Today I will focus on a little of the shopping possibilities in Vännäs, these are only some of the shops in Vännäs:

• RAINE HELENA, Färg, Form, Funktion, Fantasi. This shop is on Storgatan 17. I would say it’s one of the best in all Västerbotten as for gifts. Raine is the owner of this small shop and every day is in front of her business. Some nice flag in the entrance is the symbol that it is open. She is choosing personally in Stockholm and other places the most original things for some presents or for our home. She is creating herself some very beautiful glass objects. In some years I would like to be like Raine, always smiling and having a kind word for friends and customers. Best quality, price and ideas. What else?

But…, RAINE must visit Barcelona, and then Barcelona will be fashion!!. And then Raine will feel the passion and creativity of this City; nice combination, you know…

• POPPINS. Melinda is the owner of this particular shop where it is possible to find everything; included those things that you can not imagine. It’s necessary in every village to find some shop like this. And, if you have not any idea about your objective, Melinda, will help you with this special and lovely kindness. If you have (?) Kr, always you can find something, don’t worry. After that you can visit Ica and Konsum.

Poppins is located in this strategic corner, like Times Square in New York. You have no excuse to say: I don’t know where I am !.. You are in Vännäs, of course.

Very soon the “utedass” time will start. Of course, in winter time it’s a little bit hard.

I try to understand this special Swedish culture. To find the origin of freedom, to have the real contact with the nature, or to have time where it’s possible to play with your iphone, to have some connection in facebook or to write your love. Let’s think about this mysterious "hole"…

This small cabin where normally there is some “ litet fönster “, has everything that you need: special edition of “Utedass”s books, hygienic paper –important!-, some note book and a pencil…; “Lavendel spray”, plants or plastic flowers…

The Swedes seem to feel comfortable in that place! and thousands of fans are screaming: Utedass life please!!!! (I am not one of them..)

Nice combination with the old toilette system and the most modern communications systems.

Sweden is like this example: old traditions & the best technical advances in a mix. That’s Sweden.

Catalunya is in front of the Mediterranean sea and France, in the north of Spain.

Catalunya has its own language, "català" (katalanska). Around 7,5 million people live here, it is a nice expression of different cultures; integration and constant expression of forum of people from all over the world; like their old tradition.

Catalunya was the entrance of the Roman Imperium. Tarragona, in the south of Barcelona, was the second most important city after Rome.  

The capital of Catalunya is B A R C E L O N A, one of the most beautiful Cities in the world. Here is some more official information and I invite you to click some nice links, and to enjoy it : 

www.gencat.cat The Catalan region parliament

www.turismeacatalunya.com Turism

www.barcelonaturisme.com More turism

www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com A little more turism

www.lleidatur.com/ The Catalan inland

www.girona.cat/turisme The northern Catalunya

www.tarragonaturisme.cat The southern part

www.cambrabcn.org The chamber of commerce

Here are some nice things that are typical when you are in Catalunya, like: 

• Calçotades in Tarragona province
• To eat snails in Lleida
• Different kinds of sauces
• Traditional food
• Fish and paelles
• Human towers
• Sky and Golf
• Enormous extensions of fruit trees in Lleida (Urgell)
• Cultural life
• Living between big mountains – Pirineus and Andorra – and the sea.

Only some aperitif of many possibilities. 

He is probably, the best in the world.

Many people know about this amazing place where it’s possible to close your eyes and feel that you are living in the world of the    feelings. After you pay your expensive lunch or dinner, you understand that you are alive; and you can explain to your friends about your pleasure…; of course, you paid a lot of money! But, the best is that you are some of the few people that now know, what the difference is between to eat or to be around the table.

This chef, working in front of Mediterranean sea, receiving the inspiration of the oldest influence of Rome and Greece, is the result of a wonderful marketing project from the best Catalan tradition.  But, we shouldn’t be mislead – the hard work is in his back. He has a very special philosophy and connection with the people. He invented to feel “the perfume” of many good products…

He has now decided to close his restaurant in only one and a half year from now. And to invent another restaurant concept; to start, like an artist another way in his life: a foundation in the creativity in cooking. And now, I remember Picaso, that was born in Málaga, living many years in Barcelona and Paris, painting the life in the way that he understood it in each second. He was an exceptional artist too and different from the rest of human people.  Spontaneous, creative and crazy! That’s the best combination in the life, with some nice piano music, like Adrià.

Bulli restaurant was not a good economic business the last two years; then, Adrià decided to transform the concept of his popularity. To die or to open a new door for the future, that’s the question…

Nowadays there are a lot of nice chefs in Catalunya like: Celler de Can Roca, Carme Ruscalleda or Santi Santamaria. We have many options in this “cuisine” world. Probably, it’s necessary to work for your restaurant and don’t be a chef star in many places and times. To work in the kitchen, and to take care of your customers personally, that’s the best. We will see…. To cook needs time and to be close, like with the love.

Now, close your eyes, open them again and start to cook; that’s a special experience, really!! You can start too…, don’t worry, when you love, you cook well…Don’t forget this golden rule.

In VÄNNÄS we have not water channels like in Venezzia, but we have a nice river.

Then, we have not "Vaporetto" (typical water bus), but…, probably if it is a popular application, the Municipality can think about that, it will be a nice tourist activity in Umeälven… with some nice and typical Västerbotten songs and some candles.

Vännäs gondols, why not?

To open the eyes and to see Umeälven is a privilege in the life. To walk through the surroundings of Vännäs and to have the possibility to find some people that you know and to say “ hej, tjena….. “, it’s easy life; living slowly and thinking, and thinking about the world. But…, the world is around you!

Many people receive some day an envelop with some invitation: “Spark fest” in winter or “Bicycle fest” in summer. A lot of work and taking care of many small details from  two couples that they had this lovely idea two years ago (Monica & Lasse, and Therese & Daniel). Do you want to know more about that? Of course, like 100 people in Vännäs can inform you; it will be a pleasure.

Filmstudio program (click here), Rock&Roll party, and more and more, is in Vännäs life.

But, not only everything is a party; Vännäs has some amazing activities like: “Vännäs mot rasism” or Second Hand – Tanzania project -.Human projects working for the love.                                                 

We are feeling very close to Umeå 2014, Cultural European City. The culture is our past, our present and our future. It will be a nice success if we are working together, like in Barcelona -92, the Olympic games. It was a special example about the participation of all the people and voluntaries.

Do you think that to live in Vännäs is boring? No, noway. When we are in this village, we can combine nature, friendly people, nice activities and places. It’s difficult to say but here you have only some suggestions :

• Nice shops.

• Slöjdarnas hus.

• Motormuseum.

• Vännäs Hotel and many activities in that place.

• Liljaskolan, one of the best in Sweden.

• Sky

• Car rallies, dog sledge competitions, etc…

We have had several visits from foreigners in Vännäs, and they have all really liked this village!

To walk, to see and to feel. Barcelona is a City where it’s not good to be in a hurry. Of course, the main streets, like Rambla Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia, Rambles…, and some typical and touristic places, like Gaudí route, Touristic Bus, Magic Fountains or Camp Nou are in all the guides. But, it’s good to know some details about another and more private Barcelona. Where it is possible to understand this wonderful City, where you hear a nice combination between our own language, katalanska, and spanska. Benvinguts / bienvenidos a BARCELONA.

Well, we can start with some suggestions. I will continue giving more in this blog:

A.- Sarrià district. Many people don’t know this amazing district, situated close to the Tibidabo Mountain. It’s easy to arrive with "Ferrocarriles" (metro system) from Plaça Catalunya, there is a Sarrià station. Then, when you arrive, you find a beautiful building; Casa Orlandai, nowadays a public and social place for many activities. Please, visit inside and see their amazing stairs.

Many years ago, Sarrià was an independent village and the place where some rich people – the Catalan bourgeois  – built nice houses. When you are walking in Sarrià, really, you feel that you are not in Barcelona. Pedestrian streets and nice and typical business. Normally, familiar shops were you can buy some fresh chicken, “korvar”, “kanin”, or fresh fish.

Plaça Sant Vicenç, carrer Canet, Plaça de l’Ajuntament, carrer Major, carrer dels Paletes – just stroll the streets and get to know them.

Many bars and restaurants, like: "Bar Tomás" – with their speciality “patates braves” -, or "Vivanda" restaurant where you can enjoy of nice food and a splendid terrace in spring or summer. "Casa Joana", another familiar restaurant and very old with not sophisticated food.  If you are in Sarrià, you can have a nice catalan breakfast in “Bar Monterrey”. Then…, for a few minutes you can understand that you are in another world, starting the day in a very different way than in Sweden. Noise, good and big sandwiches, people smoking…, really, what a particular way to understand the life !

You must visit the “Pastisseria” – Bakerys – “FOIX”. Nice cakes, and expensive. Both shops are very beautiful. There are two places in Sarrià, and the owner was a very important Catalan writer and poet, Josep Vicenç Foix.

In Sarrià we can understand our traditional vocation to start some small business. The people are talking in the shops, bars and in the streets.

But, remember, one of the best bars in Barcelona, is close to Sarrià: DOLE CAFÈ – (between the streets Capità Arenas – Manuel de Falla) -. A small place, a lot of people, six waiters, and the owner – Leandre -, working in the entrance and making the best coffee in this City. And…, don’t forget their sandwiches and natural orange juice. The temptation is in front of you. Don’t say no, and enjoy it!

Today, the first private suggestion in Barcelona. Open the windows and enjoy the sun!

Nowadays, Spain has not an official religion, but, the majority of the people are Catholic or at least are following in some way the catholic traditions. Many people are take the advantage and travels or so in easter, like in Sweden. But, there are some special and old traditions working yet, like the following:

"Semana Santa” (Easter) in the south of Spain – Andalucía – there are Catholic “fanatic” processions and rituals. A mixture of old culture, religion, alcohol and party. Yes, it’s in this way. Around this Easter 2010 we are reading about many terrible Catholic scandals that have happened for many years. Silence was the rule… In Spain the authorities keep silence too. Probably the idea is: no comments, and very soon the news are sleeping.

Back to the traditional easter rituals, in some churches, people are “watching over” for – 24 hours, the statue of a Virgin. For example: In Barrio de Triana in Sevilla. They are wearing nice and very expensive clothes. Some people are praying and with a fantastic organization in some groups. The name of the organization around this is: Cofradias. (www.andalucia.org). It’s like an association, and they prepare the religious activities and some of them, they carry around the very heavy Virgin sculptures, and other different sculptures on the streets. In the procession people pray, cry and some even hit themselves, to remember the Passion of Christ. 

In Catalunya it is an old tradition to have like a theater performance of the Passion story in some small villages. The actors are the people of the village, but, it is really a nice and professional performance! Some villages like Olesa de Montserrat, Esparraguera, Cervera (www.lapassio.net, www.lapassio.com, www.lapassiodecervera.com) are in constant competition. In Catalunya, the traditional Easter is spent at home, and these days used to be with the family and friends.

I compare this time between both countries and I feel that the preparation is warmer in Sweden – putting up Easter decorations and cooking cakes – inside the family, closer and enjoying of the light and nature. The dark winter is in our back. It’s cold and around us, everywhere with snow. Really, a big contrast between my two lives. But, it seems that spring’s time is coming…

The best is to combine different places and cultures. To build and not to choose, that’s the richness. The idea of this blog is to look at the differences and to find many things during the way. Compare the culture, character, political systems and many other things.

Then, I start my blog from Sweden. My heart is half "català" and half Swedish.