Happy New Year!

I wish you all a Happy New Year! I promise to write more stories and give you all more updates from my home here in Sweden, with a lot more of my mothers work and I will also bring you more stories from my travels abroad.

So - see you all next year, 2012!

Male and female - in art

Here we have som more art from Gunvor, first out is this one that is a motherly statue made of ceramics. A mother with children.

Then you have this female torso in ceramics - but it looks like wood. Like wood worms have made their marks in. You seen it before her on my blog.
My mother loved the nature and everything that she could find out there, then she made some art of it, mostly in ceramics. But not always.

Then we have this torso here, not as naturalistic as the other one, but just as strong.

And then - this is a male torso.

Napoli - amore mio

Naples is not only about mandolin music, clothes lines between the narrow lanes and local gangsters. Yes, the old folk song O Sole Mio still play in some of the bars, but here you can shop trendy clothes and going to cool clubs and eat well at one of the city's many taverns. Here you can see the most magnificent sights, ranging from churches filled with skulls of unique works from Pompeii and modern paintings.

When I visited the town for the very first time I was overthrown in love. Here was a crazy chaos and a friendly exuberance that affirmed my soul. It was in the 1970:s and the new Naples was probably still pretty far away. Crime was high, few tourists and traffic problems where tangible. It was difficult just to cross the street. People ran towards the direction of travel, no one stopped for a red light, they rather slowed in every time it turned green - because they could meet someone that was going on red ...

A photo of a friend's balcony in central Naples.

Today, almost 30 years later, a whole new city has emerged. Certainly there are old ramshackle buildings remain and still has not completely escaped a wild car. Though the traffic lights are a bit more respected today and the public transport works a lot better. Even if new problems have emerged, like the situation with the garbage.

So all this is actually a quieter city to holiday in than, say, Rome. If you just avoid the worst neighborhoods, as Forcella, during evening and night. And of course, normal safety precautions, like not carrying around everything you own and have in the case of jewels and money and then show it.

Yet the town does not, despite all the practical improvements, lost its own unique soul. Here you can still experience the good life. With all that entails of divine food, magical wonders, amazing shopping and lots of sun and sea. But best of all is still that there are interesting places to visit and unique art treasures to admire. Not to mention how beautiful it is just to look at. 

Most museums are open six days a week, Mondays exception.
I have naturally had to pick just a part of everything there is to look at. To have you once been bitten by Naples, I promise that you will return several times ...

Clay - like wood

I am back again after Christmas and all its celebrations. And back with more of my mother Gunvor's art. When my mother made this sculptures se transformed the clay - so it turns into wood. Or at least looks like wood, taken directly from our forest, as pieces of branches.

I really love them, hope you will like them too. She so admired nature and what artpieces we can find there, then she created her own art - in ceramic.

More of my mothers work here:

http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/11/two-more.html

Even more here:

http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-mother-gunvors-art-work.html

Merry Christmas!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, God Jul e Buon Natale!
Hope you have a happy holiday with the one's you love.

A Christmas tree our way, from the flag pole! At least we got snow...

Luxury vacation in Phuket

Why not do a a little extra during the holidays? One time I had the opportunity to stay in a private luxury villa with your own pool and garden instead of living with a bunch of other people in a hotel, even though they have five stars.

There are now several sites that offer villas of various sizes and classes. In one of these you can manage yourself, cook your own meals and not have to spend a day with other guests. The downside may be that you might get tired at looking after yourself after a while and instead wish to be waited on and taken care of. But do not worry, I've found the perfect alternative.

The exclusive hotel chain Banyan Tree has a wide range of villas in the complex Laguna Phuket by the beach in Bang Tao. http://www.banyantree.com/en/phuket/overview

I really enjoyed my stay here. It was a really beautiful place. When it rained I took a swim without my bikini... Something to remember.

You can not just stay in your own luxurious villa, but also enjoy the hotel's full benefits. Here, you do not clean or cook breakfast. You may instead run over to the house and spend some time there, inside or out in your garden with the pool. Now, if you do not want to pick the s of all the goodies that are served at the hotel's breakfast buffet. 

