – I had a Swedish-ational Time.
From Stockholm I travelled back to Amsterdam before returning home. A journey into myself, cultural immersion at its finest and the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown – worth everything.
The best stories are definitely found between the pages of a passport.
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