2020 has been a challenging and unusual year for all of us and everyone will have their own journey to share. As for many I have been through immense ups and downs during this year, totally overwhelmed with the frequency of change that was happening inside of me and around me, trying to adjust to it all and find "the new normal" version of myself.
One of the first things I did during lockdown, was to buy a new camera to keep myself occupied and be able to experiment a little bit. I also wanted to see if it helps me limit my screen time as I keep taking so many images with my phone. I have always been into photography and still have the analogue Canon EOS300 that I saved my pocket money for when I was only 16. I actually started using it again, experimenting with film alongside digital photography.
I thought I would start this blog off with 20 selected images of this unusual and challenging year. Because looking at all of these images in retrospect, I am reminded that it has been a year that I will remember for more than "just" living through a pandemic. That there were also moments of a lot of joy, one of them being my sister and her now husband announcing that they got married in secret, which still has me teared up when writing this.
Once the first lockdown had been lifted I was able to tick some travel destinations within Germany off my bucket list. These would have probably stayed on there for a while, as they are too close to home and were always put off for later as a result.
One of them was the Black Cabin, which is a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere just outside of Berlin. I had followed the account on Instagram for quite some time and always wanted to check it out.
The first blogpost during January will be a review of my stay there.
Later on in the year I was able to visit Venice, Burano and Pragser Wildsee whilst on holiday in South Tyrol with my sister and her family - three places that I always wanted to see, so true to style I cramped them all into one week. Venice was actually the first time that I felt like I was able to breathe again this year, soaking in a foreign culture and being in a place of significance. I had missed this so much!
However - the best part of 2020 was, that it gave me the happiest of endings, spending my 40th birthday in my beloved Aljezur. Pre-COVID it was the place I intended to have a big party in with friends flying in from all over the world (which would NOT feel right anymore now). And even though the set up was different than originally planned, it was the best birthday I could have wished for. As I am writing this post I am still here, surrounded by the beautiful nature, by friends that feel like family, regular rainbows after the winter storms, my favourite Shala and stunning beaches that I almost have to myself.
Aljezur has been the big hug that I needed after all the losses and struggles of the past months. It finally gave me my confidence back, the freedom to breathe and peace of mind. These past weeks will definitely feed me during the second lockdown at home and I will be forever grateful for it.
I will share more of all these experiences on here at a later stage. Some of them still need to settle and some of them I want to keep to myself for a little longer. All of them have shifted something inside me, so here are a few snapshots of the moments I cherished during that b**** of a year.
The first part of 2021 will see me move to Cologne and start a new role within my company, which I am really excited about. My one big New Year's resolution was:
NO MORE STILLSTAND, no matter what this pandemic has in mind for us.
I am going to keep moving and take you along with me, if you so wish.
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