Colorful San José

I will never stop showing you the colors of a place.

I will always ask you to stop and smell the flowers.

Orchids  

Some journeys are long, hot, dusty and tiring. But if you lift your eyes, maybe you'll find a plant nursery next to the dirty high way; a place filled with orchids and whispers of life. And maybe that will make you smile again. 

San Jose  

As I've mentioned before, Few travelers enjoy big cities (unless that's their aim of the trip) and even fewer like the necessary visit(s) to Costa Rica's capital San Jose. Next time you come, why not stay in the old historic neighborhood Barrio Amón or Aranjuez. And when you're there, why not stroll around the old buildings, enjoying the architecture and the art covering the walls of this area. And maybe you'll find a secret world hidden within green walls and trees and maybe you find a new favorite cafe in the corner of a street you haven't been on before. And maybe you also find the way to mama earth's delicious gifts at Fería Verde.

And if you still haven't seen the arts, colors and flowers of San Jose, this oasis is the place to soak it all in. It is here where I ask you to stop and smell the flowers. And while you sip your Costa Rican coffee with cashew milk, enjoy the colorful smiles around you.

where do you find flowers in your city?  

Feria Verde

Heal and Balance in Liverpool

As I require a special diet of vegan and gluten, sugar, yeast and onion free food, I occasionally have to make exceptions. Especially when travelling and I can't cook for myself. I am aware of this and, therefore, whenever I can I bring my own food, snack and essential herbs to help me digest what ever it is that I don’t normally eat. In the UK, gluten is hard to avoid even though nowadays many cafés have the option of gluten free bread. However, the main issues with bread are the yeast and the refined flour- gluten free or not. And they like their sandwiches, the Brits! Besides gluten and yeast, sugar and onions are vicious and difficult to avoid. We even found sugar in the oatmeal! So, during the week most of my exceptions concerned onions, sugar and yeast. My body required me to do a nice purge when I got back home!

In regards of non-animal food tho, most restaurants and cafés have at least one option of vegetarian food and my general experience is that most of these dishes are possible to make vegan or at least lactose free. Still, sometimes it’s nice to be prepared and know where to be able to eat FROM the menu! Check out my healthy travel tips for Liverpool below.

Look up vegan and vegetarian restaurants and eateries on Scouseveg There are several options around Liverpool center that are vegan friendly. For instance, we tried the vegan menu at Lunya, a Spanish tapas restaurant, and were very pleased! There is also a vegan café on Bold Street - a genuine and cozy bohemian feeling street which we found when walking from the Cathedral and down towards the dock. This street is where you’ll find alternative bookstores, independent businesses, world food stores, fair trade, organic and the like. Needless to say, I enjoyed the visit!

Always carry snacks such as unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit in your daypack in case of sudden hunger and absence of healing nutrition. Bring a thermos of hot water! Refill whenever possible. For instance, ask in cafes or at 7/11, I’ve always gotten positive outcomes! Why do you want a thermos you wonder? 1- to stay warm throughout the day if weather is rough 2- to aid the digestive fire (especially if you’re making food exceptions).

Put your hiking boots on! I love to walk around bigger cities because it offers a genuine way to get to know the city, its neighbourhoods and people. Liverpool is a good-sized city to walk around for the weekend tourist. A huge plus are the signs all over town, encouraging visitors to walk between attractions. Dancing is of course also a terrific way of moving your body and get the prana flowing! As we were alone in The Cavern, in The Beatles Museum, I saw my chance to move the booty and twisted around the dance floor in front of the stage for a good two rounds of the famous Twist and Shout!

The Beatles played remarkably 292 concerts in The Cavern before the place closed down 1973. The museum does a great job in reenacting the settings and atmosphere and when I closed my eyes to let my body move to the dancing rhythms, I traveled back to a time when The Beatles were rocking the stages.

Not only is dancing and walking around museums great for the physical body but also for the overall wellbeing, such as the mental, emotional, and spiritual health. More and more research on Health and Art & Cultural activities show that the two areas are much related. For instance, music and dance have long had social and ritual functions in traditions all over the globe and research has shown that these therapies have positive affects on the mood. In addition, there is science describing how cultural activities can increase the quality of life! My health routines include absorbing art, history, architecture, music, and nature to mention a few. Thus, I make sure to involve my routines wherever I am in the world! In Liverpool, we started our trip with a visit to the world’s largest Anglican Cathedral and ended it with a long stay in The Beatles Story- both deeply spiritual and healing experiences.

