This week the UAE was hit with another weather warning for severe weather coming up. This time, it was actually warranted - on Tuesday we got hit with the worst rainfall the country has ever recorded! And all in one day! In less than 24 hours rainfall reached 254.8 mm!!! Do know, that the yearly rainfall here normally is less than 80 mm..! Sure, you can joke about us living in a desert, but honestly, few countries in the world have an infrastructure that would have withstood this huge amount of rain. To compare, the average amount of rain per month in Sweden is 127mm - so the rain that fell ..read more

While we have been here in Abu Dhabi we have tried meal boxes before, but they have never really been a complete success. Still, we have decided to try yet another type and so far, it seems to be a hit! It is called Spring, and it is almost like cooking by numbers! Twice a week, we get a cool box outside the door, with either 2 or 3 meals in each. Meals that we have picked out ourselves from their menu. I try to pick things that I would normally not cook myself, to try things and get some more recipes to add to my menu bank. Each meal comes in a box with all the ingredients marked and ready ..read more

Pia was here for little over a week, and I managed to take all of ONE photo of us both during this time - this one: This was the night of our visit to the circus! Oh yes! Fontana Circus is a traveling water circus, where the dancing fountain and the laser show is at the center of the show. I sure could have done without both the water and the lights, and the opera singer... but - the circus acts were impressive! Pia was not a fan of anything aerial, especially since none of them had safety nets, or safety harnesses... She preferred the clowns! We got treated to both aeralists, tr ..read more

Over the weekend it had been lovely weather. I could go without socks (I HATE socks!) and wear only a t-shirt. Our Monday dinner was enjoyed on the terrace in the sunshine. It was so lovely! But jokes were on us, as April in Scandinavia can also look like this: Yup! The following day we woke up to - as they say - a "snow punch"! A total winter wonderland had emerged overnight, and the snow didn't stop!! It continued to snow all day long... lucky we weren't going anywhere! A slightly different view from the terrace this afternoon. But the next day as it all calmed down, we had to clear ..read more

It's a tradition in the area where Mormor and Morfar lives, to have 'Konstrunda' during the Easter weekend. Many of the local artists and craftspeople open their studios, ateliers and workshops for the afternoons, with special offers on. You pick up a map, and have many options to go feed your soul, viewing many different kinds of artworks and handcrafted items. Lucas was only staying over the weekend as he had school to get back to, so before we took him to the train Monday afternoon, we decided to go visit some of these places. Like Löfwings, one of the biggest and most well known studios ..read more

We were welcomed in Skara with another Easter feast! Yum! More board games, playing 'När då då'. We have almost all the categories, and always enjoy playing it at Mormor and Morfars. On Easter Sunday Mormor had invited my Aunt and my cousin Emma with her family. It was the first time we got to meet the newest addition to the Gustafsson clan - little five-week old baby girl Elicia... or... maybe Meja...? She actually hasn't got a name yet, but they were trying these two out. "Sandwich cake" - one of my favourites! Mmm! Oldest and youngest second cousins ..read more

Linnea has three weeks of Spring Break this year due to Ramadan, or more precisely the Eid celebrations falling at the end of the holiday. She just didn't want to travel as her final exams are coming up, and not being able to study stressed her out. So while her and Nathan had Thomas and his friend Klaus visiting, I took off to Sweden for a short trip to visit my parents. Having the direct flights to Copenhagen has changed all travel for us, it's super! As per usual I did a stop over in Malmö, to catch up with Pia. After landing early in the morning, we spent most of the day at Emporia doing ..read more

So yesterday the Louvre Abu Dhabi shut the doors for the very last time on the Cartier, Islamic arts and Modern Design exhibition, after we have delivered many, many (many!) tours in that exhibition. But there is no rest for the weary! Tomorrow already the next temporary exhibition From Kalila wa Dimna to La Fontaine - Journeys through Fables is opening! So, time to reset and refocus! Last week there was training on the exhibition by the curators from La BnF (Bibliotheque Nationale de France), and I was really happy that this time I was there for these sessions. They are very helpful of cour ..read more

Yesterday was the last day for the Cartier, Islamic arts and Modern Design exhibition that we have had at the museum since November. It has been an extremely popular exhibition, I guess the interest for jewellery is very universal. We have delivered many, many, many tours of this particular exhibition. Personally I count over 40 tours, which is very unusual for a temporary exhibition and I have really enjoyed all of these tours. It has indeed been a rather lovely exhibition to present with interesting stories and beautiful pieces. Since I just had a big birthday, I decided to get myself a "so ..read more

Sunday afternoon we were invited to celebrate Peta's 40th birthday, with the theme "Sparkly and Green", considering she is born on St Patrick's Day. Pippa, Peta and Mila, their maid, had been busy all Saturday preparing and cooking up a storm for the big party, she had invited close to 60 people. Everything had to be done the day before, as Sunday morning, on her actual birthday, they were busy up in Dubai participating in a Sprint Triathlon! (Peta coming 3rd in her age category, yay her!) So much lovely food, especially the grazing table was absolutely amazing! That is such a great idea! I ..read more