Then you have this view here above from the hotels breakfast area.

Another couple

And here is yet another couple made of ceramics, not kissing this time. Just very much in love.

My mother Gunvors art works as usual. Love you mom - always!
Se more here: http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/12/love-in-art.html

Love - in art

These two couples is both young and really in love. One pair is kissing so much - and that's because they have been apart for a long time.

As you can se - if you have been following me for a while - that this is more art works from my mother Gunvor.

Two ceramic couples in jeans, and in love. So very much that they become one...

New flavors

One really good thing about traveling abroad is taste new flavors, new food that you have not tested yet at home.
Sometimes it is going to be amazingly good, other times not so much.

The women here in the picture is from a small foodmarket outside Kota Kinabalu in Borneo, Malaysia. She sold small pies and homebaked bread.

Here is a pic from abowe, where the food market sold there home made stuff, you can see the rain forest in the background.

The other photo is from one of my hotel's in Borneo, Malaysia. Is just the spice section - where you could add some hot spices or sauce to your plate.

This is my beach!

I can't help loving this photo of some stray dogs on a beach in Sri Lanka. South of Columbo, one afternoon I found these dogs getting tough against some cow's walking the beach as usual.

It is like they are saying, this is my beach! Down under is another photo of the beach and one of the dogs, up in the right corner, close to the sea.

Read this too from Sri Lanka: http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/12/masks-in-sri-lanka.html

Masks in Sri Lanka

Here we have som more ideas of shopping abroad - if you go to Sri Lanka you can enjoy these wooden masks - hand made of course.

I did not by one of these but I must say they where beautifully made, all by hand and then carefully painted in vivid colors. 

The same guy's that med these above also where working one some other stuff that you can see here.

Men at work in a small village in Sri Lanka.

Mirrors of Mexico

I have more photos from Mexico, more shopping ideas. First we have some very nice mirrors with metal frames - with inlaid ceramic plates - that I found in a street in Playa del Carmen.

Then we have this skeleton made of wood. I can't say I want one at home, but it is really nice in some wierd way. In Mexico you have Día de Muertos, the Day of the dead and that is probably why you can find these skeletons in most all of the shops.

Can you imagine having one in your living room?

Pyramids - this time in Mexico

Some years ago I was, as you have seen before her on my blog, in Mexico. But it was not only sun, sea and shopping for me.

Of course I also wisited the famous Chichén Itzá. It was just 2h's drive from Riviera Maya. Here you can see the famous pyramid. You could no longer get up on it, like I did one the pyramids in Cairo very long time ago. Read more about that here: http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-top-of-pyramid.html

Here you can se more of the ruins in the area.

And here you can see a Cenote, a natural sink hole. Here you can take a swim, I did not, but I did put a foot in the water... It was to cold for me.

Read more about Mexico here: http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-shops-in-mexico.html And here: http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-mexico.html

Working just now...

I have been working this saturday, it's The Nobel Prize ceremony and the King of Sweden and his family, minus princess Madeliene, is in Stockholm. So I have to update the magazine Svensk Damtidnings homepage.

Here is where I work - at http://svenskdam.se/ it's a site (and of course a magazine) about royalties from all around the world, but mostly about King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, queen Silvia and crown princess Victoria with her husband prince Daniel, and so prince Carl Philip and princess Madeleine.

More shop's in Mexico

Here is even more of these beautiful sink's that I found in Mexico, and Rivera Maya. This is just one more of the many shops in Playa del Carmen that sold sink's in hand painted ceramic.
Perfect in the bathroom or kitchen back home. Only problem is the transport.

And here is something else that you can find everywhere in Mexico. Lizards.

But these ones are made of wood.

More Mexico

Here is some more photos from Mexico, the first one is from the chic hotel of Deseo Hotel & Lounge in Playa del Carmen.

A place for the trendy crowd. Perfectly placed in Playa, where the action is - at 5th ave. With comfy sunbeds that are made to make the guests fall to sleep.