The Beatles Story was an emotional roller coaster but we came out with the message of healing the world and bring world peace, so that we can all live together as ONE. 

Ps. Before New Years 2014, you can lend your voice to the largest sing-a-long ever! Read more and listen to John Lennon's Imagine here

Skattungbyn, Dalarna: Nomadic Yogi

It's something special about flying, isn't it? Sitting down in your seat, feeling the dry air inside the plane and sensing the smell of adventure; soon to be above the clouds. The airplane is the muggles’ version of a Portkey- a way to transport yourself from A to B by holding on to an object while spinning in between worlds and clouds. Somehow always exciting and somehow always the start of something new, regardless of where you're headed. It is worryingly easy to fly domestically in Sweden. The airport busses in Stockholm and other big cities take you directly to whatever airport you need to go to. You do the check-in yourself and drop off the baggage. The lines are short, there is no fuzz in security, the tiny airplanes have free seating and the transportation time is short. In addition, most departures are way cheaper than the correspondent train ride. There are several options when flying between Stockholm and the south, such as the airports in Växjö, Kalmar, Ronneby, Malmö... And it'll only take you about 50 minutes compared to the train's 3,5+ hours. 

The environment and earth loving being inside of me struggles with this conflict. 

What is the solution, really? A vast improvement of the trains and railway system?  Something that can actually compete with cheap tickets, short hours, motion sickness and all together pure smoothness when traveling...

However, this story is not about the amazement of Portkeys but of the adventures lying on the other side. On the other side of a 4 hours train ride, some good ol’ catching up and a 6+ hours road trip lay stories about Love, connection, fairies, and sisterhood, newly found brothers, sublime nature, and Dance. The Nomadic Yogi went to the North once more: this time to attend a yoga festival in Skattungbyn, Dalarna, to guide a Yin and Drum workshop. Many inspiring creatives from all over Sweden were gathered to share delicious Ayurvedic food, yoga asana classes, songs, dance and shamanism. The event felt like a gathering of catching up with old friends, family, light workers and roots. The entire area around the mythical lake Siljan showers me with inspiration and remembrance every time I visit.

Blessings and Thanks to all that together made it happen! And to those of you who weren't there, I herby invite you to come travel with us.

Travel in stories, times, movement, sound in the body, mind and soul!

Travels within and without. 

Summer Love Tour part IV (How To Travel Cheap in Sweden)

Part IV: BACK TO NATURE

Read part III                          Read part II                       Read part I

Free sightseeing: Holmön- the sunniest place in Sweden

After some time in the middle of Sweden, we craved to see Mother Ocean and, thus, headed straight to the coast and Holmön, just outside Umeå. The ferry from Norrfjärden is free and takes about 20 minutes. We truly enjoyed the quietness and openness Nature offers on this magic island by strolling around the forest, visiting a light house (that is also a hostel actually) and cooked lunch on the bare rocks, overlooking the wind stroking the waves. 

Free accommodation: Forest Camping

In the late afternoon, we caught the boat back and drove North East of Umeå to find a lake with a good camp site. During those days, we had a rental car- which is great when looking for a more quiet place to camp. It was beautiful to meditate with the sun dancing over the fresh water, swim in the warm lake and cook over the fire- much needed before heading in to town again. 

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Camping outside Umeå, Sweden

Staying with friends For the following nights, we stayed with another Sofia Magdalena- yet a very special Yogini who offered her love, her presence and Umeå's best view. Thank you -- much Love, always! <3

City Camping After having had my last Park Yoga in Umeå (for this year ;) ), we had a delicious Vegan meal at the-place-to-be 'Båten'. Following a tip I received from a piano-playing traveler, with eyes brown like the deer and deep like the forest, we wandered across a bridge through a residential area and down to the river (Umeälven), where we found a perfect place to camp. As the sun became redder (rather than setting), we sat watching kids play with their scooters in the water, the boat (Båten, where we just were) and listening to the ongoing Music Festival from a park on the other side of the river. Wahe Guru, magic light! When all was quiet, we put our tent up for a few hours sleep.

