Me and the kids went with my mother on vacction to Spain end of August. We had a great stay and enjoyed squeezing the last bit out of this long warm summer vacation of 2018. We had a set-up with one activity per day and the rest of the time hanging or floating in the pool home. One great trip was to Bena Havis where you can follow the mountain streams along although we mainly stayed at one place swimming in the cold fresh mountain water. We also had a good day down by the ocean and swimming in the waves, rolling in the sand and after eating seafood on a beach restaurant. I loved all of it apart from the sand going everywhere.  Another new tradition I have started although a little scared calling it a tradition as it might become pressure, is my colorful portraits in acrylic. Last year I was inspired by my mothers paintings copying Picasso - with a lot of vibrant colors. My style is very much my style. Not perfect or portrait like more kind of comic picture with a lot of pa...

We headed to Spain last week. Family collected in a warm sunny place what could be better? Flight down went well even though we had to get up at 3 and be at the airport by 4. Nice warm weather met us and we were all very excited to have time off together and to enjoy the sun and mormor's pool. Such luxury to be able to borrow my mother's and Göran's very nice house in Puerto Banus costa del sol. Going away but still feeling a little home or at least familiar and have every day things to do such as laundry, cleaning and feeding the cat ( I know sounds crazy that I like washing and cleaning on vacation but I do) Loren also loves supermarkets and cooking so great combination of vacation but business as usually kind of. Don't get me wrong we also enjoy being lazy drinking beer by the pool or eating avocado and prawns in the harbor. Even though it is only our second time here we already feel like we know what we are doing and know our ways around. One day we did a long ...

On Monday me, kids, my sister and her boyfriend headed to Kålmården. Kålmården is a wildlife park covering 1,5 square km and home to over 600 animals from all over the world. The park has something for the whole family dolphin show, carousel and theater in Bamse world, cable car safari and much more. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Scandinavia. Thats why we decided to go now before the big summer holiday weeks start and t will be to crowded. The entrance fee is pretty steep but to be fair we spend 6 hours and didn't manage to see everything. It is a well put together park and worth a visit. We decided the evening before to bring pack lunch. I mean we are anyways spending lots of money on tickets so no way are they this time  overcharging me for food also ( adults points to me...). Taco pie and sallad and cinnamon buns and home made chocolate balls. My sister was worried that it might not be allowed to bring picnic and as she is a very much of a following r...

Great feeling complete Team Nikolovski collected and ready for adventures down to Spain and costa del sol to find the missing sun and spring weather. Moscow and Swedish winter has been kind of hard this year ( like every year..) We flew to Malaga and from there rented a car going to my mother & her husband's house in Puerto Banus. First time we saw the house in real life and it was very nice and fancy as expected. Cute neighbourhood on the so called Swedish hill close to the Swedish shop with Swedish TV chanels and even Swedish radio in the car we rented. I can't really get my head around the need but I guess same same but different during my in total around 12 years abroad I had my ways to get what I needed from Sweden also. When I moved the first time 2001 to Holland the internet was not everywhere like today and therefore no SVTplay nor newspapers online or even Facebook. It is even hard to imagine today. My best friend was send me letters and my mum and dad was sending...

May has for Team Nikolovski been full of traveling. We celebrated 1 of May and that we have lived in Prague for 2 years with great friends and the day after we began our traveling. Me and Mila took a plane to Stockholm to spend a week with my family before continuing down to Skopje. Loren jumped in the car down to Macedonia to first work in Greece a week and then to have a week off all together in Skopje. Many new experiences in Sweden. We spent a few days at my mamma Mi & Göran´s country house, Lugnet. Mila got a closer introduction to our old pony Spot and his girls. First time on a horse, big deal for me and proud mormor Mi (that´s why several horsey pictures...) Mila was more focused looking for the closest swing-set so she could escape the wild retired pony who wanted to run off with her. Corn on a cob was a success dinner. Warm bath in the hot tub was also a success but even more fun was to climb mormor´s very steep stairs ( and there is...

Last weekend , me and my little globetrotter headed out on adventures to Skåne ( southern part of Sweden) Pappa Loren was suppose to be on business in Mongolia but that trip was postponed and so he went on other adventures, a road-trip to Berlin. Me and Mila has flown quit a lot ( she will soon have a frequent traveler card) and she likes to the airport environment and airplane with all the people and things going on. New for this time was the walking-by-myself-thing. Warm, flushed and super sweaty after a long cue through security I realized how easy it was to travel with company that fits in a Babybjörn...Stroller, heavy bag, backpack, big sized handbag, passports, boarding cards and a one year old running around is rather challenging. But also amazing to see this happy girl running around in the airport waving to people, understanding what is going on, experiencing the belts that moves you without having to walk and flirting with the passengers in the row behind. We flow to Copenhag...

Just after Christmas we packed our bags and headed to warm weather and to celebrate New year in paradise style. In Paris we met up with the rest of the family. After 12 hours and a sleepless night on a freezing plane we arrived to Mauritius airport. The sun, heat and the high humidity gave us a warm welcome. We got to see some of this green and lush island as we drove to our hotel on the other side of the island, Grand Baie. Beautiful hotel Le Mauricia with nice pools and with white beach and turquis water only a few steps from our rooms. Do I have to say that it was more then nice to feel the warmth and the sun (when we finally managed to change our sweaty jeans for something lighter)  We have eaten a lot of seafood, fresh exotic fruits and croissants from a great bufé. Although some of the company mostly enjoyed the pizza, pasta and the ice cream. We have been swimming a lot in clear salty water and Mila floating around on her yellow duck and made happy ahh...

