Welcome to Abisko

Have you ever tried to describe something so beautiful that no words can really do it justice? You search and search, but none of the words you know seem to fit because what you are trying to describe shouldn’t automatically fall into a category with other things you have called beautiful before. I wish I could make a new word for each time I found something that was beautiful in its own way. To spare you from my made-up words, I’ll settle for using words we already know instead. Just know, nothing compares to seeing this place with your own eyes.

I knew I was heading to the right place before I even took off. Every person boarding the plane was clad in hiking boots, flannels, and outdoor packs with Teva sandals hanging from the straps. I already felt more at home than I did in four years in Massachusetts (don’t worry, I grew to love you all the same, Massachusetts). Needless to say, Abisko, Sweden is land of my dreams. Home to one of the nine national parks in Sweden, Abisko is composed of rolling green hills, snow capped mountains, fast moving rivers, deep valleys, and icy blue lakes. Hikers, fishermen, and nature enthusiasts alike flock to Abisko- especially this time of year when the trails are still snow free and the cooler temperatures keep the swarms of mosquitos at bay (I really can’t escape the monstrous bugs, its seems). And, as it turns out, I arrived at just the right time to explore this incredible park. This summer in Abisko has been, for the most part, cold and rainy. However, during my first week I have been blessed with sunny 20 degree days (my transition to Celsius has been abrupt) perfect for exploring. I won’t go into the details about every hike and every wonderfully vibrant piece of nature I have explored, for that I might have to write a book, but I will share a couple pictures from some of the neatest places so far.  

Hands down, the Abisko River canyon is my favorite find. Picture fast moving, blue and turquoise waters slashing their way through steep khaki-gray walls scattered with tufts of green shrubs peaking through the cracks. It’s hard not to be drawn to the power and intensity of the rushing waves of the river as it works its way from the roaring waterfall to the clear blue lake in the distance. Easy to say this canyon made into my top five favorites (yep, I have a canyon list, as you all should).

Looking down on the green-blue waters of the Abisko River

Following alongside the Abisko River is my second favorite part of the park, the Kings Trail (Kungsleden). The Kungsleden is one of the most popular trails in the park and it is easy to understand why when it starts at the canyon and extends for kilometers all the way into Norway, weaving its way through valleys and birch forests and over mountains ranges. A couple of day hikes on this trail has me hooked already. So if there are any backpackers out there, reserve some time off for August 2016 ;) 

One of many breath-taking views from the King's Trail

However, don’t start to think my time in Abisko has just been a hike through the park. I have had my far share of struggles too. They mainly manifest in the form of identifying foods in the grocery store, but it’s a struggle all the same. I have slowly started to learn some common Swedish words for food, and when that fails I try to decipher the pictures on the sides of the containers. This is not always the best method, as you can imagine, so food items have made a quick mov to the top of my Swedish vocab list (where they should be).

Oh, I’m also here to do some science. More on that next week! Until then, look at these pretty pictures. 

One of the many waterfalls in the Abisko area.

A shameless selfie, because, the background totally makes it worth it (some of those mountains are in Norway!).

A high up view of the small town of Abisko with the striking blue Tornetrask to the left. 

Kenzie

This site is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed in this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.

Get lost. Find cool stuff.

Maps. Paper maps. What are they? A paper map is this nifty tool that predates the smartphone and Google Maps. You can get them for almost any town or city and they help you go places. You don’t even need wifi (crazy, I know). When I first arrived in Stockholm, I underestimated the usefulness of these “paper maps.” Let me tell you, they are way better than the iPhone-Map-Screen-Shot Method. That usually ends in folly. Yet, as I found out, getting lost isn’t all that bad. As long as you have a handy paper map to get back home at the end of the day, getting lost is great. 

Losing yourself along the narrow cobblestone streets and old picturesque colored buildings is easy. Every turn and every bridge crossing (Stockholm is made up of a series of small islands) offers something new and interesting to explore. My first night here, I found myself in Gamla stan, the old town part of Stockholm. I ran into Gamla Stan by following the large crowd of people that were migrating in that direction (it's a great technique for finding hotspots). Without a destination in mind, I just walked, weaving my way through the maze of kaffes, restaurants, stores, and street performers. I stumbled upon my first awesome find about half an hour into my walking- the Nobel Museum. I was a little hesitant at first to buy my 100 krn ticket (you can buy four or more scoops of gelato with that…), but, in the end, it was definitely worth it. 

