Niklas passed away , 10 days ago, far too young……..I don’t have words for this, because I just really DON’T UNDERSTAND. We always say that we have the WHOLE LIFE in front of us……and we do!, but often realize that we don’t have enough time….

I dedicate these pictures of the day to Niklas, Anna and their children Pontus & Ella. And of course to their closest and dearest family.

These portraits are powerful and engaging and I almost heard a “dialogue” between former prisoners and they who are still behind bars……

This exhibition has been extended to the 24th of December,  if you’re in Bangkok…… Don’t miss it!

Today I would like to tell you a little about IKEA, the first one opening in Thailand, Bangna, Bangkok. It’s  part of the new mega-shopping complex “Mega Bangna”. Which is still under construction, but the IKEA store is NEVER late……this is the 330th IKEA store in the world and the biggest one in Southeast Asia. I was born just 5 years after IKEA opened in 1965. The first store in the world, “Kungens Kurva” in Skärholmen, Stockholm, Sweden. I am a pure generation of IKEA “Wonderland”, my mother basically lived there…..when she wasn’t at work! IKEA’s philosophy is: Home is the most important place in the world. That’s why IKEA helps people to create a better everyday life at home for the many people.

IKEA held a very “Low-Key Opening” instead of a big celebration due to the extreme flood crisis.  Ikea Thailand has donated 20 million Baht to help those who are suffering from the floods, the donation was given to flood victims through the Mae Fah Luang Foundation.

We have about 50 million whales that have to make their way to the ocean and it kind of makes a certain disturbance to everyday life in Bangkok……

Where I live in Central Bangkok everything is fine and dry, we can still move around pretty easy, do our shopping, penury concerning water can be a problem, for the moment I’m OK and my family and friends as well, but many fellow Thais are in great despair and water up till their necks…… so yes I understand when they say that holding back the water from central Bangkok, may be very disturbing for the people living along the Chao Phraya river. If we flood central Bangkok, we will probably ease off the levels in many suburbs and along the river, but the inner city is the heart of economy….. means (in my eyes) that the Fortress has to stand strong as long as possible. SORRY!

The other day we went down to the river to have a look:

IKEA Kungens kurva 1965

I found this great Black & White photograph of IKEA, on the internet. The Volkswagen Beetle in the front on the picture could have been my father’s!!

Nota Bene: the photographer is unknown so no copyright, I usually never post photographs on the website unless they are mine.

So now to see from the beginning how a country is going to welcome this “Swedishness” into their culture is going to be something my camera and I are going to enjoy to follow up.

There will be more from the opening on the 3rd of November 2011. See you there perhaps……

My bag fits me just perfect, a Hobo-style, can fit basically everything I need in it! except my camera….. hopefully getting a smaller variety of a “camera” and then it will work just perfectly for my everyday life.

Karina do all the design herself, she makes sure that she will get the leather she wants directly from the wholesaler. After that she cuts the pieces herself and then she gives it to her tailor. A lot of work and I do hope that we will see more of it! Unfortunately she doesn’t yet have a website or a Facebook page, which I hope she will put up soon to show all her different models and I will definitely talk about it here again then……