What Would Catherine Do

Travel weight gain and how to avoid …

Did you know that travel weight gain is a real phenomenon? If you have wondered why your clothes seem tighter than you left them pre-holiday, you are not alone. Travel weight gain happened to you, like it does to many other happy travellers. The food back home does not make me fat, but every time I travel, I gain weight. The struggle is real. I have been away from home for so long and the pounds have definitely piled on. Yes, yes, I know what my friends are thinking. Every time I say I need to lose weight, people…

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Travel

Malta International Airport – Tips to keep you …

Malta is a great destination for many travelers to the Mediterranean, and Malta International Airport will be your entry and exit point if you choose to fly. When in Malta, you have to keep your wits about you, this is not Northern Europe. Things can go so many more different ways than you’re used to. If you’ve been to other warm climate regions before, you know what I mean. Things run a little differently in warmer parts of the world. A book called Foreign to Familiar has actually been written about this by the way. It is a very…

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Travel

Traveling to Malta this spring/summer? Tips …

It is peak season for travel to Malta this time of the year. The sun is shining bright, the streets are busy, and the capital – Valletta – is buzzing with tourists. Some of them are wandering around by themselves, and others in groups following the raised umbrella or placard of their tour guide. The ocean is everywhere you look, and you have a myriad different things to keep you entertained. There seemed to be a higher number of seniors this week, compared to other times. Maybe they prefer to visit Malta in May, I’m not sure. All ages find…

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Travel

Nidarosdomen – Norway’s grandest cathedral

Nidarosdomen is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world, and it’s the site of the coronation of kings in Norway. You can see the cathedral’s peaks from almost everywhere in Trondheim. I enjoyed taking pictures of it from every angle I could as I wondered around Trondheim. You don’t find cathedrals this old and grand so far up in Northern Europe, which makes Nidarosdomen that more special. Not that it needs the extra bump. It’s very grand all in itself, in spite of having suffered 3 fires over the centuries. I had the pleasure of enjoying…

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Travel

A visit to Popeye’s Village

Popeye’s Village is a quaint little village tucked away on one of Malta’s rocky shores. A relic from the movie on Popeye the Sailor-man that was shot here decades ago, they’ve kept this themed piece of rock true to the movie set. While it is not skydive-exciting, it is worth a visit for adults too. See, I thought it was a children only place but it turned out different. Parts of it burnt down years ago but they were able to rebuild it. Popeye’s Village makes for a good view of the rocky island from here, the scenery is quite…

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Travel

The Maltese Islands – Gozo

Gozo is the second biggest of the Maltese islands, and a must visit when in Malta. Think of it as a more serene, cleaner version of mainland Malta. There are many sites to see on this island, it is rich in history. You may want to book yourself a room, or villa and spend more than one day on the island. Places to go while in Gozo 1.Victoria – The capital. A good place to visit quaint shops with Gozitan crafts and more. 2. Citadella – The fort, originally built by the Romans in the heart of Victoria then rebuilt by…

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Lifestyle

Innflytningsfest – Housewarming in Bergen

This weekend was a very important one, as we moved into our new home and entertained there for the very first time. Norwegians like a good party so it goes without saying, the drink flowed! Moods loosened up, and so did the limbs and waists, I’m happy to report! In Africa, a party has not achieved the highest standards of success until the guests hit the dance floor. That is something to write home about, as the saying goes. The dance and the drink make the party a success, and this housewarming scored 10/10 on each point. We served…

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Travel

A seafood date at Bergen Fish Market

Fisketorget i Bergen – or Bergen fish market – is a very popular attraction for tourists in Bergen. Here, you will find sea food of all sorts of shapes, some of it too frightening-looking for me to ever lay a finger on, let alone taste. But a savvy traveller like yourself already knows that many strange looking things are delicacies in many parts of the world. I learnt that Fisketorget has been around for ages. This is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that the locals love it too. On our night there, there were several older Norwegian couples that had…

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Fashion

A little shopping in Copenhagen

I have been keeping an eye out for a good pair of boots so on our weekend trip to Denmark, I decided on a bit of shopping in Copenhagen. We strolled along Copenhagen’s main shopping street, Stroget, I eventually happened upon a suitable, comfortable, robust and fashion safe pair of stompers in Ecco, and carried it off with me. Well, not exactly. Like I usually do, I wandered around Stroget some more looking for possible suitable candidates for boot of the winter 2016/2017. After all, it was a shopping in Copenhagen kind of day. Doesn’t count if you just pop…

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Travel

Understanding Scandinavian Culture and the Nordic People

There is a lot more to the Nordics than good seafood and breath-taking views. I certainly don’t mind both though! I have been trying to understand Scandinavian Culture and the Nordic people in general, to make my integration here as smooth as possible. This region has got many cultural nuances, and I have learnt that you risk some frustration if you go in unarmed. You know what they say: knowledge is power. And forewarned is forearmed. When I first started coming to Norway, Ian encouraged me to buy this book. The Almost Nearly Perfect People – Behind The Myth of…

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