poems.

i was going through my hard drive when i found a poem i wrote a few years ago. 2005 i believe. this is part of it that i thought was appropriate.



"it was quiet on the highway.

and i decided i will move to sweden. to photograph beautiful women.

in three hundred and sixty.five days.

the countdown begins. (anyone want in?)"




xoxo.

im pretty sure the weather here is better then back home.

the weather has been sunny, warm and beautiful. blossoms are starting to bud! the sunsets are about 08.30-09pm now. i just can not wait these swedish summers i hear of. and the summer potatoes ..ah!

i have been lazy and NOT updating in a while. i have photos from easter! the påsk celebration! coloring eggs and traditional swedish food!







[yes lindt crew, all the european bunnies have bells!]



[påskmust is a soda that comes around for easter. it is the same soda drink at christmas, julmust, but any swede will argue they taste completely different. remember that drink, moxie? yea, its not so enjoyable :) ]

[but the boy loves it!]

yes, i will spill the beans. i have a swedish boyfriend. me? have a BOYFRIEND? what a shock, i know. we met in february and have been dating since. and decided to call it official. his name is tim dahl. and if you're reading it with an american accent, you cant say it right. i practice it with him, their family, my swedish kids, while i iron, in the shower, and its hopeless. TEEEEEEM dAAAUUUUUUhl. good luck. we pronounce it, "doll", hence the name Dolly. hes a good kid.




my travel plans are just crazy and filling up! i am getting very excited! the grand colette in europe tour!
next month i will travel to london for a few days, visiting my swedish friend cat ! we met in boston and became close friends.


[photo Sylwia Kubicka.]

there she is in her glory! i cant wait!

my swedish tutor in boston, STIG is coming to stockholm in a few weeks also! we will plan to meet up in his travels though! VAD KUL!

i have booked tickets to SWITZERLAND to see a friend from photo school! she is working independently on photo projects and studying abroad. we have big plans to be photo nerds the entire week! -and also i WILL put my yodeling skills to use and climb a swiss mountain! i have been pretty much in LOVE with this photo she took while in switzerland shortly after photo school.


[photo Laura Bernier.]

i am anticipating a POLAND excursion the following week.. and lisa peterson, my old roommate from boston, will arrive in SWEDEN to visit her swedish friends and we WILL take a boat to Finland! I MUST SEE FINLAND!

THEN, [this is fun!] my mother and little sister will come to stockholm! (for real!) they are going international with me! i am very proud of them! -since i have been dying to travel europe since i was 15, and the answer has always been NO! so its a victorious moment in the kulig family! i will also photograph emily for her senior photos! [senior photos are big when you graduation high school. she was very upset with me before i left that i wouldnt be able to take them. so i joked with her, "well, just come to sweden and ill do it!"...low and behold, we will ROCK the yearbook with beautiful backdrops of stockholm!]

to wrap up the summer, dolly and i will runaway to venice, italy. we are going to eat AMAZING pizza! we just booked a room right next to st marks sq! sadly, i have discovered my mothers side of the family is from the very southern part of italy; whereas venice is northern. i will think of the family roots in spirit! "CIN CIN!"

[photo www.venere.com, HOTEL BELLA VENEZIA]
ahH!

germany will perhaps remain in my dreams as a dreary fall day. so we will save that for later.




in entertainment news, one of the last swedish bands i have yet to see has a show in stockholm coming up! our favorite, detektivbyrån is playing 20 may, and i will be there in all my glory! you should look them up, i would highly recommend it.

this past weekend i saw THE BUDDY HOLLY MUSICAL! ah! i could just scream! it was so amazing! everyone was dancing, and clapping along! it was all in swedish, but the songs in english, of course. i was excited of all that i could understand! buddy holly was played by a famous swedish singer, "Brolle," and he was just perfect for the part!


[photo www.sj.se/upplevelser.]


jag måste pluggar min svenska läxa nu.
hope you all enjoy!


colette.
xoxo.

glad påsk! happy easter från handelsvägen!

my apologies, i realize it HAS been a while.
so much has changed in stockholm. since daylight savings 2 weeks ago, it feels as though spring has appeared overnight! the sunsets are now at 8pm. which is like summer back home.
april first i went to a televised concert, peter, björn + paul, lykke li, and THE SOUNDS were all playing together! i just could have passed out..
all my favorite SWEDISH artists playing together in sweden, oh and i was there to watch it. i arrived a bit late, but caught a few performances and my friend erik met lykke li! VAD KUL! [photo thanks to karoline!]




you can see the show a bit at,

http://svt.se/popcirkus

lykke li, i have decided is far more magical live. she has this voice that stops you dead in your tracks. that girl owns the room. make sure you listen to "after laughter". can you see my face in the crowd?

i have booked plane tickets to LONDON for next months adventure! i will stay a long weekend with my swedish friend CAT, whom i met last year in boston and the mayhem must continue internationally! i have high hopes of catching lady sofia before she leaves london 24 hours after i land. [whats up boston rendevouz in europe?]

so easter is very interesting here in sweden.
easter comes in 4 days.
the festivities starts on THURSDAY= "skärtorsdag."
pink thursday.
children dress up like "easter witches", traditionally with hankerchiefs on their heads, face painted pink cheeks and freckles, and a kettle to knock on doors, wishing GLAD PÅSK and receiving candy in exchange for their homemade cards.
now i know many have told me that it doesnt take much to get me excited, which is true, but my day was completely made after this group of kids... they were so excited, and i was so excited... ah! little swedish babies knocking on the door !





today, we call good friday is, "långfredag"
long friday. most places close early.

tomorrow, saturday is "easter eve", which i have been told by many people in my travels that europeans tend to celebrate the night before the actually holiday. [whereas in the states we go crazy on EASTER DAY, and CHRISTMAS MORNING.] so, tomorrow is, "påskafton" påsk=easter. afton=evening.
i will be joining the dahl family for their easter traditions here in stockholm. i will take photos for you all. :) and i have thought about it, and think i am ready for some pickled herring!
i have been asked to make something "american" and if it wasnt for eola and her good ideas, i would not be making my first carrot cake ! i can not wait to tear into it tomorrow, but the swedish boy tends to be a bit upset about adding vegetables to cakes..

then comes easter sunday, of course. "påskdagen."
and monday is still the holiday. because the swedes need an EXTRA day to rest from their holiday fun. this has a special name, "annandag påsk."


in other news, yes, there is a swedish boy in the picture. he helps me with my swedish. i laugh when he laughs. & i figure, im young and should date the natives whilst in a foreign country, right? skål! photos will be developed soon. stay tuned.

there are feathers EVERYWHERE. on the easter trees, in trees... spring thing? easter thing? *shrugs.* but they sure are pretty!






glad påsk!
xoxo.