A cobblestone street in Gamla Stan

This may sound cheesy, but I came out of the Nobel Museum feeling kind of inspired. Alfred Noble, a native to Sweden, wanted to inspire scientific and intellectual innovation and reward people who ask hard questions. To do this, he donated his entire fortune and everything he owned to start a fund for prize money dedicated to five, and now six, fields (though I do recommend a 7th field... Environmental Science, perhaps?). Today The museum is scattered with quotes, old artifacts, and stories about all of the past Nobel Prize winners. A quote that left a lasting impression was by a guy you have most likely heard of, Albert Einstein. But first, fun fact, one of the reasons Albert was so excited to win his Nobel Prize was because he was finally able to buy a house for his wife… who would only give him the divorce he wanted if she had her own house, ha!

At the Nobel Museum

A lot of attention and praise is always given to results, which is not a bad thing, but those results could only come about because someone asked a question or thought of a problem that no one had thought of in that light before. So results may look pretty at the surface, but it is the initial question that is at the root of it all. Never stop asking questions! 

My second awesome find was also a museum (bear with me). I found the Biology Museum near the amusement park (Gamla stan method, once again) in the central part of Stockholm. Housed in an old wooden building with a creaky and almost ghostly spiraling stair case at the center, the museum has replicas of every animal, invasive or not, that can be found in Sweden. Since I have already spent half the blog describing a museum, I'll spare you this time with a game of I-Spy instead. I spy a brown bear, 2 wood peckers, a badger, a long-horned owl, a great grey owl, a snow lynx, 4 birds with names I don't remember, the backside of a hare, and a skyvader (half bird, half hare, reportedly shot in 1890). 

I-Spy: Part 1

I-Spy: Part 2

For those of you who are now concerned that all I do is go to museums, don't worry. I have spent ample time exploring the many food venders, craft fairs, dance performances, and concerts put on by the Stockholm Cultural Festival, in addition to spending large amounts of time appreciating Stockholm's beautiful sunsets and sunrises. I've also taken up the hobby of trying out Sweden's unique flavors of gum- I'm not a fan of eucalyptus, but I put it above sour black liquorish...  

People gather at the festival to listen to a Swedish band play some rock and roll

A Stockholm sunset

That's all,

Kenz





This site is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed in this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.

A new corner of the world

For those who know me well, they know that blogging is not my favorite activity. My teammates know I would rather run a "6-4-6 ladder", my colleagues in Siberia know I would rather spend 48 straight hours in a mosquito-ridden burned forest, and my parents know I would rather clean all of the bathrooms in our house... for the next three years. But, i'm told we all must learn how to tackle the tasks that bug us most. So I thought a year of researching greenhouse gas dynamics in a sub-arctic region of Sweden as a Fulbright Scholar might be the perfect opportunity to conquer the dreaded blog.

So what's with Krypin? Some of you may remember my last venture in the world of blogging came via the form of my basketball team blog, Kenzie's Korner (thank you, Coach Hodgdon for that clever word play). While my small "Korner" has expanded from basketball practices, locking my stuff in the library, and the laundry mishaps I experienced at Wheaton College (MA), I thought it would only be right to keep up the theme. To find a fitting title for my time in a new corner of the world, I turned to a Swedish journalist I met this last field session in Cherskiy, Russia. She introduced me to the Swedish word krypin, which, as you can probably guess, means nook or corner. Perfect, right? I thought so.

While I can't promise consistent blogging throughout my trip, I can promise to try my best to grace you with my travel mishaps, pictures from my iPhone that won't do beautiful places justice, and science. Lots of science (don't be afraid, I promise it will be alright).

For now, let's try to appreciate how hard it was to fit all of my belongings for the year in one duffle and backpack. 

If you really really can't wait to start hearing about the far north and the science being done up there, check out the Polaris Project Blog-  http://www.thepolarisproject.org/blog/.  I have had the awesome opportunity to trek around Northeastern Siberia the past two summers doing research and meeting some pretty cool people along the way. So check out their blog posts or at least look at some beautiful pictures of an amazing place. 


Next blog from Sweden!

Kenz

This site is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed in this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.