Well it is almost one year ago since i emigrated to Sweden and time for some evaluation. I didn't realise a lot of people travel to Stockholm where i live and it's actually quite a big tourist attraction.

I feel even i haven't seen all sides of this place yet, within a year, because once you live somewhere you always tend to think you have a lot of time. And somehow you take the place you live in for granted and don't realise how beautiful it actually is.

So since i will not travel in April, i will go around here in Stockholm and closer surroundings, to explore the best places to fill my sweden diary.

There are some general facts i concluded within the last year.

Stockholm is the capital and main city, but still it seems more comparable to a mid-size city in Germany. There are not many high rise blocks and nature is easy accessable for everyone. Also a walk by the water is anywhere possible, since Stockholm is built on countless Islands.

Most important here in Sweden are nevertheless the only two existing Seasons: Summer & Winter.

There is literally no spring and no autumn, i have the feeling. Also while Summer lasts around 5 weeks maybe, if lucky, winter lasts for ages!

Everyone has been warning me and saying when i came in April and loved this place so much, that i will definitly change my mind when winter is coming.

So i had an amazing very short summer in Sweden, went to Bali in autumn and when i came back in September it was there.

The really depressing point for me was actually the darkness, in december even at the weekend if you sleep longer, 3h of light. You start to isolate in your flat, starting endless marathons of tv shows, hoping that this might end soon, but well, the winter lasts until April.

Every step outside is a challenge, since you do not want to leave your cosy home. Actually it seems that this city is falling asleep. In summer there are endless amounts of parties, people outside all nights, you hear the laughter in the warm breeze.

In winter you will feel the isolation and uncomfortable stillness, but even i left my house from time to time, since this period of the year has some positives as well.

I have never seen as much snow as here in sweden. Already in november last year we had a suprising snow storm, that bedded Stockholm in a 40cm deep white blanket.

Of course it was so very chaotic, since no one expected it that early in the year. And the temperatures are insanely cold for me, when it is -12° degrees and windy, i get the feeling of freezing to death. But there is no bad weather, just bad clothing, so thats the time when you should leave the house. Since the snow makes everything more light and adoring, you can finally hear some small kids laughing outside while doing their snowball fights.

After December i could literally feel every day getting longer again, now the sun is up when i get up and it's still light after work, which is just such a fantastic feeling. You never appreciate something until you really miss it and i got so addicted to daylight and sunshine.

That was also a reason for me to do from now on a trip to a very sunny place in the middle of winter, probably best in December, to escape the swedish darkness.