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This year will always be remembered as the time we all had to ask ourselves some serious, yet simple, questions related to our very existence, perhaps even reflecting on our purpose on this planet.

Sadly I admit that this virus torturing the whole of humanity today – to less or greater extent depending on where we are suited geographically and by pure randomness – radically changed some things I just took for granted, or at least being within physical reach by sacrifice, hard work, planning, and reorganizing, in my daily life. Because, neither travel or spare-time is something you get for free. As a researcher, and currently also a university teacher working online, I am highly flexible and have always been through most of my career. For years, I have been able to work full time from a sailing boat, from a country house, from a beach, from a mountain top, and from home.

I like to devote myself to things I believe in and things I want to protect. And honestly, some of the most precious things are found in the nature. While always being aware of that, from early age, I planned my entire life to suit my basic wishes and needs to spend time in the natural environment, either that be sailing, skiing, hiking, biking, or yoging, just experiencing nature through every breath.

Some people cannot count on that any longer. Some of us are trapped in quarantine or other more unreasonable measures proposed by some governments, or by illness struggling for life against an invisible enemy.

My plans have also changed. I am currently in Stockholm, although I am supposed to work in Karlstad, but since all courses went online a few weeks ago, I jumped on this train which came from Oslo with a bunch of Swedes leaving Norway in rush to get home, I suppose, before the Norwegian lockdown. So I got back to Stockholm to work online and spend some time with my loved ones. And wait. For the virus. Because it is coming, for sure.

Have you heard about the strange country that decided not to follow the path of the countries forcing its citizens to stay home? That is Sweden they are talking about. However, even though not forced by law, the Swedish people actually obey recommendations, because we care and we have trust in the good in this world. I am one of them, and proud to say so.

I never previously in my entire life really understood the true meaning and value of democracy, trust, and the reasoning behind the Swedish system. In these days, I’ve been doing some thinking about the Swedish system while comparing it to the undemocratic, abusive measures lacking with logic and commonsense, built on fear and corrupt systems, with so-called leaders desperately hanging on to their shamefully earned power, trying to erase the inconvenient traces of their ignorance, stupidity and narcissism – as they first diminished the virus by calling it ”a joke” and told their people they are immune to it because their people are ”genetically” better equipped to fight the virus – feeding their people with excuses, lies, prejudices, and threats in case they oppose their leaders’ words, thereby diminishing their own people’s intelligence and abilities, treating them like ignorant children, with the deepest disrespect, and complete lack of trust.

In short, some leaders in the countries in the Old mountain region are projecting their own corrupted character on their people. This is just basic psychology of mirroring one’s own expectations on others’ behaviors. Or, those who are not to trust cannot trust others either.

If democracy really works in a country, the system not only talks of equality and treating everyone equally, it actually makes their people feel that they can be trusted! I will never ever in my entire life wonder in surprise why the people of Stara planina are so difficult when it comes to collaboration and trust. It is simply because their current leaders do not make them feel trustworthy, just as the leaders themselves aren’t trustworthy. I am sad this happened in many countries of Eastern Europe. I am especially sad because this happened in the countries of former Yugoslavia, because a lot of the present distrusts and corrupt leaders came to power in the aftermaths of splitting up into smaller countries. And now trust is the biggest issue on every level of their society, also as experienced by any foreigner trying to navigate through their system, or noted just in casual meetings with ordinary people.

So, I have just realized the true meaning and implications of democracy, feeling proud of the Swedish system and the hidden values it carries within it. Of course it has its flaws, I am a fast critic and do complain about many smaller things, but this is the one time the real value of a system built on true democracy and trust was unveiled to me.

Thanks to the fact that I can enjoy my physical freedom and right to go wherever I want, every second day at least – depending on my current workload – I try to get out for a walk to grasp some fresh air. Of course, at a distance of at least 5 meters from others.

I am happy to be able to have wonderful walks through the city of Stockholm – now practically empty – offering a fascinating sense of peace and that sense of traveling back in time to the bright nights of the 80’s when I was strolling down the same pavements as a teenager. The evenings are getting light and the spring sun is shining, although yesterday interrupted by a storm (well, not really a storm, but heavy winds, for sure). So, I found myself completely alone in one of the islands of the city, Skeppsholmen, stretching beyond the ferries and the exclusive Grand hotel, offering small parks and some of the biggest museums. Now the museums are obviously closed, however due to their managements’ own decisions, not by frustrated politicians.

I walked over the small bridge as the wind tried to grasp my bag and anything loose, leaning forward fighting against the gail wind gusts. And suddenly, as I entered the island, I felt the most powerful presence of something beautiful, the feeling reminding me of the walks over the Old Mountain. I felt completely alive and harmonious, filled with gratitude towards Mother Nature.

So, for many years I’ve been traveling to the Old Mountain in order to experience that great feeling of indescribable contempt, peace, and love to greatness, only manifesting itself in loneliness together with God and Mother Nature, just to find it here in Stockholm not longer than 500 meters from my city apartment!

Just as I started my walk around the island, I met a lovely woman about 75 years of age. Our eyes met and we just smiled one to another. I could see what she was feeling, because so did I. This. Is. Life.

But, actually my plan was substantially different from my current reality. I was supposed to spend some time in the Old Mountain about now, and I was really hoping to get a couple of days of wonderful skiing experiences in the slopes. I was saving a blog post for a sunny day at Plaza and Konjarnik, the dogs, and the beautiful sunset while traveling back to the village beneath.

So, I decided to write a blog post on how I spent a week in the Old Mountain last spring, and, with the use of a spark of imagination, I want to invite you to travel there with me now.

Also enjoying Mother Nature
Earthly pleasures
A view over the Old Mountain

katarina

About this blog

This space is aimed for sharing beautiful and memorable experiences created while traveling the roads and slopes of one of the oldest mountains of the old world – Old Mountain – stretching over three countries at the eastern edge of southern Europe . I intend to share stories and memories from the most remote parts of Old Mountain, unveiling its best kept secrets and treasures.

I am an ancestor of the Old Mountaineers and the Vikings of Scandinavia, a teacher, researcher, and meteorologist, teaching courses in Informatics in Sweden and conducting research on weather services and data, service design, and machine learning / artificial intelligence.

As a frequent visitor of Old Mountain and I invite you all who admire the power of nature and its forces, worship the solitude and beautiful meetings across borders, to an unforgettable journey by foot, bike, skis, or wings.