2 years.

In 2011 a funny love story started on the Internet. To be more specific, E actually sent me a message from Amistarium.com (I think it was, and was totally hidden in my 1000 other mails, and I had forgotten all about it.) I don't think that I had read E's message through, because then he added me on Facebook.
When we started our relationship I was such a pessimist. I thought that it would only last for like a month. And surprisingly he said that he would come and visit me in Denmark. I was thinking "they all say that". But he actually came to Denmark after 3 months. And my friends asked me if it wasn't awkward our first meeting. But honestly, it wasn't. Anyway, after I graduated high school in June last year, I decided to go to Spain to be with E. I don't think that many would do that. Nor many would have a relationship like ours. Also, many people think that it's stupidity to have found someone on the Internet. Mostly it is, but I guess I was lucky enough to find my mr. Right.

So our life in Barcelona was amazing besides living with his mother. And now 2 years have gone so fast. We're are sure that we will be together. So we will say "sí quiero" in January 2014 in Trujillo!

Getting Francophile...

Seriously. I know I have this huge Peruvian adventure coming up and I'm very excited about it. But I'm getting more and more Francophile. I've cancelled my trip to Paris because... Well I've heard once somewhere that there is no excuse not to travel.. But I need to have some money *read a lot* when I'm in Barcelona and in Peru. 

But my desire to experience the City of Light or Provence or just go to France for the first time ever is making me pretty impulsive. But cooling down a little in the heat, I need to think a bit more reasonable. And I need to think about Barcelona, Peru and a wedding to come. So here I'm fighting against the francophile side of me. But I'm sure that if I go back to Europe some day I will go to France. Though I'm not sure if E will be keen on that. Since none of us speak French. Well, E doesn't even speak English. Ha ha.

I'm so francophile in the moment that I've hidden away all my expectations about Peru. And I'm trying to put myself together, just a little, to try find the necessary information of the paperwork to come. ¡Viva la burocracia! ... what to expect. Apparently NO ONE knows where to find a translator in Trujillo. I don't hope that I have to go to Lima to have my paperwork done there. Because it's too ridiculous. Even for me.

Even if the City of Light is a broken dream in the moment, I know that another ocasion to drink champagne, eat croissants and macarons and see the Eiffel Tower while the words Je t'aime come out of my mouth, will be back. I just don't hope that I have becomed a real señora in Peru meanwhile.

El Prat de Llobregat-incident.

Or in other words: the airport-incident. Here it comes as promised. I still remember it as yesterday since it was one of the most awkward episodes of my life. Seriously. 

The 7th of March I had my break-up with the Catalan capital. And honestly I didn't want to go back. I knew I had to, and it seemed like the wisest decision 3 months ago. (When I came home I totally regretted that decision!)

 (I think) I was supposed to leave at 2 o'clock. And when I say (I think) it's because I actually was able to forget the flight intiary. Normally I'm not a person who arrives late. But the stress totally got me down. And made me forget everything...

This awkward episode lead to another, more awkward episode. Like when they told me that I was actually only having like 10 minutes to reach my plane. And I couldn't really handle this situation on my own so I began to cry. The next thing they told me was that I had to choose between my stuff, and now it was my own problem to get my stuff home from Spain. Suckers. I cried more. I was stressed and sweaty. So what to do? I had to run, but run fast through the security control. With tears and sweat all over me. And people were fast to catch what was going on and they couraged me while shouting: ¡Corre! ¡Corre, guapa! 

I think that day I was the most annoying person in the queue. But I came home. To nothing.

Barcelona September 2013

Plaça Espanya, Barcelona

No big deal. Really. You probably think that I've seen everything in Barcelona and been to everything that's worth a visit. I don't blame you though. But I haven't. So for those two days I'm back in BCN I'm busy. So many plans. Or rather I want to make an experiment: Live BCN in 24 hors. I'm planning a lot of visits on the museums I didn't visit when I lived there, since E is not into that stuff. Sometimes things can be so much easier on your own *sigh*

I'm planning to visit these museums:

Museum d'Història de Catalunya

Museo d'Història de Barcelona

Estudio de Gaudí

And a trip to Primark is totally included!
r met
I'm not planning to stay home at my mother-in-law. Not even to have breakfast or dinner. I'll probably be hanging at Rik foro's with a Pollo a la Brasa or my favorite bar in Sants eating tapas! All on my own...

A great tip if you're going to Barcelona is to purchase you tickets for the metro on-line, it can save you money. And trouble in the metro.

Moving to Peru #1

3 months to go! Let's get prepared to the next adventure. Thinking about the next 3 months can really get me on my nerves. I'm going to do nothing but work and I have to make sure that I'll be having some time off to spend a little time with friends and family. My best friend will be going to the States in July and will be gone for a year. My other "half-Chilean" friend will be going to India for two weeks in November and in December she'll be going to Chile/Peru for two months. 

Besides being working hard, I also have to find all the necessary information and what else I need to know before moving to Peru. I'm considering to cancel my trip to Paris to have more money when I'm in Barcelona and of course Peru. I also have to remember to pick up my documents from the municipal in Denmark where I was born. I'm still looking for a translator in Trujillo (traductor jurado) so I can get these documents translated and hand them over to the municipal of Trujillo. And then comes the wedding planning...

But before leaving I also have to see the doctor to have a vaccination. I'll buy a new camera since my Olympus with 7 MP is now 7 years old. I think it's time to double up the mega pixles to a price that I can afford. And I must update my suitcases too! I have the biggest suitcase I've ever seen and weighs already too much when empty. I'm sorting my cloths to make it fit into two suitacases and a handluggage. 

