Journey to Visby
iPhone photography: View of Visby, Gotland
Back from three blissful weeks in Visby on Gotland – “the island of roses and ruins”. Waking up each morning to the sounds of birdsong and church bells and having locally grown strawberries for breakfast. Shakespeare’s Macbeth performed in a ruined medieval monastery. Watching the fairytale Swedish Royal wedding (extra exotic for me as I haven’t watched TV at home for six years) on TV. Morning walks along the medieval city wall. Runestones and Viking treasures of gold and silver and Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins dug up to this day all over the island. Walks in the botanical gardens (founded by The Bathing Friends in 1856). The scent of lilacs and roses on the terrace with a marvellous view of the city and the Baltic Sea. A magic Midsummer’s Eve.
The sunset tucked in a hibiscus petal, wrapping it around the horizon. White nights where each sunset faded into a new morning, dusk transitioning into dawn. Swallows, roses, blackbirds, poppies, blueweed, wood pigeons, peonies, pebbles and seaweed on the beech. Daisies and white clover. The salty scent of the sea. I took photos of the view from the terrace (almost) every day, just like I do with the oak tree outside the windows of my home.
As I unpack my lime green suitcase I find a mind map for creative ideas and inspirations, a few watercolours, a heavy stack of books, photos taken with my iPhone, a poem I wrote on the back of a napkin, some sketches I made on my iPad, a bag of saffron and almond rusks, jars of honey and Ramsons (wild garlic) pesto from Gotland and a gigantic pile of dirty laundry.
I feel so grateful and energized from this trip. Relaxed. Determined to find a new way to continue to live a slow life, staying on a Slow Media Diet. I feel inspired. And then I think about how I feel it’s so vital to travel. A change of scenery, however small or big the change may be. It can be something as simple as making the wrong turn when you step off the bus, or opening yourself up to an impulse to take a peek at what’s behind that building you always pass by on your way to something else.
And as I sit here typing this post, just about to write something about how our inner journey is as important as our outer journey, I hear the sound of a massive fireworks display. And I by that, I mean really impressive and orchestral, symphonic and majestic. I go out on the balcony to see if I can catch a glimpse of the fireworks, but I can’t, I can just hear the sounds… I’ll use my creative license to interpret the fireworks as a celebration for travel, for getting off the beaten track, for newfound inspiration, for growth, for rest and for fun and playful creativity.
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Tags: carpe diem, celebration, creative process, gratitude, iPhoneography, seize the day, slow life, summer, travel
Welcome home dear Kate – I can’t believe I still haven’t replied to your email, its on my list for today! It looks like you had a blissful time – I applaud your desire for the slow life to continue! We have 10 days left of school and then the slow life starts for us – I truely can’t wait! Enjoy your return to home, I always love that comfort of returning, appreciating what you don’t notice when it’s always there…..I’ll leave the email a bit longer – it will help with your avoidence of digital overload LOL xx
Thank you Mousy Brown! And don’t worry about that e-mail! It’s true, part of the pleasure of travel is to return home and see what it is you love – and don’t love about it! Hope you have a fun, creative and slooooow summer!
Beautiful! Glad to hear you had such an inspiring, relaxing, wisdom-and-beauty-filled holiday!
I don’t own a TV set and I’m usually not interested in royalty/celebrities but a friend came over and she loves fairytales so we watched (part of) the wedding on my laptop – in Swedish :)
I’ve read about the Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators in Visby a few times (wondering if one day I’d apply for a scholarship). Gotland truly seems to be a magical place!
♥
Steffi, you got to see the wedding! I’m not huge on the royal family, but it seemed you had to have a heart of stone not to go all weepy when the couple were so obviously totally in love…
I really hope you get that scholarship! Go girl! And I’d love to read some of your writings, although I know you’re on an internet break now.
Visby is very beautiful, especially the old part, and especially if you avoid July and the first two weeks in August when the Swedish tourists invade.
♥
oh wow. your words transported me to Visby with you. Each image a memory from some vacation I have had, too. sounds like you got all the recharging you were hoping for. Watercolors, photos, sketches, saffron and honey…sounds like paradise. Welcome back, Kate! I am so happy to know your vacation was everything you had hoped for and needed!
ps–will you have a chance to meet up with Valarie when she’s there?
Thank you Amy! Yes, I think this was one of my best vacations, everything I dream of… And having worked so extremely intensely, I think I enjoyed it even more than I would have otherwise. One of the best parts is often what you bring home.
I tried coordinating with Valarie but we missed each other by a week. She sent me some great tips for the trip though and I hope to get to see her another time.
