Stockholm Public Library & Café Pascal | Stockholm, Sweden

The moment Markus and I stepped foot in Stockholm, we were looking for a place to eat and a neighborhood to explore. After a bit of internet searching, we found Café Pascal in the Odenplan neighborhood. The area was perfect because we planned to head over to the popular Stockholm Public Library.

We both loved Café Pascal. The vibe was really laid back and very similar to coffee shops in Chicago or any big city. The food was really delicious and the portions were sizable. I watched a woman seated close to us, eat half of her mushroom sandwich and left a whole half a sandwich behind. She didn’t even take it with her, I was slightly appalled, because I would have and eaten that bad boy later. Our time at Café Pascal was a nice time to recharge before we headed to the library.

I’m sure if you follow any travel instagrams or have a Pinterest account, you've seen images of the famous Stockholm Public Library. In real life, it’s a bit smaller than I expected, but just as beautiful. It was a bit surreal seeing it in real life, since I had seen it so many times before that. Construction on the library began in 1924 and was designed by architect Gunnar Asplund and is an example of the Swedish Grace style. Recently, the library was listed as one of the world's most beautiful libraries by the magazine Conde Nast Traveler. It’s definitely one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever seen and a must see when in Stockholm.

Wandering Wednesday | Boston Public Library and Museum of Fine Arts | 2010

Boston Public Library

In November of 2010, Markus and I visited our dear and wonderful friends, Ryan and Jessica for Thanksgiving. They are a beautiful married couple that have been with us since the beginning of our marriage. When we asked if they wanted us to come visit for Thanksgiving, they didn't even hesitate and told us to come. Markus and I were happy to oblige and spent another Thanksgiving away from home.

This was my second time in Boston, but the first time for Markus. I remembered loving Boston back then, but it was only for a weekend. I was 16, so I wasn't able to appreciate it as much as I should have. This time around I made sure to make the most of the trip. One of our first stops was the Boston Public Library and it was beautiful. As soon as we entered the main reading room, I stood for a minute in awe. It was the first time I was in a library that looked like the ones you see in films. It was amazing. We didn't have a lot of time there and I remember we had to hurry off somewhere else. 

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

My Favorite

On our first day, we went to the Museum of Fine Arts. There was a special deal going on where entrance was free if you went after 6pm. There was a line out the door and went all the way out to the street. We waited for about 30 minutes and finally made it inside. The place was packed and overflowing with people, but it was worth it. My favorite area of the museum was a large hall filled with paintings. The atmosphere was amazing and I could sit in there forever.  I wanted to take more photos, but there were too many people. After a couple hours, we left and it was the perfect way to end our first day in Boston.

Typography and Publications | Harry Potter Studio Tour 3 of 6

Lately, I've found myself drawn to typography and graphic design. I've found that it's very inspiring and it helps my writing. I know it's a bit strange that looking at book covers and calligraphy can spark ideas, but it does. So at this point, whatever works right? 

While on the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there was a small little section in the first studio. It wasn't one of the highlights, and it was right before the exit. In a huge glass display they showcased of all the publications created for the films. It was probably my favorite part of the tour. I took heaps of photos and was so excited to see the actual letters and newspapers. They always look amazing on camera, but up close they were gorgeous. The production crew spared no detail and everything was beautiful. Now if I could only create something just as awesome.

Daily Prophet and Wanted Posters

3D Quibbler

The Daily Prophet

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

From Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Deathly Hallows Necklace

Letter from Lily Potter to Sirius Black

Dark Arts textbooks

Dongbaek Island Hike

Last month, the library took the day off and we met at Dongbaek, an area of Busan near the ocean. It's very common in Korea to go day hiking with your co-workers. Usually in schools, you go hiking after you've taught, but at the library, we get the whole day off, which I enjoy. I don't mind missing out on a day of sitting at my desk to go hiking in a beautiful city.

We met at 10am and spent the next few hours walking from Dongbaek through Haeundae Beach and ended up at Songjeong Beach. I enjoyed the company and the views were beautiful. I've never been to Dongbaek or Songjeong and the areas are beautiful. When we finally reached the end, I was ready to relax and eat. 

Usually, when we go hiking they take us to a meat restaurant. The last time we went hiking the food was amazing. I stuffed myself full of grilled beef. It was great. This time, we ended up at a raw fish restaurant. They said it was sashimi, but this wasn't sashimi. I know from the pictures it looks delicious, but it really wasn't. The fish was really chewy and had no flavor. It wasn't my favorite. 

Also during the meal, there are heaps of toasts. It doesn't matter that it's noon on a Monday, Koreans love to drink. It's also considered rude if you don't drink with your boss or co-worker if they want to drink a shot with you. So, it's common to see people walking around with soju bottles doing shots with others.

After lunch, a few of us wandered over to noreabang or karaoke. It was fun seeing a different side of my coworkers. At work, everyone is reserved but they relaxed a bit. I liked seeing that side of them.  By then, most of the people escaped, but Kelly, Doug and I stuck it out. Earlier, we had planned to escape together, but we ended up staying the whole time. I'm glad we did because it was a great afternoon!

Oxford, England | 2 of 4

As I've said before, the city of Oxford is quite beautiful with an extensive history and stunning architecture. As soon as we arrived, there was a torrential downpour. We sought sanctuary in the nearest place and that was the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford and it was utterly breathtaking. We were only able to venture into a small sitting room. We had to pay a small fee to see the room, but it was still amazing. 

Since we had to pay and it was raining, we decided that we would take a break and sit for a while. The room was quiet with only a few visitors, thus creating a relaxing atmosphere. It was nice to stop for a few moments during our busy schedule and revel in the architectural beauty of the Bodleian Library.