This week has offered both inspiration about Latin America and a home-made breakfast. Between the fun, we work a lot - not least with our upcoming travel agency. It is getting closer now!
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Inspirational event on Latin America
This week we attended an inspirational event about Latin America and the Caribbean, organised by the LATA Nordic organisation. It was fun! We have travelled quite a lot, but we have never been to Latin America - it's a white spot on our map.
It's not that I'm not interested (quite the opposite!) but South and Central America has always felt like a big project, requiring time, money and planning.
At least we got a little teaser in the form of Latin American food, presentations, dance and music. The food was really good and perfect for mingling. Some of the goodies came from a shop on Kungsholmsstrand - not so far away!
We were also treated to dance performances, with wonderfully catchy music!
At the end of the evening, some small competitions were organised and both of us won. Peter won a Panama hat. Really nice I think, what do you think?
I won coffee beans from Bolivia. That's interesting! Now it seems that you have to roast these coffee beans before making coffee from them, and we have never done that before. Anyone have any tips?
Home-made breakfast from MSC
The second event of the week was with the cruise line MSC, together with Ticket. In good time before the event, we were told that it would be an online thing, as the participants were spread across the country. Even though you sat at home at your own computer, they fixed the event feeling, with home-made breakfast. Nice!
Both MSC and Ticket confirmed that interest in cruise holidays has increased significantly in recent times. The most popular destinations for cruises with MSC are:
- Summer: 3) Norwegian fjords, 2) Eastern Mediterranean and 1) Western Mediterranean
- Winter: 3) Mediterranean, 2) Canary Islands and Madeira and 1) the Caribbean
Travel agency - it's getting closer now!
You may know that we are starting a travel agency, called FREEDOM Xplore? It is great funbut it's also a crazy amount of work (of course). We put together experience packages for individual travellers and each package requires lots of discussions, questions, thoughts, considerations, agreements, text edits, photos and yes... it takes time. The only thing we want - and strive for - is for the packs to be good.
We will of course have a limited range when we open (but not so small anyway!) - because our focus is quality over quantity. The number of packages and partners will then be added, gradually, over time. When will we open? Soon! This month actually! We'll be in touch!
Best this week
Best this week? We are happy about several things! The most important for us is probably that we have taken a few more steps with the travel agency. Then both events and spring sunshine have contributed with inspiration.
Your turn ... what has been the best part of your week?
The week ahead
The week ahead? Already today, we're off on a little adventure, down south in Sweden. We will tell you more about this soon!
Then the fair approaches Stockholm Caravan Motorhome, 13-16 March at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. We will be lecturing about picturesque towns in Germany - every day at 14:00. Great fun if we see you there! Feel free to check out the great fair guide from All About Motorhomes!
Did you miss the last Happy Friday? Read the Everyday life, blogging troubles and preparations for the fair
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Anna Nilsson Spets says:
I roast in the middle, 225 degrees oven, beans on tray. Roast between 10-25 minutes, shake, roast some more. Dark roasted is more flavour.
Best of the week, yes the weather.. 17 degrees yesterday.
07 March 2025 - 7:00
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips! We'll have to try it! It should be good coffee what we understand! 🙂
07 March 2025 - 8:50
Yossu says:
Congratulations on the wins. Peter really fits in the hat very well. South America has become a favourite of mine but the security situation means that I am holding off on further trips there.
A cruise among the Norwegian fjords feels safer, and what views you will see. Really tempting.
The best part of this week is ahead of me. Soon the holidays and the Panama trip will begin.
07 March 2025 - 7:07
Helena says:
Glad you like South America! What are your specific thoughts on the security situation? Agree that a cruise among the Norwegian fjords sounds incredibly inspiring! And oh so exciting with your upcoming trip !!!
07 March 2025 - 8:53
Yossu says:
I usually read on SwedenAbroad about the security situation, and in Peru, where I would like to go, kidnappings are mentioned. And in Colombia robberies even during the day. It makes me too discouraged to go.
I felt relatively safe in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. But I did notice the increase in crime in Chile when my taxi driver warned me about a tourist resort I was about to visit, I heard about people having their mobile phones snatched from their hands and in the evenings I watched the busy street outside my hotel become almost deserted.
07 March 2025 - 9:40
Hanneles book paradise says:
Used to roast your own coffee, not any more.
