Tankar

Travel theme: Fragile

/ Leya / 16 kommentarer

Fragility – something beautiful but also something easily broken. Maybe that is why we treasure and love it so much?

What immediately comes to mind is the butterfly – who is a reminder to us all of the beauty of our short lives. In the header, a Scarce copper in the National Park Aigüestortes in Estany de Sant Maurici, Spain. The most beautiful hikes ever, starts there, in Espot.

Spider’s threads and seeds for next year’s growth

Icicles, fragile crystal flakes standing on the edge of the brook

A meeting between my daughter and the wildlife of New Zealand


A Japanese lantern – the next spring

An Ordinary Tuesday…in Another Voice

/ Leya / 8 kommentarer

…in autumn, winter light. Some days the light is so special that the landscape speaks to you in another voice.

I was driving home, and when turning left over the familiar meadow landscape, the light changed. I stopped the car and went out to enjoy the short play of light. Intensity, softness, strong brown and orange.

The familiar houses, trees, barns, animals – everything seem to lift from the ground and soar towards you.

Looking back from where I came, the view included one of the oldest churches in the Nordic countries, Gumlösa Church, from the 12th century.

Maybe you think it is all very ordinary, but to me it is not. Living close to an open landscape is almost like living by the sea. The light changes every hour, and so does your view and interpretation of the landscape.

Soon the frost will cover these rich brown meadows, and give me another interpretation…but today I enjoy just This magic light.

In the header picture, I feel the sky almost mirrors the ground and the grass. I waited some ten minutes, silent and quiet, in the middle of the landscape.

The Blue Glass Bar – And The Brasserie

/ Leya / 17 kommentarer

Welcome to the Glass Bar at Kosta Boda Art Hotel – care for a cool drink?

The designer is Kjell Engman, and the colour is – Blue –

…tiles and stalaktites…

After a relaxing chat over a drink in the bar, admiring the architecture as well as the atmosphere, we had to see the brasserie as well before dinner.

Totally different, with a laid back and cozy atmosphere. Fly me to the moon…in a glass balloon…

A delicious dinner was waiting, so we reluctantly had to leave. In fact, I went down to the bar once more, before leaving next day. To me, this was the ultimate feast for the eye –

– the only drink needed. We will be back.

A Classy Glass Tour – Kosta Boda Art Hotel

/ Leya / 20 kommentarer

How about waking up in the middle of an art exhibition…This text meets you in the suite’s book about Kosta Boda Art Hotel. So, let us go!

Along the corridors and in the lounge, the wall art is astonishingly beautiful. The magnificent lamp and the interior of the reception lounge is designed by Bertil Wallien.

The violin and the lady walking along the road with baobab trees is artwork made by Kjell Engman.

Just keep on walking – you are surrounded by exquisite artwork – and you are allowed to buy most of them…

This piece shows you a different face from every direction, walk around it and marvel at the skills with which it was made!

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Our restaurant, Linnea, and the stairway down to the spa area.

Some of my favorites…

Thank you for walking with me tonight – tomorrow, let us cool down in the brasserie and the otherworldly, blue glass bar – the only one of its kind in the world.

 

Kosta Boda Art Hotel – Two Relaxing Days

/ Leya / 22 kommentarer

Kosta Boda Art Hotel opened in June 27, 2009 but really started already in 1742 when two of Charles XII generals, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Staël von Holstein, founded Kosta …

…and laid the foundation for what today is the Orrefors Kosta Boda, one of Sweden’s most famous glass work brands. 

We had kept an eye on this hotel for a year or two, and my cousin was very impressed by her stay at Kosta Boda Art Hotel some months ago.

Inside the hotel, most things are made of glass… manufactured in the glass works nearby, and designed by world famous designers from Kosta Boda. Kjell Engman, Anna Ehrner, Göran Wärff, Bertil Vallien, Ulrica Hydman Vallien, Åsa Jungnelius and Ludvig Löfgren.

 

The first glimpse of our suite, when we opened the door
Even the legs are made of glass!
The spa-kit waiting for us
You could buy all the things in the room – if you wanted to , and could afford it…
My favourite was the fat lady ”Dancing on the rainbow”

Many people come here for the history, art and glass, but also for their award-winning spa. Others come for inspiring meetings…and in fact our lucky day arrived just here and now. We had booked an ordinary room, but because of so many companies having their employees staying here – all rooms were booked. We ended up with an upgrading to a gorgeous suite, designed and decorated by Kjell Engman.

Our bathroom – immediately I opened the door, I thought: We should have stayed another night…

The food is excellent, made from local ingredients here in Småland. We had a marvelous  three course dinner, where the dessert was prepared by the 2017 world winning confectioner – Anders Oskarsson. And, the next morning we were treated to a grand breakfast buffet.

I will leave you here for tonight…tomorrow, let’s have a walk through the fabulous hotel interior!

 

A Short Visit to Kyrkö Mosse Again…

/ Leya / 30 kommentarer

…on our way to Kosta Boda Art Hotel, we passed by the old cars again. There are quite some posts about them over the years, by me and visiting blogger friends Viveka (myguiltypleasures) and Sue (WordsVisual).

We just stopped for a short walk to see the changes – in fact the cars are deteriorating fast as the heavy rust make them fall apart. The old shed is now an even more dangerous place to visit as another tree has fallen over it.Kosta Boda Art Hotel 009

In fact, as no newer cars are added to the graveyard, I believe its most glorious days will soon be over. Still I will keep an eye on them… maybe once a year, to follow the process anyway. A bit sad – but that’s the passage of time.

 

 

WPC: Experimental

/ Leya / 21 kommentarer

Experimental…at least maybe a little. I love mirrored motifs, and often cannot resist taking a photo. Here, in Lodz, I was just going to press the button…when I realized the photo might be a bit more intriguing if I chose to enclose the ”real” buildings to the left of the house as well. What is really ”real” in the picture and what is ”unreal”?

Was the result of the experiment a more fun/interesting picture or not? Well, as I did not shoot an alternative picture, we do not know, but we can still have an opinion!