The first step to reach the adventure...

About to get married.

Time is passing and before I know it I'll turn into a Bridezilla. For sure. I'm already having in mind how I want things to be. I know that E, my husband-to-be also has to agree on it. So far we have only agreed on one thing from the beginning: we will say "Sí quiero" in the town hall in Trujillo. And the party will be at home. Even though we want(ed) to keep it simpel, nothing too big, we will end up inviting more guests than we thought. I'm kind of hooked on the idea of having lunch with our closest friends  and family only. And later in the evening we will have dinner and drinks. We are currently looking at the opportunity to have la hora loca at our party, to get things going. As well as the Peruvians are fond of dancing Cumbia. You can hire some people to dress out with folklore costumes, but we can't afford that so we have to improvise a bit. My idea was to mix our nationalities and make fun out of that. For the gentlemen there will be viking helmets (I'm from Denmark) and for the ladies there will be Inca masks (E is Peruvian). For myself I'll buy some sort of an Inca crown and for E I'll buy a special viking helmet. And we're already making our wedding playlist. I'll finish with this song as I hope that it will be a death of a party, and the wedding preparation will continue, indeed...

Los Borgia: La Gente Está Borracha. (People are drunk).

Chan Chan & Huaca del sol y la Luna.

You've probably heard about the Incas. But have you heard about the Moche?

The Moche culture was a civilization flourishing in the northern Peru, more specific in La Libertad-region where Trujillo is situated. Moche or Mochica culture were before the Incas. Close by there is a museum where Moche pottery and art can be seen.
 Last year in October I went to Peru for 1 week with E. Actually I didn't know about the Moche and then I realized: Disney's "The Empereror's New Groove" is totally taken from Chan Chan. I know Kuzco is an Inca but in Chan Chan there's the exact same patterns. Here's an example:

Next time you watch it, look for these patterns.

Me at Huaca del Sol y la Luna with a Peruvian hairless dog.

My new bible.

Well, I'm not religious. At all. Less it's about travel. So I just ordered two books from "Lonely Planet" to learn dos and don'ts in Peru.

The book will definitely be a great help. And the fact that I'm going to spend pretty much all of my time with Peruvians also helps. I hope it will give me more courage to try something new especially when it comes to food. I'm so fuzzy about food they say. But have you ever been eating chicken soup with chicken feet? Or guinea pig? (I know that it's a common dish in South America). Some of it I like and some of it I dislike.

 Besides this book I've also ordered a small phrase-book. Which could sound odd to people who know me since I speak fluently Spanish. But I have to learn more Latin American Spanish because it's so different to the Spanish they speak in Spain. And the politeness I have to get used to their overrated politeness. I'm already practising "Usted" in my head. And I must not forget that they salute with only ONE kiss on the cheek. Unlike in Spain where they kiss twice. It can be terribly intimidating learning new words, speaking a different language and to be kissed by strangers. And dancing Cumbia. The thing is that you look more stupid not trying to dance than actually be trying to do it.

Do you have any experience with "Lonely Planet"? 

Barcelona #2

” Allow me to state here how much I love Barcelona , an admirable city, a city full of life, intense, a port open to the past and future ” - Le Corbusier

Barcelona, Spain's second largest city. I cannot think of another European city I love more than Barcelona. The city of architecture, art, culture and history as well as it is modern. Summer is the best time of the year to visit the city of Gaudí. And in matter of fact there is way more to do and to see than just Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell and Casa Batlló. No doubt that Gaudí's architecture dominates the attractions of the city. My opinion is that his arquithecture is special but as an expat it's a bit overrated too. Actually when you expatriate you realize how annoying tourists can be. And everybody knows that Barcelona is filled up with tourists. Catalonia is that region in Spain that earns most money on tourism, which means more than what Madrid does.

When people ask me why I love Barcelona so much and return as often as I can, I say: the atmosphere. I really think that it's unlike anything else in Spain despite the tourism. There is always something to do for everyone. For those who love sports, how many cities can brag about hosting the world's best soccer team?? And for those (I'm one of those) who love history and art, Barcelona is definitely at its best. I used to spend a lot of time walking from Sants-Montjuïc to Barri Gótic. Just to get my churros with chocolate. Or getting lost in the history for a while. The interesting thing about this particular barrio is that despite its name it's not from the Gothic. It's actually from the world exhibition in 1929 and has been restored. But if you want to see the barrio is from the Gothic period it's just beside the Barri Gótic. La Ribera in Ciutat Vella. The older cathedrals of Barcelona is way more interesting than Sagrada Familia. La Catedral de Barcelona and Santa María Pi. 
Have you ever been to Barcelona? And what's your favorite spot in the Catalan capital?

A life in a suitcase.

If you choose to travel often, it's a lifestyle. Somehow I think it's sad to know that my stuff can be in 3 suitcases. And I'm currently trying to make it fit into 2. Tomorrow I'll be heading over to another place to live for the last 3 months in Denmark before my Peruvian adventure begins. So I have to trash a lot of my clothes and other stuff. I don't want it to end like the "El Prat de Llobregat"-incident. Speaking of which, the story of this incident will be on the blog soon enough. 
 Anyway, I'm kind of panicking here because I have no clue of how to make my stuff fit into only 2 suitcases. And I've already filled up one bag to trash...
I have the idea that if I trash more of my stuff I possibly have nothing left at all.
Honestly, I'm not very good at trashing my stuff. But I must recognize that for now my life is in a suitcase. Or two. 

   

Any advices of how to pack a bag and make a life fit into a suitcas or two would be more than welcomed!