Welcome home, Kate! And what a treat of photos you have for us–Visby looks blissfully beautiful, the perfect summer retreat. Glad you has such a relaxing and inspiring weeks away. We must get ourselves to Visby to see all the magic! Happy Days sifting through your holiday memories… Oh, and thank you for the well wishes. A summer cold is not much fun…LOL! :o7 ((HUGS))
Thanks Tracy, and I hope you feel better soon! For some reason summer colds are even worse than winter colds! Hope you get to enjoy your summer soon, relax and recharge!
Kate,
I feel as if I just visited Visby myself. What a gorgeous place! You have shared your experience with us so beautifully; thank you for that. :) I love the panorama photos; they are absolutely glorious. Shakespeare must have been amazing and surreal to watch; I took a peek at the website—looks like a stunningly made production.
Summer is treating you especially well…as it should.
~dale
Hello Dale, I’m so glad you liked the panorama photos! I took them with an iPhone photo app called Pano, maybe you’ll give it a go too?!
And yes, Shakespeare was AMAZING! The clothes and makeup were done in a little modern and avantgardish way, and the actors used the ruins in clever ways for the play. It was extraordinary!
I hope you’re enjoying summer too, although I know it can get pretty hot where you are, and I look forward to reading more about your days over on your blog!
Kate
your electronic portrait of your visit to Visby was poetic!
I felt as if I were with you. Having been there once, helped me to visualize your enjoyment and smell the lilacs with you.
Hug Dave for me.
Tell him to call his mom.
June
Hello June, I’m so glad you liked the portrait of Visby! Do you remember Bakfickan? The fish restaurant? It’s still there… I’ll send Dave your hugs and message!
what beautiful pictures of the evening skies!
Thank you Kerri!
Your trip sounded magical and I am so happy for you that you got the chance to get away from it all. Your pictures are amazing and tell a great story about your travels. So happy that you are refreshed and ready to face this world with vigor. As for the royal wedding, I remember when I was very young getting up VERY early to watch the royal wedding of Andrew and Fergie; the elegance of it at still to this day will be something I will never forget in my lifetime.
Thank you Megs! It was such a welcome break!
I’m so glad you can relate to the TV magic of a royal wedding! It’s not easy to put across in words! Thanks so much for also sharing your story!
Your great talents for evocative writing coupled with pictures that capture magic moments bring a shared delight.
Love
Mummy
Thank you Mummy! You brought me a huge smile with your comment and made me feel proud!
Oh sweet kate, welcome home!! I miss you while your away but thanks so much for keeping us company with your blog post while you were on vacation!
These photos are amazingly beautiful and your words are just as sweet and lovely! Those sunset photos are really sooo pretty! Thanks so much for sharing with us! Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you!
Jacqueline, thank you so much for your warm welcome home! Isn’t it amazing how it can be with international blogging friends?! A dear friend from another country can welcome you back home!
Hi Kate. What beauty you found on your trip. Love the photos and words chosen to describe it. It is always wonderful to have a vacation. Glad you are feeling energized.
xo,
dana
Thank you Dana, I appreciate you stopping by to comment!
Welcome back, Kate! I’m with you on traveling, and it’s so right that you don’t even have to leave your hometown. Just a bit of exploring or trying a different a route can lead to new perspectives. Thanks for sharing your journey!
Michele, It’s true that travel can be on your own doorstep, and that exploring your own neighborhood can be a huge treat! I do love reading about your local explorations, your trips in your surroundings.
WEll we’re here in the city of roses and ruins. Where are you dear Kate? Isn’t it funny how we both ended up at the same vacation destination and share so many blogging friends. By the time we get done blogging about our vacations, people will be convinced we met there on the beautiful island of Gotland.
Your photos are gorgeous. I’m so glad you had a great time. Did you find the secret staircase up to the wall?
Gotland is a place which inspires mental as well as physical wanderings. I just love this blog post. Hold on to your inner Visby and continue to enjoy summer. puss och kram /Valli
Dearest Kate, i hope you are settling in well after your vacation. Came to have a look at your gorgeous photos again! :) Also i wanted to wish you a wonderful merry happy relaxing weekend! Love to you!
What a gorgeous set of photos Kate! Love your descriptive writing too. its so vivid that I feel as though I’m there with you. Totally agree about the importance of a change of scenery. I’m really happy to hear that you’re inspired and energised!! Wini xo
I’m loving your iphone fotos Kate – some of them are just magic – looks like they’ve been into fotoshop – so thats pretty amazing that they are au naturale so to speak!