Sandra‘s Closet

No time to dress in the morning? Some essentials are a great way to save time as they mix and match easily with other pieces from your closet. This season, I recommend a leather biker jacket and a black slim cardigan. They work with everything. Finish off the look with a statement bag and some fun jewelry and you will be ready in a sec!

My look: Leather biker jacket and leopard print scarf, both by Saint Laurent, appliquéd leather and lace skirt by Jason Wu, cashmere and silk-blend cardigan by Miu Miu, white lace bralette by Abercrombie & Fitch, large Pashli satchel by 3.1 Phillip Lim, shoes by Gucci, rose diamond necklace by Piaget and pearl necklace by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

After two days in Reykjavík, I have started my trip around Iceland. The so-called Golden Triangle, “the three great destinations” for the Icelandair travelers that visit the country are Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir and were first on my “to-see list”. Believe me, they are absolutely worth the visit. Step off luxury and explore paradise! Enjoy my photo diary.

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

The Þingvellir area is an area of sea-floor spreading, displaying the close association of crustal rifting and volcanism. Þingvellir is next to the Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa the only site on earth where the effects of two major plates drifting apart can be observed. Almannagjá that you can see above is pherhaps the most dramatic structure at Þingvellir.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Gullfoss (translated as “Golden Falls”) is to my opinion one of Iceland’s most stunning waterfalls (and I have seen Niagara falls in Canada!). The light, the scenery is just breathtaking.

Geysir – Strokkur

Strokkur is one of Iceland’s famous fountain geysers, erupting about every 4-8 minutes 15-20m high, sometimes even up to 40m high. It is part of a whole geothermal area next to the famous Great Geysir which was the first one described in a printed source and which is the name giver for this natural phenomenon.

It was freezing cold and I experienced very strong winds that day.

My look: White padded gilet by Moncler Grenoble, pink sweater and checkered shirt, both by Abercrombie & Fitch, large studded backpack by MCM, sunglasses by Katie Grand ♥ HOGAN, printed silk scarf by Gabriele Frantzen, suede classic short boots by UGG Australia and Le Skinny de Jeanne mid-rise skinny jeans by Frame Denim. Hat and gloves, both souvenirs from Iceland.

Skógafoss

On my drive further east, I passed by Skógafoss, a waterfall situated in the south of Iceland at the cliffs of the former coastline. It probably rivals Gullfoss as Iceland’s most famous waterfall.

Dyrhólaey

The small peninsula Dyrhólaey is located on the south coast of Iceland. The view from up there from the cliff is gorgeous with black lava columns coming out of the sea.

Travelling through Iceland feels a little bit like being on luxury withdrawal therapy. The accommodations are pretty basic and you don’t find fancy restaurants. But you find something here that is absolutely unbeatable, breathtaking nature, an amazing light as it barely gets dark these months and peace for your mind.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

On Saturday morning, I flew to Reykjavík, the largest city in Iceland. The world’s northernmost capital of a sovereign state has been on my “places to see” list since a very long time.

I have completely underestimated the climate. The city’s coastal location makes it prone to wind and it is freezing cold here. As I spent the last weeks only in hot temperatures, it feels even worse. During my first few hours in this beautiful and very colorful city , I went shopping and got myself a wool hat and sweater.

My look: White padded gilet by Moncler Grenoble, green sweater by Abercrombie & Fitch, 620 Photo Ready mid-rise leggings-style jeans by J Brand, large studded backpack by MCM, sunglasses by Marc Jacobs and Jenny brushed-suede ankle boots by Isabel Marant. The hat is a souvenir from Iceland.

Here in Reykjavík, there are many things to do and explore. One of the big highlights is whale watching.

The meat of this large mammal can be found on almost every menu in this country.

View of Harpa concert and conference center from the old harbour.

City center

Panorama of the city and the largest church in Iceland

Central Reykjavík seen from…

… the top of Hallgrímskirkja Church.

Colorful rooftops line Reykjavík.

Approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Reykjavik is the famous Blue Lagoon, a place that you don’t want to miss. Set in the pure heart of the Icelandic landscape, it offers a complete spa experience. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulphur and bathing is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis. I felt too cold to go swimming but the scenery itself has been worth the visit.

Now, I am off to see some geysers and more…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Yesterday I went an hour by car east of Xi’an to the Shaanxi province, where the famous Terracotta Army or the “Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses” can be seen. The collection of sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, was only discovered in 1974 by coincidence by a group of farmers when they were digging a water well a little further away of the Qin Emperor’s tomb mound at Mount Li (Lishan). The terracotta figures are life-sized and vary in height, uniform and hairstyle. Only a section of the site is presently excavated. It is a very impressive sightseeing spot that was truly worth visiting.

My look: Pink hot pants by Abercrombie & Fitch, the “Zurich” tee I designed for Closed and sneakers by Nike.

Today, I am flying to Lijiang, located in Yunnan province, the so-called Venice of the Orient. Stay tuned for more coming up soon…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Get in the festive spirit with those irresistible patterned knitwear panties by Abercrombie & Fitch. Slip them on with a cute top for instant Yuletide glamour at home.

My husband surprised me with them… very sweet!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht