(Nordic Travelogue I)
An escape to the winter. The kind of getaway we’ve grown to love.
Rhythm of the Year
The four seasons are like the constant rhythm throughout the year. For me, spring is like an awakening for new beginnings. Summer sparkles, bringing warmth and it makes us want to head out and be active. Autumn is sort of like a muted shift, in preparation for a cosy hibernation that is… winter. The cold season leaves us wanting to slow down. It drives us to look inward. I’ve come to realize that hibernation is what the mind and soul crave for during this season. It’s the best time to rest, to recalibrate, to reset, and to restart. As we headed for our last winter holiday in the Nordics, it felt like learning to prioritize what’s important for our mind and body all over again.
Winter Dreaming
As the plane makes its descent, I spot these cosy little cabins. To me, they represent the warmth in winter. What would life be living in a cabin in the Norwegian woods, I wonder. How nice would it be? I guess this will have to be a dream for now, but a dream that has always resonated deep down within us.
It’s freezing out. But I couldn’t resist. I wanted to see the fluffy snow. Soon enough, I spot the birds, some in a small flock, some aloof ones, all simply unbothered by the cold. It’s a silent bond by the lake. As we stood with them, we’re immersed too in the same unremarkable but welcomed peace.
As we trudge on, we see these little snowmen. Next, the playground scenes remind us that play is a form of rest too. When we embrace unstructured time for play and enjoyment, it rejuvenates the creative mind.
Knowingly and subconsciously, this trip has rewarded me with so much inspiration for many new drawings. The Wintry Playground featured below was one of the many. You’ll see more drawings that were inspired by the trip as you read and scroll along.
Wintry Playground Giclée Print
Wintry trees, they’re always adding such a nice texture to the unending greyish skies. It’s always so therapeutic for me to draw them and to capture the rhythm and textures of their form in my sketchbook.
The Norwegian Fjords
As we hit the weekend, we had a lovely surprise and visit from the winter sun! It was time to head out then, to take in the breathtaking, picturesque Norwegian fjords. Not a single picture here can fully capture or represent the majestic scenery. Nonetheless, here are a handful of the countless pictures I snapped in one unforgettable boat ride.
Art out of nowhere and everywhere.
Back on land, it was time to seek out museums and galleries, our favorite spaces in any season, but they’re especially essential, and a nice respite from the cold, during winter time. Plus, a chance encounter to gatecrash the opening night of one of our favorite artist’s latest show was pretty unforgettable too!
Wintry Hues Palette
Out and about again, and we see cobbled streets everywhere. Along with these colorful brick buildings. I couldn’t get enough of the gentle pops of colors (once again) against the grey winter skies. For me, visually, it’s a perfect blend. Who put all these colors and hues together? They seem to compliment each other so well. I realized, this is my kind of palette indeed. The colors, textures, hues, and the vibes — they always give me a reason to draw.
Hygge vibes all around us.
Finally, cafe hopping and people watching, along with long walks in the nature, these are the rest of many inspirational moments for my sketchbook. Check out the photos and the actual sketches below to see how some of my artwork and pieces were derived. Side thought: how much coffee/tea can one have in a day? If you' ask us, we can do this all day long, every day.
And so concludes this travelogue. Of course, there’s so much more to say, and we could go on and on. But we’ll save some for future entries.
I don’t know about you. Our travels may not seem super adventurous, we don’t check all the “must-see-s” or “must-do-s” in most folks’ or travel sites’ itineraries, but we loved our winter escape and holiday all the same.
To us, it’s always the simplest of things that we enjoy. Without fuss. And that’s what this entire trip encapsulated. There was this constant tranquility that accompanied us wherever we went. It was restful, whether in nature or in the cities, or amongst the people. We’ve come to realize too that this isn’t something you’d find anywhere or everywhere.
This winter escape to Norway and Denmark was a little time capsule that we’ve come to treasure. Looking back at our photos, and my illustrations, they’re all reminders. Reminders for when we want to step out of the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. We would go back in a heartbeat. And without giving away too much or spoiling the surprise of our next blog entry — so we did!