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Traveling TIPS on free stuff:

Camping according to Allemansrätten

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Allemansrätten rules

Library Hangout: To charge devices and/or use internet. In big cities you might need a library card (it's free to get one). 

Toilets: The church. Good because you can see it from anywhere you are and it is open for everybody. And they have free toilets (remember to check their opening hours!). 

Where do you store your backpack for the day? Keep in mind that most towns, especially the smaller ones, don't have lockers to store big bags at the town's station(s). However, try locating the tourist information office and ask if they have any suggestions. If you're only in town for a few hours (they usually close at 6pm), they'll most likely let you store the bag in their office for free.

Wahe Guru, Magic Light! By Umeälven in Umeå, Sweden

While in Umeå, we also dusted off a good ol' backpacker hangout: spending half the night at the train station. In Norrland during summer this is perfect 'cause it's never dark; it is warm and quiet. Add some quality company to that and you have some legit travellers' groove ;)

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Umeå Train Station, Sweden

Did I miss any essentials? What kind of tips do you want me to write about? Send me an email or write in the "comments" below! 

Love and Light

/OM

Summer Love Tour part III (How to Travel Cheap)

Backpacking Mora - Östersund - Umeå

Read Part I

Read Part II

Stop Drop and Yoga in Mora, Dalarna, Sweden

Mythic creatures in Mora, Sweden. 

The story continues with one day in the tiny winter village called Mora. This is where the famous ski cross-country competition Vasaloppet finishes (the world's longest competition being 90 km). We strolled around town for a few hours, waiting for our adventure to continue north in the afternoon when we got on a train called Inlandsbanan. This is the only train driving inland AND it offers a great sightseeing opportunity, thus we decided to travel all the way to Östersund. During the trip, we had a guide telling us anecdotes, we crossed a cataract from a 35 meters high bridge constructed in 1928, visited a deserted bear's nest and stopped for dinner in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say, it was beautiful, confusing and a lot of fun! 

The bear's nest along Inlandsbanan, Jämtland, Sweden. 

Sightseeing tip:
Catch Inlandsbanan to see and experience something different (in this part of the country one normally travels along the coast line) while you're transporting yourself. 

We spent two nights at a camp site (traditional Swedish "camping") in Östersund, since we had to wash our clothes and shower. Despite the price, it was a good choice considering the cold and rain we had during that time.

Camping tip:
Most Swedish camp sites require you to have a membership in the Swedish camp site society (part of Camping Key Alliance), even if you stay only for a night. Why? No one really knows, but this way they can charge you extra (read about the camping key here). Hence, if you plan ahead you could either try finding a place that isn't connected to SCR, or if you're planning on spending more nights get the membership in advance. Most campings offer access to their facilities (such as laundry and shower) for a small fee even if you don't stay there, which is good to keep in mind. 

Jamtli 1895 Östersund Sweden 

Jamtli 1942, Östersund Sweden 

Besides doing laundry, we visited the biggest attraction they have in Östersund: Jamtli, the park that tells the story of Jämtland county during late 1700, mid 1800, early 1900 and the 1975 hippie era. Besides being a culture and nature precervance park with old houses from the area, cows, goats and horses- each century farm has actors showing the life of their time. In addition, the park contains a thoroughly museum, a handicraft store, an impressive restaurant, shows and a town square from the late 1800s. We enjoyed ourselves to the fullest, playing around as the kids we are, all day and of course made a longer stop at 1975 where we felt at home ;) For any backpacker in Sweden with an interest in history, nature, culture, traditions, farming etc, I warmly recommend visiting Jamtli (you'll need more than one day tho!) 

1975, Jamtli. The text says "...they agree with many others from the Green Wave, regarding criticism towards commercialism and wanting to live in unison with nature..."

Flower Power and Peace Bus from 1975, Jamtli Sweden 

Playing around in the town square, Jamtli Sweden

The further north you go in Sweden (and the inland in particular), the more remote everything gets. This is our wildlife area, the Swedish Outback or Jungle if you want, which also means difficulties in traveling around, finding information and the like. For instance, just as in many places around Latin America or Asia most towns/villages have two or more stations for buses and trains but no info so you do best asking around. Hitch-hiking in these areas are therefore time consuming due to empty roads. We decided to grab a few different buses to reach Umeå and the coast, where we went straight into the forest....