For a long time we just couldn't make up our minds where to go for vacation this year. We discussed, came with some different ideas and suggestions. And then no decision. Croatia was on top of our list as we really enjoyed our vacation there last year and the year before. But we just didn't fancy driving for two days. Felt like we have already been there and done that with great success this year to Budapest and Vienna. Now we wanted something easier. After scanning the travel catalogs over a glass of red we finally made a decision. Greece, Rhodos, Charter, all inclusive here we come !! Really ?! charter, all inclusive? If someone had told me ten years ago that I would go charter I would have laughed load and said "NO way boldy!" as I am way too adventures for charter.  But everything has it time as my mother says. I have inter-railed through Europe, slept in a dirty toilet in Barcelona train-station and in a even dirtier room on top of a pub in Amsterdam'...

Beginning of August heatwave in Europe. It was hot in Prague. Team Nikolovski went to explore Vienna and it was even hotter there. But I mean really hot. Like hard to think and breath hot. Like 39 degrees at seven o clock in the evening hot. I might have mentioned it before, I don't do hot very well.. I become cranky and upset. But I am talking really upset and not very pleasant to be around. We had plan to explore Vienna for a few days like we did Budapest. We had a nice little list of things to see and things to try. The list is safely saved for next time we decide to go to Vienna. It was simply too warm to do anything much. I read a very good book, Mila fell out of bed and Mr Nikolovski was busy sorting parking out ( see below for more info..) We of course also ate a schnitzel or two.. Mila's ears was squashed in the previous car-seat, so she got a new one for big girls. Happy baby. Got her first balloon also which made her even more happy. The ballooned made me scare...

During our stay at Lugnet, I lost the track of the time. It started the first day. We arrived at lunchtime. Had lunch, fixed things here and there. Went for a walk. After the walk Baby Nikolovski seemed a pretty tired (read cranky). I checked the clock on the wall in the kitchen. Quarter to five. I thought oh ok she can have a little afternoon nap. She was so happy to get into bed and fell asleep within a few seconds. I felt a little hungry went to the kitchen had a sandwich. Checked the kitchen clock again. Quarter to five... !? Trying to find a clock that actually work was pretty hard but when I finally found one it turned out to be eight o clock, oooppps no wonder she was tired.. The clock in the kitchen has apparently not been working for years and according to mamma Mi it symbolizes that the time doesn't matter at Lugnet ( Lugnet name of the house and also means "calm" in Swedish) Also quarter to five is a great time for food lovers, always time for dinner.

Easel, paint tubes, brushes and canvas a summer evening at Lugnet. Me and Sofie got creative and decided to create a self portrait. This is my contribution. I know I know a few kilos off here and there but that is my right as an artist... Sofie when can I see how yours ended up ?!    

Summer time is the season that we are dreaming on and longing for. This short but sweet period of the year is full of expectations and dreams. People from up north is especially excited and ready for the summer as we have managed to survive the cold and dark period only because we know we are waiting for something good.. I can tell you the dark period is a killer and so when the sun finally comes out we northerners are ready to absorb as much of the light and warmth as possible..   Already in early spring Swedish media is starting to write about what the summer weather will be like. Different science, some more reliable than others, are used to look into the future to see what the summer period has to offer us this year. We read it and we discuss it like nothing before.. By the time when we are in the middle of this attractive season we discuss nothing but the weather and the different forecasts we have read, heard or seen.. To put too much hope on nice summe...

I have recently read some for me strange and also pretty sad articles about vacation stress.. Headlines such as "Don't let the stress take over your vacation" followed by  a lot of advises and tips what to and not to do to avoid vacation stress. For me this stress is very hard to understand and the more I read the more surprised I get over peoples behaviour and habits. For example according to the articles and columnists from Swedish media that I have read, it seems to be pretty common to share and spend time together at a common owned family summer house. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, children, partners and friends all together at one place. This to me sounds that it could be sweet for a day and a half, if there is space enough for everyone and if you really feel like it.  BUT Space enough doesn't seems to be the case and worst of all they don't even have a proper...

Island of Vis Vis is an island in the Adriatic sea and of all the inhabited Croatian islands this is the farthest one from the coast. Up until 1989 Vis was the navy and military base of the Yugoslavia army and was closed to outsiders. Well preserved nature, beautiful beaches and ecological agricultural, makes Vis an unique island and a great experience. Team Nikolovski experience As we reached the little Croatian village Komiza on the island Vis the dark had already fallen. The boiling hot temperature had calmed down and the whole island was quiet and calm. The sound when the waves meet the shore was the only sound to be heard.10 days to enjoy and relax in Komiza, vacation 2012 edition finally here. We fell asleep after a long day in the car tired, warm and very happy. Far too early husband suddenly wakes up from a very loud noise coming from outside.. What is going on and what is this? Big water sprinklers surrounding us at this time in the mor...

Summer vacation is finally here.. Team Nikolovski is ready to kick of the shoes and to enjoy and relax.. Forgetting about yellow machines, parts list and the potentials for a couple of weeks.. On Sunday we are heading down towards Croatia and the apartment we have rented on Vis. Vis is an island out of Split which is suppose to be beautiful and quiet, we are excited to check it out as we loved Brac last year.. Beautiful beaches, great weather, farmers market, fish dishes, reading exciting books, draw, discuss all and nothing and just relax is what we are looking forward to... Have a great Summer!