Notes from Abroad

by Erica M. Szuplat

I struck gold with this Royal Talens sketchbook I picked up in Gothenburg, Sweden. The cadmium red hardbound cover caught my eye and the creamy pages were a hefty weight (similar to old Moleskines but at a more affordable price point) with a smoothness that paired well with my charcoal black Lamy Safari fountain pen; a delightful synergy.

With the sketchbook tucked in my bag, I walked the same streets my great-great-grandmother Nettie walked before she immigrated to the U. S. Did her meagre means allow her to stroll the manicured park, view the scientific specimens at the natural history museum, or enjoy a romantic sail or swim along the rocky shore on a summer’s day with friends? I documented my own time there, a tourist’s leisurely experience: reflections of wooden boats shimmering in the sea, sculptures casting shade over blooming tulips, starfish suspended in glass display cases. With the light breaking through clouds behind the cathedral spire, below which she likely prayed, I logged my visit, in black ink, thousands of miles, an ocean of seas, and a century apart.

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