Then you have this shops, just further in Playa del Carmen, where the turists seldom goes. One Polleria where you can get roasted chicken, cheap too.

But this is the most important for the turists of Playa del Carmen - the beach and the lovely warm turqoise sea water.

Love these

Some years ago I was in Mexico and found these sinks in hand painted ceramic. They are so nice, and I really wish that I bought one.

I want one like that in my kitchen that I am going to renovate next year. Maybe I can find one on another trip abroad or even here in Sweden.

Wine - on the wall

I love Wine, can't say that I drink it much anymore. But I eat a lot of grapes. And I really, really love this ceramic "tiles" made by my mother Gunvor.

One is colored one is just plain white.

Which one is your favorite?

Summer & horses

Just a little reminder om how it was just some month ago, horses in the apple garden during summer. Green, lush and lovely. Now it is winter, no snow yet, but cold and all grey.

But the horses here are still here, one more of them too. Now they are 4 and they have to eat dry hay.

To a dear friend of mine

Yesterday I found out that a dear friend of mine lost her wounderful husband. RIP Pierre!
I know he loved my mum's work, so this is for you Rona and for Pierre - a really fantastic person that will be missed but live on in my memories forever.

                                                           LOVE!

                    Couples in love - in three different versions - all by my mom Gunvor.

A bit closer to christmas

We just celebrated Advent yesterday and lit the first candle. And the we hung up the lights in our flagpole. One step closer to christmas.

But then you can start dream about the spring. So here I bring you some flowers I usually pick just after the snow has left the roadside. 

Here is one vase with tussilago, coltsfoot. 

And as usual it is a piece of art from my mother Gunvor. Made in ceramics.

More religious art from Gunvor

This close to christmas I feel like showing you som more things from my mother Gunvor's collection - some of her artworks - here you have of Jesus Christ in different forms.

This one is my favorite - made of wood and then partially painted - a crucifix; Jesus on the cross.

Here is a close up on the face.

This a face of Jesus carved from a solid piece of wood.

Her you have more of my mom's art:

http://agnetanisbeth.blogspot.com/2011/11/some-religious-art-from-gunvor.html

Bears and weddings in St Petersburg

Living close to Russia, I am as you swedish, I always thought about how it would feel to go there. When I grew up and Russia still was The Soviet Union I would not have gone for a holiday there for all the money in the world. But I know it is a really beautiful country. And interesting.

So one day I decided to go there on a cruise, to St Petersburg. But that is a completely different story. So I had 4 hours to spend on a guided tour. Not much, but it was enough that day, a really cold summer day. I I forgot to bring warm clothes, stupid me.

As yoy see the city is surrounded of water, it is a bit like Stockholm in that way. But then you can find these mobile shops with the usual shopping-trash, not for me.

But the view is really amazing, St Petersburg is one beautiful city - at least in the city centre. 

Of course you have to see a real russian bear, so putside on of the citys many beautifully restored palaces I found this woman that wanted mony for having a photo taken with you and the bear.

But since I don't like wild animals taken from there natural habitat in ways like these, that was not for me. Anyway, I took one photo of her and the little bear without paying, with a part of the magificent palace behind, The Winter Palace.

Once upon a time this magnificent building, The winter Palace, was the home to the russian tsar family, from 1732 to 1917. But the revolution changed it all.

Today part of the building is the home of one of the most important art museums in the world, The Herimitage Museum.

This is what I expected Russia to be, over the top churches with golden onion domes. This one is called Church of the Savior on Blood.

Construction started at 1883 under the tsar Alexander III but have been changed since.

It is also a very popular place to get married in.

All over the city you saw the, the newely wedded couples taking pictures for the memory books. One that really caught my attention was this couple. 

Summer and winter

All seasons have their benefits, but as you may know by now I am not a big fan of winter. But I can't deny that it could be really beautiful with snow.

Here you have a photo from last winter. It's still raining and rather warm outside, more autumn than winter. Thank's for that!

And here you have the same place in summer, with different shades of green everywhere.
I know what I prefer, but both seasons has it's charm.