Finding without Searching.
A recap of my trip to Germany and The Netherlands.
My trip to Germany, to the city of Cologne, was a very spontaneous decision, but I have never had a problem with decision making! Going to celebrate a friend’s birthday - what can be better? Taking a train and visiting a couple of new cities - sign me in! Meeting new people is my comfort zone, and building relationships where worlds collide is like creating beautiful fireworks of rainbows. And I love big and small cities where I pretend to be a local, but the one who is never tired of the place and keeps on discovering all the nice corners. This entry is about what I has caught my eye, captured my heart, and brought something new into my life during my trip to Cologne, Bonn, The Hague and Amsterdam (God bless the train system in Central Europe)!
I will start with gratitude, because it is the dominant feeling I have in my heart now. I am so grateful I can work from my laptop and with my iPad, as long as I am happy and have peace in my life - I can just sit and draw. That is a privilege I do not take for granted.
Another privilege is the people in my life - I am incredibly lucky to meet the most authentic, open-minded and generous friends. Any relationship starts with an open heart and requires effort and dedication. Truly, of all the investments I have been making in life, friendship is the easiest and the one that gives the most. From being strangers on Instagram to sharing a toothpaste, from a casual ‘how are you’ to long calls during crisis times or random texts about nothing really, just to feel their presence in your life - can there BE a more beautiful journey? (Shout out to Chandler Bing if you know what I mean). These friendships are forever. And you know you are lucky when your friends share their friends with you and you feel that you are in this happy world where everyone is kind and embraces you as if you are a long lost puzzle that they have been searching for.
I am also thankful for all the beauty that surrounds me and gives me inspiration. Traveling is not only escaping the known and familiar but it is about the excitement of finding something I do not even search for. I was not searching for any inspiration in particular, but this trip was like a colour paradise for me. I saw colour combinations everywhere! Creating new colour palettes became an essential part of this trip. The most colourful was The Hague. I sincerely recommend this city for typography and colour lovers (and of course if you are an aspiring lawyer). You can stroll along the streets and your visual appetite will be satisfied. It also feels like a very cosy town. Having spent a day in Amsterdam, coming back to our hotel in The Hague felt like going to your grandma for the weekend.
No trips are possible without a soundtrack! This time it was new artist I was introduced to by Suse, Zaho de Sagazan and her song Modern Love. It was a good happy upbeat song that was a bridge from my playlist called Survive to my new playlist called New Happy Summer 2024. There are guilty pleasure tracks I got to know while in Germany: Tokio Hotel Back to the Ocean and Agnes Release Me (M, it’s your fault!) . Don’t judge me, but dance with me! And if I you are in the mood to let your emotions flood out, I’ve got your back, Just a Moment.
To cut this short text even shorter, I would wrap it up by saying - dare to go to places where you barely know anyone, and you will find something new about yourself, you will create new connections that feel authentic, and you will fill up your memory card with the photos and videos you will treasure forever.
From me to you with love for colour.
I adore the images that you’ve made!✨