Baby Nr. 2

Preparing for our baby boy who is scheduled for Monday. Let's see if I can deliver. Would also be amazing to have our own Valentine's son.

The flags this time are the following; the Dutch, the Swedish and the Scania flag, which represents the Swedish province where we are living. 

Christmas Baking Part 2

Time for homemade gingerbiscuits. Must say that the dough is very good BEFORE it hits the oven. 

Lucia

This is the yummy result after a few hours in the kitchen today. Us Swedes are crazy about our saffron bread for Lucia. A celebration that occurs on13 December, the darkest day of the year. 

35 + 1 day

Today I'm 35 years and 1 day. It's incredible how time flies. This day, one year ago, our Samba princess was one month and we were moving from Brazil to Sweden. From sunshine and amazing beaches to grey and cold. Not as bad as it sounds. It has been an amazing year, good living standard, clean and beautiful nature and not least, it has been a blessing to follow our daughter during her first year. Bring on year 36! 

Kosovo

Make a left!

Crossing the border.

President Bill Clinton welcomes you.

EU Education Initiative.

Yes, NEWBORN.

 

Swedish and Dutch wedding guests.

Tea

Kosovo, we meet again! Just like with Macedonia, I was here eight years ago. Then; grey, beige, barbed wire, white UN vehicles, checkpoints, torn houses, grocery shops with empty shelves, camouflage uniforms... Now; lively, green, happy people, bohemian atmosphere and hardly any war reminders and not least, the NEWBORN monument, which was unveiled on 17 February 2008 when Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. The only thing that was the same, though, was President Bill Clinton's warm smile once you enter Pristina through his own Bill Clinton Boulevard.

So, what brought us to Kosovo then? My good friend, Hana, whom I got to know during my years in Dubai, got married last Saturday, 3 October, in her home town Pristina. 300 guests, 6 course meal, camera team and plenty of Balkan rythm, all night long, in Emerald Hotel. I'm very happy I got to experience it.

On our way back to Skopje, we stopped in the city of Prizren for a cup of tea. An overly sweetened hot beverage, in a shabby street corner where men, without teeth, spent the whole days smoking and watching the Turkish football League, through the smoke, on small screens. Genuine!