Hyde Park

One of the things I love about Hyde Park is that at any day you can escape busy London and relax in a green and beautiful park. I honestly did not do this enough when I lived in London, but I really wish I did.

Hyde Park is huge – it is 350 acres and has a few famous landmarks that you have to see if you´re ever in London; the Serpentine Lake, Speaker´s Corner and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. You also have the Rose Garden and you can go on a boat ride and go horseback riding, or simply rent a chair somewhere in the Park and enjoy a good book. Either way, the park has so much to offer for both locals and tourist and on a sunny day you will find a lot of people enjoying the park.

I love the busy city life, but sometimes it is nice to not hear the car horns and people running to the nearest tube station. Hyde Park is the place to go!

And not just during the summer. In the December there is the famous Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, which is a must to visit if you´re in London before Christmas. You will for sure feel very Christmassy after ice-skating and drinking mulled wine on a cold London night.

The Great Wall of China

One of the highlights of my travel career was when I was at the Great Wall of China. This place has always seemed so far away and so unreal and I have been fascinated about this wall since I saw the Disney film ´Mulan´ when I was young. So when I actually got to walk on the wall, I would definitely say that it was a dream come true.

I don´t speak Chinese and the majority of the people in China don´t speak English, so when we got on a local bus on the way to Badaling, we did not know for sure that we were on our way to the Great Wall of China. We were the only tourists on that bus and I suppose everyone knew where we were going. Because the bus did indeed take us to the wall.

Beijing is a great place to stay if you want to visit the wall. The closest part of the wall is in Badaling, so naturally this is one of the most touristy places as well. Many people would probably say that they would be bothered by all the tourists, forgetting that they are one of the tourists as well. China in general is a crowded country and the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular tourist attractions there. The funny thing is that I didn´t really see many Europeans or Americans – only Chinese tourists.

The wall is 21,198.18 km and is in northern China. The history of the wall is over 2300 years old, and I bet you can find all kinds of hidden stories around the wall. It really is breath-taking and you feel so small thinking of everyone who sacrificed their lives on the wall. History is so important and I think that is part why the great wall is so popular amongst tourists. It´s more than just a wall – it´s a piece of Chinese history.

I would love to go back, but to see a different view of the wall, perhaps someplace more secluded. I would love to be on the wall at sunrise and just walk and walk and take in the beautiful nature around. Perhaps someday, but for now I´m very happy that I´ve been so lucky to actually have set foot on one of the seven wonders of the world.

Trondheim – an intimate big city in the middle of Norway

I think it is about time that I introduce Trondheim, the city I am from. I am Norwegian and I have obviously lived in Norway for many years, and I have come to find that this small city actually is not so bad. Even though London has become my second home and I love to wander around all corners of the world, the small city of Trondheim will always have a special place in my heart.

Trondheim is Norway´s third biggest city, and even though this is a big city for us, it is not a big city compared to other cities around the world. Norway is a small but long country with many mountains and fjords, northern lights and snow and it really has a great charm worth exploring. Trondheim is one of the major student cities of Norway and every year (around this time, actually) Trondheim is invaded by 30 000 new students ready to live in the city. Ironically, I ended up leaving Trondheim and Norway when I attended University, but I have many friends who has studied in Trondheim for several years and loved it.

This is a city of students and because of that it has also become a city of culture, food, markets, Christmas fair, cycling, festivals, concerts and beautiful old buildings.

Fun fact; from 1030 to 1217, Trondheim was Norway´s capital and back then it was called Nidaros. Trondheim has a beautiful cathedral called the Nidaros Cathedral, which is located in the intimate city centre. It is built over the burial site of Saint Olav, who was king of Norway in the 11^th century. In my opinion, this really is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Norway. The Princess of Norway got married in this Cathedral, so it is still used by the royalties.

The cathedral is close to the Old Town Bridge and Bakklandet, which is Old Town Trondheim. Here you will find beautiful old wooden houses and there are several cute little cafes in this area as well.

If you want a great view of the city centre, then you have to walk up to Kristiansten Fortress. This fortress has been there since the 17^th Century and you can see all of Trondheim from this hilltop.

Another fun fact: Trondheim has a bicycle lift, which is called the Trampe Bicycle Lift. This is actually the first and only bicycle lift in the world, and during the summer this is quite the tourist attraction. It is very easy to find as well. The city centre is very small and once you cross the Old Town Bridge over to Bakklandet (old town Trondheim) you´ll see it right away.

 

If you ever do visit Norway, I would absolutely recommend that you see the country and not just Oslo, the capital. This country has so much to offer and many historical cities and great mountains. Trondheim is just one such city, but of course my favourite.