07 March 2025 - 9:41
Helena says:
I see! It probably won't be a habit for us, but we have to try now that we have unroasted "fine coffee"! 😉
07 March 2025 - 16:48
bmlarstravellingblog says:
What a wonderful week you had. I myself travelled with Läs&Res for almost five weeks to Ecuador over twenty years ago. It was a fantastic trip and we really experienced the wonderful country. Now we are attracted to Peru, but what is a bit off-putting are the high altitudes, where many people don't feel very well and then it costs a pretty penny. Then we were in Mexico for a couple of weeks, 2018, a country with a huge history and lots of sights even though we stayed on the Yucatan Peninsula. There Lars bought a Panama hat, similar to the one Peter won. They look great, a pair of sunglasses and they look like real "mafia bosses".
The best part of the week was that I finally had a check-up, which wasn't much fun, but since nothing suspicious was found, I celebrate and realise that the most important thing is to be reasonably healthy! Then it's always fun when the phone rings and friends we don't see very often ask if they can stop by for a day on their way home. Then there are many, long conversations and another highlight of the past week.
Next week we will have time for both a cruise to Helsinki and a motorhome fair.
See you soon!
07 March 2025 - 9:49
Helena says:
Glad you did such a trip with Read & Travel, sounds exciting! Mexico also sounds interesting, but big! We were curious about Bolivia and El Salvador, among other things, but as I said, these are big projects so we will see if / when it can happen ... So nice with positive results from the survey! Fun with a cruise, and to see you at the fair!
07 March 2025 - 16:51
The Adventure of the Future says:
Nowadays I don't roast beans but I used to do it in the oven but I see that Anna at the top of the comments section has told you in detail how to do it.
Good luck, Bolivians are usually good.
Peter looks great in his Panama hat. You got to try a lot of good things...
07 March 2025 - 13:33
Helena says:
Yes, we've got some tips, perfect, now we'll dare to roast the beans! 🙂
07 March 2025 - 16:51
Ditte says:
How nice! And a successful week. So glad that things are moving forward with your travel agency. From experience I know that it is a lot of work to get everything in place. Good luck to you!
Latin America is truly fascinating. And gigantic. We did a cruise with Princess Cruises a few years ago and it was absolutely amazing. We were then away for just over two weeks. Extra time in Santiago and Buenos Aires.
The start of the cruise was off Santiago in Chile and we had time to see a lot of Santiago before the cruise began. The best thing was that the size of the boat was manageable and could just take us around Cape Horn. (Too big ships can not go there because of the winds.) Good stops along the journey did a lot. . We rounded Cape Horn, passed the Strait of Magellan, Falkland Islands, Ushuaia in Argentina, (one of the southernmost cities in the world. Then the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Buenos Aires.
Earlier in life we have visited Brazil, Ecuador and Central America.
As far as cruises in the Caribbean are concerned, we have tried it and it was absolutely not for us. In the Caribbean, just like in Europe with several large ships docking at the same time in a port and thousands of passengers pouring ashore. Often also in smaller places that feel artificial. But tastes are different.
We have tried cruising in Asia and would love to do it again. And then in the areas around Japan. a country we have not yet visited.
Let's see what you think next.
I know that there are "influencers" who have travelled in various collaborations.... But I think deciding on your own gives so much more. And to have plenty of time and not grab over too much.
Great to keep up with you in everything.
07 March 2025 - 16:41
Hanna's crib says:
Such a nice event. Don't drink coffee so have no idea how to roast beans. The best thing this week so far has been a nice conversation with a person and then today's weather. How about 16 degrees? Wonderful, yes,
07 March 2025 - 18:16
BP says:
What a fun week! Considering the price of coffee at the moment, one can only say thank you and take the beans. See you've already got tips on how to roast coffee. I have never done that either. The only Caribbean country I have visited is Barbados, a different experience to say the least. I mean have you/you ever been to a place where rum is cheaper than a can/bottle of Coca Cola, but that is the case in the Caribbean.
The remote breakfast meeting with home delivery of breakfast - it was a really fun idea.
I'm glad you're opening the travel agency this month.
I wish you a pleasant trip to the south!
07 March 2025 - 20:06
JoY says:
There are certainly interesting countries and such lovely colours in the culture of Latin America. We have not been there but our grandson is travelling around, almost 5 months, through the countries of South America, right now at the Rio carnival.
Glad Peter won a panama hat, nice. Roasting yourself, seems exciting, there may be a follow up later. I met a man in a market garden when I was looking at a coffee plant. He had a coffee plant, which had flowered and produced a cup of beans, which he had roasted in a pan. My coffee plant won't survive that long, I know that for sure hahaha.
The best thing this week, is that we have put in a lithium battery and are now travelling.
Have a nice weekend
07 March 2025 - 20:18