From Vikings to Bohemians: Unveiling the Rich History of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe
- brandonjbk
- Mar 30, 2024
- 2 min read
When I concluded my studies in Europe during my graduate program, I had some time to explore Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. I was on my own, and looking back, I'm still not sure how I pulled it off. But I'm glad I did, such an incredible period of time to travel to this part of the world. I, unfortunately, do not have many photos from this trip. Below is a collage that will hopefully communicate the experience.
My initial stops were through Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki Finland. An area of the world where each country ranks towards the tops of the happiness surveys. My broad takeaway from that is these are small countries that have very strong sense of community and a very good work/life balance. Something I try and carry with me back in the states.
From here, I crossed the Gulf of Finland into the Baltics. Tallin Estonia is an absolute gem, with its center city resembling a medieval city. I made my way through Latvia and Lithuania via train and enjoyed the conversations I had with local business owners that were taking on a new sense of freedom and system given the timeframe of my visit. Interesting to reflect during this time given what is going on geopolitically in 2024.
Last, I ended up in Warsaw Poland, where you will see most of the photos above. It was the country that I felt the greatest amount of pride, courage, and resilience. Several of the photos above are from the Pawiak Prison Museum, which commemorates the old prison that operated from 1835 to 1944. Polish patriots were incarcerated who fought the Russian partitioning authorities in 1918, and during WWII, some of which were members of the resistance movement. It's actually located in the center of the city, as a remember of the courage and sacrifice the people of Poland made for their independence.
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