Bonus tip: 
Few cities have lockers big enough for backpacks in the train/bus stations but if you're in town only for a day try asking at the Tourist Center (Turistinformation). They usually store the bag for you until closing time ( 6pm) for 2 bucks or the like. 

Is there anything you want me to write about? Comment below! :)

Love and Light

/OM

"The one who wanders must carry everything everywhere. The Sami people dont have many objects, but they are strong, light and well made."  Jamtli museum

Studying Abroad in Costa Rica: this is all you need to know Part 2

Read Part 1 here

1. Flight tickets. Can I enter Costa Rica without a return ticket?

No, you cannot. All countries require that you can prove that you are going to leave before your visa expires. Upon check-in, the airline are ought to check your departure ticket. If you have bought a two- (or more) way ticket with them the computer says so, and they won’t ask you to show it again. If you have a one-way ticket, they are required to ask you to show your departure ticket or they won’t let you on the plane. Sometimes (most times, like always) we don’t know when we want to leave though.

So what are the options?

Get a student visa. With a student visa you don’t need to have your return flight booked within 3 months. Read more here.

Buy a student ticket with Kilroy or the like. They are more flexible and most times cheaper than their regular tickets. In addition, you can change the dates of the return flight for 500 SEK or less. Note that this option requires you to have an ISCI card.

Buy loose flights and cancel. Find a ticket on the same day you are leaving that you can buy and then cancel after 24 hours (after having entered the country) and get a refund. Look for cheap flights between Costa Rica and USA; there is a variety to choose from!

Buy a bus ticket. In some countries, and especially when walking across borders, it is enough to show a bus ticket that proves your departure from the country you are entering. I have never tried it myself in Costa Rica, but there are trustworthy companies driving to both Panama and Nicaragua. You might not be able to cancel the ticket and get your money back with this option though; then again it might be cheaper.

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Lovely Montezuma on Nicoya Peninsula Costa Rica  

2.             Home stay vs. Finding your own place

For the record, I have never lived with a family but always on my own. For me the choice is easy as I am an adult that likes to take care of myself. There might be a bunch of positive things about home stay that I yet haven’t heard of though, please share in the comments below!

Homestay You pay a set amount each month that covers your room, all meals and laundry, and the school hooks you up. Easy! Keep in mind though that you are part of the family you are visiting and have to stick to their rules, there are usually many people living in a small space and they expect you to sit down and have dinner with them unless you tell them differently. In other words, it is like living at home as a teenager. At least for Swedes that might be a huge challenge since we generally move out when we are 17 or 18 (not into dorms but apartments). My American friends told me that they found the food challenging and I don’t doubt that one second! If you have any allergies or eating differently from the Tico norm (such as vegetarian, gluten free or vegan): don’t choose this option! Traditional meals (and big ones) will be served. If I recall correctly, the cost is about 300 dollars per month. The upside with homestay is the inevitable language practice. Even though a lot of Ticos speak very good English nowadays, you get to meet the entire family where grandmothers, nephews and cousins don’t. It really offers a great opportunity to work your everyday language skills.

Finding your own apartment. Depending on where in the country you are, this might give you some extra work. As a rule of thumb, look on craigslist, Google and check with friends and the school even before coming to Costa Rica. While in the country, read local newspapers and ask locals how to go about finding a good apartment in your town. In San José it shouldn’t be a problem finding something fairly quick, depending on how picky you are with location, price and standard. In the smaller areas (unless touristy) I recommend trying to catch the suggestions the school might give you straight away! I did and I never regretted it. I paid 300 dollars a month plus electricity and food. Being able to do your own grocery shopping, cooking and coming and going as I want plus having my own space when I need it are worth maybe spending a little more (in the end I’m pretty sure I spent less than the others anyway since they ended up buying a lot of meals). This option too gives a great opportunity to practice your Spanish, should you choose so (as with homestay- you make the choice weather to practice or not). Your landlords will most likely speak Spanish, as your neighbors. Outside that, life is like anywhere else: i.e. you have to go out to socialize and meet new friends and people to talk to. Actually, I would say this option offers more language learning opportunities than homestay since you have to get to know people outside school in a different way. For instance, the grocery shopping- every week me and my roommate went to the local market to buy our veggies and we made time to stay and talk with the vendors about the fruits, vegetables and Costa Rican life. You won’t learn that in school!

Pura Vida Siempre and Good Luck!