Sunday, February 28, 2016

Places to walk Stockholm Nacka // Promenera i Nacka

When we are not traveling the world we take the opportunity to show locations from Sweden. This time we are in Nacka and Järva sjö (Järva lake) !It's easy to access from Stockholm city and super popular during the summer time. To live here, in of these apartments with the sea right outside your window is true life quality, I'm very happy for every single one that have had the luck to catch a living here.

To go here you need to catch a bus from Slussen in stockholm city, The bus stop is Järla Station or Saltsjö-Järla and there are several buses taking you here, please ask at the station in Slussen if you are not sure which one to take. We went by car which is ok but in the summer it can be tricky to find a parking.

Now in February, it's less people but still nice for a walk, and the ice is thick enough to take you stroll on it. But never walk on the ice if you are not sure! Here comes a bunch of pictures, enjoy :)


This is what I call sea view 


Pat and Linda


The sun is shining like never before, want one of the apartments in the white house? Me too!  



Steps down in the woods to the path by the water
 
 
Big rocks, transported by the ice that covered Sweden at the last ice age, and dropped exactly right here

Beautiful, just like in a fairytale
 


 
Ice on Järla sjö, reflecting the sun, which we have been longing for during the dark months of December and January
 

Groupie! Linda, myself and Pat
 

First we were unsure if the ice was thick enough, Pat did a quality check, and it was ok
 

And then Linda felt comfortable as well :)
 

And picture for the love
 
 
Ice shaping can be very impressive, like this formation around a rock
 


Boats waiting for spring
 

How beautiful? Winter can be truly amazing
 

 
Still dreaming of that house...
 

Pat and me hiding in the grass ;)
 

One seat available in the front row
 

Linda took it ;)

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Walk on top of the Mexico City Cathedral tour // Uppe på taket på Mexico Citys katedral

One of the slightly crazy things (this would never be allowed from a security point of view in the US as an example) you have to do if ever in Mexico City is to take a walk on the top of the cathedral! Its absolutely amazing, the view is top notch, the only requirement is that you need to be able to climb a narrow stair all the way to the top and not be afraid if the always leaning and moving cathedral will break apart. But if you are fine with that its so worth it! 20 pesos per person , and you buy the ticket inside the cathedral.

Here comes a full bunch of pictures!











Our amazing guide that holds the tours and rings the bells every hour... by hand!




Me on top of the cathedral :)


You can see the remaining of the Templo Mayor down to the left
 






 
The guide waiting with patient for all the slow tourists...
 

Many steps during hundreds and hundreds of years have shaped the stair...
 

The bells are all manual, and this particular one they normally don't use. It has killed to many, that's why it has a red cross on it. When swinging it it has unfortunately knocked people out the opening falling down to the ground.


Here the guide shows an example of how he swing the ones without rope. He started of just pushing the bell, and when it got speed he gave it more weight by pulling it down as you see on the picture by holding the wood. What you don't see in this picture is that he actually held on when the bell came back, so he went up in the air with the bell, letting go of the ground, to generate more power to get the bell to ring once. All of us watching didn't expect that and we all went "OHHHHH" thinking that this was that last we would see of him. But he was alright, and we were shocked.



Here you can see them in action, ringing the bells every hour! We took these pictures from the site of Templo Mayor, maximizing the capacity of the camera zoom :)

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Mexico City Cathedral before the Popes visit // Mexico Citys katedral

I guess none has missed that the pope was visiting Mexico now this February. When in Mexico City he took an important tour to the big cathedral in the city, Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral... or the official name "Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven." Try to beat that name!

Anyway, since one of us in the family is Mexican/Italian we have followed the popes adventures on the news. He has been riding his special car where he can stand up and wave to the crowed, and on the video below you can see the part when he is arriving to the Metropolitan Cathedral.



They have been cleaning and preparing for the popes arrival of course, and the golden inside actually looks more shiny then when we were there last October. Here comes our pictures!


The cathedral from the terrace of a cafe. Its a massive cathedral, the biggest one in America. Behind the cathedral, use to be an even bigger pyramid, Templo Mayor, we will show pictures of the remaining later. Unfortunately the stones of that temple was used to build this cathedral.

 
The cathedral from another viewpoint.


The massive entrance
 

The big organ inside the cathedral
 

Do you see that the picture is leaning? Its not us being bad photographer, the cathedral itself is sinking into the ground. The city itself is built on a a lake, so parts of the city is slowly sinking. The cathedral has been in the risk zone of being completely destroyed, sinking from each corner. However they have now managed to stabilize each corner of the cathedral, making it sinking at least strait down.


This pendulum is hanging in the middle of the cathedral, demonstrating the vibrations that the city creates. When we were there the pendulum was moving, constantly, back and forth, slowly, with a distance of  50 cm if I'm not remembering incorrectly. The cathedral is swinging back and forth. A bit scare I must admit...


The gold (that was once belonging to the Aztecs) that has been cleaned for the popes visit.


Even  the outside is leaning...

 

Remaining of Templo Mayor behind the Cathedral, with the cathedral itself visible in the background. One majestic building gave life to another.